Thanks TonyBlair (feels very odd to write that!) ~ thats exactly what I was trying to say, but you've said it much better

Problem is that certain forum members only want a certain "style" of comment and the rest of us are totally out of order....That's free speech for you.....LOL

You did tell me to 'get a life' when I said I didn't mind the results show being on a Sunday though. Now, I didn't take offence, but some people might have.

Yes, I agree with that.

I mean, it's only natural we're going to enjoy conversing with people who agree with us, but it's not right to try to shout down people that we don't.

I have to say I have found the oppisite, I have posted on the BB and X-Factor boards for years and have never got in a slanging match, but I did get attacked here the other night by a very obnoxious human being, if it had been on any other board they would surely have been baned. Yes I could have pressed the alert button, but I have always thought that was the cowards way out. If you can't stand up for yourself you have no business on here, as far as I can see the board isn't moderated as such, maybe because we are all supposed to be nice and fluffy in here. Yeah right!

I have to agree with you about the BB forum.....There are some incredibly witty and intelligent posters on that forum.....and it`s reputation for Cyber aggro is somewhat unfounded...... Or maybe the posters there have thicker skins and we all just carry on without making that much of a fuss when it all gets a bit heated. .In fact this year the forum was far more entertaining than the show itself. Seymour I think I was involved in the same debate that you are referring to in your post and I do remember you were on the receiving end of a few personal insults from another member.I remember making the point myself that the other poster would have been banned for posting such a personal attack on the BB forum.
So the moral of the tale is that the SCD forum is not as Fluffy and Pink as some would think and it is CERTAINLY NOT monitored as closely by the moderators as other forums are.

Since when has saying get a life constitute offensive remarks or in anyway shouiting you down.

I have NEVER used bad language or vulgar, crude, sexist, racist, homophobic or otherwise offensive remarks.

I only express myself in everyday common or garden English......

I support fully your rights to state whatever you feel and only ask the same in return.

Anything else is censorship at its worst.

I think the reason it could cause offence is explained well here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_a_life

Certainly it's always been a phrase I have associated with taunting or implying that the person one is saying it to is pathetic in one's eyes.


I didn't say you had, and - referring back to your first paragraph - neither did I say you had shouted me down.

I agree with this - things seem have become very heated very early in the series. It's not so much the comments - although I do try not to say really horrible things because I can't help think how I'd feel if I was one of the celebrities or dancers being slated and I read it - but the level of anger. I did say on another thread I wondered whether part of the reason for this is the dissatisfaction at having the results show moved. Maybe because a lot of people are a bit put out by that, tempers have become frayed earlier.

Or, maybe I'm just rambling again.

Well,I voiced my opinion and am pleased so many of you do agree,and those of you that don't,hey,it's free speech as you point out.

I will keep following my own principles and avoid the threads that I don't find particularly pleasant.It was worth a try to see if it was possible to make the Forum a nicer place for me and others to be.

Wishing everyone a good evening.

I think a lot of people are mistaking sarcasm for anger.

IMHO sarcasm is one of the funniest forms of humour coming a close second to black humour.

Having spent many years in the army and had 3 tours of NI, served in the Falklands and finaly Bosnia and then helped in the re-construction in Iraq, black humour plays a very important part of your life and you learn not to take anyone or anything too seriously.

Just for the record, I am not remotely concerned if people want to have a go at me, it is their opinion, I may dissagree but they are entitled to it.

Ah well, that's where online communication can fall down, isn't it? Even with the help of smilies a humorous comment can be misunderstood because you can't hear the intonation as you can in spoken conversation.

Certainly know I've been misunderstood and have misunderstood others at times because of that. Then you have to explain you were joking and end up wondering if it was really worth the effort.

Fair play to you TB,you did a very worthy job,one we all appreciate greatly and enabling more of the world to have free speech.
Black humour saw me through the death of a loved one so I do appreciate it's worth.

Not too sure where you mean the 'sarcasm instead of anger' is,in this threads posts or in the parts of the Forum I am complaining about?...

Are the people pissed off on here mainly Brendan and Kelly fans by any chance? If you love Brendan so much - do as he does - be horrible!

Now now Austen 1984 if you continue to to be nasty about our Brendan and Kelly, I`am just going to have give you 100 lines.

"I promise to never criticise The absolutely beautiful Miss Brook or the rather Charming Mr Cole again." + 100

And remember: Teacher knows best...

An interesting post Austen. That provides a possible underlying motive, for the proliferation of posts ostensibly advocating that we all embrace the contagion of 'pink, fluffy, niceness'.

TonyBlair, I think you've mistaken being humourous, witty and dry to sarcasm. The first three connote something positive while the last one definitely negative.

I have been literally through hell and back, what with a disease that the doctor termed as terminal. The ordeal of going through various harrowing medical procedures and having to endure immense pain that painkillers couldn't address has shown me that at the end of the day humour is the way to go while sarcasm should be put where it belongs - the gutter.

The reason I started my rant was as I've said before,that there were other people on the Forum complaining about the recent increase of nastiness on this Forum.
It was not just by Brendan fans,it was by a wide range of Celebs/Pros fans.

Just because I am a Brendan fan, and a lot of Brendan fans responded in here as we used to having to deal with a lot of negativity towards Brendan,does not mean it is based on just him and Kelly being bashed!!

Brendan set a wonderful example on LI of how I would like lead my life.Kind,considerate,and determined to be the best I can in my life.

All I was hoping for was for us to unite if possible and not be nasty to each other when life is precious.

I will not be posting in here again,I have more than made my point and thank you to each everyone of you who has shown me I am allowed to feel the way I do,and to live with the hope that maybe,just maybe the Forum will be a nicer place again for those of us who have noticed a turn for the worse in the last month (IMHO)

OK easy now-this is getting out of hand.

Now I hope many will agree on this, we have our likes and dislikes so maybe we should agree to differ.

Let's keep the comments to the programme and not direct them at fellow posters

The programme is not about you, it is a family show about dancing and entertainment. No-one wants to have a go at you, but you seem to want to have a go at other posters.

sarcasm (dictionary meaning): bitter or wounding remarks.

Black humour is nothing to do with SCD imho, although you probably realise that much, and neither is sarcasm, or your employment history for that matter, though obviously you may think otherwise.

To be honest, I am puzzled by you.
Last edited by winenroses : 22-10-2007 at 22:29

I disagree with you, Sport Fan. I think you've misunderstand the notion of free speech. It doesn't mean that you can say whatever you like without considering other people's feeling. That can only be called wilful, childish and inconsiderate.

Because we human beings live in a society which means we need to respect other people's opinion, otherwise there wouldn't be a society, there would only be chaos and wars.

The point Saggy is making is that some of the comments are too personal, rude and offensive and this is unacceptable. Free speech doesn't mean you can VERBALLY ABUSE other people. If you take this forward, sure you can argue that freedom is paramount and you can kill someone because you don't like the look of them?!

Your opinion is noted, but I fear it is you that has misunderstood.

You imply that I canvas for free speech without restraint. But you have, conveniently, failed to note that I have pointedly stated the necessity to adhere to DS rules and regulations. Have any of my posts breached said guidelines??? Within the framework laid out by DS, we are all free to express our opinions.

In my posts, as far as is possible, I attempt not only to express my opinion but to try and justify any stance or view I take.

My difficulty, with this incessant clamour for a so called, 'pink and fluffy' forum, is that it a form of censorship. By insisting on your notion of what is acceptable you are supplanting DS guidelines with an additional arbitrary set of rules which conform to your own personal sense of justice and fairplay.

And this really is the crux of the debate. I am not prepared to be bullied (for this is exactly what it is) into accepting notions of what you and others consider to be the 'correct' way of expressing on these forums. It is you that, (by what appears to be an effort to control what others may say), are effectively trying to deny us our legitimate right to post our freely held views.

What I am seeing, are fans of celebs/pros who take extreme umbrage at some of the negative views expressed, and who feel it their duty (though why, mystifys me) to ride out, battle ready, to defend the honour of the object of their fan worship.

I will always do my best to abide by DS guidelines. If I inadvertantly make a mistake, then I am quick to apologise. That should be sufficient regulation for both you and me.

Yes swnymor, I do remember your comment the other night.
He/she thought we were all morans that posted on the BB board The big difference between the two boards is Humour and Wit which is sadly missing in here...I never post in the OTT fanbased threads, but most of the open threads gets burried as soon as they are started.

Nice post Sports Fan!!

I totally agree with you. It's about time more people stood up for their right to speak their mind. But this view will come as no suprise to my many admirers who feel that only they have the right to decide the tone of the topics. Hey guys, there is always the "IGNOR" button you can push.....

Free speech is a fundimental part of democracy and I would defend anyones right to speak thier mind. I do however have a sensitive nature and like you always stay within the rules and guidleines laid down by DS.

It always seem strange to me that those who claim to support free speech only do this within their own interpretation of the word "free".

I honestly do not care what anyone thinks of me....I love SCD, I have strong views about the "players", I love the different characters (even if I think they do not belong on the show) and would not want it any other way. I even love the way the BBC moved SCD to Sunday as it opens up another area of contention. This is what makes life ineteresting.

As a footnote, on another forum I was accused of being a right wing nazi for my views....for everyones information, the Nazi's were Social Democrats....(left wing labour)

What gets me is when people are not honestly venting their feelings but are just looking to stir up reaction, presumably because they are bored, so have a go at someone they know is popular and then add in a as if that makes it OK. If you're angry about something, be angry, fair enough, but there is a real air of 'Hee hee, this will get them' about some posts and then that stupid as if because someone has added an nobody can object.

I agree with you and swynmor (similar name sounds ) about BB - very underrated.

There are the Strictly Bridget Jones thread and a few others on here.