Quote Originally Posted by snapdragen View Post
I haven't read this whole thread, but as an over 50 person, I found the OP funny.
There was no reason to to the usual TE dogpile on smurf. I'm so tired of seeing women driven off this board. So much for being supportive.
First, I think it's good to read the whole thread in order to evaluate it. A lot of wise and thoughtful advice and personal feelings and experiences were expressed in it, and also in the sister thread that it spawned. A lot of effort went in to some of the responses...from all viewpoints.
It's been an enlightening discussion and has made a lot of us think about the issues- and important issues they are!

My personal view is this...
Some members found the original post funny. That's fine, and that's their right. But many members were offended and angered by the blatant age and sex discrimination being offered up as lighthearted humor. I found most of the responses to be well thought out, an attempt to point out why this material was not supportive towards women, but derogatory. Criticism was mostly offered in a constructive thoughtful way, not in a nasty hurtful way. I didn't see it as 'dogpiling'. Rather, it's a subject that many women feel strongly about, for one reason or another.

Sometimes people choose to leave forums when they post something that elicits a strong negative reaction from many members. That's their choice- they can stay and respectfully consider what people say and then take it or leave it, they can participate (or not) in the discussion of the issue...a discussion which eventually winds down after everyone expresses their views. Or they can announce that they are leaving. I personally don't see it as being 'driven off'. We all have the very same choices, and we all are (or should be) willing to take responsibility for what we post here. None of us expect everyone to agree with what we post here. I have had my own share of people disliking or criticizing my posts and my views here. It happens. It makes me think and consider.

Is there not room here for both views to be expressed? If someone posts something that is sexist or discriminatory and some people think it's funny but others are offended, are the offended ones supposed to just keep quiet? Is that what 'being supportive' means?

What if that fellow who wrote the remarks to Smurf in the original post had come on TE as a member and posted his bike buying 'advice' directly here himself? (I know I know, not bloody likely, but what if?...) Would we all be expected to be 'supportive' of him instead of pointing out to him what a negative attitude we think it presents?

Makes me think. Thinking is good. Sometimes I think it's good to 'keep quiet if you can't say something nice', sometimes maybe not so much.