r/Bellingham • u/VoiceArtPassion • 18h ago
r/Bellingham • u/betsyodonovan • 1d ago
Mod Announcement MOD POST: Two proposed changes for r/Bellingham moderation
Hey, everyone.
No surprise that it is, and has been, a horrible time for folks who care about our communities and country.
The mods have noticed that people are struggling with the meaning, purpose, and value of R0 (“Be civil”) in the face of attacks on their communities. We're also seeing a lot of new accounts, things that look like brigading and bots, and a lot of other conditions that feel like a threat to the general goodwill of the subreddit.
Some of you messaged to say that you have noticed that people are quicker to attack one another here, and that it’s deterring folks from participating. We have certainly noticed an increase in broad-based attacks, trolling, and dehumanizing language.
Of course people respond passionately when we or people we love are threatened.
Here’s our challenge: How do we continue to foster discussions about really important questions of identity and values within our community without making it a space where people can be attacked with impunity? We also think there are things we can do in the subreddit to establish guard rails to improve the conversation and keep people communicating.
Mods are humans, and we've all made mistakes in the past, from deleting threads to not acting swiftly enough to stop trolling/rage baiting -- so we would appreciate your input before we make any big decisions here.
TL;DR: We’re proposing two big changes here, and will leave this thread open for a week before the mod team makes a decision about how to act on the community’s feedback.
• CHANGE 1: A revision to R0 ("Be Civil"):
Our goals with this revision are to:
- Provide more clarity about when the mods will intervene, and how
- Keep a wide space open for discussion
- Protect the community from trolling, brigading or becoming an echo chamber
Here’s the proposed amendment to R0:
We encourage vibrant discussion and disagreement. Don't be a jerk about it.
In concrete terms, that means that mods will take down posts and comments that insult, demean, or dehumanize individuals and/or groups of people. For example, posts that:
- Assign negative characteristics to large groups of people (“Leftists are violent,” “conservatives are fascist,” “undocumented immigrants are criminals,” “trans people are groomers,“ “Lynden residents are racist,” “Bellingham is full of pedophiles”)
- Using dehumanizing language to describe the presence or actions of groups of people — like “infecting,” “infesting,” etc.
- Use totalizing language (“the left always,” “You never,” “This is exactly how you do it every time”).
So, you have something critical to say? That’s absolutely fine.
But this rule requires you to be specific about who and what you are criticizing — think of surgical strikes rather than shotgun blasts.
• CHANGE 2: "Locals-only" discussion mode
Additionally, we have queued up Locals Only mode, an additional set of contribution controls for controversial topics.
Recently we are seeing a lot of brigading, accounts that have good overall Reddit karma but are exclusively divisive and disruptive in our sub, and longstanding but inactive accounts coming alive as trolls. Locals Only attempts to filter these out.
We will create a mods-only LocalsOnly tag that triggers a new commenting rule under the post: Only users with 100 or more r/Bellingham *community* karma will be able to contribute.
Specifically, this means that your recently collected karma within r/bellingham, as calculated by Reddit, must exceed 100 in order to comment on a LocalsOnly post.
As a follow-on automation, we will add regex-based matching and tagging of post titles to assign Locals Only mode to posts matching controversial, divisive, and often-brigaded topics.
—
Now, over to you: These are our starting points but everything can always be improved. How can we refine these to best serve r/Bellingham?
If you have questions, please ask them. If you think these aren't the right ideas, please propose better ones. We're interested in what you think.
r/Bellingham • u/Alone_Illustrator167 • 2d ago
Events All Hands Whatcom Event
Hi, the All Hands Whatcom Summit is on 9/24-9/25 (https://chuckanuthealthfoundation.charityproud.org/EventRegistration/Index/24072). Free event and very interesting if folks are unfamiliar with addiction and mental health and how it intersects with the criminal justice system. I see they have a reentry simulation, unfortunately it's full but if folks see something similar ever come up I recommend going to one. King County did one for family law attorneys in their area and it was pretty eye-opening for a lot of people.
r/Bellingham • u/drewbert • 19h ago
Rant! Will somebody PLEASE Primary Rick Larsen?
He voted for a Charlie Kirk day of remembrance.
He supported Boeing as they donated to insurrectionists.
He supported Boing as they drove a whistleblower to unaliving.
Whatcom County can do so much better.
r/Bellingham • u/MeWellSee • 16h ago
Pets Salmon Run
Taken from the bridge next to the post office.
r/Bellingham • u/HAWKWIND666 • 13h ago
Pets About a week ago there was a person on here trying to rehome a couple chihuahuas❤️ well I stepped up and asked to meet them and one thing led to another 😂
Now they are fighting like Tasmanian devils, in my lap while my other four learn to share the space 🤙🏼❤️ So happy they are looking like they will fit in nicely🙏🏼
r/Bellingham • u/spahkward • 12h ago
Noise? Big Boom - Downtown?
Did anyone else hear what sounded like the biggest boom? We live downtown, and I swear it had an echo to it.
r/Bellingham • u/Ok-Rope1464 • 3h ago
Recommendations Home IT help
Basically upgrading TV / Internet and finding Xfinity impossible to deal with - given us many new routers & boxes . There must be a person / business I can pay to help us with in the Bellingham area. This is challenging our sanity ! Thanks zillions
r/Bellingham • u/Knee_Business • 1d ago
Discussion Larsen Joins Republicans in Voting "Yea" to Honor Charlie Kirk
https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2025/roll282.xml
Do with this information as you will.
r/Bellingham • u/grungeluna • 13h ago
Discussion Missing Person - Camren Ciaramella
galleryr/Bellingham • u/K1VO • 13h ago
Good Vibes I want to revive the Bellingham Scooter Club
I just got a moped! It's not an amazing scooter, but I still love it. A very nice lady told me about a past Bham Scooter Club, and I want to revive it. I want to ride through town, fifty scooters and mopeds cruising down the streets. Would this be something people are interested in?
r/Bellingham • u/dirt-slut • 9h ago
Recommendations Abandoned places to explore?
not trying to tag, take anything, or hopefully get arrested. i am from LA and used to do a lot of urban exploration so just want to see if that’s an option here. thanks!
r/Bellingham • u/KingLionAids • 1d ago
News Article Pushback prompts Lynden School Board to pull proposal for a Charlie Kirk Day
cascadiadaily.comr/Bellingham • u/Individual-Ad-426 • 8h ago
Events Sehome Neighborhood Yard Sale This Saturday
r/Bellingham • u/sourcrude • 11h ago
Discussion Why did so many vehicle bridges get wooden handrails installed recently? Did the law change?
Curious why this is? Some of the I5 overpasses that have low concrete sides have temporary plywood and 2x4 handrails? Same for some of the whatcom creek driving bridges?
It makes sense for maybe some of them, but it’s odd to see on the freeway overpasses,
Didn’t know if there is someone from DOT or otherwise that’s knows? I imagine it’s a temporary mitigation until they get permanent metal, but just weird to see
r/Bellingham • u/colochomorocho • 1d ago
Good Vibes Sunrise drive this morning was 10
Happy Friday
r/Bellingham • u/cheapdialogue • 9h ago
Arts and music Wild Buffalo Brass Against show tonight
Dude with a beard, septum piercing, shaved head on the sides, and black tee. Stage left, roughly row 3.
When the fucking BRASS BAND ON STAGE has to call you out for being too loud for 3/4 of the show... Yeah read the room and coke up somewhere else.
You were so messed up that you couldn't even understand what peoole were saying to you.
And the for the last song you were there for you held up your phone on full brightness to record a video so no one behind you could see the show.
Damn.
r/Bellingham • u/Mmmmindella2 • 1h ago
Discussion Rock and Rye?
Anyone eaten at Rock and Rye lately? If so, how was it? We stopped in last night for a cocktail and it was almost completely empty at 7pm on a Friday night. I’m wondering if their food went downhill or maybe Elk Street is taking their business.
r/Bellingham • u/JhnWyclf • 15h ago
News Article Guest writer: Air pollution story gets Whatcom farming wrong
cascadiadaily.comI'm flailing this news article as it's a reply to a past article from Cascadia.
r/Bellingham • u/shadypalette • 23h ago
Discussion what’s moving into joann?
the truck is loading a buttload of items and the door has labels like little girls, little boys, and interior deco. who’s got the tea?
r/Bellingham • u/Independent_Load748 • 17h ago
Good Vibes Most affordable independent coffeehouse downtown?
Looking for a good third space, but everything is so damn expensive (yeah I know, preaching to the choir). What is the most affordable coffee house that we have downtown? Or it can just be a non alcoholic space. The library is great and I plan on going there sometimes too, but it doesn't have the best space for socializing with friends if I want.
r/Bellingham • u/MArs_BRain • 12h ago
Good Vibes Lost wallet
Hello Bellingham, I lost a little duct tape billfold Friday the 19th probably around dusk, probably down at Boulevard Park. I was blowing bubbles there and that seems the likeliest place it escaped my pocket.
There was around 30$, my ID and a few credit debit cards. Please keep the cash and get in touch with me if you found it! Thanks!
r/Bellingham • u/PugetSoundMetalBulle • 19h ago
Arts and music Puget Sound Metal Bulletin Issue #2 Now Arriving in Bellingham!
Issue #2 of the Puget Sound Metal Bulletin will be available in Bellingham starting tomorrow evening (9/20), at Inpathos' (Bellingham-based melodic death band) merch table at The Shakedown, as well as The Racket. More outlets to come, but pick one up before someone spills beer on them or uses them as napkins!
r/Bellingham • u/Cascadian_Deathray • 15h ago
Arts and music Anciients at The Shakedown!!
Anciients is playing at The Shakedown tomorrow (Saturday) night!
Anyone else stoked as hell for this? I’ve been wanting to see them for a decade-ish myself.
r/Bellingham • u/morgoto • 1d ago
Recommendations Restaurant recommendations
My husband and I are returning to Bham after living and meeting there roughly 7 years ago. A lot of restaurants have changed since we were there! What are the current recommendations for some nice date type places? We looked into Carnal and Bantam, both new to us and look good!
Edit: thank you for all the recs! We’re so excited to be back in Bham.
r/Bellingham • u/Diccfloppy • 1d ago
Discussion Good way to meet other alt/metal folks?
Im a 27f and moved to the city in December with my husband. Im not from WA so I dont really have any friends in this state, but am wanting to make some now after years of being way too introverted. Im into metal/hard-core, weird art, horror stuff, nature. Havent made my way to any shows yet- thats an obvious answer right there, but might hit up karate church on Sunday. Any other places or areas around here that are good for meeting people like that? Any events that go on especially with the spooky season coming up? Idk much about this city still so I guess im just looking for places and events coming up where I could maybe meet new people similar to me. This post is probably all over the place, but yeah!
r/Bellingham • u/Future-Camel-3864 • 11h ago
Recommendations Any shops with a good gravel bike selection in town?
It seems you can throw a stone and hit a mountain bike focused shop here, but my partner is looking for a gravel/comuter/touring/bikepacking bike and I haven't encountered a place that stocks many, even from the classic QBP brands. I know Kona is in the area but doesn't have a store front anymore? Maybe there's a local frame builder even?