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Merged RD Forum shutting down

Darat said:
I thought the apology was clear - it apologised for the rash actions of the RDF folk and for the emotional hurt it caused people, it also acknowledged the members and the mod team's contributions whilst explaining why they were not held to be as valuable to the RD team as they were to the members.



I really can't see how he could have been more apologetic for the actual things they did wrong. What is it that folk think he hasn't apologised for?
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It's the kind of apology politicians issue when they're irrevocably caught with their pants down - i.e more dishonest spin.
 
JihadJane said:
It's the kind of apology politicians issue when they're irrevocably caught with their pants down - i.e more dishonest spin.
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"I hope you will understand the human impulses that led to this, and accept my apology for them. I take full personal responsibility."​

Is not what I hear from politicians.
 
It's exactly what one hears from politicians when they creep back to their loving families from the arms of their lovers and/or expenses portfolios.
 
JihadJane said:
It's exactly what one hears from politicians when they creep back to their loving families from the arms of their lovers and/or expenses portfolios.
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I recall most expenses excuses were not apologies but "that was the rules at the time, I don't agree with them I just followed the rules as they were".

Where they over claimed under the rules it was "the small amounts over claimed were a simple oversight by an underling". This contrasts with Dawkins who said "I apologise for our mistakes and take full responsibility for them."

What kind of apology would be acceptable to you? Should he have asked God for his forgiveness? :rolleyes:
 
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Look, Guys:
I don't really have a dog in this race. Where I was raised, and the rules I live with, anything that has "I apologize" and is followed by a "but" is not an apology, it is rationalizing.
Do the apology. Say "I'm sorry, it won't happen like that again". End it.
If you need more explanation, do it separately, in a different essay.
 
rwguinn said:
Look, Guys:
I don't really have a dog in this race. Where I was raised, and the rules I live with, anything that has "I apologize" and is followed by a "but" is not an apology, it is rationalizing.
Do the apology. Say "I'm sorry, it won't happen like that again". End it.
If you need more explanation, do it separately, in a different essay.
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What a strange approach to apologising - I was taught to show that I understood what I was apologising for not just mutter a "I'm sorry".
 
Darat said:
What a strange approach to apologising - I was taught to show that I understood what I was apologising for not just mutter a "I'm sorry".
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I agree. I also don't feel that Dawkins actually did explain what he was apologizing for in his "apology".
If the deleted users get their posts restored, I think that will make a huge difference in how this all comes out.
 
It's hard to apologise and I think he did a very good job. The reasons for the apology seem clear enough: right after "I would like to start by apologising" he writes "We have not communicated well with our forum volunteers and users (for example in my insensitive 'Outrage' post, which was written in the heat of the moment). In the process we have caused unintended hurt and offence, and I am very sorry about that."

It's also good to see an immediate action: he has decided to keep the old forum as an archive. He clearly hadn't realised that so many people see the existing forum as something valuable, to be cherished. I'm happy to see that the reactions of the last few days have caused him to change his mind about that.
 
Michael C said:
It's hard to apologise and I think he did a very good job. The reasons for the apology seem clear enough: right after "I would like to start by apologising" he writes "We have not communicated well with our forum volunteers and users (for example in my insensitive 'Outrage' post, which was written in the heat of the moment). In the process we have caused unintended hurt and offence, and I am very sorry about that."

It's also good to see an immediate action: he has decided to keep the old forum as an archive. He clearly hadn't realised that so many people see the existing forum as something valuable, to be cherished. I'm happy to see that the reactions of the last few days have caused him to change his mind about that.
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I agree that is is good that he has been forced to face the facts and to abandon his previous Dark-forces-on-the-internet spin.

"We have not communicated well with our forum volunteers and users"
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Spin. They almost totally ignored forum users and volunteeers, hardly communicating with them at all.


"(for example in my insensitive 'Outrage' post, which was written in the heat of the moment). In the process we have caused unintended hurt and offence"
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Spin. The "Outrage" post was much more than "insensitive". It was abusive and dishonest.

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Lothian said:
I recall most expenses excuses were not apologies but "that was the rules at the time, I don't agree with them I just followed the rules as they were".

Where they over claimed under the rules it was "the small amounts over claimed were a simple oversight by an underling". This contrasts with Dawkins who said "I apologise for our mistakes and take full responsibility for them."
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They call it human weakness rather than fraud.

What kind of apology would be acceptable to you? Should he have asked God for his forgiveness? :rolleyes:
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Politicians routinely "take full responsibility" for their sexual misconduct, which they love to call "mistakes". Similarly the Iraq invasion is now referred to as a "mistake" rather than a crime.
 
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JihadJane said:
Similarly the Iraq invasion is now referred to as a "mistake" rather than a crime.
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Has this thread been Godwinned yet?

If Dawkins is now Dubbya, it can only be a matter of time before he's the short painter with the toothbrush mustache.
 
quixotecoyote said:
Yes. It does.

Good apologies are saying, "I'm sorry."

Not, "I'm sorry, but you had it coming."
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Excuse me, are we talking about the same Dawkins? Seriously, for him to write something without barbs, I'd sooner believe in flying pigs.
 
The Atheist said:
Has this thread been Godwinned yet?

If Dawkins is now Dubbya, it can only be a matter of time before he's the short painter with the toothbrush mustache.
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Not Dawkins, but Josh. A VERY funny video showing Josh as Hitler was posted by one of the Rationalia wags. It is well worth watching no matter your opinion on this brouhaha. Truly hilarious!
YouTube- Hitler's thoughts on Dawks
 
recursive prophet said:
Not Dawkins, but Josh. A VERY funny video showing Josh as Hitler was posted by one of the Rationalia wags.
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"One bollock"!!

:dl:

That is the funniest thing I've seen in ages, thanks!

(You might want to stick some NSFW tags on the link - it's a bit naughty.

_______________________________________________________


I find an interesting parallel that it's exactly what would've happened at JREF had the 97%/Bidlack business have gone ahead as Randi agreed to.

At least Randi listened to his own troops.

I can understand what Dawkins is doing, and it's probably a good idea. He gets enough accusations of hero worship. Telling a whole bunch of them to piss off might help his image.
 
Darat said:

"I hope you will understand the human impulses that led to this, and accept my apology for them. I take full personal responsibility."​

Is not what I hear from politicians.
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No? Obviously and I would think not, you haven't heard our esteemed PM Kevin Rudd saying just that on TV the other night over his governments failure to keep its election promises. You see, this is an election year. :)
 
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