The meaning of Community.

As many of you have probably noticed there have been some disagreements lately in our Community Discussions. There have been a couple arguments that have been deleted and some questions have arisen about the policies used to make these decisions. I thought it might be good for me to explain some of this.

When an argument breaks out that degenerates into a fight, I delete the entire argument. This is because by themselves most of the other comments won’t make sense and also because it is the quickest way to diffuse an argument. Unfortunately, sometimes this means legitimate comments get deleted in the thread.

I am not here to take sides. I want to create a Community where people freely exchange ideas. I want to foster an atmosphere of respect where people feel safe to open up and disagree with one another in a civil manner. I believe a diverse Community with lots of people and ideas is what we should strive for.

I welcome all members and try to keep negative and bad behavior out of the Community while not passing judgments on anyone's beliefs. It is not an easy line to walk and I do hope that everyone understands that sometimes I (and the other moderators) will make mistakes. If you feel you’ve been unfairly targeted, you can send me a message. If you feel I’m unfairly targeting you I’ll get you in touch with my partner at CDRF.

My point is I want everyone to remember that behind that screen name is a real person, with real feelings, just like you. Try to keep your posts positive and don’t insult other members. In other words, don't post anything you wouldn't say if that person were in the room with you face-to-face. The Paralysis Community is intended to be a place where people can meet other people, exchange ideas and support each other. We are all here for the same reason; we are or care about someone with SCI/Paralysis.

I am always available to answer questions via message or my E-mail address: beth@clinicahealth.com

Thanks,
--Beth, Community Moderator