What happened to Freedom of speech?

[Seahag]

I just want it understood first that I'm not Orange and I'm no friend of his...I do agree that he chose the wrong time to make his post...but I agreed with Orange that there was a double standard considering the recent posts about rocket riders and their stunting. I've revised my opinion of Larry's carelessness somewhat since I found out Larry was performing in a closed area for a stunt show instead of on a street...but when Orange made his first post that was not a known fact. I just want to say that some of the hotheads on this forum could have let it die too...and taken Orange's opinion and let it drop. They wouldn't let it go though and kept flaming him back to which he felt he needed to defend his position. Its really a shame that everyone (that includes those flaming Orange) couldn't let it go or start another thread to take up the issue instead of ruining a tribute thread to a good man. I just don't think Orange should have been banned. Now you can say he was warned, but he wasn't by anyone with any authority until Jimmy gave him the boot (unless some behind the scenes sh*t I couldn't know about went on). I'm done...I've said my peace.

[trooper113]

There is no First Amendment (freedom of speech) on a forum. That only aplies to government attempting to restrict speech and such. The freedom of a forum is what the owner/admins (and users, to an extent) decide it is.

Orange was quite good at trolling and saying things which had only the purpose of pissing people off. That and awful timing and very poor posting taste. My take is that most folks here don't seem to want the place to operate quite that way.

I don't know about behind the scenes official warnings, but he got plenty upfront.

T113

[Jeep]

Ditto to what Trooper said. I've seen more than a few of his past posts and was surprised he lasted this long. Again his generalization was way off. In this case I don't think there is anybody here who would wish harm or death upon anybody, Harley or metric rider. Orange would pop up from time to time seeming just to create a fight, not always but seemed to be the majority of his posts.
Why come on a Harley oriented site and bash the members and their beliefs unless you're here just to cause trouble.
Another post related this to a guy walking into a neighborhood bar and disrepecting a fallen patron, warn the guy a few times, then if he continues he's gonna get the crap beat out of him.

[AustinFXDWG]

This forum SW has the capability to block/ignore whoever you want. It is in the same menu choice as "buddy list" in your user profile accessed by clicking the link for User-CP (think anti-buddy). It's easy to use, try it. Orange can say what he wants, but I'll never know it. Sweet !

[berserker]

Seahag, While I agree most Harley riders have a double standard, there is no freedom of speech on furom. This is private. Be like someone coming to your house and insisting on being heard. That being said I didn't even read the thread.

[Markcuda]

You all just watch, orange will come back under a differant name Trust me
I for one will not ever miss him.

[Thunderhog]

This is the USA and I for one believe in freedom of speech at all times, although, what orange said showed no class, and he was asked to stop .All he had to do was give his condolences to a legend in the motorcycle world, and he continued to rant and be disrespectful to the memory of Indian Larry.
You cannot compare Indian Larry to some young, punkass fools on crotch rockets...He has been doing these stunts for many , many years, long before most of the other riders in question were born.

[Green-Ghost]

Orange was just a selfish dick. He was more intent on proving his point than properly offering condolences. Totally out of place and damn disrespectful of him.

He reminded me of the type of person you meet that so loudly proclaims, "I dont take crap off of no one, I always say whats on my mind etc!" Well, there is such a thing as tact and sometimes its best to remain quiet, especially when dealing on the subject of someone passing on. Nope, to me these loud mouths that come off as tuff guys that tell it like it is are really just to stupid to know when to say what in front of who.

One of the things I like best about this forum is the way it's structured generally allows me to ignore areas in which I'm not interested. For instance, the "religion and politics" forum just isn't where my interest lies. It's not that I don't care about these issues, I just doubt I'm either going to change my opinion, or change anyone elses - and after all those topics tend to deal a lot more with opinion than fact.

I had never even heard of Indian Larry before the posts started regarding his accident. I think it's entirely appropriate to ban someone that was clearly just trying to start a disagreement. Controversy is fine, but not when it is just for the sake of controversy. This board does not need that, at least not in parts of the board not set aside for controversy. I doubt Orange would have been banned had his offensive (and they were offensive) posts had been on some other part of the board.

Harris

[manny]

Originally Posted by Seahag

I just want it understood first that I'm not Orange and I'm no friend of his...I do agree that he chose the wrong time to make his post...but I agreed with Orange that there was a double standard considering the recent posts about rocket riders and their stunting. I've revised my opinion of Larry's carelessness somewhat since I found out Larry was performing in a closed area for a stunt show instead of on a street...but when Orange made his first post that was not a known fact. I just want to say that some of the hotheads on this forum could have let it die too...and taken Orange's opinion and let it drop. They wouldn't let it go though and kept flaming him back to which he felt he needed to defend his position. Its really a shame that everyone (that includes those flaming Orange) couldn't let it go or start another thread to take up the issue instead of ruining a tribute thread to a good man. I just don't think Orange should have been banned. Now you can say he was warned, but he wasn't by anyone with any authority until Jimmy gave him the boot (unless some behind the scenes sh*t I couldn't know about went on). I'm done...I've said my peace.

There's an old analogy about freedom of speech. It goes something like this...Freedom of speech stops where it has an adverse decorum...you may be free to say what you want but that does not mean you can stand up in a crowded theater and yell FIRE!

He had enough warnings that he was over the line...any man of better sensibility would have let it go long before he got banned....DUMB FUQUE!

We are all entitled to an opinion, just keep it to yourself.

manny

[Jerry L]

Orange's post really floored me! I couldn't believe anyone would/could say what he did. I for one is glad he's gone. Totally uncalled for, and the sad thing is, I think he really believes in what he said. I can ignore trolls, but this guy was just way outa line.

[Sam]

I just want to say that some of the hotheads on this forum could have let it die too...and taken Orange's opinion and let it drop.

You're right, but Orange was the one who couldn't take the hint that his opinion wasn't welcome in that particular thread. Instead, he just used it as a vehicle to continue his rant, rather than bow out gracefully and pick up his fight at a better time. Do you think that bul!sh1t would fly in a face-to-face conversation? I don't.

[flip]

I am not seeing the part where he said anything bad about indian larry. I can read what he posted, he says nice things about the guy and admires that he died doing things his way. He was out of line for saying everyone would feel the same way about the stunt riders, who is he to know? Banning him for what I read makes me feel he was right about some of you.

[FLBikerchick]

That post was just the last straw, I believe. The guy apparently had a history...

[m1aman]

i only know orange from that single thread. it seems to me that worse things were said to him then what he said. was the any other person also banned?