Black People : Is there Freedom of Speech here?

Riada

Well-Known Member
REGISTERED MEMBER
May 14, 2005
1,366
18
I became a member here under the assumption that there was freedom of speech here, which to me means the freedom for ALL of us to express our ideas, opinions, experiences, beliefs, etc. in a reasonable manner. I was eager to hear diverse opinions, experiences, and beliefs of other Black people. I love meeting people from different backgrounds and I said “Wow, this place is ripe for me to interact and network with Black people from different places—physically, emotionally, and intellectually.”

Among the many of you who I enjoy interacting with and learning from, I have found, however, a tiny group of people here of one mindset who are INTOLERANT of Black people who don’t share their single mindset and the lifestyle they approve. They remind me of the dictators in Africa and other repressive places, who try to abuse or kill anyone who refuses to be a puppet. This is the reason why there’s a brain drain in Africa today.

I can never be anyone’s puppet here. I will ALWAYS express my own opinions and beliefs, but I’d like to know if there is support for freedom of speech here. Do others here believe freedom of speech is important here?
 
Riada said:
I became a member here under the assumption that there was freedom of speech here, which to me means the freedom for ALL of us to express our ideas, opinions, experiences, beliefs, etc. in a reasonable manner. I was eager to hear diverse opinions, experiences, and beliefs of other Black people. I love meeting people from different backgrounds and I said “Wow, this place is ripe for me to interact and network with Black people from different places—physically, emotionally, and intellectually.”

Among the many of you who I enjoy interacting with and learning from, I have found, however, a tiny group of people here of one mindset who are INTOLERANT of Black people who don’t share their single mindset and the lifestyle they approve. They remind me of the dictators in Africa and other repressive places, who try to abuse or kill anyone who refuses to be a puppet. This is the reason why there’s a brain drain in Africa today.

I can never be anyone’s puppet here. I will ALWAYS express my own opinions and beliefs, but I’d like to know if there is support for freedom of speech here. Do others here believe freedom of speech is important here?


I wondered the same thing
I was basically was told no
There is no freedom of speech
When I has asked they said
I was never told that so believe
I feel you on this though
 
Tantrum said:
I wondered the same thing
I was basically was told noThere is no freedom of speech
When I has asked they said
I was never told that so believe
I feel you on this though

It's amazing that you were told that!!

I'm understanding now why more people don't pay to help support this site.

In order for people to fully contribute, they need to know they have the freedom to express their own ideas and beliefs without constantly fighting with other Black people.

Anyway, thanks for your courage. Thanks for speaking up.
 
Riada said:
I became a member here under the assumption that there was freedom of speech here, which to me means the freedom for ALL of us to express our ideas, opinions, experiences, beliefs, etc. in a reasonable manner. I was eager to hear diverse opinions, experiences, and beliefs of other Black people. I love meeting people from different backgrounds and I said “Wow, this place is ripe for me to interact and network with Black people from different places—physically, emotionally, and intellectually.”

Among the many of you who I enjoy interacting with and learning from, I have found, however, a tiny group of people here of one mindset who are INTOLERANT of Black people who don’t share their single mindset and the lifestyle they approve. They remind me of the dictators in Africa and other repressive places, who try to abuse or kill anyone who refuses to be a puppet. This is the reason why there’s a brain drain in Africa today.

I can never be anyone’s puppet here. I will ALWAYS express my own opinions and beliefs, but I’d like to know if there is support for freedom of speech here. Do others here believe freedom of speech is important here?

Sister Riada ... your assumption is wrong. Not all ideas, experiences, opinions, beliefs, etc., are welcome here, no matter how respectfully they are presented. As a matter of fact, some of them are so aggregious, that it is impossible to respectfully present them. For example, i would not allow someone to come in here talking about "All Black Men Are No Good" ... or ... "All Black Women Are No Good." That kind of talk is not welcome here. No matter that it is a person's sincere belief, and they tell us respectfully.

This community has an agenda, a goal, and it is to love, embrace, encourage, teach, uplift, Black People. Anything that goes against that is not welcome here. We try to manage the community in a collective sort of fashion, allowing the Family to share their thoughts on most all things, but ultimately it is Management's decision on what is considered appropriate.

Just because you run into a Member or two, or three, or four, that aggressively disagrees with you, does not mean you are not welcome here ... or that you should adjust what you're saying. No one has ever said you are not welcome here, or that you must adjust what you say. At least i don't believe this has happened, but if it has, please show me.

When a Moderator warns you about a violation in this community, you won't have to wonder if you've been warned. It will be clear and to the point. Any other interaction with a Moderator, is basically interaction with a Member. One Member (you) sharing their opinion, and another Member (them) sharing theirs.

In regard to freedom of speech, i believe that's a right we have as it relates to some government owned entities. It does not apply to privately owned ones. You cannot say or do anything you want here. You don't have that right. Actually Sister, i started a thread on this very topic myself ... Where Can We Speak Freely? ... and am copying one of my posts from it below. I hope it can shed more light on our position.


Destee said:
Thanks everyone for responding to this thread.

Sister Akilah ... your response gave me much food for thought.

You're absolutely right. Opinions are going to be as diverse as people are. That's probably why there are so many smaller groups of folk, attempting to surround themselves with like-minded individuals. Even in doing this, there is going to be some differing of opinions within these smaller groups.

There is evidence of this everywhere.

NBC, CBS, ABC, and other major media networks, have a right to allow or disallow whatever they deem appropriate. It would be foolish of me (or any of us) to think that they are obligated to let every opinion be heard on their network. They don't do that.

They are more "mainstream," more "politically correct," and are going to try and convey that message. I don't guess we can fault them for that. I do know that the media in this country has allowed, encouraged, and supported White folk to say and do most anything on television and radio, in times past. This to say, their politically correct stance has not always been where they stood, but they work hard at trying to have us believe they stand there now.

The challenge is for us (and anyone else who's voice isn't being heard), to develop their own media outlets.

As it relates to web sites, not every person's opinion is welcome here. This community has an express purpose, much like other media outlets.

So, thanks to you Sister Akilah ... :love: ... i'm convinced that if we or anyone is ever to have the opportunity to speak freely, they must create that venue. I will no longer get upset that someone else doesn't want to let us say what we want, on their mic, their forum, their tv program, their radio program, etc.

While the above holds true, the playing field is not level, when it comes to establishing these venues. I don't remember the particulars regarding Bill Cosby wanting to buy a national network, but i do remember his attempts were blocked. We all know that mainstream media picks and chooses what they air. There are many conscious musicians, recording artists, etc., that can't get any of their work aired, and those that do, will get bleeped if the wrong thing is said (and i'm not just talking curse words, as for the most part, that's allowed now). There seems to be some folk in control of things, determining just how much voice others are allowed.

As you said, there is no place where every Black person can freely voice their opinion. This is a wonderful challenge though, for all of us, to try and create alternative venues for every person's opinion to be heard.

Prior to the Internet, many of us were virtually voiceless. Those who can speak their opinion while remaining within our rules, maintaining our peace, can speak here ... but if they can't do that here, there are a few other places on the net that will embrace them ... and for those who can't speak anywhere, i encourage them to create their own site and let their voice be heard.


Sister Riada ... you don't have to think like anyone else here. You're intelligent, articulate, opinionated, you don't back down easily, you're all over the place in the discussion forums ... and as a result ... you're probably going to be involved in more intense discussions with other Members. It's not a bad thing. If you were doing something that warranted an "official fussing," don't worry Sister, you'd be fussed at! :wink:

But you're not doing that ... so please continue, and don't let the dissenting opinions shake you.

:heart:

Destee
 
Destee said:
Sister Riada ... your assumption is wrong. Not all ideas, experiences, opinions, beliefs, etc., are welcome here, no matter how respectfully they are presented. As a matter of fact, some of them are so aggregious, that it is impossible to respectfully present them. For example, i would not allow someone to come in here talking about "All Black Men Are No Good" ... or ... "All Black Women Are No Good." That kind of talk is not welcome here. No matter that it is a person's sincere belief, and they tell us respectfully.

This community has an agenda, a goal, and it is to love, embrace, encourage, teach, uplift, Black People. Anything that goes against that is not welcome here. We try to manage the community in a collective sort of fashion, allowing the Family to share their thoughts on most all things, but ultimately it is Management's decision on what is considered appropriate.

Just because you run into a Member or two, or three, or four, that aggressively disagrees with you, does not mean you are not welcome here ... or that you should adjust what you're saying. No one has ever said you are not welcome here, or that you must adjust what you say. At least i don't believe this has happened, but if it has, please show me.

When a Moderator warns you about a violation in this community, you won't have to wonder if you've been warned. It will be clear and to the point. Any other interaction with a Moderator, is basically interaction with a Member. One Member (you) sharing their opinion, and another Member (them) sharing theirs.

In regard to freedom of speech, i believe that's a right we have as it relates to some government owned entities. It does not apply to privately owned ones. You cannot say or do anything you want here. You don't have that right. Actually Sister, i started a thread on this very topic myself ... Where Can We Speak Freely? ... and am copying one of my posts from it below. I hope it can shed more light on our position.





Sister Riada ... you don't have to think like anyone else here. You're intelligent, articulate, opinionated, you don't back down easily, you're all over the place in the discussion forums ... and as a result ... you're probably going to be involved in more intense discussions with other Members. It's not a bad thing. If you were doing something that warranted an "official fussing," don't worry Sister, you'd be fussed at! :wink:

But you're not doing that ... so please continue, and don't let the dissenting opinions shake you.

:heart:

Destee

Thank you again, Destee. I appreciate so much your taking the time to respond to me. It's good to hear from you that I'm not violating your rules in any way. I was beginning to think there were some "secret" rules that I was violating. So, it's clears up a lot to hear your position about free speech here. I didn't want to put you on the spot by asking you.

I don't like fighting with Black people and I don't ever mingle in my real life with Black people who I need to fight. We, Blacks have enough others to fight.

It seems though that some here are constantly trying to suppress my free speech. It causes friction everywhere in the world when peoples' free speech is suppressed. So I consider anyone who tries to suppress my speech as trying to start friction with me.

I don't knowingly present myself to any Black person anywhere as someone who's trying to fight them. Yet some here seem to think I'm deliberately saying things to enrage them. LOL!! That's so amazing to me.

I'm expressing my views, beliefs, and sharing some of my experiences and I love to hear the views, opinions, and experiences of others. Even when I disagree with them, I'm enriched by their views. So, once again, please know I'm not trying to make anyone angry. I'm just being myself.

Love you, Sis.:hearts4:
 

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