Topics Locked

[LA_Lakers_Rule]

It is my STRONG opinion that TOPICS should NOT be LOCKED for any other reason than for BREAKING LG RULES!!! Topics should not be locked on the basis of a personal view by one particular person or relatively small proportion of persons, imo.

I take the view that when TOPICS are LOCKED for any other reasons this results in the loss of rights of those to freely express themselves. We live in a country where freedom of expression and freedom of speech are critical. I don't want to get on a soap box here, but what is the point of locking topics that DO NOT (directly) BREAK LG RULES???

If the mods want to wield there authority beyond the RULES OF LG, then it should be clarified at the top of the web page as such:

All fans are welcome but any spam/smack/obscenities/ads/personal attacks will be deleted, as well as topics that the mods decide they think for personal reasons should be locked. We're serious.

This has been an issue for me personally. I'm sure many think it is a great idea to lock topics as expressed by those who so state when they post on topics that do not interest them. I say, if a topic does not interest you then don't bother to read it!!!

I personally see NO VIRTUE, in LOCKING topics on the grounds that it is BORING or OVER DISCUSSED etc etc. If a topic is respectful and well meant then why lock it?

It is my opinion that the mods should extend a little more courtesy and refrain from wielding there authority to the degree that members are not allowed to freely express views and post topics that are not in violation of LG rules.

There maybe a stipulation somewhere in the rules of LG that topics can be locked at the descretion of the mods. If so then I would call for the mods to temper their expressed objection to topics that do NOT ARE NOT OFFENSIVE in any way by ALLOWING members to express themselves on the topic in contrast to simply LOCKING the topic.

The impetus behind this topic I have posted is in regards to a poll posted by In the paint was locked. Admitedly the topic was on a subject that has been discussed ad nauseam, however there has been some interesting NEW developments that would certainly impact the views on this subject, imo.

There are still some who have in the past considered the Shaq trade to have been an ill-advised move my the Lakers. It is clear that the fact that Odom and Kwame have BOTH significantly raised there games will certainly have an impact on the views of those who have taken this stance in the past.

Regardless of whether the subject has been "beat to death", considering that the recent developments will certainly have changed minds it would seem to me to be a relevant topic. We can certainly have a disagreement as to the relevance of a topic, but I see no reason to ban a topic when there may very well be some at least that are of the opinion that a topic may in fact be relevant based on more recent developments.

Beyond this I contend that even if a topic is deemed irrelevant by the vast majority of members at LG then why not just allow the topic to die as a result of lack of interest. What is the motive or reason to lock a topic that I presume is perceived to be irrelevant since by the very nature of it's irrelevance the topic would die on it's own accord. In the event that interest in the topic does exist then by allowing the topic to take it's natural course members are not denied to opportunity to respond.

There have been many Odom topics on LG. Will there be a point at which these topics will be locked as well? I realize that Odom is a current Laker and Shaq is not, however the players that have emerged on the Lakers as a result of the Shaq trade of course Lakers and thus the subject seems relevant to me. I think a much better approach to over used topics would be to allow the topics to take their natural course rather than to deny expression by LG members by locking the topic. If there is a lack of interest then the topic will drop out in due time.

I have myself had topics locked while I was replying to the topic in the past where after taking the time to enter my post I find that I was wasting my time as my posted was negated when the topic was locked.

Now I am interested to know whether this topic gets locked...

Hopefully my expression of disagreement is taken in a friendly manner by those who moderate this site. I have been a members for sometime and consider this site the BEST of it's kind. I enjoyed very much reading and posting topics on the site and feel that for the most part members are reasonably respectful and more often than not will post thoughtful and knowledgable topics. Considering this I have the upmost regard for the site, but have always felt that members should never be under the onus that their topic will be "voided" in some manner on personal grounds other than the rules stipulated at the top of this web page.

[Exick]

I take the view that it's their board and their rules. You're going to have a topic locked or moved or merged from time to time. It happens. I actually prefer that the mods seem to be more restrictive. While there may be a legitimately good thread that disappears once in a while, it's good to know that someone is actually paying attention and making sure the board stays tight.

While you're right about the U.S. being a country where we have the right to freedom of expression, those rights don't extend to a privately run message board on the internet. Not to mention that a great many visitors to LG are not American and don't live in the U.S.
_________________
Game recognize game, Granddad. - Riley Freeman, The Boondocks

[LA_Lakers_Rule]

Exick wrote:

[uberzev]

I voted yes.
_________________
Lakers Gonna Lake

[LakerJam]

Somebody LOCK THIS TOPIC.

[LA_Lakers_Rule]

^^ That's a shock...

Actually I expected my opinion to significantly be in the minority in as much as most people tend to stand with the status que.

To put it simply, it seems that people generally miss the point that it is clearly not utilitarian or for that matter pragmatic to establish unilateral personal opinion as a function of any type of process at the expense of the objectivity of established guidelines based on a consensus of opinion of a relatively large proportion of the population involved in that same process.
_________________
Rule = win titles

Good judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. - Will Rogers ...

[LA_Lakers_Rule]

As always I agree with LakerJam, this is not a topic for a sports forum...

I have found that during the time I have been a member of LG, I have found myself consistently agreeing with LakerJam's opinions on various topics.

I am pleased to find that this topic is no exception.

I have found LakerJam to be a very well reasoned and level headed member of LG and I 2nd the motion to lock the topic.

There is no point in wasting bandwidth on a subject in a sports forum that no one can relate to.

Beyond that it does seem to be kind of an appropriate thing to do to lock a topic that happens to be critical of locking topics, after all. :roll:
_________________
Rule = win titles

Good judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. - Will Rogers ...

[JIFISH]

Here is the rule on locked topics from the FAQ:
What are Locked topics?
Locked topics are set this way by either the forum moderator or board administrator. You cannot reply to locked topics and any poll contained inside is automatically ended. Topics may be locked for many reasons.

I think you need to realize that what sometimes appears on the surface as an innocent or open topic may in fact not be. And that some people have a history of posting messages or replies to questions that are designed to try and create discord and division among the members of the board. The moderators have been reading these boards longer and more regularly than you, and they also deal with private message complaints about topics that you don't see.

And yes, I've been in the process of responding to a message in a topic and couldn't post my response because the topic got locked while I was typing my message, and sometimes that involved several minutes of looking for sources and links to sources to back up what I was saying, so I know how frustrating that can be.

But it's still so much better than any other Lakers board, at least to my tastes, that it's really a small inconvenience to me.
_________________
I would rather have questions I cannot answer than answers I cannot question - Richard Feynman

[LA_Lakers_Rule]

Very thoughtful post JIFISH with points well made. I assumed that there was probably some reference somewhere regarding the locking of topics just as you have posted.

On the one hand, I would certainly agree with you that the moderators should wisely use their judgement and whatever additional information they have to impact the locking of topics in order to avoid undue discord and division on the LG board. I would also agree with you that LG is by far a superior Laker fan message board and for the most part I am sure the moderators do an excellent job.

On the other hand, I would also contend that the moderators use this method of maintaining appropriate control over the board judiciously.

The fact that you and I have both been locked out of threads just as we were logging our contribution to the topic would speak to how in these cases we both felt the topic worthwhile to reply to.

The topic that was the impetus behind my post on the subject of "Topic Locked" did not appear to me to be devisive, imho, however at the same time I do recognize that an opinion on this is certainly subjective thus I could very well be wrong in my view. I suppose that the topic which included a poll would have probably ended up as one sided as the poll which I have logged on this subject, this one, (of course against my personal view I might add) so possibly the conclusion was made that there would be no value in the poll (just as there apparently is little value in my poll).

My opinion is that while it certainly was a lopsided poll there have been many on this board who have been very critical of the Shaq trade in the past and as a result of the emergence of both Odom and Kwame who are ultimately the players we have ended up with as a result of the trade it would be interesting to know if any would still have continued to remain critical of the trade at this time.

Again as I have stated I fully respect the decisions of moderators on LG.net and support the excellent and well intentioned oversite of the board. But I remain steadfast in my opinion that the locking of threads should be used only in very extreme cases. In the case of In the paint's topic I am not so sure that this topic would exactly cross that threshold, imo. I will let you be the judge of this, with all do respect to the moderators of LG.net.

Link: Locked Topic

I would also like to add that I appreciate the opportunity to continue to express my opinion on this subject (now that some have actually made some worthwhile contributions to this thread), regardless of the fact that the thread was moved, appropriately I might add, to another forum.

Again I have always tried to remain respectful to others on this board in the past and at the same time want to extend my respect to all of the moderators on this board as well, and except the fact that as is the case many times we can all respectfully agree to disagree on some subjects.
_________________
Rule = win titles

Good judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. - Will Rogers ...