# New Forum Needed: The Safe Zone **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 12, 2021, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-forum-needed-the-safe-zone/946270 "2021-07-12T03:35:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-forum-needed-the-safe-zone/946270/81 "2021-07-13T20:22:38Z")
> [@Max\_S](#): > > The SDMB cannot apply sanctions on other forums. If you put yourself out there on the internet, there is nothing stopping the internet from making fun of you. The Straight Dope Message _Board_ consists of 13 _forums._ You mean other _boards_? Yes. The SDMB has little control about what you do on other _Boards._ But as was discussed here for this potential _Forum,_ you would not be allowed to drag that issue into other SDMB _forums._ ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-forum-needed-the-safe-zone/946270/82 "2021-07-13T20:27:37Z")
What if that issue bore a direct impact on the other forum? Say someone posted in the Safe Zone that they were struggling with schizophrenia, and then somewhere in the Pit were arguing that they were subject to government surveillance and it’s wrong not to take them at their word. Is bringing up their schizophrenia and how that damages their credibility a personal attack? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-forum-needed-the-safe-zone/946270/83 "2021-07-13T20:28:35Z")
> [@mordecaiB](#): > > I must be reading this wrong. It looks to me like you are saying something posted in the Safe Zone forum could be brought up in other forums. You are, yes. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-forum-needed-the-safe-zone/946270/84 "2021-07-13T20:30:20Z")
I would think so, but I am not a Mod. I think that context would be critical. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-forum-needed-the-safe-zone/946270/85 "2021-07-13T20:38:48Z")
Well, that wasn’t helpful. Could you explain what you meant? ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-forum-needed-the-safe-zone/946270/86 "2021-07-13T21:00:55Z")
I apologize for the confusion. In this context I considered a message board to be a type of forum (as opposed to, say, the local convention center or a chat room). Only **RickJay** can clarify what he meant. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-forum-needed-the-safe-zone/946270/87 "2021-07-13T21:07:47Z")
> [@mordecaiB](#): > > Well, that wasn’t helpful. Could you explain what you meant? If you want to rip into someone for stuff they say in non-Safe-Zone-forums go ahead, within the rules of those forums. If you don’t like the rules of the Safe Zone, were such a thing to exist, so what? Don’t read it. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-forum-needed-the-safe-zone/946270/88 "2021-07-13T21:14:55Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > If you want to rip into someone for stuff they say in non-Safe-Zone-forums go ahead, within the rules of those forums. Don’t you think this sort of undermines the rationale behind creating a safe zone? Imagine going to a support group where the therapist/group leader tells you, "Feel free to tell me whatever ails you. Neither I nor anyone else in this room will make fun of you or belittle you here. We are only interested in your mental wellbeing. But behind the glass screen are a number of people who may listen in if they please, and are allowed to make fun of you for what you tell me." Talk about a chilling effect… ~Max ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-forum-needed-the-safe-zone/946270/89 "2021-07-13T21:17:30Z")
NP, once you explained I understood, and it isn’t like there there are rules for what is called what. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-forum-needed-the-safe-zone/946270/90 "2021-07-13T21:19:20Z")
> [@Max\_S](#): > > Imagine going to a support group where the therapist/group leader tells you, > > "Feel free to tell me whatever ails you. Neither I nor anyone else in this room will make fun of you or belittle you here. We are only interested in your mental wellbeing. > > But behind the glass screen are a number of people who may listen in if they please, and are allowed to make fun of you for what you tell me." > > Talk about a chilling effect… If they say it outside the Safe Zone, it’s fair play, just as if you say something outside therapy, it’s not a secret between you and your therapist. What’s so confusing about the phrase “stuff they say in non-Safe-Zone-forums”? ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-forum-needed-the-safe-zone/946270/91 "2021-07-13T21:20:28Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > What’s so confusing about the phrase “stuff they say in non-Safe-Zone-forums”? Evidently my reading comprehension fails me, sorry. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-forum-needed-the-safe-zone/946270/92 "2021-07-13T21:27:17Z")
And now I see your last post, that’s the answer I was looking for. Believe it or not, your first reply wasn’t clear to me on that, that’s why I asked. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-forum-needed-the-safe-zone/946270/93 "2021-07-13T21:28:08Z")
Then we have a problem of people posting in the SZ over problems that seem major to them, but the rest of us consider excedingly minor. The only way to prevent this would be to have some kind of gate keeper deciding which problems are big enough. I dislike both options. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-forum-needed-the-safe-zone/946270/94 "2021-07-13T21:30:13Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > The only way to prevent this would be to have some kind of gate keeper deciding which problems are big enough. I don’t understand why this would matter. Personally I don’t think having such a forum is necessary, mind you (I think there are better solutions to the issue of people being offensive about personal issues) but if it existed, why would it matter if someone posted what you thought was a minor problem? Is it that it’d be too full? That sure isn’t a current problem with any forum we have. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-forum-needed-the-safe-zone/946270/95 "2021-07-13T21:38:07Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > Then we have a problem of people posting in the SZ over problems that seem major to them, but the rest of us consider excedingly minor. I think in this case, no harm no foul? If it’s a pattern of frivolent topics that belong in MPSIMS let the mods step in by closing the topic and suggesting they open a new one in MPSIMS. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-forum-needed-the-safe-zone/946270/96 "2021-07-13T21:41:27Z")
Remember when a vegetarian poster started a thread that name “Buckeyes” for a candy offended them? Now, try to imagine how much worse it seems in contrast to ‘I was raped’ or ‘I have Alzheimers’ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-forum-needed-the-safe-zone/946270/97 "2021-07-13T21:43:40Z")
I know what is is. It was meant to show what kind of useful and lively conversation a safe zone begets. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-forum-needed-the-safe-zone/946270/98 "2021-07-13T21:43:51Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > Remember when a vegetarian poster started a thread that name “Buckeyes” for a candy offended them? {…} Not really what happened. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-forum-needed-the-safe-zone/946270/99 "2021-07-13T21:45:22Z")
It’s been a while, I admit my memory may be off. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-forum-needed-the-safe-zone/946270/100 "2021-07-13T22:24:30Z")
Had to search, this was way before my time. **OpalCat** didn’t start a thread, the fiasco emerged in an existing thread. Not going to offer my detailed analysis of a 13-year old message board drama here, but I don’t think this would happen in any proposed safe zone. > [@need to recreate an old recipe for peanut butter balls](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-recreate-an-old-recipe-for-peanut-butter-balls/477325/3): > > No, I’m a vegetarian girl from Arizona and calling them “buckeyes” grosses me out. (Not for sports reasons, but from dead-animal-body-part reasons). I will never call them that. Plus I’m leaving Ohio next summer anyway, most likely. ~Max [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-forum-needed-the-safe-zone/946270.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-forum-needed-the-safe-zone/946270.md?page=6)