In the new draft Community Guidelines, kos declared that IGTNT should remain a debate-free zone, with which I definitely agree, but that that should be the only one. I disagree with the latter guideline; I think there are several other types of diary that should remain debate-free zones, and I think they're fairly self-explanatory in most cases. In no particular order, here they are:
1. Any diary where someone is mourning the loss of a person or animal companion. I think the reason for this is fairly self-explanatory. Say I posted a diary mourning my dog Bonehead and included in the diary the picture of Bonehead holding a Kerry/Edwards sign in his mouth, which is how we went sign-waving. If someone wanted to debate the choice that year of making John Kerry and John Edwards the nominees, Bonehead's memorial diary wouldn't be the appropriate place to do it.
2. Pootie diaries. These have long been designated light and fun places and I feel that they should stay that way.
3. Plant and animal photo diaries.
4. Community Quilts diaries.
5. Kos Katalogue diaries. Coming in to say that a seller should not sell their wares and get money some other way is a debate issue and should be disallowed.
6. Community Fundraiser diaries of any kind, whether for a person or a cause. This also applies to auction diaries for a cause. Going into one of these and saying, for example, that the person for whom funds are being raised should get a job rather than depending on the generosity of Kossacks should be disallowed, and that should also not be the space to debate the recipient's political views on anything. The first has happened, and if the recipient is someone controversial, I can see the second happening.
7. KosAbility diaries or any other diaries where someone is discussing their own illness or condition or that of someone for whom the diarist is a caregiver
We are a community as well as a debate space, and there should be multiple spaces set aside by designation as community spaces that are debate free.
I will be happy to go into explanations of why I feel this way in comments if anyone asks, and this is NOT a debate-free zone. Indeed, I expect debate on some of these.
