Politics... Not Allowed Here Anymore?

[WVRed]

You could always not read the threads, but I guess that would deprive us all of your elequent emoticon usage.

And surely that would be a tragedy.

*insert emoticon here*

[Johnny Footstool]

Part of my interest in this board is the fact that I can read vastly differing opinions from many sides of any given topic. I think one of the things that sets RedsZone apart is it's lack of groupthink. Without the vigorous discussion of controversial topics (namely politics), the board would lose much of its flavor and appeal.

It looks like there are several of us on both political "sides" who would like to continue posting, debating, and arguing politics. I think we can all do a better job of keeping the discussions more intelligent and thoughtful than the kind that go on during recess in grade school. I also think we can all do a better job of blowing off minor insults and perceived personal attacks. Intelligent adults should be able to disagree without killing each other OR complaining to the moderators all the time.

[CbusRed]

Better yet, call Jesse Jackson, Maybe he can pickett outside my house and organize a boycott for everyone I know to stop being my friend.


emoticon abuse is serious business.

[Johnny Footstool]

If we disciplined everyone who got nasty with each other, it would be an awful lonely board.

Actually, I think in most cases a warning would solve the problem for any of us who really want to be here and participate in the community.

[Falls City Beer]

Intelligent adults should be able to disagree without killing each other OR complaining to the moderators all the time.

I agree. It's the internet; no one gets a black eye, broken ribs. I actually see very few personal attacks here--a whole big bunch of calling ideologies and people (public figures) within certain ideologies all sorts of nasty things--but when it comes to direct personal abuses, I don't see it all that much (though, admittedly, I'm guilty of having done it).

[CougarQuest]

Interestingly enough, some of the people complaining the most in this thread are the ones we get the most complaints about. And interestingly enough, the complaints they raise are the complaints we receive about them. They can see it in others, but can't see it in themselves.

[WVRed]

Actually, I think in most cases a warning would solve the problem for any of us who really want to be here and participate in the community.

I think that has happened one too many times already. People get warned, act goody two-shoes for a week or two, and its back to the same old discussion.

I dont know how banning politics would work here or not. A high school basketball board I posted on banned discussing whether or not one school in the state was recruiting athletes because it became very heated and it flooded the board. Even though it was banned, it was still discussed and the threads ran their course.

[Chip R]

Actually, I think in most cases a warning would solve the problem for any of us who really want to be here and participate in the community.

Do you think we haven't tried that? I feel like I'm repeating myself. We have warned individual posters, as well as everyone on the board to be nice time and time again. It works for a while but it then goes back to the way it was before. Just like the guy who makes a New Year's resolution to work out at the gym and then after a few weeks, he starts skipping a day here or a day there and then he stops going entirely.

[Redsfaithful]

Interestingly enough, some of the people complaining the most in this thread are the ones we get the most complaints about. And interestingly enough, the complaints they raise are the complaints we receive about them. They can see it in others, but can't see it in themselves.

So discipline them? Or warn them? Or something?

I haven't gotten a PM from a mod since I made a very stupid comment over a year ago. If I've been complained about I haven't heard anything about it. Now I have no idea if I've been complained about, but I have to wonder if mods are taking any action at all on complaints received?

I remember getting a PM from, I think, 15fan a long, long time ago telling me to watch it in a thread and I took it pretty seriously to heart. And I didn't take it personally. I can't speak for anyone else, but it's difficult to know if mods are really trying to defuse the situation or if they just lock threads when things get completely out of hand.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure right?

[Johnny Footstool]

Do you think we haven't tried that?

I don't know how it has been handled. But if you guys have been giving repeated warnings to certain individuals and they're not responding, it's time to escalate the discipline level.

[RFS62]

I'd hate to see the political threads go, but I'm not a mod doing all the work and hearing all the complaints.

If the people who have to clean up the mess, for free, are saying they're sick of the stench, then the people making the mess need to stop, or the party is over.

[RosieRed]

It seems to me that this needn't be a discussion about the moderators, who I think do a good job. Remember this is something they do, for free, to help this board remain as good as it is. If you don't like the way the board is moderated, or have concerns about it, maybe you should take it up directly with the mods or admins.

Just think, if people could be civil to each other in the political threads, the mods wouldn't even come up in this discussion. But because some people refuse to be civil, or mature, or whatever you want to call it, the mods get dragged in.

[CougarQuest]

When most threads are closed there are reasons put in there as to why they are closed. If you are so closed minded that you think those comments aren't directed at you, it only applies to eveyone else, perhaps now is a time to re-think your posting habits.

[CbusRed]

Just so you know, Im not stopping my emoticon abuse until Redsfaithful gets either Jesse Jackson or the ACLU to knock on my door!

:MandJ:

emoticon abuse is serious business. so is the interweb.

[Redsfaithful]

When most threads are closed there are reasons put in there as to why they are closed. If you are so closed minded that you think those comments aren't directed at you, it only applies to eveyone else, perhaps now is a time to re-think your posting habits.

/shrug

Putting a message in for everyone to read apparently doesn't work. PM's might.

I know it's heresy to suggest that the mods might not be handling an issue in the most helpful manner but there you go.