I was dismayed to see, for the second time in my short attendance at
Tweeters, the flaming of a member by one of the de facto "leaders" of the
group.

In fact, it seemed more a raging diatribe, with personal overtones, in
response to a member's expression of how he felt about a particular subject.
He had personal experience and opinions to relate, and he did so -- a
contribution to the "community." He should be allowed to do so without
suffering attack. Argument, yes; but attack, no!

I regularly attend a birding forum on another service. That forum has far,
far more attendees than Tweeters. In several years there, I have never seen
the kind of behavior I have witnessed on Tweeters in just a couple months.

On the other hand, if it is the desire of the Tweeters "leadership" that it
be an intolerant, abusive forum for a certain group with certain opinions,
then maybe that should be regularly stated in a broadcast message so another
poor guy is not drawn into a position where he gets a sucker punch.

Jerry