Replies to post #1252 on The Question and Answer Board (IHUB)

[marcos]

Bob is not some otc-bb or pink sheet promotion getting pumped - no one is enticing you to fork over your hard-won savings for paper on him based on empty promises and attempts to stifle critical thinking.

And iHub permitting us to post without charging does not make this your private property, or guvmint property, it remains their private property, subject to the commonsense law that a man may do as he will with what's his'n.

Let us know if you need any more help, al-len ... cheers

[Bera]

This is a free site. It's open to everyone, everywhere.
Since it is a free, open to the PUBLIC site, how can it be that you can terminate a person's membership?

1. It is not open to everyone, everywhere! That is why you must sign up to post! Only those agreeing to the terms of use are allowed to post:

http://www.investorshub.com/beta/Terms.asp

2. It makes no difference if it is a free site or a paid site, the owner has the right to limit its use within reason. Even when you pay to rent a house, if you abuse the house the owner can kick you out!

3. Mall are public sites, but the management often show trouble makers the door!

4. Since I am sure you have invited people to come and spend the night at your house for free sometime in the past, does that mean you must let everyone come and spend the night at your house for free?

5. Clearly when a person keeps signing back up under difference names knowing he has no intention of abiding by the terms of use, that person is violating the owners property rights and indeed may be liable for damages!

  
   W  o(..)o   (      CAUTION:  This monkey is still in 
    \__(-)    __)     training!  All opinions expressed 
        /\   (        are for discussion purposes only. 
       /(_)___) 
      w / \           ~Bera 
       /  /           
      m  m 

[Was (Bob)]

Bob, I have a question or two.

As long as they're questions and not personal attacks on me or a seemingly-endless barrage of destructive posts, okay....

It seems to me that this thread has become a mirror image of what happens on a typical BB thread, only you're the one being bashed, not the BB stock

It seems to me that that's not even remotely an accurate portrayal.

I'm not a stock. I'm a person. Being critical of my actions is fine, but including personal attacks in it isn't. Just like with stock threads.

Don't you think that in light of that, you're being a little hypocritical if you punish anyone for criticizing you?

That statement is a lot like "Don't you think it's wrong for you to continue beating your dog?"

I don't "punish" anyone for being critical of me. However, I've always had a history of allowing people to say things about me that I wouldn't let them say about others. That's coming to an end, though.

If anyone says they've been sanctioned for being critical of me, they're not telling the truth or the whole truth. If I sanction someone, it's because they've broken a rule. Recent examples include multiple accounts from people who post nothing but very strong personal attacks. Sure, the person I'm thinking of *says* they were booted for being "critical" of me or disagreeing with me, but that's not the case.

He started in with inappropriate and irrelevant comments about me ("gerbils", "guys", "tart", etc) and included things like "idiot".

If you think such conduct is merely benign "criticism", I strongly disagree. If you think that kind of conduct should be allowed, again, I strongly disagree.

And if you believe something is true just because someone said it was, well.....

In the past a big discussion was made on si about 'freedom of speech", and I think the conclusion was that since si was a paid site, that there really wasn't any 'freedom of speech" rights

Whose conclusion was that?

It couldn't be more wrong.

Freedom of Speech, in the sense of the constitutional amendment, doesn't even remotely apply to anything but governments. Go read it.

The owners of *any* venue (be it online or 3D) have sole discretion in determining what can and can't be said in their venue and who can or can't say it. Period. Whether a site is free or paid has zero bearing on it.

It seems to me that ihub would in fact be violating someone rights to express themselves, free speech, because of this status as a free, open to the public site..

Has ihub checked with the ACLU or an attorney about this?

No need to. It's common knowledge. But you can feel free to check with them if you like. I already know what they'll say: iHub is not "Congress" or any other government entity, and whether it's a paid site or a free site is utterly irrelevant.

[NorthWesterner]

In the past you have posted that you aren't going to intervene and stop people from posting opposing
views. (etc etc etc etc etc) Don't you think that in light of that, you're being a little hypocritical if you
punish anyone for criticizing you?

Can you point to an instance of appropriately phrased criticism that has been deleted or objected to?

I have found Bob amazingly tolerant of dissenting opinions if responsibly expressed. In fact, I've found he enjoys responsible discussion of board policies. But personal attacks, insults, etc. are a different thing. Those have no place here, and are properly squelched.

If you can point to a responsibly phrased reasonable criticism that Bob has deleted, I'll change my mind in a heartbeat. But till then, I appreciate his attempts to keep the level of discourse here something above a second grade playground of a class of juvenile delinquents.

This is a free site. It's open to everyone, everywhere.
Since it is a free, open to the PUBLIC site, how can it be that you can terminate a person's membership?

It seems to me that ihub would in fact be violating someone rights to express themselves, free speech, because
of this status as a free, open to the public site..

Has ihub checked with the ACLU or an attorney about this?

They haven't checked with me, but there is NO obligation on a private business to allow free speech. That's an obligation of the government, not of private businesses. You would have to make the case that this was the equivalent of a public street, which would be a hard sell. Has been done occasionally, usually with shopping malls, but I think you would lose it, big. The site is not open to all; it is open ONLY to those who agree to abide by their TOU, which these people who open multiple accounts while suspended are openly violating.