Despite this being my first post as this username. I have been contributing to PPRuNe for a few years. I somehow lost my previous identity.
In all that time there are frequent calls to restrict or censor PPRuNe by otherwise reasonable people, in fact most likely they are reasonable people. Often from Americans who can't understand the humour of and sarcasm of people on this side of the Atlantic and who's patriotic sensibilities are often offended by, to be honest sometimes over the top attacks by certain people against American policies and actions.
Interestingly when Clinton was in, Americans were attacking him, now that Bush is in Europeans are getting stuck in, justifiably in my opinion. Attacking Bush is not attacking America by the way. That man is an embarrassment.
What I say to these people is that censorship would be counterproductive and would even drive away many of the people the site wants to keep. I for one would object if it was restricted to pilots only or some other elitist group. I would qualify by the way so it's not sour grapes.
There is also the myth that if only pilots were allowed the whole site would become one sensible and professional discussion forum. That is simply not true, there is a common self perception among pilots, I was prey to it myself for a time, that we are somehow better that ordinary hoi polloi. There may be an element of truth in it. We are a self selecting group who tend to come from a particular social group and hold similar viewpoints and attitudes. But it is a mistake to believe we are better than others. We are as vulnerable to all the seven deadly sins as anyone and are often outspoken in a less than pleasant way.
so let's lose the naivety, restricting it to strictly vetted pilots would be counterproductive.
As this is a British based site it will tend to reflect the attitudes inherent in the Britain. I tend to find similar American sites a little too serious and I find excessive and uncritical patriotism grating.
But for people who don't like what they see here, don't go away. Get stuck in, defend your position and your country. That's the whole point, most of us live in free country, we are used to voicing our opinions.
Censorship and restriction has no place here, if you don't like it there's a very big country where they practice it in style. You can go there. I believe there are some Americans there right now discovering it at first hand.