In this Ask the “crazy” settler thread in Great Debates, there was a bit of a kerfluffle about whether or not establishing settlements outside of Israel’s border are legal. The OP says no, others disagree, then tomndebb steps in:
Now I realize that “ask the…” threads are usually for the purpose of asking questions of the OP, accepting the answers and moving on…but this particular “Ask the…” thread is in Great Debates, where the rule is that people are allowed to disagree with the OP and post their reasons why. If participants are not allowed to debate the OP in a situation like this, why is it in Great Debates in the first place?
Thank you. The OP in that thread has is ostensibly taking questions on a very controversial and incendiary subject regarding a practice which most of the world sees as illegal (and which is, as a matter of pure fact, against international law), but the moderators appear to be unwilling to allow and challenge or disagreement on the core issues. The OP is allowed to freely post his/her own views and political opinions with no obstruction and with no one allowed to rebut or debate them. Why is that thread allowed to remain in GD if no debate will be permitted on the most core, controversial points? If the OP is not willing to take any fire, the thread should be closed.
If I may suggest, the subject was broached in a tone more hostile than necessary. I suppose better phrasing would have been “How do you feel about organizations that claim your resideny is illegal?”, as opposed to “How do you feel about doing something that is illegal?”
The OP of the other thread is under no obligation to recognize the authority of “international law” as defined by whatever agencies were being cited. Possibly the government of Israel is, depending on which treaties are in effect.
I asked the second question because that was what I wanted to know. I am not interested in the OP’s opinion about what other organizations think. I’m interested in how the OP feels about being a criminal. That the settlements are illegal is a fact, not an opinion.
Aren’t “ask the…” threads supposed to go in another forum now? That would make more sense because, in large part, we are getting that one person’s opinion. We’re just trying to learn about what that person does or sees or experiences, not challenge that person’s beliefs.
And with that particular subject (the settlements in Israel), I could easily see the thread devolving into a pissing contest.
Open a thread specifically about the settlements and be done with it.
I f I might suggest, the OP is stating is opinion in Great Debates where, under normal circumstances, we are under no obligation to let him have his say without debate.
If it’s a pissing contest, the OP started it with the very nature of the thread itself. The OP has also been permitted free reign to espouse whatever views he wants, I might add. To start a thread on a subject as incendiary as this one, and then brook no debate or challenge about it, is just trolling.
I think the question behind it all is, you know, it’s an “Ask the” thread. Do you actually want to find out how she lives and how she feels about things, or do you just want to yell at her?
It’s a fact that some people claim so, yes. Illegality isn’t a matter of demonstrable physics, though.
It’s not clear that any amount of debate will advance that particular issue beyond “it’s illegal / no, it’s not” (a pattern already being repeated in THIS thread) and it was already pretty hostile, with promise of more hostility to come.
If I start a thread called “Ask the meth cook,” and invite questions about my methamphetimine manufacturing and resale business, can I expect the mods to admonish other posters for challenging me on the legal and/or ethical issues of my business? I would still expect to be allowed to espouse my OWN view with full force, of course, I just don’t want to be rebutted on anything because that would be rude.
Also, in my opinion, making meth is not illegal, so there’s no reason for anyone to keep saying that it is.
Please do not restart that debate here. That fact that it is debatable at all is the point of this thread. Letting someone start a very controversial “Ask the…” thread in Great Debates without letting the rest of membership debate just doesn’t seem right to me. If it is allowed, other people with questionable points of view will demand the same consideration.
The nature of the thread is already hostile by its very nature, and it would hardly be the only subject in GD which is polarizing and prone to be endlessly argued without resolution.
If you start a thread called “ask the meth cook”, it would probably be shut down because you’d be talking about how to violate US law. The settlements don’t violate US law. They may or may not violate “international law”.