This forum

everytime you return here there are extreme individuals stoking discord and disharmony.

This is a really tricky one to address in this day and age.

On one hand you have people with a strong view on a subject who want their view to be heard and respected but you can have another group who hold an opposite view with the same rights. Who gets to be heard?

I'm not talking about insults here, but opinions on whatever subjects, whether around drug use (legal or otherwise), dealing with conflict, the tactics of the police force, whether to mask or not, gender identity, approaches in therapy, discipline of children or whatever.

If a fair and open society we should be able to share our opinions, risk being asked to explain or justify them and talk through all manner of subjects that are important to us.

As autists we often can connect with the base emotions of anger and fear which tend to make us poor in arguements but it is worth learning to master these so you can hear others opinions and not be triggered by them.

To want to cancel others because their opinions are not "nice" or not aligned with yours is an approach that appeals to some but is a form of bullying itself.

I would advocate for tolerance, understanding and openmindedness as this has proven to me to be the most effective way to really hear others. Sometimes there is something to be learned even if you didn't initially agree with them.

My friend. This is not a politics forum.  I come here because of the isolating nature of my Autism and***.  That's not going to make me feel any better is it? And what about minorities who have to read that ***?

I recognise you have some opinions on gender issues and wish to voice them.  Why are you making this the venue to voice those opinions instead of countless other internet sites you could use?

[edited by moderators]

My friend. This is not a politics forum.  I come here because of the isolating nature of my Autism and***.  That's not going to make me feel any better is it? And what about minorities who have to read that ***?

I recognise you have some opinions on gender issues and wish to voice them.  Why are you making this the venue to voice those opinions instead of countless other internet sites you could use?

[edited by moderators]

If that doesn’t count as personal abuse - on a thread about the reality of having no friends or family - then what on earth does?

I wouldn’t say something like that to ANYONE, never mind an autistic person baring their soul.

ah, yes thats strange language too. it seems fluid and well put slang, like a trendy young adult. i would say it doesnt look too autistically put, it looks pretty standard/trendy/current person wording.

Amerantin (former member) said:

is this personal enough for you? I did report it. It’s still there.

I would write to the mods and ask them to make a decision on it - the "report abuse" button may not be enough if your comlaint has been rejected or lost.

It would at least let you know if your opinion of personal abuse aligns with the site mods view.

is this personal enough for you? I did report it. It’s still there.

Amerantin (former member) said:

Not when it crosses the line into personal abuse. Just no

This is what the "report abuse" button is for - you cannot moderate who can join and what they post, only react to rule breaking.

It is like this in pretty much every aspect of life that involves people sharig their thoughts and opinions.

It really comes down to what you understand a personal attack to be though. If it is an attack on your ideals (eg someone saying "the Labour party are a bunch of corrupt idiots") then this is not personal - it is their opinion of a subject.

If they say "you are stupid for believing them" then this is personal and can be reported.

I notice many people have a problem in separating these (not saying this is your situaiton though) and I am concerned it is leading to intolerance of others opinions - ie loss of freedom of expression.

Caelus said:

that is the issue what autists face in reality and shouldnt face it here and anyone with autism would know that

Exactly Caelus. This place should be a haven for us, not a another place to be bullied and othered like so many of us have experienced all our lives.

i think that rules me out at least, i have been suspended for the past month so i was likely out of action at that time lol for saying a thing about palestine lol so id be interested to see and know what was posted about you to judge myself.

and yeah the mods do more banning now and have timeframe bans, because well.... you all asked for it, you literally all keep asking for more moderation, this means you get moderated as well as them too. so we all get bans now.

Iain said:

I would like you to stay as all views are important. Leaving only the negative voices here is a sure way to let them "win".

Not when it crosses the line into personal abuse. Just no.

i agreee, and on a autistic forum anyone who creates big groups and gangs together against someone in a clique group unthinkingly biased against one person should all be banned because that isnt autism, that is the issue what autists face in reality and shouldnt face it here and anyone with autism would know that and would more likely be the type to be a solo person lashing out alone against clique groups when they see them by survival habbit. any such clique group type like that the mods should suspect are not belonging here as its a give away of symptomlessness, while solo lashing out against groups kinda is expected of a autist. so the mods seeing my case would see me as belonging and any group rising against me as suspicious and breaking of the symptoms logically speaking and thus would cast doubt on why they are here rather than myself.

Iain said:

The rules prohibit this and reporting them will have any such post removed.

Simply not true.

The thread that made me leave included direct personal abuse. *I* was auto-suspended because someone else on that horrible thread reported me at the weekend. I was unable to post for a week, when the mods unsuspended me saying I hadn’t posted anything abusive.

And the vilest thing that person posted to me is *still* here on this forum. It was never deleted.

And not one other regular on this forum defended me or said “you can’t say to that to anyone”.

The only thing that surprises me is that anyone wonders why so many people have walked away from this cesspool.

Amerantin (former member) said:

But horrible personal attacks seem to be the inevitable outcome of the other type of person, and as far as I am concerned it has utterly ruined this place

The rules prohibit this and reporting them will have any such post removed.

If the "attack" is not a personal one but on your values then this is a different situaiton and would be allowed to stand,

In the political discussions you mention on here it is perfictly valid for others to hold views that are in conflict to yours and for them to defend them as you defend yours. If they cross into any rule breaking territory then they are likely to get removed.

Amerantin (former member) said:

I am actively better off not being here and that is a damning indictment.

I would suggest you are unlikely to find somewhere that has less upsetting opinions in it - this site is about as tame as I have seen on the internet.

In many ways it reflects something like an old style BBC debate where there are restrictions on what swear words can be used and person attacks are banned but they still allow people to have their opinions respected, however much they may upset you.

Society has become more polarised and critical across the board and this is an unfortunate reality at all levels. Again I would recommend learning to tolerate and agree to disagree as a way of reducing the friction the world has on your life.

I would like you to stay as all views are important. Leaving only the negative voices here is a sure way to let them "win".

People who post personal attacks and abuse should be banned. Period.

That kind of behaviour has no place on a support forum and should not be tolerated.

So many people, many those who need help the most, have left this place because there is so much unpleasantness.

That is a *disgrace*.

what causes autistic people most distress?

current news events, politics, worries of war, worries of the events, social normalities, social rules, stepping on egg shells, not knowing what is and isnt socially acceptable. it is inevitable that on a autistic forum if you meet a truly autistic person they will break your social rules that you seem to somehow know and adhere to, of which autistic people often dont know and adhere to and often break or challenge.

the mods cannot just ban people for this or moderate this as its a autistic trait.... to ban autistic people from a autistic site for not knowing your strict ever changing social rules and goal posts and not knowing how to play you to keep you happy and play with words and express themselves socially in a way to satisfy you and society.... it just doesnt work, and anyone with social normalities id doubt their diagnosis legitimacy

if i was neurotypical id be able to express everything i feel and am saying in a way youd agree with, and youd understand me and likely agree with me.

What is the purpose of this forum Iain?

There are a thousand places people can go to discuss politics or whatever. But this is the National Autistic Society’s forum intended for autists and their friends and families to find support and information. There aren’t many other places with that purpose.

That’s what I came here for, and there are people here who I can identify with and who have been helpful.

But horrible personal attacks seem to be the inevitable outcome of the other type of person, and as far as I am concerned it has utterly ruined this place.

I am actively better off not being here and that is a damning indictment.

I come here because of the isolating nature of my Autism and am confronted by out right Fascists.  That's not going to make me feel any better is it?

I think I see where you are coming from. The site rules say ( community.autism.org.uk/.../rules )

Our Community is designed to be a safe and welcoming place for those that use and visit it for support and information about autism. 

Which seems to align with what you, as an autist, want to have. The problem is when another autist with different views also wants to discuss things in contrast to your opinions then the safe and welcoming environment you want is polluted.

But what about the other person? They are autistic too and if their views are not illegal or break the site rules then they have every right to be able to express themselves in our democratic society.

That is the downside to freedom - you have to allow others who you disagree with the freedom to hold those views. Anything else is subuigation.

I'm sure the mods here have a hard enough time as it is without dragging them into monitoring content to make sure we are all being "decent" or whatever the criteria is you are striving for here.

I believe we have to take responsibility ourselves to filter the views we do not agree with if that is your issue. Expecting other autists to align with your sensibilities is folly as we are as diverse and odd a bunch as you can ever expect to meet.

The floor is yours and yet you'll still claim you are being silenced.

Absolutely!

See this interaction for a prime example:

https://community.autism.org.uk/f/miscellaneous-and-chat/38092/constitutional-reforms

I don't want you or Ipserg or what's his face silenced. I just never want to have to encounter you again.  I don't think either of you realise how unpleasant you come across.

I don't want unity with you because I'm a man of the Left not the right. And I am definitely not of the Stephen Yaxley Lennon Far Right.


The forum is your's and mr spergs. There's nothing I can do to get rid of you.

The floor is yours and yet you'll still claim you are being silenced.

its how i read your thread. asking for more moderation to get rid of people you dont like. 

for your info the site is moderated well enough, my posts are removed frequently and edited by mods alot, they can tell you themselves, i keep them busy lol

"Seem to want"

in this thread alone you seem to want people banned and kicked off this site. its not very nice.... on the other thread you said youd never want unity with me lol im not a bad person.... it makes you look really bad and unreasonable in my eyes as if you cant get on with me you cant get on with more than half of the country given my views are somewhat left wing orientated actually and i often instead get into arguments after i passively mention i dont like landlording and think its exploitation.

and ofcourse the calling others facist was in what i replied to, its a bit mean. i dont even think true fascists true to the italian party would like that term, theyd likely prefer to be called romans id guess or whatever latin word theyd have, nova romanus? i dont get why we still use that word, authoritarian is enough, but then it cant be used as good as the people wanting to call others fascist or racists are often the authoritarians themselves so they cant use the real word they mean, authoritarian as theyd get laughed at as it describes them the most who use it.