If you post on this site - PLEASE READ

[Gene]

The amount of complaints about the tone of the posts on this site has reached record proportion. 

People complain that I banned their friends.

People complain that I haven’t banned others.

There have been multiple instances where Person A complains about Person B and Person B complains about Person A.

People have threatened to leave if I don’t do something.  (Given the amount I use this site, you would think people would realize that statement doesn’t have a whole lot of sway with me since I am paying to keep a site alive I don’t even use.)

I understand that people can be rude since that is the main reason I stopped using this site myself.  I would ask anyone who posts and participates on the site to do two things:

1. Before you post something, please review the content of your post and make sure it does not attack or insult another member in any way, shape, or form…unless you don’t value your membership and wish to go out in a blaze of glory.

2. If you read a post that you disagree with, please realize there’s a reason that Baskin-Robbins makes 31 flavors of ice cream.  Remember opinions are like ‘you know what’, everybody has one.

This is NOT to suggest I don’t want to hear about spammers, inappropriate, insulting, or vulgar posts.  I think we want civil, open discussion with sharing knowledge and ideas but we will not tolerate trolls.

I am pushing Ning to provide voting buttons where the Community could vote down posts from any trolls and once they hit a certain number, we would ban them.  Until then, I ask that everyone play nice.  Thanks in advance for your support!

[Finding_Beau]

Hi Mel

I am responding to your comment in good faith. You talk about a great achievement of this site and I admit I cannot understand what you believe this is. The bottom line is that if the behaviour on this site was acceptable, Gene, our site administrator would not have written this forum topic. I believe this to be a great failure, and in fact, the worst failure. 

You talk about a “huge responsibility”. Again, I am uncertain who you are talking about so I will not assume. I believe it is a “huge responsibility” of every owner of a Setter dog, whether they are a breeder or a non-breeder, to provide the best possible care in every respect to these beautiful dogs because they deserve this from us. This care includes unconditional love. The reality is that those dog owners who do this are in the minority. This minority includes breeders and non-breeders. Some breeders do the right thing. Some do not. Some non-breeders do the right thing. Some do not. Hopefully every member on this site does the right thing for their beautiful Setter dog. 

Each member is entitled to their own opinion and to express their own opinion. If another member does not agree, there is no problem in expressing this, provided that the response is respectful and does not involve personal labelling and unfounded accusations. You state: “Yes, we all have our own opinion and those that don’t like what we say should just walk away and ignore if they wish.” Why should members choose either option?  What is most important is that members behave respectfully towards each other, as Bridget has said. 

I believe Gene's post is important and hopefully he will receive no further complaints. This will be a great achievement.

[Finding_Beau]

I believe it is a real shame that Gene, our site administrator no longer uses this site because of rudeness. Rudeness has become the bane of our society. I have read countless research results which demonstrate that rudeness is at the core of bullying and the endemic violence at all levels in our society. Even young children who attend primary school are suffering nervous breakdowns from being bullied. I recently attended a Gold Coast Writers meeting and the speaker who has been involved in the education field most of her life said: “We are breeding empathy out of our children”. Can you imagine what is happening to the animals!!

I have been a member of ES since 2007. Even though I do not contribute to forum discussions regularly when I log in I see the main page and if there is something that interests me, I have a look. For a long time I have not liked what I have read.

I think it would be great if the ES site goes back to the way it used to be and Gene, our site administrator who has established this site for the lovers of the Setter breed, has a reason to use this site again.  If members want to bully each other there is a purebred internet community in Australia where they would feel at home.

[emma bell]

It's such a shame that you have had to start this topic Gene but I agree completely with what you say.

I too come on here very rarely now and have reported a member to you in the past that has over stepped the mark and become personal.

Hopefully, the people concerned will read this thread and take on board what you are saying, as I think you speak for the vast majority of the members.

Also, thank you for continuing to run this site even though you feel you no longer wish to participate. On the most part, it has been a wealth of knowledge for me. I hope, in the not so distant future, you will make a return!

[Torie Lancaster]

I have not entered many discussions on here but I think voting buttons is the way to go if possible.

Members would realise that they 'have over stepped the mark' when they saw others were voting on their comments.

I think the idea is more 'up front' than members complaining to Gene knowing well that no one will get to know who they are.

[Dee Rance]

I agree with all of the above, it is dreadful that Gene feels he is unable to partisipate...like many of us who have been on this site for a long time now....are really unhappy about the way things have gone on lately...

Unfortunately I have said it before...these people think that the rest of us are in the wrong..they just can't see that they are doing anything wrong at all...we should be taking notice of them...they are big breeders/judges and exhibitors...and us lesser people should take notice of their experiance....again I have said it befor....you don't have to have been in this breed for X number of years..some people can see a good dog...doesn't mater how long they have been looking..and again there are people that have been in these breeds for many years and still wouldn't recognise a good well put together animal (no matter what type of animal) it is called 'a stock-mans eye'.

There are also people that do have experience, a life times experience and can help others with their problems...whatever problem, we ask the world on this site, if ''there is anyone out there that can help'' on whatever subject...and I would like to know that there are people there to help us in our hours of need...I hope that I can give my advice..I have (hopefully) done so over the years...but recently I for one have been bad mouthed, and bullied verbally, and quite frankly insulted...just for not agreeing with some of these people.

Rudeness is rife in our society little things like walking through a door and not saying 'thank you' to the person that is holding the door open for you....standing in a cue and not having someone pushing in....Susan you are so rite people should be teaching their children, but we should start looking closer to home first, and start having good manners ourselves first.....and yes Torie censer buttons sounds wonderful, but what if some of these people use it just because people are disagreeing with them..and they keep pressing the button just because you disagree, you could end up being censored yourself...bad thought...then the bullies can get rid of  people that disagree with them....me pessamistic...oh yes!!!

[Howard Glansfield]

I love this group and all I can say is 'Thank You Gene'

[Dee Rance]

I personally would think Sara that Gene would be getting lots of 'hits' from this system....(but there must be a way of doing this without us keep going to poor Gene) I bet he is getting fed up with it.."he said" "she said"...etc...I would imagine Gene sometimes wonders what he has started...I for one am glad he started it, but we all need to be polite to each other.

The problem is we mostly all know who our Nemesis are...but we really must stop all the bickering..my granddaughters behave better than some on here....and they fight like cat and dog..excuse the pun....lol.

I told my granddaughters there is a saying from a 'fairly popular book' Do onto others as you would have them do unto you......Please!!!! 

[Dee Rance]

Yes that kind of thing had crossed my mind...my first thoughts were hey thats a great idea...but my cynicism took over...and of cause my warped sense of hummer...seems you have the same hummer as me....Thanks for the laugh...;o) and please excuse any spelling mistakes I may make....lol

[Dee Rance]

I don't understand????...this has been good banter between all that have written, (I thought) but if you think anything so far on this discussion has been bad, please let us know...because I for one have thought that we were having a good 'conversation' and this is how things deteriate...because someone has taken offence...may be the way something has been written and or interpreted by another individual....one persons interpritation....may not be anothers....

[Torie Lancaster]

I can't see where Dee or anyone else has pointed the finger at anyone and I have read through every reply.

I personally don't think anything that has been written on this particular discussion has  singled any member or members out as trouble makers nor do I see where anyone is trying to 'affix blame'.

[Sandra wilson]

I wish everybody would chill and remember its all about the love of the setter and helping each other:-)

[Finding_Beau]

Hi Sandra

It's a shame our dogs cannot type. If our Setters were the moderators, rudeness would not exist and there would be lots of laughter.