[RP TownTalk] On the recent list thread "was it just my house?"

[Dwight Holmes]

Friends & Neighbors, Readers of TownTalk -

Presumably exhausted from all the snow shoveling I did yesterday, I
went to bed early and missed some of the list traffic. I woke up today
to find emails from several readers feeling that one or two posts in
the recent thread had crossed a line, and were not in keeping with
TownTalk decorum.

First of all, let me point out to the high number of new subscribers
that there are guidelines for the list, and they appear on this page:
http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk.  (The link to
this page appears near the bottom of every TownTalk message that you
receive).  The relevant section there is entitled "Promoting a
Civilized Environment".  I believe the relevant part of those
guidelines to the current thread is the first couple of lines:

"Posters may not attack other list members for their choices or
opinions, although they may suggest that certain opinions are worth
evaluating or that there may be other points of view. We don't flame
here - we respect the opinions of our fellow citizens."

My reading is that Bruce's post, which begins with "Bob. Get over it,"
is borderline but within bounds.  While "Get over it" may not pass the
plays-well-with-others test in all contexts, the rest of his message
is substantive and on topic.  (Note that this doesn't mean that
everyone will agree with his points - that's not the point)  Jeffrey's
post, on the other hand, is completely out of bounds. While it may
have been intended as humorous, and some readers may find it to be
funny, it's clearly directed at Bruce, and has strayed entirely off
topic.

As always, I would urge everyone to keep in mind that every TownTalk
post will be read by the community - not just the person you are
addressing, and who you may happen to know personally. Keep your
personal comments off-line.  Things posted here will be read and
perceived differently by people depending on their relationship to you
or the other person.

Dwight Holmes
List Moderator