I'd just like to put up my hand for this one.
I like the idea of a 'Universal Declaration of Barberights'.
I realise there are concerns and problems, but I also feel there are some positive elements.
In discussions about misbehaviour and potential bannings, there is often a lot of worrying and discussion, but a lot of the same points tend to end up being made.
It would be nice if there were a Universal Declaration as a sort of shorthand for these discussions: Instead of having to explain why poster X has said something that is pretty derogatory andor bigotted and why this is a bad thing, it would be easier to say (for example) 'I claim the fifth - Every poster is entitled to a space where they are not judged or derided for their race, gender, sexuality, ability etc.'
Obviously, this wouldn't rid the claimer of any responsibility to explain why X's posts are offensive, and it wouldn't mean that X would automaticall be guilty. It would just mean there was some frame of reference.
I think there are definitely certain 'rules' (loose and organic - like strange attractors rather than straight lines...) to Barbelith. The wiki goes a little way to explaining that though you can say pretty much anything here, some shit simply won't fly. However, this may serve to confuse some new members, or at least fail to guide them.
But as has been said, ths place is home to a large amount of very individualist people. It would be hard to form a Declaration that didn't tread on some toes. It would be necessary to show that any Declaration was a set of guidelines, not laws, and that it would be forever open to debate and change.
I don't think people should sign up to it.
If we had a 'sign up for this to show that you approve', it could be read in a variety of different ways. Some would see it as just a light-hearted attempt at forming solidarity around some principles. Some would see it as an attempt to codify this place and herd people into a rule-set. Some would see it as an attempted takeover by the Barbelite...
If there weren't going to be any consequences of having signed up to the Declaration, there would be little point in getting people to sign it anyway. If there was going to be some merit attatched to signing it ('X didnt sign the Rights, and they've annoyed me, so we should ban hir!'), we'd only be a step removed from just having a set of rules akin to other boards.
So I think a Declaration could be useful as a set of guidelines - it would stand as a loose list (open for debate and change) of the Shit That Won't Fly Here. It could be a funky little shorthand in debate and discussion. But it could also be seen as many as an attempt to codify this place (i would argue that it is already quite codified in many respects) and form some sort of grouping around those who have the rules and those who don't.
It could be read as informed by current worry about terrorism and anarchy - parallels could be made with the tightening of civil liberties spurred by the 'increasing terrorist threat'. This would be quite a negative thing.
I have my own issues with the 'proper' Declaration of Human Rights. I think any attempt to state some self-evident set of universal laws is rather fallacious and potentially self-defeating.
'You broke the declaration of human rights!'
'Yes.. I did, didn't I...'
'You bad, bad person!'
Unless they are to be enforced, the 'rights' (laws) have little meaning. This means there must be the power in place to enforce these rules. Whether or not this power is held by the people or an elite stands as a problem in any society.
Is there the risk that by saying
'All Barbelithians are created equal'
we are taking the first step towards
'All Barbelithians are created equal, but some are more equal than others'?
Would it be a good thing for this community to have a certain set of rules or guidelines to use as reference in discussion, or are we better off with the current system of assuming people are to act with good sense (or at least not do really stupid shit) and that each case of offense is considered on an 'as it happens' basis?
Codified anarchy anyone?
So, a difficult one. But, for the sake of the discussion and a little fun, here are a few rights that I would propose for the declaration.
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1. Each member of this board is entitled to post hir opinion, whatever that opinion may be.
2. Each member of the board is entitled to disagree or agree with any opinion posted.
3. Each member is entitled to criticise, question and/or disect any opinion posted.
4. Each member is entitled to fully defend hir position in whatever way they see fit.
5. Each member is entitled to criticise any particular method of debate or defence.
6. Each member is entitled to a space where ze can interact without encountering discrimination based upon race, gender, sexuality, ability (physical or mental), nationality etc.
7. Each member is entitled to request an apology or an explanation for any comment ze has found to be personally (or otherwise) offensive.
8. Each member is entitled to the opportunity to explain and apologise for a post.
9. Each member is entitled to start a discussion on the possible removal from the board of a specific member.
10. Each member who is subject to the possibility of removal is entitled to defend themselves and can expect a reasonable amount of consideration to be made on their case.
Qualifiers:
Point 6. takes precedent over point 1.
If any defence in point 4. involves comments that contradict point 6., they may be considered null. e.g. "I only said what I did about women belonging in the kitchen because it's obvious that they are better cooks" will not carry much water.
The matters of point 10. will obviously change with any particular case. But as a general guide, the 'reasonable amount of consideration' will depend on how far against point 6. the poster has gone, how they do on point 8. and whether they bother to pay attention to point 7.
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How is that?
I think I got most of the points that could be agreed on as the general 'rules' for discourse on this board at the moment, but i'm sure I have missed something. They could probably do with rewording too.
Fun toy, anyways. |
