I am just an occasional poster on this board, but I think this BB has a definite liberal bias and agenda, or if not the previous two accusations, then a single liberal moderator who may act alone without deliberation, debate or consideration from other points of view.

For now, I offer the opening quote of this BB:

“Political leaders have the ability to change public opinion by engaging in leadership and persuasive advocacy. Any cowardly politician can take only those positions that reside safely within the majoritiarian consensus. Actual leaders, by definition, confront majoritarian views when they are misguided and seek to change them, and politicians have far more ability to affect and change public opinion than they want the public to believe they have.”
—Glenn Greenwald • Salon.com • March 28, 2009.

I would prefer a radical of a different source on the opening page of this BB, feel free to critique my choice:

Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner, Liberty is a well- armed lamb contesting the vote."

Untruthful?
Misapplied?
Truthful but misapplied?
Hard to tell?
Better than a NYT political blogger or salon.com quote?

Shaker, I too have felt this board to be slanted to the far left. I feel conservative posters have been admonished by the administrator for their views, far more than liberals have been. Recently, someone likened Republicans to the KKK, this post was ignored. But, if you critique say, the GELWV's, your posts will be removed.
I have seen the changes in the four years I have been in Dupage. None of them for the better, IMO.

The GELWV removal was because Ted felt there was a personal attack on a "civilian" (i.e. didn't have the stupidity to run for elected office). I think hasty generalizations are OK per the Terms of Use...........

Oh, and Liberals suck.

In my own defense...

Progressives have accused me (as moderator of this board) of being too conservative. Conservatives have accused me of being too progressive. When both sides are ticked off equally, I figure I must be doing something right.

I change the quote on the GEBB home page every couple of weeks, depending on what I find elsewhere that makes me smile (and think) at any particular moment.

I do consider myself to be “liberal” in how I moderate this board... “liberal” in the literal sense of being open-minded, and tolerant of all points of view. Although I have edited or deleted posts for many reasons, I can not recall ever messing with one because I disagreed with its political position. (Which I often do.)

For the board to work at all as a discussion forum, it must be “liberal”... meaning it must welcome all perspectives. Right-wingers hate the GEBB because I allow left-wingers to post. Left-wingers hate it because I allow right-wingers to post. If either extreme controlled what could, and could not, be posted, it would be a very dull board, indeed.

So again: the GEBB (and I as moderator) must remain liberal if it is to continue welcoming the discussion of all sides of serious issues... again, whether I agree with them or not.

But keep checking the opening quote... sometimes you'll laugh. Sometimes you'll cry. —Ted E.

One more thing...

Y'know, I gotta tell ya — I just went back and re-read the quote you quoted, and it strikes me as universally true. I can't see anything in it that makes it pro-left, or pro-right... it is simply a truism.

It seems to me that anyone from either side can read it, identify someone from their own party who fits the description (good or bad) , and say, yup, that's the way it is.

If this is a “consider the source” complaint... well, sorry, I won't play. I have heard great wisdom — and incredible stupidity — come out of the mouths of those at both ends of the political spectrum.

Huh.
Liberal bias?
Really? Maybe now that has Gus left but I really don't see the GEBB as "liberal" anymore than I see DuPage as "Republican".

I don't see how that quote is either liberal or conservative.

Unnecessary, repetitive and redundant quote removed. --Ted E.

Ah, but it is not the source that got me thinking, but the way it was phrased. I consider my quote and your quote to be about the exact same topic, the "tyranny of the majority," but they do come across quite differently, no?

However, I accept your explanation of why it was chosen.

But as to my assumption that you are the only moderator of this board, I am correct?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Ted E.,

By reading your views, are you not the de facto moderator of the moment?

Are not we all?
With every post, am I not the voice of the board?



I am Spartacus!

quote:

you are the only moderator of this board, I am correct?

Yup. No secret. Been that way since 1996.. In the olden days this would have been called a “hobby.” Modern version of the HO railroad. Anybody can watch the trains go around and enjoy, if they wish. Some people like steam engines. Some people like diesel electrics. —Ted E.

I kinda liked the old overhead electric InterUrban hi-flyers - like the old Roarin' Elgin!

Have you ever considered adding moderators who are from Glen Ellyn?

No. But you caught me. I wasn't born here. In fact, my family didn't move to Glen Ellyn until I was ten, in 1956. Same for my wife: she didn't arrive here until she was seven, in 1952. We're both products of School Districts 41 and 87, but I must ask for a break... District 89 didn't exist back then. So I guess that makes me a carpet-bagging newcomer. —Ted E.

Um. Ted lives in Glen Ellyn. Do you think we need more moderators on the board?

Do I dare say, if you don't like it...start your own board? Would that be wrong of me? Would that be considered a personal attack on another poster? Please advise.

I just found out Ted is older than my parents

I would say that I was at least half right. Perceiving liberalism on the moderator's part could be a function of my point of view, but that point of view was assisted by there being only one moderator. I was beginning to think of this site as the "TEBB" instead of the "GEBB." Which is correct, I guess, because this site is free to anyone with an email address, largely or entirely due to the efforts of the single moderator. I liked the toy train hobby analogy, for it gave me a better understanding of what this site is.

Should there be additional moderators? Based upon volume? Probably not. The only purpose would be to alter the fact that the site is one man's hobby, and I would not presume to ask for such a thing, now that I understand things a bit better.

Thanks for clarifying things for me. Oh, and I wasn't questioning Ted's "Glen Ellyn-ness," merely wondering if any other Glen Ellyn residents had ever been considered to moderate.

Actually, when I think back to the time when I upgraded to software that allowed separate topic-related forums, I naively thought that the school districts, park district, public library etc. would want to moderate their respective forums. Boy, was I wrong. —Ted E.

quote:

Originally posted by Shaker:
Have you ever considered adding moderators who are from Glen Ellyn?

We should get moderators that are "Real Patriots" too! (Ted of course is a real patriot)

Were playin with fire here i tells ya.
We should belay this mutinous talk of more moderators.
All hail Ted!