Just Thinking About Our No-Politics Rule

gruntlabor

gruntlabor

Well-known Member
Location
Last Frontier, Age 83
Not asking for change, just thinking about the rule.
This site is my first forum. At first I thought the 'No Politics' rule was shockingly misguided because it interfered with free speech, it shouted censorship.
But some things should be censored, of course, as child porn or slander or the old saw of shouting fire in a crowded theater.
I respect whatever Matrix thinks is best, but if I ever had a vote regarding disallowed content on this site, I would vote to expand the 'No Politics' rule. I believe we have professional activists here muddying up the waters and stirring up dust clouds, and telling actual lies --making it impossible to see clearly. Please don't demand proof of that --I'm just stating an opinion, maybe a wrong one. Maybe just open your eyes to the possibility.
I don't think we should ban any subject until we see it devolved into personal insults and name calling which, of course, can ruin a person's day or worse.
However, I would vote for NO POLITICS up to and including any subject that draws activists like flies to a carcass.
What do you think?
I believe Matrix is doing a great job with these difficult choices.
To quote Aunt Mavis: Discuss.
**Did you know that congress wanted to blow up the moon. Why? Because they thought they could.**
 

gruntlabor said:
Not asking for change, just thinking about the rule.
This site is my first forum. At first I thought the 'No Politics' rule was shockingly misguided because it interfered with free speech, it shouted censorship.
But some things should be censored, of course, as child porn or slander or the old saw of shouting fire in a crowded theater.
I respect whatever Matrix thinks is best, but if I ever had a vote regarding disallowed content on this site, I would vote to expand the 'No Politics' rule. I believe we have professional activists here muddying up the waters and stirring up dust clouds, and telling actual lies --making it impossible to see clearly. Please don't demand proof of that --I'm just stating an opinion, maybe a wrong one. Maybe just open your eyes to the possibility.
I don't think we should ban any subject until we see it devolved into personal insults and name calling which, of course, can ruin a person's day or worse.
However, I would vote for NO POLITICS up to and including any subject that draws activists like flies to a carcass.
What do you think?
I believe Matrix is doing a great job with these difficult choices.
To quote Aunt Mavis: Discuss.
**Did you know that congress wanted to blow up the moon. Why? Because they thought they could.**
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As one of the longest members here I can answer that. Simply that Politics used to be allowed..and the blood letting among some people was just ruining what was a good forum.. and causing Admin all sort of problems.. hence the ban !...
 
Our family tries to leave the subject of politics to others. I have one friend who shares my views and we exchange commentary. I also have a friend who has opposite views to mine and he knows that as well. Because we are friends we exchange views with personal inflection and I think it ends up being more of a lesson in understanding on both our parts. Would I argue with someone over a view different than mine? No.
 

TennVet said:
I think that makes sense. I've seen people allow different views result in loss of good friendship. Everyone loses in that case.
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...and it happened here as it does on other forums. At first there was consternation when Matrix made his decision, and some people left the forum.. but they were no loss because they were here to argue only....now many of us if we feel strongly about a political situation we'll go and post on a political forum...
 
gruntlabor said:
Not asking for change, just thinking about the rule.
This site is my first forum. At first I thought the 'No Politics' rule was shockingly misguided because it interfered with free speech, it shouted censorship.
But some things should be censored, of course, as child porn or slander or the old saw of shouting fire in a crowded theater.
I respect whatever Matrix thinks is best, but if I ever had a vote regarding disallowed content on this site, I would vote to expand the 'No Politics' rule. I believe we have professional activists here muddying up the waters and stirring up dust clouds, and telling actual lies --making it impossible to see clearly. Please don't demand proof of that --I'm just stating an opinion, maybe a wrong one. Maybe just open your eyes to the possibility.
I don't think we should ban any subject until we see it devolved into personal insults and name calling which, of course, can ruin a person's day or worse.
However, I would vote for NO POLITICS up to and including any subject that draws activists like flies to a carcass.
What do you think?
I believe Matrix is doing a great job with these difficult choices.
To quote Aunt Mavis: Discuss.
**Did you know that congress wanted to blow up the moon. Why? Because they thought they could.**
Click to expand...
Activism covers a wide range of topics, and people engage in it to create positive change. Some subjects I can think of that you might be referring to include animal welfare, freedom of speech/censorship, civil rights, climate change, abortion, refugees/human rights...those kind of subjects?
 
I've got the impression that people are nibbling around the edges of politics with a small 'p' and not taking big chunks out of it - that seems Ok to me? but other things can become unclear like the war in GAza - politics ? religion ? social unrest? - but it is certainly an important topic to debate!
 
TennVet said:
I think that makes sense. I've seen people allow different views result in loss of good friendship. Everyone loses in that case.
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Most of the time it isn't the topic that breaks people apart, it is their compatibility with each other. That will always vary widely. When it comes to deciphering printed words, and understanding their meaning, it is a crap shoot. No worder instant messaging gets so messed up.
 
gruntlabor said:
I believe we have professional activists here muddying up the waters and stirring up dust clouds, and telling actual lies --making it impossible to see clearly.
Click to expand...
I am somewhat of a self-appointed "watchdog" here, as I appreciate the congenial atmosphere on this forum, I make a point of drawing scrutiny to suspected spammers or anyone else that might upset the apple cart. I don't like confrontation, but I will confront anyone that seeks to muddy up the waters here.
 
Trying to avoid politics is hard I find sometimes. Especially since this is the first forum that I ever was in that didn't allow it. I like it. But since I am a very political person, especially since 2016, I find it hard not to react when someone sneaks in a comment about left wing media and all that stuff. Before I know it, I'm off complaining about right wing media.

But the bottom line is, I prefer a no politics rule. Even though I have broken that rule several times.:sneaky:
 
Nathan said:
I am somewhat of a self-appointed "watchdog" here, as I appreciate the congenial atmosphere on this forum, I make a point of drawing scrutiny to suspected spammers or anyone else that might upset the apple cart. I don't like confrontation, but I will confront anyone that seeks to muddy up the waters here.
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I find that some subjects have a crowd of supporters that inflict their view on others. Kinda of a gang mentality sometimes that bothers me. If I say anything about it in a challenging way, it is not received well at all.
 
Lenny Bruce said there is no right and wrong; only my right and your wrong. People have their own view and defend those views strongly. They often get offended when someone else thinks differently. As W. Clement Stone said, "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still" and "If a man wills it, it is so". People believe what they want to believe. I only discuss politics with close friends as I already know what to expect as a result. They're not going to go "off the rail" and in most cases I already know their political bent. My wife is probably right (since her first name is always) when she says, "no religion, no sex, no politics!". Just my 2 cents; we live in a crazy world right now!
 
I'm glad that politics isn't allowed here. I do remember that things got very heated here in 2016. I had just joined up. I remember many times when things got very ugly and mean spirited on certain posts. I never remember one person ever saying "You are right. You have changed my mind about (fill in the blank)" in any of those posts.
 
I've been on and off this forum for several years, and I still remember the contentious arguments in the Covid threads. They really divided this forum at the time. So, no thanks to political discussions.

I belong to a political forum and I can share my grievances there. SF is a more like a warm, welcoming hug.
 
seadoug said:
I've been on and off this forum for several years, and I still remember the contentious arguments in the Covid threads. They really divided this forum at the time. So, no thanks to political discussions.

I belong to a political forum and I can share my grievances there. SF is a more like a warm, welcoming hug.
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It can be. At other times it is terribly directed in a direction that is pure BS. What I mean by that is that whoever is posting is loading it up with tons of "virtue signaling."
 
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