but I also think that we would have to address something that I see as
extremely limiting about the Forum rules.
There are 5 'highlighted rules':
Please discuss local issues only
Be fair, calm and polite at all times
Sign your messages with your full real name
Expect warnings and possible removal for rule violations
You may not post more than twice in 24 hours
I question the first of these, 'discuss local issues only'. I think that this
imposes constraints that narrow discussion to such an extent that it excludes
people who don't feel that they have sufficient knowledge of purely local
affairs or who want to talk about things that affect them and all of us but
that transcend the boundaries of Newham.
I very much subscribe to the dictum 'think global, act local'. Global concerns
such as climate change and other environmental issues obviously impact on us
locally. National government decisions on the NHS, on austerity, on practically
everything, impact on us locally. It is frustrating not to have a decent local
platform (online or otherwise) where we can discuss these issues as a local
community and where we can share perspectives and become more politically
aware. Not much that is important to my life is bounded by the borders of
Newham helping to build a sense of community here is important. I believe less
bounded conversations would be useful in building that sense of community.
So there are two question. Can we revive the forum and can we revive it as a
platform for discussions by Newham people about the local, national and global
issues that affect us?
Gavin Sealey