Lakeshore Camera Club

The spirit of our Forum

When we launched the LCC Forum several years ago, we wanted it to be a place for sharing photographs, opinions, information, and ideas. It goes without saying that we also wanted it to be a place where written exchanges would take place in a positive and friendly atmosphere. To an overwhelming degree the Forum has been a tremendous success, and a valuable addition to the Club.

From time-to-time, however, and increasingly so of late, the positive spirit of our Forum—which it is our responsibility to maintain for the benefit of all dues-paying members—has been hurt by exchanges more suited to face-to-face discussions or direct communication via email with the Executive. And not for the first time, we’ve seen threads tinged by a degree of personal animosity which is at odds with our vision for the Forum as stated above.

This topic was discussed at length during a recent Executive Council meeting, and we’re resolved to take steps to even the Forum’s keel. Rather than publish a long list of DOs and DON’Ts, however, here, in three broad strokes, are what are unacceptable behaviours on our Forum:

1. Language, tone, or topics that betray personal conflict between members. If you’ve got a problem with another member, take it outside and resolve it like adults.

2. Complaints about the way the Club is run. If you’re unhappy with the way any of us is handling the Club’s business, bring it up at the beginning of the next meeting so we can respond in public. Or send an email if you’re more comfortable with that.

3. Complaints about members of the Executive. Same as above: address your question to the person you’re unhappy with face-to-face, or bring it up in public at the next meeting. We’re all cool with that.

The moderators have been empowered to suspend any member’s forum access privileges—without warning—should they witness unacceptable behaviour as outlined above. The suspension will be reviewed the next time the Executive Council meets (about every second month) and a decision made as to whether or not to reactivate the suspended member’s forum access. Lest this policy sound harsh, I assure you that it will be extremely difficult to attract a suspension. Anybody who winds up in the penalty box will have no one to blame but themselves. None of us wants to issue a suspension, but we’ll do so without hesitation for the benefit of the entire Forum community.

Dave Farrant
President

PS – Please remember that the Executive is made up of volunteers who have careers and personal lives. If you post a question or personal message and don’t get an immediate response, it’s almost certainly because the person you’re trying to communicate with is busy, not because they’re ignoring you.