Hello Ed.

[10ClarionSt]

Dear Ed. You sent me an email dated 4/12/05 in response to my request concerning removal of a joke about George Bush. You said it was for a profanity and that if I didn't stop, I would be banned rom AB. Have I got that right?

The joke in question used an anacronym of French Connection UK, one that is seen every day by people of all ages in all kinds of places.

Whilst I don't claim to be an angel, I think the threat of removal is totally unjustified. Mostly on AB, I speak my mind, as do others. I have rarely used profanities but people object to my posts mainly because they don't like the truth.

Is The Answer Bank turning into Pravda? It would seem to have started down that road with the closure of Chatterbank.

I know Ed, I know. You can do without all the hassle that CB gave you, but in my opinion, there are too many self-righteous, pious people around who will object to the slightest thing.

How many objections did you receive from me about posts and replies? Easy. None. I'm not making myself out to be a saint. It just happens to be true.

I think you've been hypnotized by all those objections to my posts Ed. Hence the threat of removal. Sadness. :o(

[steg]

yip well said

[netibiza]

I support you 10clarionSt have never had any objections to your postings.

[October]

Hi 10C

Whilst I may disagree with you on some points, what I find highly disturbing is the thought that you would no longer be able to express those thoughts here. My father and grandfather fought in both world wars to ensure that I and my children had freedom of speech.

Voltaire - I disagree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it.

Tony Blair (Ok maybe not your favourite, but it's a good quote anyway) - We shall be intolerant of prejudice and bigotry

Good luck mate.

[gedtagius]

Well said you 3 & I give 10ClarionSt my support. Voltaire's quote signifies the difference between active free speech & well Cerescape for one!

Ed I am suprised. One of the main reasons why I kept on AB was the greeting & help I received from No10. He is a diamond in a society full of glass.

Regards ti you all

Shalom. g - ius.

[jno]

I disagree with many of your posts (such as your daft Pravda claim above) but certainly wouldn't want you banned for that reason. But I don't like swearing; and whaddaya know, it's against the Site Rules. Swear, and your posts are removed. I've got no problem with that at all. Why not just post without swearwords? It is possible. The fact that swearing can be seen elsewhere (the 'everyone else does it' excuse beloved of small boys) doesn't justify it at all. Wash your mouth out with soap and water and keep posting.

[quibbmedusa]

freedom of speech and all that!!!

[Genesis]

Do give it a rest january_bug.

[A Chill Wind]

You'll have to do better than that, Violet Elizabeth Bug.

[zyrov2]

I don't understand. What constitutes swearing?

[andsty]

Never forget the quotes of some famous people in our history and in the present:
Michelangelo: "You want me to paint what on the fuqing ceiling"
George Custer: Where did all these fuqing indians come from?
Einstein: "Any fuqer can understand that"
Mayor of Hiroshima: What the fuq was that?
Heidi Fleuss: fuq these celebrities!
Mayor Richard Daley: fuq the heat - - Chicago IL
John Wayne: "fuq death and the lung cancer he rode in on."
Bill Clinton: What the fuq's this inhaling thing?
Oliver North: You're all fuqing liars!
Sean Pennfuq: fuq, fuq, fuq, fuq etc.
Eddie Murphy: fuq you, fuq you, and fuq you. Who's next?
Jack Nicholas: fuq this for a lark, 1995 British Open
And last but not least, the immortal words of the captain of the Titanic, who said "Full speed ahead and fuq the iceberg" and five minutes later said "Where is all this fuqing water coming from?

NOW.........BAN ME, EDITOR.

[andsty]

We are from the UK, not the imperialist superpower. We won't be pushed around by some witch on a mission. And we'll fuqin swear as and when we feel like it. If you wanted to run the site properly, the only way for you to do so was to engender respect amongst us, you did behave nicely but you banned at will for the smallest of reasons and to appease the small minded ones that are mentioned here. No good, no good, and a gross miscalculation of the type of people who have renegade blood going through their veins and who gave the finger to the nazis when others were cowtowing.

Rule Brittania.

[aka estie]

andsty, I think you might feel right at home on cerescape! They like that word even more than you do!

[january_bug]

Genesis and Chilld Wind - right back ATCHYA!

[woofgang]

I am with jno on this one. This is a club and the club has rules, if you don't like the rules, don't join the club. The joke was funny. I don't like to see swearing here (family site). Can't comment on the email, but I bet its a standard one sent to people who are reported for using profanity.

Ed has said that the site as a whole is not inspected post by post, the only ones which definitely get seen are the ones which are reported.

Now...(hands over bar of soap) go wash your key board out!! ;-)

[A Chill Wind]

Get ready to hand those fivers out Anna.

[woofgang]

Just been out walking the dog and I've had a think about this. Firstly I think that we are confusing freedom of speech with freedom of vocabulary.

This site sees some pretty sensitive subjects discussed (eg civil partnerships in the news section at the moment) but contributors in the main use a vocabulary that is appropriate to debate and not to a back of the bikesheds smoking session.

So that's point one, second this freedom of speech at all costs thing. Anybody think its appropriate to walk into a toddler playgroup and let rip with a whole constellation of asterisks? Anybody think its okay to walk into a synagogue and shout "Hitler was a nice man really?"

No? thats because freedom of speech must be tempered with a consideration for the appropriateness of the situation. And on a family website IMHO, profanity is not appropriate!!

[Oneeyedvic]

2 hours to go and �5 soon.....

[AB Editor]

Hi All

Please see our Site Rules for more information on our Editorial policy.

Just to make it clear, all who infringe upon our Site Rules run the risk of being

removed from the site - we do not discriminate in this regard.

Merry Christmas!