"Craigslist" Rants & Raves.Open board for free speech or for racist...

[maveric]

Poll question: "Craigslist" Rants & Raves.Open board for free speech or for racist...

drivel?
Some the rants are amusing and the sex posts are ok if youlike that. But what I have noticed on the San Diego page are numerous racist posts denigrating all races/ethnicities that are "non-white". Some of the shit I read there is brutal and hateful.

Craigslist Rants & Raves?

[Xithras]

1. A reflection of reality.

As nice as political discussion boards are, they're not really accurate reflections of society because they're oriented in a particular philosophical direction and moderated to keep the posted opinions within an "acceptable" portion of the political spectrum. This is as true of Democratic Underground as it is of Free Republic. In order to get a true reflection of the society you live in, you need to have open and unmoderated boards.

If nothing else, it's a great example of how many minds we still have to change in this country. Squelching their outlet will do nothing to stop these people from holding racist opinions (in fact, it can increase their severity by instilling a persecution complex), but simply gets them out of our sight and allows the masses to deny that "that kind of racism" still exists in this country.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. "Some of [what] I read there is brutal and hateful."

Post a rebuttal.

Nat Hentoff: "The cure for free speech is more free speech."

[ForrestGump]

3. The Las Vegas edition, at least, is

an outlet for total morons. Predictably, the worst drivel and the most vitriole -- anonymity providing a coward cover -- comes from those who color themselves intensely pro-Bush.

It's not worth the electrons its printed on.

[maveric]

4. The misogyny is all too present.

Degrading women of all races and ethnicity.