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not-so-furry discussion => debate forum => Topic started by: WhiteShepherd on June 14, 2009, 04:52:47 pm

Title: Welcome! GAINING DEBATE FORUM ACCESS + MUST READ - RULES
Post by: WhiteShepherd on June 14, 2009, 04:52:47 pm
Welcome to the Furry Debate Club!  To keep out trolls this is a MEMBERS ONLY CLUB!  Access is strictly a privilege and will be based on conduct!  Members can request access to the debate club by sending a PM to an Administrator and posting in their PM saying they have read ALL the debate rules and agree to follow them.

The Furry Debate Club was designed at the request of members to be a place where "mature" members who enjoy ideas and arguments can exchange ideas in "civil" debate.  Base your arguments on facts while showing respect to all parties.  Say your part but in the end allow others to keep their point of view if they wish.  Do NOT start a debate if you are emotionally involved to the point you can't respect all debaters.  Do NOT start a debate if you will get upset if most/all furs/people do not agree with you.  Do NOT start a debate if you can't stay calm, civil, and respectful at all times.  

What is Civil Debate?  Everyone knows how to debate.  Not everyone knows how to debate in a good civil fashion. That is why this group is "privileged access" for ONLY those who do know how to respect others while debating.  Civil debate is where two or more parties post/discuss their points of view without putting down or disrespecting each other while giving a point of view.

All debate members are encouraged to help moderate by discouraging those who are disrespecting others and not treating other members with respect. If a member sees someone who is not debating civily and is being disrespectful, etc., then you can report the issue via the "Report to Moderator" function described here: http://forums.furtopia.org/index.php/topic,37714.0.html

To help keep debates civil, base your arguments on the subject rather than your feelings. Basing debate on YOUR emotions rarely gives an opponent a clear understanding to debate.

Here are some examples:

Non-civil debate: I hate political party xxx because they stink for doing xyz and anyone who agrees with them is a communist retard!  This argument is poor because the debate is leveraged by your emotions.  It wants others to argue YOUR feelings rather than their own point of view.  The second sentence is also non-civil in that it leverages the argument by placing a label/condition on others without letting them define their own views in the debate.

Civil Debate: I think party xxx is a poor political party because they have done xyz.  How do others feel?  Agree or disagree?  This argument is much more NEUTRAL and allows others with differing points of view to debate without dealing with your emotional state. :)

Keep in mind the Debate Club is in the Family rated forum part of the forums.  Debate Members may debate the subject/legality of adult topics.  Ie: Should drugs in the US be legal or not?  However they may not describe use/details of said subjects.  Ie: I used xxx and thought it was cool.  This is limiting to adult topics but allows minors to still access to this club.  Please respect it.

Keep the threads on topic about the ORIGINAL subject being discussed.  Disrespectful users will be removed from the Debate Club rather than shutting down threads.


Helpful hints:

What is discussed in the Debate Club stays there. Members should not bring up the opinions of others in forums outside of it without original poster's permission.

Bashing/flaming of other members, their opinions, and/or hatred/slander/bashing of other groups, religions, countries, etc. will not be allowed and/or tolerated.

Before you click on that “Add Reply/Submit” button when typing a reply post, please re-read what you typed and think about how it will be viewed and interpreted by other members.

Members who “purposely” instigate baiting of other members to reply, flaming, bashing, name calling, etc. or who do not matain a civil responce will have their Furry Debate Club membership quickly revoked.

If you intend to make any sort of scientific, political, religious, etc. "claim" in a controversial topic, then please be prepared to back up that claim with proof of facts, figures, statistics, percentages, etc. with links to well documented references/resources.

If members have any other questions about anything posted here, then you can PM a staff member and we’ll be glad to help you out in any way we can. Thank You. :)



  WhiteShepherd