Where are the Rochester forums?
We have not built a Rochester forum for Rocville yet, but the more I read on D&C, City-Data and other forums, the more I feel like it's VERY necessary. Let me be clear, I think it's completely fine for people to disagree with each other. Respectful disagreement and the right to voice your disagreement is as American as apple pie. However, it is irresponsible to yell FIRE in a crowded theater. That's reckless (and illegal). The level of discourse I observe in the major Rochester forums is approaching FIRE-yelling levels. Not good.
So, no - we don't currently have a Rochester forum to offer you as an alternative. The reasons for this are simple: Running a successful Rochester forum takes a great deal of energy. It also requires participants. I am currently a member of over 200 forums. I have been extremely active in many of them for years. Others have pushed me to walk away after making 300 posts (not an easy thing to do as a certain loyalty develops). As I analyze what it is that distinguishes the good from bad forums, I see a few things:
1) Helpful information
2) Respectful tones
3) Active membership
Unfortunately, to accomplish these things you need to have very active moderators and a core of committed forum participants. If we had that group of, say 10, initial Rochester forum participants who had the time and interest in helping us create a space for rational debate, information and idea exchange, I'd put in the IT time required to make it happen. If you think you are one of these people, please contact us.
