Can we have a politics section please?

[RLWP]

Can we have a section devoted to politics please where like minded individuals can discuss racism, the EU, migration, devolution and so on

 

Then the rest of us can ignore the pub bores who saw something on telly and want to get cross about it

 

Richard

[MtB]

Can we have a section devoted to politics please where like minded individuals can discuss racism, the EU, migration, devolution and so on

 

Then the rest of us can ignore the pub bores who saw something on telly and want to get cross about it

 

Richard

 

Excellent idea. Another site I use has a board for this called "Land of Serious Topics". "LoST".

 

Anyone wanting to discuss politics can then be told to get LoST. This will keep the pub free for people wanting to talk rubbish.

 

Another board for moaning about how awful CRT are might be a good idea too.

 

 

MtB

[RLWP]

I used to belong to a very vibrant forum devoted to WW1 aeroplanes, which happened to be based in the US. It had a lot of posters, a lot of posts per day, even some silliness similar to the Ffffriiidaaayyyy!! thread.

 

It also had the equivalent of the Virtual Pub which was where all kinds of topics got discussed. Over the years, some topics would pop up, typically gun control or something the President had done or said. A small group of the posters would engage vigorously in these debates while everyone else would stay away. I found I either had nothing to say or found the 'debate' to be so entrenched in a particular viewpoint that I didn't want to get involved.

 

As time went on, I got more and more uneasy abut this gun-toting, usually right-wing seething mess going on in the basement. I loved the genuine academic research in the 'sensible' parts, and helping out new members, but I became less and less easy about being somehow associated with the political swamp. So I sort of drifted away. And so did a lot of other folk. Eventually, some kind of spat broke out and the forum imploded. It still exists, and the political stuff is still there. The useful, helpful or fun loving members aren't though

 

Perhaps I should be more active in popping into political threads here with some comment like 'This is a canal forum, take your opinions to a political forum'

 

Bottom line, I think this is a serious point, even if the 'Suggestion' isn't

 

Richard

[DeanS]

I always thought the virtual pub was for anything non boatee, but yes, I'd second a section just for politics. Can't see what harm that would do.

[RLWP]

I always thought the virtual pub was for anything non boatee, but yes, I'd second a section just for politics. Can't see what harm that would do.

 

Trouble is, 'anything non boatee' is a very loose definition. I'm pretty sure we could all agree on what isn't allowed within that definition, which sort of negates 'anything'.

 

Richard

[Québec]

I'm with you, comrade!

 

[billS]

I think it's a great idea. A pub bores section. It would also give the mods the opportunity to move threads which start out well but degenerate into politics the opportunity to relegate the post to a sort of waste paper basket, rather than locking them.

 

I think it should also be a greenie free area, as it appears that most greenies are awarded to a show support for a slagger against a slagee on some political point or other.

 

The greenie would then regain it's value as a reward for a meritorious post.

[DeanS]

 

Trouble is, 'anything non boatee' is a very loose definition. I'm pretty sure we could all agree on what isn't allowed within that definition, which sort of negates 'anything'.

 

Richard

 

don't confuse me this early in the morning with your fancy words ;-)

[Higgs]

Well, unfortunately, lads: It's the canal world. And bores come in all flavours.

[Québec]

"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors".

 

Plato

[MoominPapa]

+1, as the hip kids say.

 

MP.

[Machpoint005]

At what point do the mods decide whether a thread is political or boat-related? What about political discussions that are directly relevant to canals (funding, fishing, accommodation in London ...).

 

Nobody is obliged to read any thread, or any post within that thread. If they find it boring, they can go and do something else.

[Guest]

At what point do the mods decide whether a thread is political or boat-related? What about political discussions that are directly relevant to canals (funding, fishing, accommodation in London ...).

 

Nobody is obliged to read any thread, or any post within that thread. If they find it boring, they can go and do something else.

I agree. I think when it's pretty obvious from the thread title that somebody has started a topic about an overtly political topic just don't click on it.

 

Simple innit?

[billS]

At what point do the mods decide whether a thread is political or boat-related? What about political discussions that are directly relevant to canals (funding, fishing, accommodation in London ...).

 

 

Well, there could be some triggers. When someone calls uses the word immigration or calls someone else a racist, I think we can conclude that the thread is not about boating.

[Alan de Enfield]

If I see a thread that appears to have no interest to me - I dont open it

 

I have absolutely no interest in railways, hence ignored the "Steam Railway" thread - its quite easy, I'm sure you'd get used to the concept.

[RLWP]

Well, unfortunately, lads: It's the canal world. And bores come in all flavours.

 

Yes, and people either drift away from bores or tell them to shut up

 

Richard

[Higgs]

Don't mention beer, we're a temperance group of boaters.

[RLWP]

I agree. I think when it's pretty obvious from the thread title that somebody has started a topic about an overtly political topic just don't click on it.

 

Simple innit?

 

I don't want to contribute material to a forum with overtly political threads. If I let them stand, how do people know I don't agree with them? And I don't want to have to visit every political thread and tell tehm to keep politics off the forum

 

It's boring in a pub, it's boring at dinner parties, it's dangerous on the internet

 

Richard

[Higgs]

 

Yes, and people either drift away from bores or tell them to shut up

 

Richard

 

No, I don't always have their interests.

[YamYam]

Must admit I do glance at a few but soon lose interest. Everyone has a view on things and 99.9% of the time that view will never be changed and arguments just ends up going round in circles. All a bit pointless really so yes, put my vote in for a seperate section

[Guest]

I don't want to contribute material to a forum with overtly political threads. If I let them stand, how do people know I don't agree with them? And I don't want to have to visit every political thread and tell tehm to keep politics off the forum

 

It's boring in a pub, it's boring at dinner parties, it's dangerous on the internet

 

Richard

Then I don't understand why a seperate section makes any difference, those political views will still be on the forum, just in a different place. New topics would still appear in the 'new posts' bit and will show up when you click on 'view new content' which I think is how lots of people come onto the forum.

 

The only way to totally satisfy that would be a blanket ban in the R&g's that would enable topics to be removed.

[RLWP]

Then I don't understand why a seperate section makes any difference, those political views will still be on the forum, just in a different place. New topics would still appear in the 'new posts' bit and will show up when you click on 'view new content' which I think is how lots of people come onto the forum.

 

The only way to totally satisfy that would be a blanket ban in the R&g's that would enable topics to be removed.

 

You are right - it doesn't. My first post was a reaction to the crop of political threads we have popping up like mushrooms at the moment.

 

I'd much prefer an informal ban, and I think it is up to the members to enforce it through their behaviours rather than by moderation. I don't want to be a part of an overtly political forum - canal politics aside. I'm prepared to say that out loud now. I guess if I find myself in a minority, and the majority do want political debate, then that's how this forum is

 

I'm not declaring a flounce, by the way

 

Richard

[Bettie Boo]

I think it's a great idea. A pub bores section. It would also give the mods the opportunity to move threads which start out well but degenerate into politics the opportunity to relegate the post to a sort of waste paper basket, rather than locking them.

 

I think it should also be a greenie free area, as it appears that most greenies are awarded to a show support for a slagger against a slagee on some political point or other.

 

The greenie would then regain it's value as a reward for a meritorious post.

 

 

Ok OK, I confess - I normally hand out greenies to a post which has made me laugh, and/or to someone who has directly answered a question I've posted without trying to dissect the why's and whynots of a portion of the question.

 

For EXAMPLE (only) Why can we not use the hoses on Thames water points to water our planters? A greenie answer (for me) would be: due to cost to EA / due to demand of access for other boaters and the time it adds etc. A non-greenie answer would be: why would you want to use a Thames water point to water planters instead of canal/river water or river/canal water is just fine to water edible plants.

 

I appreciate it's a discussion forum and therefore things get discussed, but when someone asks a simple question (which isn't going to result in them doing themselves or others harm), why not simply answer the question they have asked, and then after that add personal comments or suggestions. Yes, I realize there are numerous times when a question is asked and the way it's worded doesn't give enough detail; which results in others having to respond with more questions so a appropriate answer can be give, but I'm not referring to those.

 

So what are these merits which we should be following to hand out greenies then?

[DeanS]

i do think that there should be a ban on hijacking boating related threads, turning them into personal mudslinging or way off topic. That happens frequently, normally when a genuine boater topic has been answered, ....it soon goes off on a tangent.

[Guest]

You are right - it doesn't. My first post was a reaction to the crop of political threads we have popping up like mushrooms at the moment.

 

I'd much prefer an informal ban, and I think it is up to the members to enforce it through their behaviours rather than by moderation. I don't want to be a part of an overtly political forum - canal politics aside. I'm prepared to say that out loud now. I guess if I find myself in a minority, and the majority do want political debate, then that's how this forum is

 

I'm not declaring a flounce, by the way

 

Richard

Actually I don't think a majority do TBH. You only have to look at those threads and normally it is a minority within a minority of members who normally participate. That possibly suggests that the majority of actual active members feel the same as you. (If that makes sense)

 

If they were a more popular subject a broader range of active members would partake.