Earlier today, the thread entitled "I could use some help!" was closed and people could no longer post to it. I then went and started a thread entitled "CENSORSHIP A**HOLES" in which I insulted the moderator for doing so.

My reason for doing so is, that, all too often, threads are being closed here on the grounds of censorship.

We debate here regularly on daltai.com, about all sorts of things such as like or hate of the Caighdeán, about whether a certain dialect is watered down or inferior, about whether it's snobbish to tailor one's speech to sound like a different socio-economic group. All these conversations are quite interesting.

Fair enough, if the thread decends into nothing more than an exchange of insults, there's no point in carrying it on. What get's on my wick though, is when threads are closed even when people are still making contributions and expressing their ideas. At times, the reason of "this thread is going in circles so we'll have to agree to disagree" is used to censor.

Many a debate we've had here has gone on for ages, going in many twists and turns, nearly getting somewhere but then... leading right back to the start. No success, you might say. But WHO CARES?! We take enjoyment from these discussions, we take enjoyment from hearing other people's arguments, from attacking their arguments, and from defending our own. For instance, I have quite different views to Peadar when it comes to language standards and so forth, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy logging on to see what he'll say next, and enjoy formulating my next response to him. I take enjoyment from these little psuedo-battles, and I'd hope that other contributors do too.

And yes, these discussions, debates, conversations -- whatever ya wanna call them -- generate a bit of heat, a bit of teasing here and there... but what's so bad about that? Should we wrap ourselves in bubblewrap before we leave the house?

Personally, I'd probably enjoy if the whole "language standards" discussion went on forever without any agreement, because I'd take enjoyment from the discussion itself. Maybe all good things don't have to come to an end.

The reason I've started this thread is to encourage the establishment to re-think the ways in which they censor this discussion forum. There are quite a few people on this board who've been here for years, and who like a good old debate regardless of what fruit it bears. Let the people speak, for Christ's sake, I'm sure each and every discussion will fizzle out when its time comes, but let's not prematurely ruin the fun. And lastly, we're not a pack of kids, we don't need mammy and daddy waiting around tell us when we've said enough.

Our forum, our rules.

Suggestions for modifying them can be sent to my email address.

Caoimhín