The post is indeed rude and malicious, and it does not belong on our screens.We all could do without these incidents, to be sure. Sadly, however, this is by no means the first time I've seen a personal attack like this one in this forum.
However, I must say that even in consideration of this incident I am wary of this group becoming moderated. Why? I believe a moderator should have moderate views. This is not the always the case. Whoever has the task of moderating must differentiate between personalities and principles.
Someone given the power to remove and/or alter our posts could easily become a censor of sorts.
This is why I will only support the appointment of a moderator provided that his or her's sole duty is to remove obscenities and personal attacks.
Some of you are suggesting that the moderator also become the arbiter of what is relevent or irrelevent to the group. In this regard we are venturing into a gray area. For some people, anything to do with Amtrak is fair game for discussion. For someone else, however, only locomotives and rolling stock rosters are what count. And still another person might feel this should be a forum for ranting against Amtrak management or on-board service personnel or whatever the case may be, to the exclusion of everything else. Some people might interpret being moderator as a reason to lecture us about what they think is wrong and what's right. What I'm saying is that it's important that a moderator be truly moderate in their views.
It is common for a completely topical thread to wander "off topic" a bit at times, such as, "You're from Kankakee? Hey, man I got an Uncle in Kankakee!" and so forth. I don't see this as a problem, but, to be sure, others most certainly do. This is what concerns me.
Would threads vanish just because they didn't interest the moderator? In the past I have seen members, including myself, be reminded politely by others that they're going astray. Everyone agreed and simply moved on. I feel placing the decision of what's on and off topic in the hands of a moderator is not something we need or want.
For example, a recent thread focused on "things to do in Manhattan" during an overnight layover between two Amtrak trains. All of the feedback posted was decidedly friendly, although there were easily seen differences in what members thought would be appropriate ways of spending the time. In all fairness, however, this thread had little to do with Amtrak.
Had I been the group's moderator, I would have let this thread stand anyway. Other persons, I believe, would not. They would have directed the participants to seek a travel forum about New York City.
If feedback from the moderator became too heavy handed, the forum could become overly serious. The forum should be neither too liberal nor too conservative. A good moderator would steer the group back as needed to middle groud without upbraiding the forum's members.
Some of our most outspoken and well-informed members would not make good moderators. The overall tone of their posts reveals a consistent impatience with the various foibles of other members. Serious-minded, highly opinionated persons should always be welcomed here, as they provide answers and either spark or settle debates. However, it is likely these people would not be good moderators for just the same reasons.
Serious discussion about Amtrak and its heritage, light-hearted exchanges about traveling by train, and even those controversial debates which sometimes spring up between members all have a place here, as long as the participants express themselves without using profanities or attacking those they disagree with.
When things heat up, we should simply step back and put the matter in perspective. After all, to paraphrase Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca, the problems of two Amtrak nuts don't add up to a hill of beans in this crazy, mixed-up world.
That's why I think it needs to be said that there also needs to be some laughter around here too. Being tough is only one aspect of a moderator's job, if it is one at all.
I hope that, apart from policing for breeches of etiquette, our forum moderator would refrain from removing posts and silencing members they don't understand or feel little kinship with.
Last, I agree with others who say turning the other cheek is the best way to rid ourselves quickly of a belligerent person's involvement in our group. Don't gratify the person who offends with a response.
And Mr. Toy, on behalf of all of those here who support you and welcome your participation, I regret that you were the subject of this person's attack.
As for me, I have made many new friends here. They are people who I otherwise would have most likely never met. Amtrak fans from all over the world visit this forum everyday.
These friendships would not have formed if someone had been telling me what I could post about Amtrak, when I could post it, or whether I could post here at all.
David
[This message has been edited by dnsommer (edited 12-06-2003).]
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