Could I propose that we, we who are already showing a comittment to this forum, and those who might do so in the future: could reflect on just how we could keep this forum self moderated; under some aegis of productivity, accuracy, civility, effective contribution to a better world.
My hunch is that this is all best done through the ongoing quality of postings made. I would say that so far we have done very good.
We can however anticipate contentious issues and topics, and legitimate partisan input: and we can bring to mind what has diminished quality in other forums.
Even the threads to date, show rich contributions.
I wonder whether we can steps to have some sort of retrievable archive from what we post. I think that the marashalled data from such archive, is the best instrument of moderation: you can correct the unfounded in the partisan, simply in its presentation; you can hamstring the bigot, simply by flooding a thread with considered rebuttal from archive.
I'm not thinking of a serach engine type, formal archive: more of a division of labour; where those who regularly contribute, might take some overview archive responsibility, for an area in which they have expertise and interest. So pray4israel might take a central role in marshalling what we know about Israel: and might be presented with fresh challenge, in having to do this from both the Israeli and Palestinian point of view. Another contentious topic will be America's place in the world: and the UN another; and residual Communism another; and so on.
Just fleeting notions.
Any thoughts?
My hunch is that this is all best done through the ongoing quality of postings made. I would say that so far we have done very good.
We can however anticipate contentious issues and topics, and legitimate partisan input: and we can bring to mind what has diminished quality in other forums.
Even the threads to date, show rich contributions.
I wonder whether we can steps to have some sort of retrievable archive from what we post. I think that the marashalled data from such archive, is the best instrument of moderation: you can correct the unfounded in the partisan, simply in its presentation; you can hamstring the bigot, simply by flooding a thread with considered rebuttal from archive.
I'm not thinking of a serach engine type, formal archive: more of a division of labour; where those who regularly contribute, might take some overview archive responsibility, for an area in which they have expertise and interest. So pray4israel might take a central role in marshalling what we know about Israel: and might be presented with fresh challenge, in having to do this from both the Israeli and Palestinian point of view. Another contentious topic will be America's place in the world: and the UN another; and residual Communism another; and so on.
Just fleeting notions.
Any thoughts?
