I have never understood the concept of being afraid to voice an opinion, especially here on a discussion board. I cannot answer for all boards as this is the only crime discussion board I'm a member of where I'm also privy to the behind the scenes stuff, but I can state categorically that nobody has ever been banned from posting here based on their opinion. People certainly HAVE been banned for the manner in which they express themselves, and we will continue to do that no matter what side they pick, if any. If you come on here and call the members who disagree with you a mob of koolaid-drinking sheep who just want to be in the majority, and when told to not do it you respond that you have the absolute right to post that way because you are right and everyone else is wrong, you're going to get the boot and your point of view has nothing to do with it.
From a logical standpoint the number of people that hold a particular view is totally irrelevant to the process used to substantiate that view. With that in mind, [an example is] if someone were to come on here and try to argue that Casey is innocent because Caylee never existed and was just a figment of everyone's imagination, they would be immediately challenged with the ample evidence of Caylee's existence. So that fact that a post is challenged does not automatically mean that the challenge is invalid. Nor does it mean the theory posted is invalid.
In my professional live I live in a world where, on a regular basis, people from outside come in to look at my work and question what I am doing, so I am used to justifying my decisions and actions without taking offense. I'm not an attorney, but I've paid a few attorney bills in my time and I understand the adversarial system - you've got to either be able to back up your position to the trier of fact OR convince your opponent that they will not prevail if they push it if you think can't back it up. Like poker. The same thing works here on the board - if you feel strongly about your position, post it and defend it. You may be right.
The moderators here are not in a position to pad the world's corners for the meek. We are all known here only by a random name we have chosen unless we chose to reveal more about ourselves. Anyone here can take a position they feel is true and back it up with facts and passion as long as the TOS is followed - which in general is that you give others the respect that you would expect to receive.
People leave this board every day. People join this board every day. There are lots of crime discussion sites out there, and if someone feels they can only express themselves through profanity, belittling and insult there are lots of places where they can do that. .
There are a lot of people posting here who have been touched by crime. Some talk about it openly, some I just know about from private conversations. This board is biased, and it's no secret - it's in the mission statement. We are here for the victims, the innocents, the ones who have been hurt by the evil that is criminal behavior. The anger you will see expressed on these pages against players such as criminal defense attorneys is based on the knowledge that, in our system, they can consider their day a success if an individual that actually committed the criminal acts with which they have been charged is found "not guilty" because they can pick apart the efforts of the police. But that's how our system works, and if I was ever unjustly accused I'd want to be afforded the best opportunity possible to clear my name.
I hold my fellow posters in very high esteem. It pains me when they attack each other. I don't care if they attack me, I'm tough and I can take it. But before anyone launches an insult at a fellow poster, realize what that really means - it means you don't think you are able to argue your point, so maybe you would be better served reflecting on your position and the weaknesses in it.
