Question for Admin

by 65 replies
76
Could you explain to us fellow warriors what exactly in detail is a political thread? It seems as if anyone mentions the word "Government" the thread is deleted. I know that this is your forum and I am sincerely trying to follow the rules. So could you please clarify?:confused:

Thanks in advance
Locpic63
#off topic forum
  • I think they are looking more for the party line or particular candidate or platform issue more then anything else, those threads tend to get pretty heated

    Now as far as government in particular, there are a ton of threads about the FTC, etc that have their place in this forum and should be fine.

    That's just my opinion though, I'm not an admin, nor do I play one on tv

    scot
  • It isn't Allen that deletes those posts. Heck, he's off galavanting around the world and has better things to do than police the OT forum.

    It's the folks who come here, we're all mods, that report the threads/posts enough times that they get deleted.

    That's the short version, but that's basically the way it works.

    If we don't police ourselves, we will lose the freedoms we have here and we don't want to see that happen.

    KJ
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • There are very few specific rules anywhere on this forum.

    Why?

    Because once specific rules are listed, then people start finding ways to get around the spirit of those rules.

    Personally, I think it's just fine the way it is.

    If someone is being overtly political by posting a two hour anti-Obama propaganda video, then they will probably get reported.

    A lot of it is about apparent intent. How could you write a rule about that?

    What about the words, left, right, conservative, senator, congress, white house, president, etc. A complete set of rules would require every forbidden word and idea to be listed. Sorry, but it just ain't gonna happen, IMHO.

    All the best,
    Michael
    • [1] reply
    • Michael I wasn't referring to the "anti-Obama video" that was 1 hour 53 minutes.
      I was refering to many posts I've viewed here. One that was recently posted by yours truly. No anti-Obama anti-republican or democrat. It was simply a legitimate, verifiable stat on Government spending.

      Locpic63
      • [1] reply
  • Did it get deleted? If so you can probably thank the dork that posted the anti-Obama video. He had his thread deleted 24 hours earlier and then had the audacity to post it again in your thread.

    The thread probably shouldn't have been deleted because it was his post that would have been reported. (if in fact that was why) I didn't see any other arguing or 'leftist'/'right-wing' insults the last time I saw it.

    Just about anything can become politicized (even the climate) but it is not until the insults start back and forth that trouble ensues, generally speaking.

    I would say insulting America or our president (for better or worse, love him or hate him) is a good way to start a fight or insult someone so they will report it.

    I know your thread was innocent and I didn't see anything 'political' about it. Sorry if you got caught up.
    • [1] reply
    • Even spending threads can go political fast. I posted a thread on bank closings that was deleted a while back and have seen some other "economic" threads deleted.

      I think it may be due to so many such threads quickly becoming "party line" arguments that get totally ridiculous.

      Just learn as you go and if in doubt, don't post it.
  • A thread about government spending is very political. I don't see how anyone could say otherwise.
    It's one of the biggest political issues in our country.
    • [1] reply
    • Kim
      If you read this entire thread you will see that I asked for clarification on what constitutes a political thread. I would wager that most any thing you do can be misconstrued as a political act.

      What brought you to this forum? I would guess it would have to do with having a business on the Internet. If that is the case I hope you are making a profit. If you are then I would say this is a political act. Why? Because there are politicians and a government involved with your freedom to do so. They are also involved in taxing your profit. It then must be a political act because there are politicians involved. Is that correct according to your definition?

      Here's to your continuing success
      Locpic63
      • [1] reply
  • Kim
    In some communities the local goverrnment determines how long your grass can be. Is mowing your lawn a political act?

    Locpic63

    P.S. Wait until the use of toilet paper is under legislation, "How many squares per wipe?"
    • [2] replies
    • Thank you, you have just proven my point.
      • [1] reply
    • Locally, a few years back, they wanted to regulate the size of a tree you could plant in your yard.

      Evidently, they didn't like the look of saplings or something.

      The plan was quickly killed off when word got out to the public and people figured out that the minimum tree trunk they wanted for newly planted trees wasn't something you could buy at the local nursery and plant yourself. No, it would have required heavy equipment to bring the tree to your yard, dig the hole and plant it, because the trees would have been too large for people to move and plant.
      • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • Yes, I know MissTerraK is your sister and I pity her for claiming to be my friend.I believe the last time her and I chatted she had me sharing a tent in Hell(MI) with MYOB!
    And of course the link to my forum is in my sig,under talk is cheap! Well,I think $5 a month is cheap. There was a discussion in the OT forum many moons ago after we had some very heated politican discussions and some threads were deleted that we might want to have a place where we can have those discussions. SO.I've started such a place. It's really a membership site in its infancy,but that is one of the features.
    • [1] reply
    • Kim, Kim, Kim,
      I believe you said you thoroughly read every thread, but...I didn't have you in a tent with MYOB in Hell (MI) having fun, He did!

      I'm sorry you pity me and don't quite understand why, as I can't find a thing about me to pity, I got it goin on dude!

      Still wanna be my friend?
      Anxiously waiting,
      • [1] reply
  • hahahahah ah ha

    case in point now we are in an argument about politics being politics being politics...

    see why politics are banned?

    We are going to have differences of opinions, parties, etc. that is what makes us all unique. Too bad we can't just debate intelligently and agree to disagree. "I'm right from my side and you are right from yours"...

    lol. Here is the bottom line. Just like in the "democracy" we live in, "FREEDOM IS NOT LICENSE". Freedom apparently is conditional and subjective.

    We are guests here in this forum as we are merely guests in the universe. We have to go along with the program - right or wrong, fair or gnarly.

    "LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU"
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • Is that a new pic, Patrician?
    Of course my problem is I like to discuss anything and everything!
    • [3] replies
    • yes Kim - newish last year - i am trying to find the best of the worst. i hate all my pictures. what do you think?

      You are one of the few people that almost never offends anyone. God bless you. I think we should be able to discuss anything, but then (a) I don't make the rules (b) we live in an extremely antagonistic atmosphere (read you are damned if you do and damned if you don't - we are almost never right and the enemy will find the 'pinpoint and pull us through it' - use anything where we show a weakness as something that will annihilate us if we get off into it)...

      • [ 1 ] Thanks
    • I don't want to speak for Kim, but I will make my own point and I think it is also Kim's point.

      Locpic, you've been given several opinions why political threads aren't allowed, and you've debated every one. I'd bet if Allen (admin) gave his reasons, you'd debate them, also. This is why exact rules don't work, they just get "micro-debated" to each individual word.

      And I guess this is the "point" Kim is trying to make.

      This is a community, intended to build bonds with other like-minded people that are trying to make money online. Posting ANY topic that may be remotely tied to politics that isn't directly related to IM that has a good likelyhood of dividing members of this forum should be avoided.

      Sure, we can debate what this means...But I suggest if you have any doubt, throw it out. There a millions and millions of topics we can discuss, why focus on the few we can't?

      We've all had threads deleted. No big deal. And, if this were my forum, I'd also ban all the "why ask why" posts that debate any rule of this forum, including this one.
      • [ 4 ] Thanks
      • [1] reply
    • If this is true, Kim. then why haven't you discussed our friendship with me? I know it couldn't be because you haven't read the entire thread! :p
  • Seasoned said:"So think what you will, but politics is ALL OVER! "

    Once again you are stating my point exactly!
  • I think it was WC that said, I wouldn't belong to any club that would have me for a member.
    • [1] reply
    • Groucho Marx.

      Miss TerraK -- He really does read every post. He's just senile and demented. Don't hold it against him. We try very carefully not to mention it out loud.

      This is Allen's forum so he gets the final say. That's about it. BUT......I still don't understand how you can discuss economics -- which is more than extremely relevant to business, and not mention anything about politics. Politics might not have been the same as Econ back in the early 19th century - but as it stands now, it is one and the same. So do we allow political discussion or disallow economics? Yeah that area is grey alright. All I can say for sure is with the rule standing there will be enough riding on either side of the fence to adequately put to oblivian any damned post that is made whether excruciatingly vital or not. Because it seems when rules are applied there is always someone who wants every bit of control over what people think that they can grab.

      I'm sure glad that nobody decided to kill the FTC posts just because they had more of a voova over rules than common sense to know when something is being posted because we really need to know something, whether we like it or not.
  • Sal is right all the way around, it was Groucho and I am old and senile.I knew I should have looked it up.
    But there are those that see politics ,like me, in almost everything. And as such won't discuss them here. Because I respect Allen,and I respect his right to be the master of his own domain.(No Seinfeld jokes please).
  • When you post a political or religious thread on a forum, three things happen.

    1. A spirited debate starts, with everyone taking a side.

    2. Those threads start showing up in searches, and random people who don't know squat about IM come to the forum to read the political/religious thread.

    3. These people register so they can throw in their two cents about the side they've taken, even though they have NO BUSINESS here - using up the bandwidth, taking up resources, and generally causing trouble.

    You can't get rid of (3) without getting rid of (2) which requires you to get rid of (1).

    I've been around a long time, I've seen it happen way too much, and it kills communities. Completely destroys them. This is quite possibly the smartest rule I have ever seen on a forum.
    • [2] replies
    • You have just demonstrated why some threads get nuked that only threaten to become political, and why there aren't hard and fast rules.

      Forum lawyering is a very bad habit to get into.

      As for the rest, is it really that hard to understand that the problem is the abusive way that some of the discussions develop? The problem is not the topic. It's the way it's handled.

      The bright line stuff, like partisan bashing or religious promotion/denigration, just gets nuked out of hand. The marginal stuff stands or falls based on judgment calls (how likely a moderator or member who reads it thinks it is to create problems), or how people handle the discussion.

      Sometimes whole threads get nuked, sometimes individual posts get deleted, and sometimes the posters get banned for some length of time. It's all a function of the tone, as perceived by the moderator or the members reading it.

      Sometimes, when discussions are sensible and void of excess rhetoric, they're allowed to stand, even though they could arguably be considered political.

      People can, and often do, say things to each other that damage their relationships. That's usually private business, and it's inevitable in large groups. It becomes a serious problem when comments are made that attack entire swaths of the membership, for no reason other than, "We disagree."


      Paul
      • [ 1 ] Thanks
    • The sickest part is that I have to agree with the 3 points YOU made, even though I would have had FIVE+!

      4. People, like myself, try to answer the thread and may not even have a partisan view. The message is either thrown out, or rejected, because of getting rid of the thread. A good example is that 2 hour flick. I was going to point out that it had some DEFINITELY factual points, even if SOME was suspect, and that it was really NOT talking about obama or Hillary. If bush were in office, it would probably have put HIM in the same light.

      5. SOME people then start NEW threads, etc.... because of it. That goes back to #1 again.

      6. In any event, people, like me, are blamed and/or left wondering, if the tread died because of THEM! BTW on the 2 hour flick thread, it was deleted JUST before my first response. OBVIOUSLY, people felt that flick hit too close to home. Ironic, since it was effectively about JUST that sort of mindset! 8-/

      Steve
      • [1] reply
  • Let me cop to being the one who reported NOT the thread but the video POST -

    ...and I reported it both times. When the video poster started a new thread #1, and then after it was deleted he had the audacity to post it in someone else's thread #2.

    My report was just on that principle alone for the 2nd time. Wasn't in the mood for an altercation so did not infract. I am in a better mood today, so bring it on if anyone wants to attack me.

    For the first report, I am sick of people bashing our president and our country. I am sick of people blaming the current puppet regime - and that is all he is whether lefty or righty.

    Find out who the shadow government is and bash them to pieces (PLEASE) (but not here).

    "united we stand, divided we fall' or something like that - imploding from within, in any case.

    I did not support left or right - no ulterior motives in this - just sick of smart ass people that think they are exposing some big conspiracy - as if we didn't ALWAYS know...

    ... not to mention it is blatant politics - no gray areas there - so he wanted to antagonize, he did, and now it is gone. end of story.
  • Patrician,

    My little ferrit is VERY upset, and wants to make a bad mess all over your house! 8-)

    Naw, just kidding. WHO would want to attack you?

    Anyway, it IS odd that most people in government want to sell us down the river. I don't know if it is as organized as that video says, or if it can be tied to one special group, but much of the rest was true. And it isn't a left or right thing really.

    BTW the parties have done a good job of separating things, so there is no "UNITED".

    I could say more, without even mentioning anything on the film, and stating only facts, but I guess that would get too political.

    BTW I am currently in the 95%! So Obama promised me a TAX CUT! I'm going to be curious to see if my taxes go down, though the new VAT tax, cap and trade tax, health tax, etc.... go a LONG way towards making it HARD to tell.

    Steve
  • Hi Steve. Yes, and therein lies 'the rub' - We need a party that is called 'the American people' - period.

    That way we can stop the stupid tit for tat ball game and actually do something that benefits somebody besides the politicans and corporations like the IRS.

    Please give my apologies to your ferret. (and a hug)...
    • [1] reply
    • Yeah, I have been screaming for a long time that government workers, INCLUDING the president of the US should NOT have special healthcare or pension plans, and party prejudices/mudslinging/preferences/allowances/campaigning should be BANNED! Their priorities should be COUNTRY FIRST, CONSTITUENTS NEXT, and THEN pet projects. Otherwise, the whole thing is just a JOKE.

      I WISH I had a ferret. 8-( S/he would have to travel with me, etc.... 8-( I tried to say something that was funny, VERY mildly threatening, and were I couldn't be misinterpreted. I figured aa cat or dog might be a bit too much, and I couldn't play the part.



      Steve
      • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • Ah nuts. Now you folks are making me wanna see that movie. I missed it.
    • [1] reply
    • It was on youtube, and about the bildebergers(sp?) and about 2 hours long. I WOULD put the link or more info down, but that wouldd encourage discussion, etc....
      • [1] reply
  • Paul - you need some serious chocolate. turn off the bubble machine.
  • Whoa....I was about to reply to this thread, but then I realized that I must have inadvertently entered an AOL chatroom instead of the WF.
  • Does AOL still have chatrooms??
    • [1] reply
    • Come on in, Doug, but watch your tongue. MissTerracK plays kinda rough. She could make you bite your tongue and make it fly off.
      I'm not sure what will happen when it lands, but I am sure you will eat your words. What I suggest is you start small with ferrets, then cutie cats, and work your way up other wild things in a tent. Wolverines are a whole different kind of animal and requires a big dog to chase that tail.

      It is important to take it step by step, because if you get on the wrong end of a wolverine, you may come up missing a few bits and pieces. I think that is what happened with KimW. He tried his hand with a wolverine once and somehow has never looked the same since.
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  • 76

    Question for Admin

    Could you explain to us fellow warriors what exactly in detail is a political thread? It seems as if anyone mentions the word "Government" the thread is deleted. I know that this is your forum and I am sincerely trying to follow the rules. So could you please clarify?:confused: Thanks in advance