Guilty as charged---sorry--I will forthwith refrain from using this site as a forum. It was fun tho!

I agree

Can you here me clapping from P.G. West. Congratulations on this comment.

It is very difficult to determine what is a real name and what is a fictitious name on the internet.

I still believe we have the responsibility, as bloggers, to criticize fellow bloggers, and engage in personal attacks if that is what we call it, should someone make racist, derogatory, or sexist comments. Free speech should not be limited by a higher power- it should be limited by what society finds acceptable and by what sorts of responses our fellow community members give to our comments. If noone criticizes somebody for making such comments, we have not fulfilled our obligation to ensure that free speech is not abused. It is part of how it works. So, I would disagree that free speech is not about attacking others. If somebody says something ridiculous, you better believe I will attack them. That is how we keep a shared sense of values, and how we reinforce those values. Let people get away with saying something racist, and that is akin to saying it is okay to be racist. We all have a responsibility to ensure that doesn't happen, and that may involve making personal attacks on this here forum.

Thank you for the reminder! I was becoming concerned that you were condoning and supporting poor behavior and unnecessary attacks on others as acceptable.

If we remember that our opinions are welcome, but attacks on the personal character of others are not, this should be a great place to share ideas and views without fear of being slammed if someone else has a different experience or opinion.

Free speech is only going to work if the fear of personal attack is deemed not acceptable in this venue. I appreciate your stand and support it. Chester

This site is a place to share and express our individual opinions about many, many different issues and ideas. One is never required to agree with an expressed opinion but rather, one is entitled to voice their own opinion without retaliation. When we read what others think and feel with an open mind, sometimes we learn soemthing we didn't know. And sometimes we are just reminded, in our own opinion, that there are some small minded people out there.

What has been happening here though is a rash of individuals (usually the same repeat culprits) who, rather than just simply express their own opinions while respecting the opinions of others, are bashing each other, criticizing typing formats, getting so caught up in the hurtling of contentious comments at each other that they fall completely off track from the issue at hand. Not to mention the name calling. The lack of facundity therein is usually akin to the assinine and adolescent behaviour each are profusely objecting to in the first place...so let's just show each other some respect folks!

You could always buy this site and make some people rich (?)..... and then censor the comments that suite your vision of things?

Isn't that what happened Ben?

Is that what happens when you own branches of media? You can inflict your personality and decide what government and philopsphy you would like to succeed?

We all know the media runs the country. The question is "who is running the media?"

Democracy Watch in Ottawa

"Characterizing Izzy Asper and his CanWest empire as "yellow journalism in a three piece suit" Mair says in order to change CanWest's ways people have to hit the Aspers with a boycott."

Mair is pulling his column from the Vancouver Sun in support of fellow B.C. journalist Gordon Gibson. Gibson was told by his editors he wouldn't be published again after writing a piece the Aspers felt was critical of them.

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2002/06/19/canwest020619

You mean people like this?