Political discussions not welcome

Question:

In another forum I visit, which has a big problem with out of control political rants, I am doing my best (from a non-moderator perspective) to control it as best I can. I mean they just CAN'T resist throwing in their little political quips in almost everything. Making it worse is the board is very one sided in the arguments and it ends up being a bullying session for any of the "minority" group that might reply.

So, someone posts a video about the debate process. (how they are put on etc.) Clearly it has potential to degenerate into political discussion, but as a topic itself it really is completely non-partisan (as is the video).

I wasn't sure how to respond to it. I just said I am worried it could turn bad, but I hope the board proves me wrong.

What do you think? Allow such things, or don't trust that it won't "turn"?

In reply to aircooled:

One possibility is to get the forum operators to create a separate board just for political topics. It would then become the moderators job to monitor the threads on the "open" board and remove or move those that violate "open" board policies.

On another board I frequent, there is a rabid-dog mentality that one political party is solely responsible for everything that ails the country. Threads there invariably and rapidly get to the "piling-on" point. I like to respond by observing that we "are where we are" by posting proof it takes two to tango and that one party is just as guilty as the other.

Then again, just like with rabid dogs, you've got to put them down. Fortunately, there is still the option to just ignore the loons.

Down with the Whigs!

oldsaw wrote: In reply to aircooled: One possibility is to get the forum operators to create a separate board just for political topics. It would then become the moderators job to monitor the threads on the "open" board and remove or move those that violate "open" board policies. On another board I frequent, there is a rabid-dog mentality that one political party is solely responsible for everything that ails the country. Threads there invariably and rapidly get to the "piling-on" point. I like to respond by observing that we "are where we are" by posting proof it takes two to tango and that one party is just as guilty as the other. Then again, just like with rabid dogs, you've got to put them down. Fortunately, there is still the option to just ignore the loons.

You example sounds pretty much exactly like what I am seeing. At some point it is almost comical in the inability for them not to mention things. To me, it's kind of like someone talking to someone they don't know well, and mentioning how "the jews are controlling everything". Really? You don't think there is a chance the person you are talking to does not follow your line of beliefs?, and that they might be offended?

The separate sub-forum has been suggested, and is a good idea, but the owner of the board does not want to go there, likes to keep it simple.

The worst part about it though is that the board serves as a point for people to help others with the particular car and many know or will run into each other personally (conventions, gatherings etc). Creating bad blood between members could make personal meetings very uncomfortable.

As a primary example, one of members if somewhat close to me geographically and is a good source for some parts, but he is also a WILDLY guilty of posting inflammatory pictures, cartoons and comments. I would LOVE to nail the guy to the floor based on the lack of logic / knowledge / common sense, but I need to deal with the guy personally. Like I say, exactly the reason you don't want such discussions, if they cannot be done reasonably, which, in general, they can't.

oldsaw wrote: One possibility is to get the forum operators to create a separate board just for political topics. It would then become the moderators job to monitor the threads on the "open" board and remove or move those that violate "open" board policies.

So you want GRM to use their money and resources to provide you with a political forum? They shouldn't have to do this for the same reason the law firm I work for shouldn't have to buy a big white van filled with plumbing tools. They aren't in that business. GRM isn't a political publication. There is no upside to GRM supporting this. They don't make money promoting books written by political pundits or promoting political talk shows. They don't get money from political parties or politically active people with money supporting a certain viewpoint. On the downside, they have to burn up time that they would otherwise use to produce the magazine to moderate a forum that doesn't benefit their business and they also risk losing the forum readers who are getting tired of all the endless political chatter here not to mention the possibility of losing advertisers who want to avoid supporting a controversial forum.

In reply to Snowdoggie:

Go back and quote where I stated or insinuated that I wanted GRM to do such a thing. What I suggested was an option for ANY forum host. Margie, et al, made the decision to NOT go that route and I fully accept that AND respect that decision.

Your apology is accepted, but you should post one anyway.

Snowdoggie wrote: So you want GRM to use their money and resources to provide you with a political forum?...

I am pretty sure he is referring to my question about another forum, not GR.

oldsaw wrote: In reply to Snowdoggie: Go back and quote where I stated or insinuated that I wanted GRM to do such a thing. What I suggested was an option for ANY forum host. Margie, et al, made the decision to NOT go that route and I fully accept that AND respect that decision. Your apology is accepted, but you should post one anyway.

You saw what I wrote. There will be no apology. Your 'I'm offended act' will get nowhere with me. I don't see that I was attacking anybody as much as I was explaining why GRM might want not want to pay their web guys to build a separate political forum.

You really can't say anything here anymore without it turning into a 10 page political pigfight. Maybe I need to just stop posting here so much and go finish my bloody project car.

Snowdoggie wrote: So you want GRM to use their money and resources to provide you with a political forum?....

Well, technically, you did accuse him of doing something he didn't do (his response was clearly directed at my post).

Really no need for either of you to get upset about it though.

Good example of how things can get out of hand though.

DukeOfUndersteer wrote: Down with the Whigs!

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

DukeOfUndersteer wrote: Down with the Whigs!

bull mooseknuckle? Wait I think I'm getting my terms confused.

POOR MOOSE IS BEING DROWNED!

aircooled wrote:

Snowdoggie wrote: So you want GRM to use their money and resources to provide you with a political forum?....

Well, technically, you did accuse him of doing something he didn't do (his response was clearly directed at my post). Really no need for either of you to get upset about it though. Good example of how things can get out of hand though.

Nothing to be upset about from my chair.

You're correct, a/c, in that things get out of hand when one takes things out of context and uses projection to skew what was originally stated.

C'est la vie.............

aircooled wrote:

Snowdoggie wrote: So you want GRM to use their money and resources to provide you with a political forum?....

Well, technically, you did accuse him of doing something he didn't do (his response was clearly directed at my post). Really no need for either of you to get upset about it though. Good example of how things can get out of hand though.

OK. I apologize to Old Saw for insinuating that he wanted GRM to pay to build a special forum. I was wrong to word it that way. I owe you a beer, dude, and not a cheap one.

I was responding to the last post without reading the fine print, and yes this is exactly how things get out of hand here.

My point before I flew of the handle was list some of the reasons GRM might not want to have a political forum on here and why they might not want to spend time and money designing and moderating a special forum and I stand by those reasons. I berkekeyed up.

I think my project car's chassis is republican and the engine is democrat. Therefore it sits on jackstands doing nothing but consuming my resources with the future promise of being awesome.

I hope his isn't too political and I for one welcome our new politic free board.

N Sperlo wrote: POOR MOOSE IS BEING DROWNED!

It's lucky TR didn't use a karate chop to remove the antlers.

nocones wrote: I think my project car's chassis is republican and the engine is democrat. Therefore it sits on jackstands doing nothing but consuming my resources with the future promise of being awesome. I hope his isn't too political and I for one welcome our new politic free board.

Hmmmm, possibly this explains the difficulty I'm having getting my brake system to stop leaking.....one side is trying to free itself from the tiny, metal tube of oppression!

Where's the popcorn? This thread is a worse train wreck than the political ones!

SVreX wrote: Where's the popcorn? This thread is a worse train wreck than the political ones!

You noticed that too? Maybe the problem's not really politics...

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

They're good swimmers. Just ask the people of Newfoundland.

In reply to Snowdoggie:

We're cool.

I'm OK with cheap beer, too. It means you can buy me more than one.

Hello everybody! Just saying hey.