My posts were deleted and I was threatened to be banned from the forum!

[JanetP1507]

This is ridiculous. Erica, if you are so hurt, just stop coming here and don't buy Cathe's products! It is a simple fix to your problem. I am an expert in child behavior and this is just attention getting at the adult level. Just stop! What good are you doing for yourself or anyone else? Post something that people can benefit from. I don't usually respond to stuff like this, but it is bothering me because I look forward to checking the forums in the morning and this is just so negative.

Agreed....SNM contacted you privately and you brought it out here into the open and you've continued to beat it to death. It's just an online forum...if you're so offended then sell off your Cathe workouts and stop coming here and/or beating the subject to death. Get over it already.

 

[JulesMT]

Just because this is a place of business it does not mean that you have the right to say and do anything you wish on this site or any other privately owned business website. Since this is our web site everyone has to follow our rules and our guidelines or they will not be allowed to participate. Freedom of speech gives you the right to protest and state a negative opinion about the United States government, not say and do whatever you like on our web site.

Just jumping in here to say that I agree you have the right to monitor the material on your privately owned web site, and that's totally understandable. Freedom of speech, however, isn't just having the right to protest and state a negative opinion about the USA! "Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak without censorship and/or limitation" -Wikipedia.

 

[SNM Videos]

freedom of speech

Agreed, but freedom of speech only protects you from censorship from the government, not a privately owned website. Again, we're not trying to censor anyone who is truly here to honestly participate and express their opinions. But just as you don't allow one heckler to prevent a speaker from being heard by the thousands who came to listen, we are not going allow a few people whose purpose seems to be to disrupt, embarrass or cause harm to damage our positive community.

 

[Govtgirl]

Agreed, but freedom of speech only protects you from censorship from the government, not a privately owned website. ......

Thank you! I am always amazed when people think that deleting negative posts is censorship, when it's only the government that can censor.

 

[JulesMT]

Thank you! I am always amazed when people think that deleting negative posts is censorship, when it's only the government that can censor.

You are completely right. I guess I could have picked a better quote! I just wanted to point out that freedom of speech gives people in the United States the right to publicly state their opinion about ANYTHING, and not just the right to protest or state a negative opinion about the US government. It sounded like SNM Videos was saying that freedom of speech is just about protecting those who want to criticize the US government. SNM should have said that freedom of speech gives one the right to state an opinion publicly, not say and do whatever one likes on its privately-owned website. SNM did clarify this in its follow-up post.

 

[Miss Lee]

Hiya!

I have an idea. I've been thinking about it and I truly believe it would be in everyone's best interest to lock threads rather than delete posts. This way you preserve the context of the discussion, which makes it easier for everyone to follow, while putting an end to the tit for tat. This honestly seems like a better way to put this whole thing to rest.

Respectfully,
Michele

 

[Stephanie0523]

Wow. Just wow. I won't give Wendyloo the satisfaction of quoting her post, but it was so disrespectful that I had to comment. I don't think that people who defend Cathe or SNM are "Cathe worshippers." I defend Cathe because she has created such an amazing forum for us to SUPPORT each other. Instead, lately it seems we just tear each other down. I am guilty of the occasional jab, and I feel bad about it. It cheapens the forums and their purpose when we use them to bring each other down. I think that's why Cathe has decided to delete several posts so that we can begin to build each other up again and move toward the original intent of the forums.

My 2 cents: If you can't play nicely, take your ball and go home.

 

[Bobbi-B]

I agree, Stephanie. I'm new to this forum, so I'm not familiar with the status quo, but I'm pretty sure Wendy Loo's post (which I see has been deleted now, thankfully) would be considered universally disrespectful in any forum. Most of what I've read on this forum has been friendly; being new here, I have a lot of questions about different workouts, and people have been very helpful. I certainly don't think that my enthusiasm about Cathe's workouts makes me a "Cathe worshipper" -- that actually makes me giggle a little bit. OK, moving on to more positive things now....

 

[fit_fairy]

I read Wendyloo's post and it seemed intentionally disrespectful to Cathe and her fans

 

[Miss Lee]

Stephanie and Bobbi-B, ITA with both of you. I was frankly shocked by Wendy loo's post. Not only was it disrespectful, it was hateful. She took low down to a new level, and of course, she is being roundly congratulated on another forum.

Dear SNM, once again I encourage you to lock this thread. We now have to put up with members of another forum running over here to post with the soul purpose of provoking you into deleting their entries, and they're keeping a tally (and they have the gall to denigrate Cathe fans! That's like the pot calling the kettle black).

I, for one, am so utterly turned off by the behavior of certain VF forum members that I have emailed the site administrator and asked to have my membership deactivated. My opinion of that site has taken a major nose dive and I no longer care to be affiliated with it in any way.

 

[SNM Videos]

Locking Threads

Hiya!

I have an idea. I've been thinking about it and I truly believe it would be in everyone's best interest to lock threads rather than delete posts. This way you preserve the context of the discussion, which makes it easier for everyone to follow, while putting an end to the tit for tat. This honestly seems like a better way to put this whole thing to rest.

Respectfully,
Michele

We have used the method you suggested in the past of locking threads, but this time is a little different in most of the cases. The negative threads that are being deleted are mainly coming from the same group of people from another fitness website that have always caused problems on our site and now seem to be coordinating attacks on our site in an even bigger way. Many of these people are using multiple usernames , which is a violation of our rules, and other tactics in an effort to cause harm. We’re on top of this and tracking their ip’s and deleting their threads.

Though we have no control what happens on other sites, we’re no longer going to allow a small group of people a platform to spread their negativity and hate. There is an old saying that goes something like this: “You sometimes have to pull a few weeds if you want your garden to grow”. Though I’m sure it will be a rough ride for a week or two, we will turn our forums back to the positive and friendly place they once were and leave the negativity and rudeness to other forums.

 

[kathryn]

I was frankly shocked by Wendy loo's post. Not only was it disrespectful, it was hateful. She took low down to a new level, and of course, she is being roundly congratulated on another forum.

Saying that Wendyloo is being "roundly congratulated" on another forum is exaggerating the facts. I've read the same thread you did, and I didn't get the impression that many folks supported what she said (in fact, most didn't see what she said, because it was deleted. I didn't see her post myself, but from the sounds of it, it was rightly deleted).


In general, I find this recurring "other forum" vs. "Cathe's forum" conflict to be rather disturbing. I am a member of both forums (as are many people) and I feel they both have their pros and cons, their good times and their bad. Each has members who take things too far at times, but the majority of members on both sites are reasonable and seem like generally kind people.

 

[Govtgirl]

You are completely right. I guess I could have picked a better quote! I just wanted to point out that freedom of speech gives people in the United States the right to publicly state their opinion about ANYTHING, and not just the right to protest or state a negative opinion about the US government. It sounded like SNM Videos was saying that freedom of speech is just about protecting those who want to criticize the US government. SNM should have said that freedom of speech gives one the right to state an opinion publicly, not say and do whatever one likes on its privately-owned website. SNM did clarify this in its follow-up post.

Hey Jules! I know what you mean I just piped up because, on a totally different front, I deleted some comments people made on my blog, and some people cried "censorship" when it wasn't, I was just trying to keep things on point.

But anyway, as usual I am late to the party , I didn't see any of the supposedly "offensive" posts in question, so I'm sort of in the dark about all the hullabaloo going on. I don't post here all that much and am not up on current events. Off now to finish painting my stairwell....!

 

[bonvivant]

Each has members who take things too far at times, but the majority of members on both sites are reasonable and seem like generally kind people.

This is true. There are some VF members posting in the Cathe thread who barely post at VF except to post something negative about Cathe or other instructors. They follow flame threads and happily fan those flames. Like the Cathe forum my experience with VF has been mostly positive. The majority of posters have been nice and friendly.

 

[bfit]

I, for one, am so utterly turned off by the behavior of certain VF forum members that I have emailed the site administrator and asked to have my membership deactivated. My opinion of that site has taken a major nose dive and I no longer care to be affiliated with it in any way.

You did the correct thing IMHO to have your membership deactivated, since you feel that you no longer want to affiliated with that forum, however, Cathe mention in her post she wants this to be a positive, warm, friendly place to express opinions etc..your post is quite negative, and it appears to indict all members of VF. I totally agree with bonvivant..."my experience with VF has been mostly positive. The majority of posters have been nice and friendly."
and I would add very helpful and informative

I to didn't see any of the "offensive" posts in question, I've been a member for 2 years and this is my first post..and find for the most part this is a positive forum

 

[PhyllisG]

I just wanted to say I enjoy both forums and feel that most members are friendly, polite and always willing to help with advice and recommendations. I like VF because it is not affliliated with any one instructor so you get lots of different views about lots of different workouts. I think this whole situation has sought of spun out of control. Apologize to each other and move on. Think about it. PM apologies from all involved would really go a long way to healing this rift and making a positive statement. People involved are long time members of both forums and long time paying customers and supporters of Cathe.

 

[gypsygirl64]

I just wanted to say I enjoy both forums and feel that most members are friendly, polite and always willing to help with advice and recommendations. I like VF because it is not affliliated with any one instructor so you get lots of different views about lots of different workouts. I think this whole situation has sought of spun out of control. Apologize to each other and move on. Think about it. PM apologies from all involved would really go a long way to healing this rift and making a positive statement. People involved are long time members of both forums and long time paying customers and supporters of Cathe.

Said perfectly!

 

[Davidj]

Using positive language and chat room courtesy

I would like to switch topics, slightly, and mention why I support postive ideas and courtesy on the Cathe forums.

I read and post on the "internet movie data base" (www.imdb.com). It is an interesting site that keeps movie lovers informed about movies (I'm sure that most of us know of this site). The problem is, the language and decorum on the IMDB site are absolutely terrible. The mean-spiritedness appalls me. I suspect that many of the mean posters are teenaged boys with nothing better to do.
The posters on this other site consider the lack of civility as a running joke. The mean posters there are polluters, if you will.

If I have a problem to discuss on this Cathe site, I always take the trouble to pose it in positive, constructive terms. As it stands know, the Cathe site is far more civil and readable than the IMDB site. I switch back and forth between the two sites -- and the difference is breathtaking. It is a credit to those on this site that this is so. THis is why I support Cathe and the admnistrator in keeping things constructive. Weeding out the non-constructive posts is like doing anti-pollution work.
-- David

 

[5$footlong]

All this hullabaloo over fitness videos! I don't get it. Spend more time working out and less time on the vitriolic blather.

 

[buffettgirl]

All this hullabaloo over fitness videos! I don't get it. Spend more time working out and less time on the vitriolic blather.

At the risk of keeping this post on Page One, instead of letting it die the death it's due, bwhahahaha at the above. In fact, I may have to make it my signature line! Vitriolic blather! Love it!