Politics

[Brad]

We, as a staff, have decided to take a pretty aggressive stance to prevent politics from takng over this forum. We have decided to pull any post that could be deemed as political in nature.
While we all agree that 2A rights are God given and important to us as a nation we also recognize that posts regardng 2A issues are, by nature, political.
As the old saying goes "If the camel once gets his nose in the tent, his body will soon follow".

We have decided to be very firm on keeping the camel out of the tent and therefore must swat his nose should it peek under the tent flaps.

 

[RicinYakima]

Thank you.

 

[JWFilips]

Brad:
That may keep my Blood Pressure in Check! Thank you I'm sure ok with that!
Jim

 

[fiver]

very,very good idea.

this was one of the discussions I had with Ken in my living room a number of years ago.
he regretted every minute of putting it on the boolits forum.

 

[Brad]

And he will never get it out of that forum. It has been one of the most damaging things over there.

 

[fiver]

Rob runs the place now.


Ken dropped out of sight about a year back, I still talk to him on the phone every now and then.
the place just got too big for him to handle.

 

[Brad]

You are right, I keep forgetting about the new ownership.

 

[Ian]

Ken didn't want to be the bad guy and take a hard-line approach to difficult issues. He's just not that kind of guy, he wants people to act like grownups with Jiminy Cricket on their shoulders and an awareness of "greater good" and sense of personal responsibility for the on-line community, but unfortunately the internet doesn't work that way. An internet forum is more like a high school, and if you don't have firm rules of behavior, politely and consistently enforced by objective staff, you have chaos in short order. Another mistake we're trying to avoid is only enforcing a very black-and-white TOS. A few individuals can poison the entire well over time without ever violating a posted rule. Reminds me of a line from Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance: "And what is good, Phaedrus, and what is not good...need we anyone to tell us these things?" Well, no, I don't think we do, I think it's obvious. I also think the administration and people who have been invited to become moderators here are highly aware of what is "not good", regardless of how "to the letter of the law" it may or may not be, and have both the will and the power to deal with "grey area" issues effectively and fairly. A couple of major issues like this have already been handled swiftly and effectively here.

There is a good reason why politics and religion are the two forbidden topics of conversation in any Masonic lodge.

 

[Rick]

We thought of that Ian. Read the rules page and it very clearly says "Not only the letter of the rules but "spirit" of the rules.

 

[Charles Graff]

I remember the Supreme Courts attempt to define pornography years ago, when it was still illegal. One Justice quipped, I may not be able to define pornography, but I know it when I see it. Any set of rules can be skirted, but still I know bad behavior when I see it.

 

[JWFilips]

The Problem I have had: (Read Downfall) with the CB Forum site is the format I choose to view the threads. I selected "all new threads" so this exposed me to every thread written since my last visit ( be it from Best alloys to the "Pit") Instead of enjoying the threads of what I went there in the first place; I would get caught up in the "blood boiling" Political stuff that was being posted ( about 40 % of the time) Going down the threads list and joining into each posting I wanted to, got me some "high posts" but also some "high warnings"! I'm easily agitated, from what my wife tells me. No I'm not happy with what is happening to this Country, but when I go to my favorite forum to learn something or share something I would always seem to get diverted and agitated to the point of getting warnings! Then I would get up early in the mornings and try to undo what I have said in anger....I just don't need that. I'm hear to learn and possibly share my knowledge.

You folks may have notice; I again changed my avaitar...My dear wife looked at the "artsy" one I created for this site and said I look mean & angry ( when I just wanted to show that my old CB avaitar was from 15 years earlier in my life...I'm now grown old ( not much hair and have a very grey beard & I'm holding my favorite GEW98 battle rifle which I now cast fine alloy boolits for ; with thanks & the help of many here on this forum!)
I have found that my life cycles many times over the many decades. I find myself getting to a certain level of knowledge and satisfaction then I move on to another....alway trying to learn that "just a bit more" so I do not need any Political nor Religious fights to get involved in or get me diverted.

 

[Ian]

Your signature line says a lot.

 

[45 2.1]

I remember the Supreme Courts attempt to define pornography years ago, when it was still illegal. One Justice quipped, I may not be able to define pornography, but I know it when I see it. Any set of rules can be skirted, but still I know bad behavior when I see it.

That is quite an observation; but like it, there are others... such as legislating morality, making laws that have no representation from the people, judging others because they don't see eye to eye with the PTB...etc. All this boils down to ruling someone else with what the PTB want. There are two sets of rules all rational people could agree on though.... those being the Ten Commandments and the Bill of Rights. Too bad that neither is used much now......

 

[Ian]

This isn't a street corner somewhere, it's someone's living room. BOR & TTC only applies if you mind the manners the host expects from you, and which has been clearly laid out in writing at the door. I don't know why so many people on internet forums simply cannot get their head wrapped around this concept.

 

[Charles Graff]

I fear this thread is starting to take a bad bounce and is heading toward politics and religion plus being contentious. The very things we are trying to avoid.

 

[45 2.1]

Your probably correct Charles. I just made an observation like you did and someone else didn't like it. The world has changed since we entered it..... whether for good or ill depends on the person observing it. I don't intend on any political or religious comments again as it does absolutely no good.

 

[Brad]

And we can now see why political discussion is the death of many a forum.

That said I will lock this thread.