This is an amendment originally proposed last year. No-one was against its inclusion, but I decided not to add it due to only having six supporters.
It replaces Section 1 of the PPC Constitution entirely, and creates a new Section 2 at the end of it (pushing the current Section 2 down to 3, and so forth). I've nicknamed it the Dispute Resolution Amendment.
Section One: On The Capacity To Engage In Mature Conversation1. Discrimination and persecution of any kind will not be tolerated, especially on the basis of sexism, racism, ableism, nationalism, homophobia, transphobia, or religion. We will not tolerate individual people or groups who intentionally oppress, persecute, abuse, other, use or otherwise attack others in any way, shape or form, for any reason. [Unchanged, I think]
1.5. This includes ‘joking’ about such subjects. If people are discriminated against or persecuted because of something, making jokes about it is Not Funny. Equally, jokes about rape, murder, abuse, and mental health issues are Not Funny - nor is anything which causes genuine suffering. ‘It was just a joke’ is not an excuse - it’s self-incrimination. [Partly taken from old Article 3; the first two sentences are new]
2. Do Not Flame. You are allowed to disagree with people, but Do Not Flame. There is a distinct difference between 'I don't agree with your opinion and I think that your theory is factually wrong' and 'You're an idiot and your opinion is built on lies and stupidity'. If you find that you're hurling insults around, just stop. This even (or perhaps especially) applies if you consider yourself to have been wronged by another community member. If it’s a misunderstanding, a flame is an unwarranted attack. And if they’re deliberately trying to provoke you, attacking them is exactly what they want - and damages the community as a whole. [First half as Article 2; second half is new]
3. Respect is key to getting along with the community. Everyone in the PPC Community should be respected as people, regardless of who they are. The opinions of a newbie are just as valid and wanted as those of someone here for ten years. Opinions should be treated with respect - and, equally, should be respectful opinions. An opinion that attacks, insults, demeans, or discriminates against others (see Article 1) is not respectful, and is not welcome - and someone who shows themself to be unashamedly disrespectful, or repeatedly posts disrespectful opinions, has forfeited their right to respect. However, not warranting respect does not mean they do not warrant politeness. This means you are not allowed to descend into flaming and insulting them, but instead should follow Article 7. [Mostly Articles 6 and 5, in that order]
4. We encourage respectful, friendly debates here. Should a debate escalate into an argument for any reason, everyone involved should step back and calm down before continuing. If this cannot be done, it may be best to abandon the conversation entirely. [The rest of Article 5]
5. If someone says something that seems offensive, but you’re not sure exactly what they meant, ASK them first, before jumping down their throats. Astonishingly enough, most people aren’t out to offend anyone. (If they are being deliberately insulting, believe me, you’ll have a lot of backup.) Don't be afraid to ask what someone meant - it isn't silly to want the full facts. Equally, if there has been an honest misunderstanding, accept the mistake and move on. Apologies for making a mistake, and for being unclear, are recommended, but should not be demanded. [Article 7, with an addition of two sentences at the end]
6. All discovered mimes will be thrown into a pit, which may or may not be filled with various objects such as scorpions upon their availability. [Per Article 10]
6.5. There will be no clemency for these mimes until they learn the words. [Per Article 10.5]
Section Two: On Making Reparations7. Everyone deserves an honest second chance - which means, initially, a chance to stop, explain, and/or apologise. This means that, if you believe that someone is engaged in any violation of the Constitution, but particularly Articles 1-3, it is critical to make sure they understand what they are doing wrong, so that they can make amends. Explain it to them yourself, or ask a third party to do so - but the key word is explain. Telling someone to shut up because their opinion is unwanted does not constitute a chance. [Rewrite of Article 4]
8. Wilful ignorance is not an excuse. If someone is ignoring the Constitution and claiming that they’re not really doing anything wrong - despite explanations to the contrary - that may constitute using up their chance. However, wilful ignorance on the part of the accuser is also not an excuse. If someone clarifies a genuine misunderstanding, continuing to push for an apology may count as persecution on your part. [New article]
9. If you find it impossible to get along with another member of the PPC, you can take it up in private e-mail. However, the rules of civility and respect do not disappear outside PPC community spaces, or while talking about someone. Don’t engage in bullying behaviour, and don’t say anything about another PPCer you wouldn’t say to their face. Harassing others by private means is just as serious as harassing them in public, if not more so, and will be treated as such - which means that if you find yourself being harassed or bullied by another PPCer, please make the community aware! We cannot help with a situation if we don’t know it exists. [Rewrite of Article 8. Hieronymus asked last time if we can clarify how to make the community aware - I'd like to suggest adding a parenthetical '(emailling an uninvolved member of the community is a good way to do this)'.]
10. The PPC as a community is responsible for upholding the Constitution. If following Article 7 doesn't resolve a situation, any and all uninvolved community members have a responsibility to back up the person who is in the right, or to defuse an unclear situation. It is never wrong to ask a third party to comment on a dispute - but try to find someone uninvolved; you want an honest comment, not just someone to say you’re right. [Reworking of Article 9. I asked if the last clause could do with rephrasing, since I think it's a bit blunt]
10.5. If discussion is unable to resolve a situation, persistent rule-breakers can be shunned or told to leave the PPC community. We don’t want to do this - so if you're being accused of breaking a rule, take a step back and, if you are in the wrong, stop, apologise, and move on. Grudges are no fun! [From Article 9]
So: any thoughts? Any rewrites? Any supporters or, um, un-supporters? Anyone got any other Amendments they want to put forward?
hS
