My thoughts on being a Moderator...

[the411]

This is a response to a post under "Looking for HONEST Opinions," that I want everyone to read:

Point well taken, but perhaps you should refer to another dictionary. I suggest http://www.dictionary.com/
There, you will find the words "moderator" and "moderate" to mean:

mod·er·a·tor (noun)

* A person, or small group of people, who manages a moderated mailing list or Usenet newsgroup. Moderators are responsible for determining which email submissions are passed on to the list or newsgroup.

1. One that moderates, as: (a) One that arbitrates or mediates. (b) One who presides over a meeting, forum, or debate.

2. One who, or that which, moderates, restrains, or pacifies.

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mod·er·ate (verb)

* To restrain from excess of any kind; to reduce from a state of violence, intensity, or excess; to keep within bounds; to make temperate; to lessen; to allay; to repress; to temper; to qualify; as, to moderate rage, action, desires, etc.; to moderate heat or wind.

1. To lessen the violence, severity, or extremeness of.

2.To preside over

3. To become less violent, severe, or extreme; abate.

4. To act as a moderator.

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mod·er·ate (adjective)

*Kept within due bounds; observing reasonable limits; not excessive, extreme, violent, or rigorous; limited; restrained; as: (a) Limited in quantity; sparing; temperate; frugal; as, moderate in eating or drinking; a moderate table. (b) Limited in degree of activity, energy, or excitement; reasonable; calm; slow; as, moderate language; moderate endeavors. (c) Not extreme in opinion, in partisanship, and the like; as, a moderate Calvinist.

1. Being within reasonable limits; not excessive or extreme

2. Not violent or subject to extremes; mild or calm; temperate

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It is not our intention to censor opinions. WE WELCOME ALL FEELINGS, THOUGHTS, THEORIES, AND PHILOSOPHIES, but they have GOT to be within limits--limits that, as moderators, we don't SET--we simply adhere to. As members of Delta Sigma Theta, we are simply laborers and representatives (if you will); in other words, we work for Delta and we represent Delta in everything we do in which her name is being used. Since we do not want the tone of and information in this forum to go against any of the things she stands for and strives for, it is a MUST that the DST forum moderators make decisions that may not always meet your approval.

When posts are deleted or edited it is not because we don't value your opinion; it is because:
1. You've shared too much information
2. You've torn down the wall of anonymity in a way that may negatively affect YOU
3. You've revealed that you have participated in unsanctioned activities
4. You've initiated a thread that we KNOW (from previous topics) will head into a very negative, unwanted direction
5. You've asked for information that cannot be given in the forum or shared with non-members
6. Your question has already been answered in the DST Announcements
7. Your topic is out-dated
8. Your topic no longer warrants responses because your question has been thoroughly answered

I speak for all of the moderators when I say that we don't like having to delete and edit posts; but, we have a job to do. I hope no one takes it personally or is offended. I will tell you that even I have had some of my posts deleted/edited, and I'm a moderator! Still, I'm human, and prone to get so caught up in what I'm saying and my emotion behind it, that I may forget what should or shouldn't be said here. I thank my fellow moderators for catching my faux pas before the "Internet Police" do. Other sorors have had their posts deleted or edited for little things they may have typed without thinking. No one is immune to deletion or revision in this forum, so please don't think it's a non-Delta thing. Moderating is like working for the IRS-- we don't want to have to take anything away from you or your opinions; we don't want you to be unhappy here or to dislike us; BUT--we have a job to do and we plan to do it as well and as fairly as we can.

And, quite personally, I think we're doing a damn good job!

And I'm Out!


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Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Pi Kappa, SP97
#3 of QUINTESSENCE

[This message has been edited by the411 (edited May 10, 2001).]

[mccoyred]

**APPLAUSE**

**APPLAUSE**

**APPLAUSE**



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MCCOYRED
Mu Psi '86
BaltCo Alumnae

Dynamic...Salient...Temperate...Since 1913

[PrettyLadyT]

YOU GO GIRL!

[Conspiracy2]

Go on' Soror you said it exactly right!
OOOO-OOOOP

[12dn94dst]

That's my Soror!

Adding to what the411 has so eloquently stated, another part of being moderator is reporting to the site administrator those users who have become a nusance to the community as a whole. How do we know? We get complaints, either though e-mail or responses to a particular user's posts. We look at the "offending" user's posts and use the guidleline "past performance is an indicator of future behavior." We ask ourselves if they are posting just to hear themselves speak, to promote their own agenda, or simply to annoy others. Sometimes it's obvious from the jump, other times it takes a minute for the user to show their plumage. Again, we DO NOT ENJOY having to delete posts, edit posts or ask that users be blocked, but it's part of the job and it must be done to maintain the ebb and flow on the board.

[dstbrat]

kudos soror!
i have only just caught up on all of the previous discussion on the other thread. and i am truly saddened by some of the negativity that we have shown each other and to the public.

i have been coming around for awhile and i post sporadically. but, i have never felt like responses or deletions were malicious or personal. that is not the case on other boards i have visited.
we all carry our feelings on our shoulders sometimes. but, we need to remember to take everything with a grain of salt. and to simply be nice and do what we pledged to do when we crossed. in these last few days, have we brought delta fame? and if so, what kind?
i, like most people, come in here to read interesting threads and converse with people who are very different from me. but, most of all, we come in here because it's fun! i never want to feel uncomfortable around my sorors. and i want to feel like my thoughts are respected no matter whose name is on the forum. no one soror owns delta. she was here before all of us and will be here when we are long gone. so, while everyone's road to delta is different and unique, we are all sorors on the same playing field. we have all taken the same oath and made the same promises. let's act like it.
in closing, let me say to you to stay encouraged and know that you are doing a good job! i love all my sorors!

[This message has been edited by dstbrat (edited May 11, 2001).]