Before launching the ProLife America Forum, I visited other abortion-related forums and discovered that most of them had become so controlled and scripted that they served no meaningful purpose. To avoid that fate, I decided that we would employ a "hands-off" policy toward moderating this forum. We would not have a nanny and would, instead, rely on the self-discipline of those who chose to participate.

It is now clear that this was an ill-conceived plan that allowed the forum to devolve into little more than a drunken orgy of name-calling and mindless invectives. Moreover, the fault for this does not lie solely at the feet of our enemies. While it is true that they have been the driving force behind many of the nasty personal attacks we've seen here, it is also true that the incessant and childish bickering between the various pro-life factions has, at times, been even more vicious and more undignified.

I had hoped that these problems would eventually run their course but, to the contrary, they continue to escalate and have now reached the point where they have made the forum virtually intolerable. In the last few weeks, the posts have become increasing vile, and we were recently forced to ban several people whose submissions were pornographic.

The result of all this has been that many long-time posters have left and new visitors often take one look and vow never to return. This is a failure for which I take full responsibility. To put it succinctly, it was my "laissez-faire" approach toward regulating the forum that single-handedly created this situation.

It is time for changes and they start with me. Although Life Dynamics funds and operates the forum, I have always wanted those of you who post here to feel like it belongs to you. From the beginning, I also believed that my participation would work against that objective. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way I lost sight of that and began inserting myself into the discussions. That was a mistake. Therefore, I will no longer offer opinions or commentary on the forum and will only post in order to correct statements that are factually incorrect about me or Life Dynamics.

As for the rest of you, these are the rules you will be expected to follow from now on:

1) The subject of every post must (a) be connected to the abortion issue in a way that is specific and readily apparent or (b) be an on-point response to such a post.

2) The forum may not be used for personal vendettas against fellow posters. Ideas, beliefs, philosophies, concepts, policies, opinions, positions, etcetera, may be expressed, supported, or challenged in whatever manner those involved see fit. But the personal attacks, insults, and name-calling that we have seen in the past will no longer be tolerated.

3) Posts may not contain language or descriptions that a reasonable person would consider obscene or pornographic. Because such decisions are subjective, there will always be those who think we are unfair or inconsistent in our enforcement. However, in order to stop the "free-for-all" that is currently underway, the only avenue open to us is to trust the judgment and discretion of the moderator.

4) Posts may not contain identifying information about another poster. This applies even if this other person has already revealed himself or herself or has already been "outed" somewhere else.

I want to make it clear that this forum will remain a marketplace for free expression. But I also want to make it clear that the food fight is over. With that in mind, let me issue a warning to those who might be looking for technical loopholes in these rules. The "spirit of the law" is evident here, and those who violate it will be dealt with in the same manner as those who violate the "letter of the law." Of course, there will be times when we miss things that should be addressed and, when that happens, we are relying on you to alert the moderator.

In closing, I want remind to my pro-life colleagues that this is not a war between us and those who call themselves pro-choice. It is a war between those who call themselves pro-choice and the unborn. You and I are just soldiers who signed up to fight on the side of those innocent human beings who are too small to fight for themselves.

This forum was created to serve that cause. Its mission is to be a place where pro-lifers can communicate with each other, share ideas, and stay informed. Our enemies are allowed to post here so that we might learn their arguments and strategies in a relatively low-risk environment. When we take advantage of this, we make ourselves better equipped to expose and defeat them in the public arena where the stakes are high. However, if their presence should ever become counterproductive, this policy is subject to review. The fact is, for the purposes of this forum, these people are expendable.

Now, because of what I've written here, some of you may be getting a vision of a more sensitive, warm-fuzzy-touchy-feely Mark Crutcher. If so, let me assure you that what you are having is not a vision but a hallucination. This forum will not be "watered down" or emasculated by political correctness. You may still defend the unborn with the same intensity and aggressiveness that you have shown in the past. This also applies when it comes to forcing our enemies to defend their holocaust. The only change is that these things must now be done without these moronic little playground squabbles that, in the end, do nothing to make us better soldiers.

Mark Crutcher, President

Life Dynamics Incorporated

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The beneficent moderator

Edited: 08/11/2010 at 08:06 PM by terry