I would ask you, though, if you think it
reasonable to keep the topics either related to boating, or respectful
in nature if OT?

Most of the time, I support respectful posting. Other than that, I'm for as few
rules as we can get away with.

but I gotta' ask
why you don't seem to take a position, or offer an alternative,
regarding blatant OT posting.

because I'm not one of the 2 or 3 people postin to the NG who can claim any
sort of
virginity in the OT category. When it comes to OT, I'm a whore- not a maiden.

Sometimes you appear to have no
opinion, other times you seem to protest against "moderation". As a
born Irishman, I assure you that I have no interest in "moderation".

IMO, it's not within my rights to dictate what another person can say or where
they can say it. I have stated a preference for *how* people should try to
exchange ideas, but nobody died and left me in charge. Each of us has to be
responsible for him or herself.

Those who believe its OK to do nothing but
flame, troll, pick fights, etc under the current system (or lack of same) won't
feel any differently if there are more stringent rules in place. The
determining factor is how each of us see ourselves and our place in the world,
rather than what we think the rules of the NG are, or ought to be.

I sincerely believe the outrage about OT posts would be less if there were a
more manageable number of them and if people
behaved respectfully toward one another.

From a personal standpoint, I always feel particularly badly when somebody from
the left side of the spectrum gets mean and nasty and starts calling names,
etc.
It's a fundament precept of liberalism that other people are entitled to their
ideas, too, and that there is no danger in comparing and contrasting
perspectives and opinions.
The left should encourage debate, discussion, and dissent.

It's more understandable when folks who feel that above all else we must stick
with what they believe is "tried and true" get nervous about ideas that are
somewhat otside the main stream, but: any idea that cannot withstand a
challenge from an opposite concept is so extremely weak it
should be reevaluated in any event. Personally, I don't feel threatened when a
partisan from the right expresses an opinion.

We each have things we could learn from one another, but the entire process is
frustrated when our counterpoints are
cloaked in flame and insult.