# I've been repeatedly silenced **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [April 23, 2013, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-repeatedly-silenced/656542 "2013-04-23T21:52:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![shadowofneo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/54ee81/32.png) [@shadowofneo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shadowofneo)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-repeatedly-silenced/656542/1 "2013-04-23T21:52:29Z")
Are my threads going to continue to be closed for no apparent reason? The most recent was bio station alpha ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-repeatedly-silenced/656542/2 "2013-04-23T21:58:24Z")
I’m no mod, but that thread in particular was closed for being largely incoherent gibberish. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-repeatedly-silenced/656542/3 "2013-04-23T22:00:55Z")
You need to look up the meaning of “no apparent reason.” ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-repeatedly-silenced/656542/4 "2013-04-23T22:01:15Z")
Link to the most-recent largely incoherent gibberish? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-repeatedly-silenced/656542/5 "2013-04-23T22:04:03Z")
> [@shadowofneo](#): > > Are my threads going to continue to be closed for no apparent reason? The NSA makes us do it. They control Google, you know. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-repeatedly-silenced/656542/6 "2013-04-23T22:04:43Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Link to the most-recent largely incoherent gibberish? [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=688852](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=688852) ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-repeatedly-silenced/656542/7 "2013-04-23T22:08:59Z")
I’d up the dose, man. Or maybe lower it, I dunno. Change it, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![shadowofneo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/54ee81/32.png) [@shadowofneo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shadowofneo)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-repeatedly-silenced/656542/8 "2013-04-23T22:09:34Z")
when the moderator say’s spacifically “i don’t know what this is, so i’m closing it” that is purely opinion based, and it is not gibberish it is not my fault that others don’t understand that doesn’t give anyone the right to simply silence the entire topic as a single individual, just because. Thats an abuse of power, and i do not agree with it. Of course it doesn’t help that it was mostly other posters defecating on my thread, i simply raised a few points and they were struck down, this seems to be somewhat of a viral infection, or perhapes bacterial and i’m the virus ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-repeatedly-silenced/656542/9 "2013-04-23T22:11:31Z")
[This is the thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=688852) People did figure out what the main topic was (Bio Station Alpha), but not the rest of your list, and most of post #43 sounded like a joke. If you’re not that interested in your own topic and nobody else knows what you’re saying, what’s the point? ---
**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-repeatedly-silenced/656542/10 "2013-04-23T22:12:50Z")
> [@shadowofneo](#): > > when the moderator say’s spacifically “i don’t know what this is, so i’m closing it” that is purely opinion based, and it is not gibberish it is not my fault that others don’t understand that doesn’t give anyone the right to simply silence the entire topic as a single individual, just because. Thats an abuse of power, and i do not agree with it. Of course it doesn’t help that it was mostly other posters defecating on my thread, i simply raised a few points and they were struck down, this seems to be somewhat of a viral infection, or perhapes bacterial and i’m the virus Whoa. I hope it isn’t contagious. ---
**Author:** ![shadowofneo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/54ee81/32.png) [@shadowofneo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shadowofneo)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-repeatedly-silenced/656542/11 "2013-04-23T22:14:39Z")
a good portion of #43 is oriented as tongue in check humor, though some of it was serious. my problem is if nobody wants to debate grey topics do i simply need to preach to the choir? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-repeatedly-silenced/656542/12 "2013-04-23T22:18:33Z")
> [@shadowofneo](#): > > a good portion of #43 is oriented as tongue in check humor, though some of it was serious. my problem is if nobody wants to debate grey topics do i simply need to preach to the choir? Your OP was not a debate. It was a link and a list. Try to make a point next time, is my advice. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-repeatedly-silenced/656542/13 "2013-04-23T22:19:46Z")
> [@shadowofneo](#): > > it is not my fault that others don’t understand In this case - in many cases- yes, it is. If you want to have a discussion you need to explain what you’re talking about. Gibberish and random craziness is entertaining for a while but then it gets annoying and boring. Since people could barely understand what you were saying, they made jokes instead. > [@shadowofneo](#): > > a good portion of #43 is oriented as tongue in check humor, though some of it was serious. I figured at least some of it was tongue in cheek, but it was very hard to tell which parts are serious. > [@](#): > > my problem is if nobody wants to debate grey topics do i simply need to preach to the choir? You’re going to have a lot of trouble finding people who take that stuff seriously on this site. But if you want to try debating some of those things, you have to present some credible evidence for whatever you’re arguing. Otherwise people are just going to make jokes, and even then… ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-repeatedly-silenced/656542/14 "2013-04-23T22:25:02Z")
> [@shadowofneo](#): > > a good portion of #43 is oriented as tongue in check humor, though some of it was serious. my problem is if nobody wants to debate grey topics do i simply need to preach to the choir? Very likely. This board invites discussion; it does not compel it. If you cannot frame an argument in a way that is both coherent and clear to an audience and sufficiently provocative to invite others to interact with you, then you have simply failed to attract an audience and we have no desire to order others to interact with you. You may try a different topic. You may go to a different message board where others may be more receptive to your thoughts. It is pointless to complain that you have not received attention that you thought you or your ideas deserved. ---
**Author:** ![shadowofneo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/54ee81/32.png) [@shadowofneo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shadowofneo)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-repeatedly-silenced/656542/15 "2013-04-23T22:26:57Z")
how can i provide creditble evidence on things that are not proven that like asking the egg to hatch without the chicken to roost. i was bringing topics to the table that don’t nessecarily have any evidence that was my point, and to debate those topics, so either there is only closed minded folks in that thread, they aren’t as much an intellectual as i, or nobody wanted to truly debate something controversial, i would like to think it’s the latter ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-repeatedly-silenced/656542/16 "2013-04-23T22:28:42Z")
Try picking one (1) topic. Explain what it is. Tell us your opinion about it. Give us a link to where we can read up more detail on it. Then we can debate. ---
**Author:** ![shadowofneo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/54ee81/32.png) [@shadowofneo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shadowofneo)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-repeatedly-silenced/656542/17 "2013-04-23T22:32:35Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > Very likely. This board invites discussion; it does not compel it. If you cannot frame an argument in a way that is both coherent and clear to an audience and sufficiently provocative to invite others to interact with you, then you have simply failed to attract an audience and we have no desire to order others to interact with you. > > You may try a different topic. > You may go to a different message board where others may be more receptive to your thoughts. > > It is pointless to complain that you have not received attention that you thought you or your ideas deserved. an audience implies a source of entertainment, supposedly this thread was entertaining, this thread had an audience and was closed while bringing new voices into the fray. If a life supporting base is in fact on mars or could be secretly don’t you think that should be discussed and considered provocative. I was aware it had been debunked but to me that means nothing, i would rather ask questions than live in mystery, apparently marley does not feel the same way, perhapes shoot first ask questions later? Sound familier? ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-repeatedly-silenced/656542/18 "2013-04-23T22:33:15Z")
> [@shadowofneo](#): > > when the moderator say’s spacifically “i don’t know what this is, so i’m closing it” that is purely opinion based, and it is not gibberish it is not my fault that others don’t understand that doesn’t give anyone the right to simply silence the entire topic as a single individual, just because. Thats an abuse of power, and i do not agree with it. Of course it doesn’t help that it was mostly other posters defecating on my thread, i simply raised a few points and they were struck down, this seems to be somewhat of a viral infection, or perhapes bacterial and i’m the virus The registration agreement for this site: > **[SDMB registration agreement as of 12/21/2014](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=650726)** > > The agreement below spells out the rules by which SDMB users are expected to abide. The purpose of the present revision is to add the language in bold: “If we tell you to refrain from behavior that we regard as uncivil, \*\*or that in our view... > [@](#): > > The board is not intended to furnish you with a forum for promoting your personal agenda. We reserve the right to ask you to limit postings on a particular topic, or to refrain from posting on such topics altogether. > [@](#): > > We reserve the right to delete any message for any or no reason whatsoever. > [@](#): > > Please remember that you are our guest here, and that we reserve the right to exclude you at our whim, for any or no reason whatsoever. Subscribers who are banned forfeit all subscription fees they have paid. If you have been banned from the SDMB and resubscribe, you will be banned again without notice and forfeit your subscription fee. **By registering and using the board you acknowledge this right and agree to abide by our rules and to submit to their interpretation and enforcement by our moderators and editors.** (Emphasis mine.) ---
**Author:** ![shadowofneo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/54ee81/32.png) [@shadowofneo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shadowofneo)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-repeatedly-silenced/656542/19 "2013-04-23T22:40:41Z")
i agree with said registration rules, but why do those rules include slashing a post simply because the overall topic had not come to fruition. Though it may not be true my opinion is that there is somewhat of a double standard in which i seem to remain on the wrongs side of the tracks. I appreiciate the input, i understand the critiques. I do not however support the silencing of opinion in a thread under “Great Debates”, it may not be the greatest but it was turning into a debate. Perhapes i’m not on the right page, it seems more like i’m reading a different book Regards. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-repeatedly-silenced/656542/20 "2013-04-23T22:43:11Z")
> [@shadowofneo](#): > > how can i provide creditble evidence on things that are not proven Things get proved with evidence. If you believe something there ought to be some credible evidence. Otherwise why do you believe it in the first place? > [@](#): > > i was bringing topics to the table that don’t nessecarily have any evidence that was my point That wasn’t clear. And anyway debating a dozen different things in one thread is just going to be a mess. > [@](#): > > so either there is only closed minded folks in that thread, they aren’t as much an intellectual as i, or nobody wanted to truly debate something controversial, i would like to think it’s the latter Your posts were more random than controversial. And if you’re going to call yourself an intellectual, please consider using the shift key. For all our sakes. > [@shadowofneo](#): > > an audience implies a source of entertainment If you want to entertain people and have kind of a freeform bull session, consider a blog. Or, you know, YouTube. The threads here are a little more structured and people in Great Debates are pretty demanding when it comes to evidence and things like that. > [@](#): > > If a life supporting base is in fact on mars or could be secretly don’t you think that should be discussed and considered provocative. You can discuss it, but there’s no reason to think it’s true - and you weren’t giving any reason for anybody to consider it. I am not sure what you think provocative means, but it’s not all that provocative. A better word would be “confusing.” > [@shadowofneo](#): > > it may not be the greatest but it was turning into a debate. It really wasn’t. As you said yourself, people were mostly just making jokes - and that included you, too. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-repeatedly-silenced/656542.md?page=2)