Mods the close threads without giving reasons should be de-modded

[RobinMask]

Originally Posted by RealJames

I used to mod in a game I played before, and in another forum, mods volunteer, , unpayed, and are only human, and are naturally biased and prejudiced as so. That is fine, and expected.

I'd rather have the occasional slip than to be modding myself. I know how tough it is and am thankful towards those who do it.

I very much agree with you. I modded once in a tiny forum, and so there wasn't even much responsibility aside from reading through once every so often a handful of posts and making sure they didn't break the rules of the overall site. It was such a pain. I'd occasionally log on and get emails from people lik 'so-and-so has done this', and all I could think was 'God, I couldn't care less'.

The mods don't get paid, they volunteer, and it's a tough job, so they have my respect. I don't always agree with them - and no doubt I've probably annoyed one or two in the past, lol, but who hasn't? - but they do a great job in keeping the forum under control, ridding spam, and getting rid of the trolls. If one or two make the occasional mistake then I think it's a reasonable price to pay, especially when - from what I've seen - the mods are reasonable enough to listen to us when we have any complaints or issues.

Edit: I kind of just realised, the mods seem to be pretty much in a catch twenty-two - no matter what they do they get flamed for. I mean if they don't ban a certain person straight away they get hassle every second until they do, and if they do close a thread that degenerates into chaos they get flamed for that too . . . If they get flamed for 'not doing their job' and equally for 'doing their job', then how can they ever win?

Originally Posted by dogsbody70

I have broken my arm so some will be pleased to know i shall not start too many threads.

Woah, how'd you manage that? I hope you feel better soon and heal up well! I did wonder why you weren't online as much, I didn't think it was because you were injured Take care!

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Ronin4hire

I did PM MMM. He didn't reply.

I didn't feel any need to reply to this:

Calm down dude

You're WAY to oversensitive.

Ronin, you have since started two threads about me closing one thread.

The immigrant thread turned into a full page of America-bashing, so I shut it down. I didn't even delete it. It was a thread that had gotten off the rails started by an OP who has since been temp-banned.

[Ronin4hire]

Originally Posted by MMM

I didn't feel any need to reply to this:

Calm down dude

You're WAY to oversensitive.

Ronin, you have since started two threads about me closing one thread.

The immigrant thread turned into a full page of America-bashing, so I shut it down. I didn't even delete it. It was a thread that had gotten off the rails started by an OP who has since been temp-banned.

I know why you shut it down.

But it wasn't even America bashing for the most part. It was gross generalizations that you obviously took offence to, but that happens all the time in this forum. (See the thread about Japanese men... holy f*ck that is 10 times worse than anything in that immigration thread said!)

Which brings me to my other point, I saw no more America bashing in that thread than I saw "Japan bashing" that often occurs from regular members in other threads.

You're just way too oversensitive which is fine.. but if you're going to shut down threads for "America bashing" then you have to be consistent with all "bashing".

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Ronin4hire

I know why you shut it down.

But it wasn't even America bashing for the most part. It was gross generalizations that you obviously took offence to, but that happens all the time in this forum. (See the thread about Japanese men... holy f*ck that is 10 times worse than anything in that immigration thread said!)

Which brings me to my other point, I saw no more America bashing in that thread than I saw "Japan bashing" that often occurs from regular members in other threads.

You're just way too oversensitive which is fine.. but if you're going to shut down threads for "America bashing" then you have to be consistent with all "bashing".

You are free to second guess and criticize any action any action I take here. I cannot tell you how many posts and threads I have deleted that are "bashing," whether it be Japan, America, whatever.

I just reread the Japanese men thread, and I don't see what you are seeing. Ignorant people are going to be ignorant, then people with knowledge can then educate them. However when a thread becomes an OFF-TOPIC post after post of ignorance, chances are it will get deleted or shut down.

[Suki]

Originally Posted by RobinMask

I really shouldn't get involved . . . but to play devil's advocate, do the mods really need to give reasons for deleting threads that are against site rules?

Of course they should! Moreover, they should be obliged to do so if there isn't an obvious reason why a certain thread gets closed.

I don't agree with some of the rules to start with, but I can't do anything about that so I choose to accept them and not make a big deal out of it. However, it does piss me off sometimes to see a thread get closed or deleted for no apparent reasons. I made a game thread in the music section, it got deleted out of the blue cause all the sudden game threads were not allowed. Another thread I made was removed and I was never given an explanation cause no mod owned up to having closed it. The purpose of such thread was to reveal the users' real names or get other users to guess it by giving out clues. Totally harmless and non-controverial. Reason for being removed: still unknown. To me this makes no sense, especially when everyday I see much more pointless threads going on forever.

I know being a mod isn't always easy and you guys do a lot of stuff right too, but it is our job as part of a community to point out the few things you do wrong (from our subjective point of view) to make it a better place for everyone. <-- that's the hippie in me talking.

As for that one particular thread, I personally don't think it was hatred and pure America bashing, I dislike Brits more than Americans and I doubt I'd make a thread get closed for reinforcing a stereotype of British people. I very much doubt Misa (who's a British mod) would have it closed, for instance.

MMM, I've too sensed that you get very touchy whenever someone brings up something to do with the US. It's ok to love one's country but it's also ok to overlook comments you might not like just because they carry a not-so-nice message about something you worship so much. I mean, you don't have to be so concerned all the time! We're not saying "all of the US population are this and that", we know the place's filled with lovely people (and there is no sarcasm in that, believe me, the people I admire the most in the whole world are American born, all of them, and I myself wish to move overseas someday because I truly believe the US is a great country to live in and has great things to offer), however, sometimes it's ok to joke around and admit the obvious, and by forbidding us to do so you are violating one of the core pillars of the whole American idea.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Suki

MMM, I've too sensed that you get very touchy whenever someone brings up something to do with the US. It's ok to love one's country but it's also ok to overlook comments you might not like just because they carry a not-so-nice message about something you worship so much. I mean, you don't have to be so concerned all the time! We're not saying "all of the US population are this and that", we know the place's filled with lovely people (and there is no sarcasm in that, believe me, the people I admire the most in the whole world are American born, all of them, and I myself wish to move overseas someday because I truly believe the US is a great country to live in and has great things to offer), however, sometimes it's ok to joke around and admit the obvious, and by forbidding us to do so you are violating one of the core pillars of the whole American idea.

I am not sensitive about the US, but am sensitive about stereotyping and untruths spread about ANY persons or country. The fact is, on JF most of the time that is about Americans.

[Ronin4hire]

Originally Posted by MMM

I am not sensitive about the US, but am sensitive about stereotyping and untruths spread about ANY persons or country. The fact is, on JF most of the time that is about Americans.

No way.

Ironically on JF most of the time that is about Japan and Japanese people (and BY Americans).

You probably have a case for Americans in 2nd place.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Ronin4hire

No way.

Ironically on JF most of the time that is about Japan and Japanese people (and BY Americans).

You probably have a case for Americans in 2nd place.

You are free to disagree with me, but that's how I see it.

Americans have no corner on the market when it comes to ignorance about Japan. I have been critical and deleted posts and threads from people all over the world when they are insulting and spread ignorance. You just decided make a fuss about it this time around.

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by Ronin4hire

Ironically on JF most of the time that is about Japan and Japanese people (and BY Americans).

I think there needs to be a distinction made between insults or clear statements of negativity and ignorant questions or looking for confirmation of misinformation.

There are countless questions from people who want to know if something or other they have heard about Japan is right, or from people who make ignorant assumptions about the country. When there are flat out insults, they tend to be posts made by trolls or random spam. (Those are removed pretty quickly.)

Now, when it comes to America - we don`t get questions rooted in ignorance. Virtually all of it is straight out insults. This is due just as much to the fact that this is Japan Forum and not USA forum as it does with the fact that the US is generally more familiar.

Regardless, I do not think that any VALID question - no matter how based in misconception or ignorance it is - about the US would be shot down and closed. It would be answered and debunked just as the similar is in regard to Japan. In the same line of thinking, even if it is about Japan - if there is nothing more to it than insults and recycling of stereotypes... It will be disposed of.

There really IS a difference between opinions based in ignorance / misinformation and straight out insults. With opinions based in ignorance or misinformation - there is a very good case for providing accurate information and education. With straight insults, there is no point. They`ve already made up their mind - attempts to change it aren`t worth the time.

[Ronin4hire]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

I think there needs to be a distinction made between insults or clear statements of negativity and ignorant questions or looking for confirmation of misinformation.

Even when that distinction is made I still think Japan makes the top spot.

In fact I think straight up insults are rare. The thread MMM closed was mostly about the perception on Americans and their knowledge of the outside world in general.

He didn't try to clear up any misunderstandings or explain it, he just closed it.

Furthermore I think I have a more objective angle on it because I'm neither American nor Japanese.

Anyway, in answer to why I'm making a big deal out of this, the reason I was kinda pissed off was because I had typed out a lengthy reply to what I thought was a particular bigoted post by Sangetsu, and when I went to post it I couldn't.