Welcome to General Chat - GAW Community Area
This General Chat area started off as a place for people to talk about things that are off topic, however it has quickly evolved into a community and has become an integral part of the GAW experience for many of us.
Based on its evolving needs and plenty of user feedback, we are trying to bring some order and institute some rules. Please make sure you read these rules and participate in the spirit of this community.
Rules for General Chat
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Be respectful to each other. This is of utmost importance, and comments may be removed if deemed not respectful.
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Avoid long drawn out arguments. This should be a place to relax, not to waste your time needlessly.
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Personal anecdotes, puzzles, cute pics/clips - everything welcome
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Please do not spam at the top level. If you have a lot to post each day, try and post them all together in one top level comment
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Try keep things light. If you are bringing in deep stuff, try not to go overboard.
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Things that are clearly on-topic for this board should be posted as a separate post and not here (except if you are new and still getting the feel of this place)
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If you find people violating these rules, deport them rather than start a argument here.
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Feel free to give feedback as these rules are expected to keep evolving
In short, imagine this thread to be a local community hall where we all gather and chat daily. Please be respectful to others in the same way
Rules For the rest of the Site also accessible on the sidebar.
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This is a post on Godlike. It was well written and I'm sharing it here: AS satisfying as this feels after being marginalized, deplatformed, threatened with being fired for the past several years, I think this is a mistake. I don't think we want America to be a place where people bite their tongue for fear of what others will do to them. That's inquisition type thinking.
I suspect the shoe being on the other foot for a change might have some beneficial use if it can be used to put real protections back in place, such as Smith-Mundt and some teeth for Section 230 enforcement. This might spur enough bi-partisan support to let people do and think and largely say what they want, without fear of reprisals over just speaking their mind.
There is no such thing as "Hate Speech". Only speeches you hate hearing. Everything else is covered by libel, slander and contract law (terms of use etc). Yes, an employer has a right to get upset how you conduct yourself wearing company logos, or using company equipment, or on company time. But should have little or zero say about what you say to your friends over a beer.
I get it... after the years of abuse, ridicule, and gaslighting it's MORE than satisfying to see the worm turn. Well, satisfying though it may be, we all know it isn't right and that we didn't like it when we were on the receiving end. But if Charlie were here, wouldn't he say "let them talk, it just shows you publicly what kind of people they REALLY are, inside where it counts." He would, you know.