What we need and what we get are two different things especially on threads like this one where there is just no balance.
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Perhaps a more interesting question though Timothy is what kind of balance you would like to see?
Thereās the āBBCā conception - if one side of an argument is represented you must have the other side represented too (even if the other side is crazy - so for example - and indeed this is a real example - have a leading climate scientist who speaks for 99% of real experts on climate, but for ābalanceā give equal time to somebody like Nigel Lawson who really knows nothing about it).
Or thereās the older idea (eg. in Plato) that the purpose of exploration and discussion is not simply to facilitate everybody to sound off about their own peculiar views, but to work towards the truth by bringing together evidence and sound argument from different perspectives.
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The thing is though, James and I are unashamed Guardian reading, lefties who are vehemently anti-Brexshit. This is our site and our views affect the editorial policy. We donāt want to be running the online expat version of the Daily Fail. As a result, the vast majority of the readership we have attracted share those views. Thatās why, joking aside, I do feel that some posters are better off taking their anti-migrant rhetoric elsewhere.
And that especially applies to posters who only ever rock up to post something inflammatory, then piss off again and perhaps more importantly, bring absolutely no positives to the site ever.
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Catās post is an example of why some people are put off contributing. I accept there are some infrequent contributors who just want to stir things up but Iām sure there are many others would like to participate but are scared to do so because their views differ from the majority and donāt want to be jumped on or abused.
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Is it Tim? You can put your point of view politely and respectfully or you can write something like this:
The polite and respectful approach is much more likely to produce a cordial discussion whereas Barrieās approach (and he has form) is much more likely to result in nastiness.
Izzy x
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I agree with Izzy,the issue on this site isnāt the political leanings but the fact that people donāt know how to have a civil debate and can mistake abuse for discussion
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Thatās total crap. You know perfectly well that the one thing we donāt tolerate here is personal abuse from one member to another.
I didnāt say personal abuse is tolerated Cat but it is often dished out to people who dare to offer a different view.
@IzzyM, the poster you mentioned is the type of person I was referring to.
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People that do that repeatedly get banned. End of. We donāt always see every incidence but do deal with anything that is brought to our attention.
Equally ātrouble makersā always end up on our radar and also get binned. We simply donāt have the desire to expend our time and emotional energy on people who donāt bring anything positive to the table and instead require constant āmanagingā .
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Yes I thought so. If I see any abuse on here then I generally flag the post. If everyone did this then the abusive posts would be dealt with quickly. There are one or two on here that react ārobustlyā to newbieās questions and that is far more likely to put people off than the reactions to deliberately inflammatory comments made by posters like Barrie.
Iāve had one or two skirmishes myself on here but if you canāt deal with the relatively minor unpleasantness Iāve encountered on this site you probably shouldnāt be on social media. Some of the abuse elsewhere is horrific.
Youāre always pleasant Tim and youāre an example of putting your point politely and respectfully!! 
Take care
Izzy x
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I have held back from flagging until recently , but I have now started to think why , and have begun to use the flag system more. I think itās better to stop a bad situation developing than have to deal with a nasty one
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Please do flag away! Having said that we have also had situations in the past where two posters have fallen out and then just flagged EVERYTHING the other one posts. Which is beyond childish and just got them both removed!
But flagging does bring any issues to James and myselfās notice - we canāt be everywhere but this does help. Having said that, I will be taking a much more active role from September onwards as I canāt see myself going back āoutā to work anytime soon. Unless that nice Mr Putin sends us lots of lovely safe effective vaccines of courseā¦ 
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I donāt see what the problem is all of You are immigrants in France A couple of 1000 refugees coming to the uk is noting when you compare British citizens living in France vary from 170,000 too 400000 according to Wikipedia and why more English refugees down in Spain every year 1000 of brits move to Europe so what is the problem if this 1000 refugees take the place of all of the ones that are leaving for Europe
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Pity you didnāt say that on the topic where you disagreed with me! 
I really donāt think there was any need to post that Mike It sounds like you are not prepared to debate
Oh and which time I disagreed with you are you referring to ,thereās been a few 
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Fighting talk Gillian - was nice āknowingā youā¦
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Umm it is their site. Nowhere does it say it is impartial
Iāll cope! I canāt cope with dictatorshipā¦