A few days ago, I posted a message concerning the Portland Police Bureau. This posting had approximately 26 replies. However, someone removed this message and its replies.

I am left to ponder the hypocrisy of the owners and moderators of this sight. This is clearly an act of censorship, which should not be tolerated. This very web sight has a section called “Free Speech X-Press� which is promoted as “A weekly column about attempts to censor and regulate the adult industry�

I ask, should we tolerate censorship in any form?

did you ask wildcanine?

Forget wildcanine, that would be like asking Chief Kroeker to apologize for his anti-gay comments. I'd suggest that everybody that feels strongly about censorship to write a well thought out email to Keith, who is the CFS webmaster. The deletion of that whole topic on Portland Police Bureau was unprofessional, and cowardly. Keith's email is cruisemaster@cruisingforsex.com
and in case that gets censored out, go to the 'Hop To' drop down box at the bottom of each page, to "The Cruisemaster".

In case someone has been visiting this site and it still hasn't dawned on them that (smack your forhead) this site is about cruising for sex -duh- they are probably totally in the dark about Kroeker's anti-gay stance (in spite of his photo-ops with Darcelle) and that for sometime, PPB has been making warning noises about having to set up sting operations in the bushes to catch cruisers. Regardless of how you feel about sex in the bushes, at sexclubs, in theaters, or VW backseats, the cops should have more pressing issues to deal with, but it's a perfect opportunity for fag-hating cops to intimidate and harass gays, and they don't care if innocent people get swept up in their drag-nets.

In the past, wildcanine has locked up discussions that went down the 'troll' avenue, but to totally delete a whole topic about the cops?? That's shameful.

And now a disclaimer. If in fact the topic got deleted by accident, I apologize for not allowing for that possibility. But the silence has been deafening.

[This message has been edited by PDXsex (edited January 06, 2001).]

I can't speak specifically to the issues of the posting that disappeared about the Portland police since I never saw it. I can, however, tell you that a posting of a political nature is NOT usually acceptable within a state forum on this Message Board. There are sections of the board for more free-for-all discussion, but forums such as the one serving Oregon are limited -- hopefully -- to the pursuit of sex and not the politics involved.

And to answer the critic who thinks it is hypocritical that the posting should be 'censored' I can say this: you have NO right to post anything on this message board which is a private board and thus the owner (read: me) can set policies as he sees fit. I can also appoint representatives to enforce those policies and the moderator of this forum (who, by the way, does this absolutely free as a volunteer) is that person. Your freedom of speech is not guaranteed when it conflicts with the decisions of a private enterprise -- indeed your freedom of speech ends when you read and agree to the terms of use that are required by anyone before they register for this Message Board. Whatever freedom you have is granted by the owner and, as such, can be taken away at will and with no explanation. This is true of any private organization in the USA. Having said that, I allow a tremendous amount of latitude in letting men write about tons of stuff (some that seriously offends me), but I have set up some clear rules and I ask moderators to enforce those rules.

Censorship as referred to in the weekly column about regulating the adult industry is about the government censoring an industry through various tactics. Since the government is NOT a private business it has a tougher line to cover when it decides to silence someone, but I don't have to be concerned with that issue since I'm private -- not public.

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Cruisemaster
cruisingforsex.com

And I thought Hitler died in 1945. How old are you now? I figure you must be what 111 years old by now?

Censor away you facist.

So true pdxhumm.

Hey, I told you to expect some weak bullshiit about "it's my board and I'll do whatever the fuck I want". These guys do that all the time. It's pretty outrageous.

Click on your own sponsors, Keith. I'm not about to.

couldn't agree more.....in a column about cruising for sex, i think it is critical to share information other than how big your cock is or whether you're a top or a bottom. it's especially critical in portland right now given the actions by the kroeker administration (or should i say the kroeker reich) over the last several months. i am critically and painfully aware of how excessive and intrusive the police presence has become in portland. i was one of the "suspects" arrested on new years eve. i was an innocent bystander....had just left silverado and was walking around to get some fresh air and was in the wrong place at the wrong time...i had no idea that someone had just looted a liquor store (that's apparently where all the bottles were flying from).....the next thing i knew, i'm being handcuffed and thrown in the back seat of a police cruiser. i've NEVER had any problems before and have a clean record....it has been the most terrible ordeal of my life and it isn't over yet. the point of all this is that the police are on full alert, ready to crack heads at the least provocation (or without provocation), and given "good old boy" kroeker's homophobia, i wouldn't be surprised if some serious sting operations were to start any time.

watch your ass out there boys...i'm thinking i'm just going to either rent porn or go to a safe spot to cruise until this all blows over.

Hi, right on keith, it is your board and you are absolutely right in your statement. the people screaming for "their rights" are the ones who scream the loudest about others freedom. you have a great sight and keep on with the wonderful way you run it. if people don;t like it, they can not read it. sincerely, mel

Thank you Keith for a lame response.
On the Crusiing for sex homepage there is a head line item "Heads Up" listing the "Latest Cop Alerts and Bashings".

How an open ended, all encompassing discussion, in the Oregon site could be viewed as threateneing to the integrity of
the site and a violation of its' "rules" is both a stretch and conflicting with the content on the homepage.

For one, I have used the site and it's banner advertisesrs regulary as a non-registered participant for awhile, and only when the original topic currently under discussion appeared did I feel compelled to register.

To the point that a particular topic begins to generate responses that attack the personality(ies) of specfic contributors in a hostile manner or promotes illegal activities, I would suggest that the forum be better served by deleting the offensive replys, NOT the entire topic.

Certainly there are other venues on the web where those of us who have chosen to post thoughts on a particular topic can go to for discussion, but when a topic is so apropos to the general intent of a particular cite, I fail to see how anyones needs are met by insisting we put our collective heads in the sand and not be allowed to discuss it.

don't you girls have anything better to do with your life then whine about how everyones picking on you and bitch at each other, get a life do something about your personal problems, stop bitching and whining like a bunch of fags

KEITH: I have in the past said that you do a very commendable job in getting this site back up and running when it breaks down. BUT I was coming on to this "Crusingforsex" site for a month before I knew that it had a Cruser Crackdown forum, and I would suspect that there are many others like me. I live in California but check out other states also, so I'll ask a question.

Sence this appears to be a local issue, would it not have been better if the Moderator moved the entire post to the "Cruser Crackdown" forum and then posted a notice to that effect on the Oregan Board?

By doing that the question of Censership would not have been raised.

Keith, Your a fair man.....

Your thoughts on this approach Please.

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The Older the Violin, the sweeter the music
6'2" Br/Blue 6.5-7" uncut

Keith is right about his right to limit whatever crosses this private board. And so when the local government decides to give power to a bible-thumping extremist who likes nothing better than to crack down on everything he's morally opposed to, I guess we can expect this gay-oriented CFS board to legally hide behind the privacy clause and refuse to allow state forums to address these local gay related issues. Great way to protect ones twinkyporn-income, but I'm glad the drag queens of Stonewall had more balls under their dresses.

Keith, you DO have a great site, and I've used it to make lots of contacts, as well as locate bars, baths, and cruise spots all over the country before I travel. I also understand that you have to walk a fine line, since public cruising (which there's no denying this site promotes, thankfully) is considered borderline, if not outright illegal. But trying to separate gay issues from politics in this day and age is next to impossible. I don't want this board to disappear, or turn into a boring discussion of politics either. But when a string occasionally appears, I think it makes for healthy and interesting dialog, particularly when it comes to a few cops who want to use their authority to crack a few queer heads and clean up Dodge to their standards.

If a moderator choses to delete a whole topic, it would be admirable for him to comment on why he did, even if it's not legally required. Did someone pay a visit and offer to break his knees?? Why should we expect governments to provide freedom of expression if gay business are timid about doing so?

It's the ease of operating a dictatorship and police state that appeals to many government pols.... and the abundance of 'mels'& 'goicos' that allow it to happen. Just for the record, 'mel', there is nothing bad about people who, to use your words, "scream the loudest about others freedom".

[This message has been edited by PDXsex (edited January 07, 2001).]

Sorry, whiners, but Keith and his moderators are 100% right. It's their baby and they can do what they choose (thank heavens). Those who don't like it do not have to participate. I don't get into the cruising/Oregon forum to read a bunch of posts about politics. You're tired of seeing posts about dick size or cruising spots? Tough! Go somewhere else. This is about sex.

The stated purpose of the CFS message boards is to "meet, share information or otherwise shoot the breeze." discussing the currently dangerous situation in portland here qualifies to me as "sharing information." i think it's important before you go shaking your cock at sauvie's island or rooster rock or forest park or any other public location to know it's EXTREMElY risky out there. given the fact that many guys who cruise 4 public action are "straight" and probably don't read gay publications, they may not even be aware of what is going on in terms of kroeker's attitude about "cleaning up" the city. (hmmm...cleaning up....ethnic cleansings....hmmmm where have i heard that before?).

fine. don't bother discussing what's happening and when your ass ends up in jail for public lewdness, don't come whining here. you've been warned.

and for the record, i really don't see why keith is being so protective. maybe he should put something on the main page that this page if for people to discuss, but only if the thought is with one's cock and not with one's cerebrum.

I will not even bother addressing some guy who decides to throw out that tired Hitler comparison. Generally people call you names when they realize their own argument is substantially weaker than they wish it were.

Anyone who wants to discuss the politics of most anything can find an appropriate forum on this Message Board. There IS a forum specifically called 'Cruiser Crackdowns' and that is obviously where this discussion about a crackdown in Portland needs to happen.

It is really very simple guys: when you signed on as a user of this board you agreed to abide by the rules. If you no longer feel comfortable with that agreement please feel free to go elsewhere. There are definitely numerous newsgroups and message boards that are a true free-for-all. Indeed, if anyone wants to understand why I try to keep these forums more focused all they need do is recall the way newsgroups (once a great forum for exchanging ideas and views) have often deteriorated into such chaos and so much spam that many of us who once loved them now look elsewhere -- like forums such as this one which try to stay more focused on finding a good hard man.

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Cruisemaster
cruisingforsex.com