Why!

Certainly not up to us to suggest that someone is on the 'wrong forum'.

We seem to have a lot of Forum Police popping out of the woodwork. There is nothing in the guidelines to say a new poster cannot comment on the posts she has read. Nor is there any timeline on how long she has to be on the forum before she can speak her mind.

I agree that the policical and news threads are fair game for anyone to give their opinion (although I can't say I've come across any really 'vile'comments on them)

I must admit, though, that if I were a new poster I'd have been rather disconcerted this week by some of the stuff posted on the 'Support for those etc...' thread by some non-regular contributers...

I do congratulate Mumsy though, new to GN and to forums in general, at his/her swift analysis of the forums and the adept use of emoticons such as and and the use of terms such as 'moderators'.

Well done!

Why is it the wrong forum Jane10 ?

Surely she's as entitled to her opinion here as anyone ?

Or have I missed the point again as Gracesgran so patronisingly pointed out ?

Could we not let this drop?
Time for a half full OR half empty and let Mumsy get on with enjoying GN

I'm with you Daphne ???

Intruding in someones discussion in real life would be rude. However this is not real life and all the discussions are public and open to anyone to put their two pennyworth in, or make comments about other threads.
No one owns a thread and can control who says what.
In the event of a post breaking forum rules, GNHQ will deal with it.
If you want a private discussion use messaging, otherwise the threads are open to all.

Mumsy is quite free to start a thread and give her opinion of what she sees. If, in her opinion she thinks some comments are vile, she has the right to her opinion. Equally anyone has the right to disagree or agree.

Throw a pebble in the water and the ripples spread far and wide . . . .

So let's not throw stones?
Whether or not the word "vile" was well-chosen, we need to move on, accept OP's opinion and not drown in an orgy of aspersions, accusations and counter-accusations.

I am also a relative newbie to GN, although I have been posting for several years on some other internet forums; one of which is USA based and is tightly moderated, so you really have to mind your Ps and Qs, and another is a UK-based current affairs site where robust personal attacks and swearing are considered perfectly acceptable - although most posters are reasonably polite. I think GN is a brilliant site which strikes a pretty good balance between under- and over-moderation. Mumsy, as you become more familiar with posting on the internet, you will find that differences of opinion are not unusual on online forums (as in RL). Sometimes things do get heated, but I have never noticed any posts on GN that could be described as “vile” and if someone objects to a particular post they are free to report it to the mods, who will make a decision on it, based on the site guidelines. What I have seen on here is a friendly online community, full of warmth, wit, compassion and good advice.

You seem to have signed up for GN and then started to have a look around at the various threads, but it is generally best to just read and get a feel for a site for a little while before you sign up, so you can be sure it is somewhere that you would feel comfortable, and perhaps, in this case, you may have put the cart before the horse.

I am very glad that when things are brought to the light that need bringing to the light, that the ripples spread far and wide. Very glad indeed.

Gracesgran, take a deep breath count to ten and let it go!! I'm getting bored!

A very thoughtful post madamecholet, lthough it leaves me curious to see the other forums you mention

Are you really a newbie mumsy?
Just asking.

Bit of a mixed metaphor there obieone!!

Lets face it, some posters do really enjoy getting stuck into a good aggressive argument on anything at all - even an argument over whether they should be getting stuck into so many aggressive arguments, and whether anyone has any right to comment on how often they do it.

vimeo.com/25921512 The five-minute argument.

True DaphneBroon

I like obieone's post with mixed metaphors
The thought of sunlight breaking through cloud on to a lake with ripples spreading outwards ..... bliss!
I will bear that in mind if anyone starts to irritate me today (in RL I mean)
Zen hummmm

The OP asks ' where's the respect and empathy towards other posters?'

I would also ask where's the compassion and humanity sometimes.

Just read this post on the thread about the elderly lady and her sons who were evicted. She has since died . One recent comment reads ...

I'm afraid that if my house was next door to hers, she would have moved a long time before that. When you look at the facts death was the only way out. Did they hold a garage sale or what.

We discussed the use of the word 'vile' ..... This might actually be accurate for this posting.

I'm very sad . As my Gran would have said, 'the worlds gone to hell in a hand basket'

That particular (quite new) poster seems to only contribute flippant or offensive comments just for the sake of it. Some just like to stir!

Thanks Ana I didn't realise

One to give a wide berth to then.

Only a personal impression, I hasten to add! I may have missed one or two perfectly reasonable and sensible posts somewheere along the way...

One to give a wide berth to then.
I think all this giving someone a bit of warped fun at our expense Ana and N&G

It is no good someone asking for help in how to become more empathetic then completely ignoring the advice.