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]

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.

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.

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.

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.