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JulieL
05-14-2004, 03:20 PM
Denise and Alan,
Please make a forum for politics on here. The Lounge has been getting more and more comments on politics. I see your posts on one: not censoring, two: that the lounge is for whatever. Well here's the thing peoples oppinion on whether it's worth watching American Idol or what color lipstick was Oprah wearing last night isn't about to make people mad or frustrated like politics do. This is a hot, emotional political year. These posts are going to get more and more and more frequent. And quite frankly they are a huge turn off. Some people have family fighting off in the war and would like to not have to see (whether we click on the post or not) comments on these things. I think you are going to burn more people off from supporting you and your books (new comers and old alike) if they see this kind of stuff on the lounge. For instance Nick Berg being decapitated. That is horrifing and quite frankly you get bogged down enought everywhere you go about this stuff. With all of the torchering and war stuff going on it is very emotional information. Please give these intelligent and well debaters a forum on their own to post. It's quite obvious they enjoy the discussions. So if they want to talk about decaptiation let them have a place to do it. I don't want you to censor just let them have their own "home".

JElaineB
05-15-2004, 01:05 AM
I totally understand where you are coming from. But personally I don't think we need a separate forum for political type posts. If I don't want to deal with a particular topic then I totally skip it (which I have on the Nick Berg post you mentioned). I know you still have to see the topic, but a my eyes can glaze over a couple of lines, I guess, if I really don't want to read it at all.

Jennifer
mom to Jacob 9/27/02

lag555
05-16-2004, 08:07 AM
I don't know if the personality of the boards has changed lately, or if it is just something I never noticed before. But it seems that there are a couple of issues on which the board has a popular or "official" viewpoint and everyone else has to apologize or excuse themselves for holding a different viewpoint. Otherwise they get shouted (or argued) down.

And I don't think it is helpful to just avoid or not respond to the topics that are unpleasant to you or that you disagree with. By avoiding certain debates, it allows the more vocal group to become the "official" viewpoint of the board, which only makes it more unpleasant for those who disagree with that viewpoint.

It also isn't easy to avoid certain topics when the title implies one topic but the "conversation" has veered in another direction. Like when you think you are reading about the decapitation of Nick Berg and in fact you are reading about why America is a terrorist nation and its president is a dodo-head. (OK. I don't think anyone actually said that last part :) )

So I do agree that if certain "hot topics" are going to be discussed, they should be put in a totally separate forum, where people browsing in the lounge don't even have to know they are being discussed. I know that I am totally "turned off" by these discussions and the antagonistic treatment of certain viewpoints, and will no longer be participating in these boards because of it.

Aggie

Edited to Add: This message was also posted in the lounge.

Rachels
05-17-2004, 09:06 AM
A whole discussion on this is here:

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=37&topic_id=85008&mesg_id=85008&page=

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

JulieL
05-17-2004, 03:55 PM
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=37&topic_id=85489

Maybe this is why we should have a politics forum. If everyone knew this place was where the political points where to be then those who feel uncomfortable don't have to share in them. These debates are getting really long winded. I like Rachel but I think her obvious personal points on the topics keep her from appearing to be unbais when she makes points about the way the debate is going. Not saying Rachel that you aren't but I think Beth comes out as having a heavier viewpoint on this than you do to her being unactive in these discussions. If we knew there was a place to find out what she/he thinks on politics then wham there it is. It's obvious and if someone wants to turn a conversation to politics they can say, hey more on this see other forum. Don't you see a political forum would be the ultimate comfort place to say everything you feel regarding these issues without infringing on those who don't care to know?

NEVE and TRISTAN
05-17-2004, 04:16 PM
Aggie,

I hope you are lurking to see my response, and if not I am glad to get it off of my chest and will just say it so I can.
With that I should say I have come to realize, sadly and maybe selfishly I must not care too much about others opinions for I have followed very very little of any of the four political threads that are going on- though I am a highly opinionated political gal. I participated said my thoughts but for some reason am not to interested in what others have to say (possibly a bad trait of mine). I had no idea the Berg thread took a real bad twist...and yet have no desire to pull it up and see "who, when ,where , how or why???" I honest to god think I have attention deficit disorder, for reading 50 comments back and forth does not interest me...I know how I feel and there are a few of us who emailed off line about our political views so I do find I click on their responses and have responded. But I have only read probably 5 post in each thread...

But since I call Bush a Bozo I should apologize, really I type quickly and would be lying if I didn't admit to using that word around the home etc when I discuss him and I am hot over events, but more importantly I am liberal minded and I really don't want to apologize for that...but when you referenced "doo doo head" above, my comment was similiar so I am sorry. But I do know 100% my comments have never ever attacked his supporters, or have I said allowed "why do they support him" or questioned them, so I hope I am safe to say that though I have attacked Rumi and Bush here without thinking, off the cuff (but meant what I said) I don't know how anything I said attacked any community member so I feel safe to say that I have hurt anyone here I hope. But if I did I do apologize...

There are view points that seem more over powered here, and that has been noticed, and recent threads show many are going to start speaking up on issues so folks don't feel that way. With so many choices in this world we all probably are sensitive to things every once while, I know I have been.

I hate that you feel this way and hope that you will stick around, hwen folks say they are going to leave I don't usually say anything to ask them to reconsider for I myself took a needed break from the boards before for like 6 weeks and enjoyed the break so I could never try to convince someone otherwise, but from what you've said and your dis like for the antagonistic views it sounds like you are one that can help the community if you feel this is the case and thus I think you are a needed a voice here and really hope that you will reconsider.

These boards will serve a different way for us at different times in our lives, when I took my break I really felt I wouldn't have the urge to come back, I had a quick question I wanted a response to on my childs development and knew I'd get it here and did...BUT with that I was amazed at the emails I got and the welcome backs that I got and it was right then and there that I realized how much I love this community.

I'm not saying I'm not sensitive, there are less than a handful of folks who I "kind of know" here who couldn't congrats me when pregnant, and couldn't acknowledge my pregnacy loss, the same ones who I have celebrated their child's 1st birthday with etc.. who chose not to celebrate my child's that I have been sensitive too...when it is their turn I will celebrate for them anyway for their choice was noticed by alot of people and I am not that way, but I also know where I get comfort from and that it is not with them, the downside to my attitude (which I am not necessarily proud of) is that I have no desire to meet these folks any longer either, or to associate with them, but I guess I am saying I understand sensitities as much as anyone and wanted to share that. But there is a niche to be found here...even if it is just with one new friend there is something to be had here, atleast in my case. There are several here who my life has been enriched by and I just hope you don't leave when I highly suspect there are several here that each one of us can find a dear friend among us...

ANYWAY what I meant to say and got off on a tangent is that I never in a million years would pick my friends on politics, I think every boss I have ever had has had a differnt political view than myself and thank god they didn't pick those around them based on their views. I say that for I never in a million year would judge any of the moms here on their political views, nor do I judge my friends on theirs, that would NEVER occur to me if that occured to me that others might think ill of me for mine I would have kept my big trap shut, for that is not what makes me or you or any of us...

Anyway sorry so sappy, but I wanted to respond...
Please no one respond and critque what I have said for honest to god I have said it before and will say it again "if you knew how little time I spent preparing or actually thinking about what I say you'd be sad you wasted your time on it"...
I type what I feel and hope that will do...
Neve
http://home.nc.rr.com/ourbabytristan
AKA "mama2be"-forgot password
and Baby Boy Tristan born @UNC
Feb 25, 2003
Brother to 3 pups "gees" and 2 kitties

alandenisefields
05-21-2004, 10:20 PM
We posted an announcement to this issue in the LOUNGE forum!

Alan & denise