I would hate to have your job. And might I add that you normally do it quite well.

But I vehemently disagree with you on this one. If the VAST majority of your users are offended by an image, that should be good enough for you to say, "this is an obvious infraction" and remove it. By not acting, you have invited all kinds of nasty crap to pop up on our screens.

Thanks for that.

Now I read your blog entry!  Now I know what it was to which you referred.  Here I was feeling guilty about something I must have done or have done incorrectly.  Or said.  Whatever.  I must have one whopping guilty conscience. 

Good blog, though, Jason.  I truly appreciate your frankness.  These are difficult subjects for this "new" age.  (New to me, anyway.)

You may not agree with what I decided, and you are more than welcome to take it over my head. 

Which would accomplish nothing. This is why, in many situations in the non-cyberworld, people turn to alternative methods.

What a crock of Shiite.

By not acting, you have invited all kinds of nasty crap to pop up on our screens.

I heard that. Let's see how far we can push the envelope.

Thanks for the info Jason.  You've never banned me from the blogs, but there's always afirst time.   I'll try to keep my language clean.

In my opinion perversion won the day; and given the fact homosexuals want everyone to bow to their perversion so goes TBC.

I asked for Jasons thoughts on this matter and got them.  I don't think it was sarcastic to invite you to go over his head as that's what most of us would say if someone questioned our judgement.

I still think it was inappropriate and feel that the majority of the posters agreed.  If it was just the one blog I could see us boycotting that blog but our avatars follow us wherever we go and when they change, they change all the way back to our beginnings.  There's no avoiding people with offensive avatars as long as they continue to post.  The good fella who caused this uproar apparently hasn't seen fit to post again.  Yet.  Maybe he won't.

I do agree that this has opened up a whole nother can of worms though.  And one that the paper may regret.  I see clouds forming already.  And not by me.

But Witbee, if we banned all photos that most people find disgusting, we couldn't post a lot of the daily news photos.... ;)

Speaking of homo's, I guess I was wrong about John Edwards.

Well I'd certainly question any guy that paid 400 duckets for a haircut dril. LOL

For the record, although I disagreed with the taste level of the avatar we're all talking about, I wasn't offended by it.  It was tacky, yes, but morally reprehensible?  No.  What I find kinda funny about the whole thing is the blogger in question DID ask everyone's opinion, and boy, did he get it!  It kinda reminds me of the story of the woman who asks her husband if her butt looks fat in these jeans.  Don't ask if you don't want the answer! 

BTW--You, Jason, are definitely a class act.  I think your judgement is pretty darn good from what I've seen, but then I don't know about all the ankle-biting you get and deal with.  So can you tell me if my butt looks big in the attached picture?  Thanks.

Call me naive, but I never would have thought that Jason would be in bed with homosexuals.

 EllisBell,

I felt the same about the picture. The picture wasn't morally  offensive! to me. It was just bad. imo!

I am not a big "gay" fan but honestly I don't care what anyone chooses to do with their life in that way.

I have a "gay" niece and although she's basically gay because it's the "in thing" to be these days, I don't care one way or the other.

I must say (again imo) be gay, I don't care but I don't want to see it in my face.

It isn't right IMO and I don't like it. I don't have to.

I DON'T HAVE TO LIKE IT! THATS MY RIGHT> I said and will say it again. The avatar was darn UGLY.

I personally didn't think Jason needed to delete it or anything. I just wanted to tell the guy I didn't like it.

And again as EllisBell said, He asked for opinions and got it. Exactly what he wanted if you asked me.

Tell you what. I know several here hate tattooed women sooo I'll take a picture of the tattoo on my backside and use it as my profile picture. It will be tasteful, no crack showing or anything.

Good idea, tchudilowsky.  I don't think just a little crack would hurt, though.  ; )

I'll change mine to a picture of a kid with foot-long snot strings hanging out of his nose.  Then I'll ask what everyone thinks about it, and then if people don't like it I'll say "But snot is NATURAL!  Snot is a part of the human experience, etc..."

She's my, er, therapist - Dr. Charlee Chase.

You guys are good :-)

Jason, the picture was just tasteless.  You can do as you want but when someone asks for opinions, they sure better be ready to take them.  Let's see how far mtndew(I think that was his name) takes his pictures as he promised.

http://i179.photobucket.com... alt="" />  Well, the picture of MY therapist won't come up!

Jason, thanks for the long awaited response. Let me ask a quick question. If I don't like someone's avatar, and they post a response on my blog, can I delete it without being discriminatory?

In other words, Jason, you'd rather dodge the issue than get involved with it. Can't get more impartial than that.

Nope, not a blonde. Just didn't like the avator!

I just don't get where the animosity towards Jason is coming from.

Jason, just stick your fingers in your ears and yell, "LALALALALALALA."

I commented on the John Edwards link but I guess it got lost in space.  I heard that on the radio this morning and wondered if anyone other than the Enquirer would pick it up.  They say they have proof.

Now I'm going to bed.

If that's as "bad" as you'll see, then you're a pretty sheltered lanabuford.

I believe the solution is to have the software developers create an option which allows users to ignore selected users, similar to what one could do in most chat rooms (chat rooms are sooo last century). This way you won't have to see the offending user's offensive avatar or his posts.

Jason, you rock! That was one of the best 1st ammendment speeches I've ever had the pleasure to read. Whether or not the local community agrees with you, you stand for FREEDOM, and more importantly freedom of speech, even if you don't agree with the message (you don't have to agree to be FREE). Freedom has it's limits for sure, because HATE speech is not protected by our Constitution, but if you can't fight for someone else's right to say what they want, then you don't believe in FREEDOM!! !!!

GOD BLESS AMERICA

Good luck with that 5-hole. Are you a software developer by any chance???

I had to laugh at one little comment that Jason made...that being only ONE person complained repeatedly to him about the avatar.  18,000 profiles on this site, and one complainee gets the big blog and responses.  Hmm, squeaky wheel got the grease, eh.

As for the pictures itself, big deal.  If you want to see something, go over to Bakotopia and look at all the pictures that I took at various events and see what I got away with.  Look for "tekwiz" under new postings, you'll find me.  And the only complaint I would get was there wasn't enough pictures.

JBS-----VEERRRRYY  NIIICCCEEEE!!! LOL

Murphy--- I needs some therapy...any suggestions???  

ProgressivePete2-- Actually, I am a software developer but I don't do pro-bono work.  I'm busy enough with my job as it is.

Exceptionally well-reasoned, Jason. I'd hate to have your job (I did exactly what you are doing for 10 years). Lines must be drawn and a community host has that lonely work that walks the line between order and anarchy.

By the way, here's something I find horribly offensive from murphyslaw: "Still think it was really nice of you to block out the name of a fruit in this matter on my post but, you feel his picture was acceptable."

Hey. We gay people, at long last, are citizens now. "Fruit" is as much a demeaning slur as the "N-word". It's meant to demean.

Here's another example from samheath: "In my opinion perversion won the day; and given the fact homosexuals want everyone to bow to their perversion so goes TBC."

Terribly offensive because samheath engages in wholesale, blanket sexual objectification of every homosexual he can imagine. No homosexual is exempt in his world. If you are homosexual, you stand for perversion.  If that's not representative of hate speech, I don't know what hell does.

Murphyslaw again: " Jason's afraid that one of these fruit cakes will accuse him of violating there rights on the bog which means they can post most anything they wish."

Sir. I'm not dwelling on the violation of rights. YOU are. I'm talking about common decency. There are MANY kinds of homosexuals, most of which don't fit your disgustingly narrow definition of what a homosexual is.  What kind of online community do you want, Sir? One in which the unbridled use of demeaning slurs are okay if YOU think it's okay, or a community in which each person earns their own respect? You come in here a throw your vulgar net over all homosexuals. That is just plain hateful. Gay people who are disrespectful ought to be called down. But, understand something, I AM a homosexual who honors the terms of service in this community. You are a common bigot and you flaut that status and what happens? Well, your comments, as far as I can see, suffer no censoring. The should and it's is patently unfair to civiling-behaving homosexuals to have to endure you horrible slurs.

Then there's this SLUR from Drilnliftcrude in which mere name calling gets extended to the age-old practice of questioning someone sexual orientation in a bid to influence them to just follow the crowd and allow anti-gay slurs to be of no consequence.  Drilnlifcrude provides us with: Call me naive, but I never would have thought that Jason would be in bed with homosexuals.

It's the thing children in high school do to exact the harshest insult on another student, just to be cruel. Among straight boys and men, it's the most potent way to win street credibility - just question the guys manhood by calling suggesting he's homosexual.In virtually NO case is it true that the person being tormented by that juvinile accusation is actually homosexual. Christ! You don't even know what being a MAN is, Sir. You haven't learned how to BEHAVE like one if that's how you assert your character.

Then there's this young, naive, girl, "Tchudilosky" who is so confused about homosexuals she thinks homosexuality is some kind recent fad! Haven't any of you told her about the so-called Sodomites, described in Genesis some 6000 years ago?  Of course, no gay person believes the story of Sodom and Gomorrah said anything about homosexuals. That's beside the point of what Tchudilosky is talking about.

In her words: "I have a "gay" niece and although she's basically gay because it's the "in thing" to be these days, I don't care one way or the other."

But if she doesn't care "one way or another' why then would she say:

"I must say (again imo) be gay, I don't care but I don't want to see it in my face."

I'm in your face, young lady. This is MY online community, too. I pay for the school you go to with my taxes, so it's MY school, too. I support every state funded mandate that you will ever benefit from, so everything you have or get from this state, I paid for it just like every other tax payer. I will always be IN YOUR FACE because you walk upon the side walks and streets I help buy for you. You live in a free country because I served YOU for eight years in the armed forces. I taught your fellow students how to read and write and I taught them to behave like good citizens. When you see your classmate behaving, you're seeing ME in your face.

Fivehole, it turns out, has the most wonderful way of just addressing the issue of offensive behavior. "I believe the solution is to have the software developers create an option which allows users to ignore selected users, similar to what one could do in most chat rooms (chat rooms are sooo last century). This way you won't have to see the offending user's offensive avatar or his posts."

It's called a BOZO FILTER.

How is it that he can think of a solution that doesn't require degrading homosexual wholesale and these other people can't?

" If that's as "bad" as you'll see, then you're a pretty sheltered"  PPete

Bingo !!!!

Pete , you have to remember that a vast majority of B Village peasants have traveled and experienced other cultures and ways of life, why just the other day a person told of traveling through Barstow in California !! Sheltered..I think not!!!

Just so you know, HM, Tchudilosky isn't a young lady. Those are pictures of her daughter. There are only three young ladies on this blogging community, and I am the youngest of those three. (Well, you know what I mean by "young." Some of you are still young, but we're very young.) I'm not so sure that whole school speech works.

Whatever.

Boys, would you please stop with the pictures? I don't know about the other girls, but it's not something I want to see. Pleeeease? How would you like it if I posted pictures of Ira Glass, Garth Brooks and hot cowboys? Eh? 

Jason, I didn't like the picture he posted either. It bothered me, and I don't like seeing it. But I have no comment about the whole situation itself. That issue is a disaster. I still like you, unlike some people.

This is offensive to me, our leader ,

 Well, all the respect for HM just went out the door, same as all the other peas in the pot. Not the well dressed Gentleman everyone thought.  It's nice of you to show your TRUE COLORS, at long last.

I wasn't addressing you, it was this other degenerate.

Just made up my mind not to post on a Gay blog.  There will, be a picture from time to time.

I dunno magzy, if you can find me a shorter way to get to Primm NV to visit my daughter without going through Barstow I'd be happy for you to share it.

HM, did you read Tchudilosky's profile?

Does HM own his home or Rent?

SH said,

"Then there's this young, naive, girl, "Tchudilosky" who is so confused about homosexuals she thinks homosexuality is some kind recent fad! Haven't any of you told her about the so-called Sodomites, described in Genesis some 6000 years ago?  Of course, no gay person believes the story of Sodom and Gomorrah said anything about homosexuals. That's beside the point of what Tchudilosky is talking about."

I am not a child. Although I am very youthful.

I said MY NIECE. MY NIECE. My niece, whom I happen to know PERSONALLY. I was not generalizing all you people in a gay grouping.

I PERSONALLY believe the younger kids think it's cool to be "different" it's the newest cool and the "rebellious" thing to do.

What better way to stand out and make a statement about not conforming huh?

Hummm what gets the attention? Oh lets experiment.

Yeah! That was my point. MY OPINION.

I know there are real life gay-bes out there. I wasn't grouping all you dudes GOT IT?

Probably not. But ask me if I give a hoot.

 As for gays yeah, you hit it on the head SODOM AND GOMORRAH buddy. Out of your own mouth too...

I think personally the use of  "fruit" is a compliment to a cutesy gay boy.

It's the harsher "flaming" for those who are all out!

just sayin' :0)

Doesn't matter Murph, we all pay taxes one way or another. 

What in the world does putting up an ugly profile picture have to do with this guy paying his taxes, being a teacher, armed forces??

He's just like all the rest..

Don't give an opinion against what they believe or you are automatically a racist or a bigot or a flame-o-phobe.

It's the lamest thing these guys have going.

If you are not licking their backside you must be trying to wipe them off the face of the Earth!

OMGosh!  IT'S A TRAGEDY!

Oh the humanity of it all!!!!

GIVE US ALL A BREAK!

The tax Hm is referring to is for the schools, does he own a home so that he may pay City tax? And Nancy, you do not have to attack every time I post, or is there something in your closet to where I hit a nerve? I only asked a simple question that deserves a simple answer.

You're not to answer for him! Are you his mother? other wise kindly butt out.

  Why is it I'm the only one Nancy feels she should attack? This was posted by another blogger with good sense.

 And hey thanks for paying for everything.....Now maybe they'll stop taking so much out of my husbands weekly pay.

Go on Nancy, I just know, this is going to be good.

There's a good chance that HM is the other person that posted the picture as well seeing that he is now protesting.

Robin wrote: "Some of you are still young, but we're very young.) I'm not so sure that whole school speech works."

While I can grant you that youth is a time of discovery and learning to understand a great many complicated issues, I can also assure you that the school speech applies to every resident of this state. My tax dollars aren't limited to schools, sidewalks and roads nor is my direct contribution to my fellow citizen limited to teaching their children. Aside from my volunteer military service, I've been a continuous volunteer in my community for the better part of 20 years, most of that full-time as an advocate for the deaf and as a volunteer administrator for youth sports. Each tax payment I send in goes to a place called "California" and it is spent on anything and everything that California makes available to its citizens.  The local library? Yep. That's mine too. Your court system? Yep. Your assemblyman and senate representative? He cashes the pay check I help provide.  Yeah, the school speech works perfectly. In fact, if you can think of anything the state funds that no homosexual tax payer doesn't contribute tax dollars to, let me know. Your school book? Yep. I pay for them. If tchudilowski has children, I'm funding their education, the bus the ride on, the bus drivers salary, the teacher who teach them, the counselors who guide them, the school principal who leads. I just one of a few million homosexuals who gladly support this state.

murphyslaw wrote: "The tax Hm is referring to is for the schools, does he own a home so that he may pay City tax? And Nancy, you do not have to attack every time I post, or is there something in your closet to where I hit a nerve? I only asked a simple question that deserves a simple answer."

I own two homes and property in three counties and two states so, yes, I pay City, County, State and Federal taxes just like everyone else does. And you, Sir, are clearly out of touch with what tax dollars fund if you think the are merely for schools. I pay for the law enforcement that rids you city of criminals and the jails where they put those criminals.

And, again, you use the school yard bully tactic of insinuating that Nancy, of ALL people, is a closet homosexual, in order get in a dig and silence her good judgement and common sense.  Just how LOW can you go, Sir?  I'm NOT in the closet. If you haven't noticed lately that practically no one is, then you'll finally understand that your insinuations about people are just plain drivel in which you strain to invoke bigotry to win ever-elusive points. That stuff only works with low-life thugs and school children, not thoughtful, responsible adults.

Nancy wrote: "HM, did you read Tchudilosky's profile?"

In truth, no.  I do sometimes read a person's profile when they make a comment in which it's unclear what point of view they are taking. A profile does, sometimes, clarify a person's point of view.  I was reacting to the oxymoronic idea she expressed:

1. I'm cool with my niece's homosexuality.

versus

2. Just don't put it in my face.

Who? Her niece? Since she wrote second comment directly after the first, it served as a modifier of her first part of the statement. So, it appeared she was referring to her niece, not the avatar that inspired this discussion.  On the avatar issue, she and I are in overwhelming, complete agreement. But her sentence construction made it impossible to understand that she actually meant anyone other than her niece being "...in my face."  Excuse my blunder of understanding sentence construction.