Proposal for the forum

[Slipdigit]

Due in part to the recent disagreements that have culminated in some dismissals, what are all your thoughts on having a moratorium on current political events discussion for a week, two weeks or even longer?

It seems to me that at most the Iraq thread, for instance, has done little more than raise blood pressures, elevate one-up-manship to an art, raise circular discussion to a whole new level and generally pushed WWII discussion almost to an afterthought at times. Please remember that as I am pointing one finger at the forum, three more are pointing back at me. Complicity is a bitter pill to swallow.

I'm not saying lets do away with it permanently, just let it sit in the background, lurking in the shadows for a while and let us spend some time developing some good, solid WWII-based threads that demonstrate the knowledge that each of you have. We could make Google wonder what is going on that is generating all the search queries that are hitting its servers.

What I am proposing is that we do not discuss, originate or propose any topic that involves the current political climate of any country unless it has a direct connection to the years 1930-1947 and then keeping the context related strictly to the war years, leaving current political commentary out of the post.

What are all of your's thought?
Even you new guys, I want your opinion also, y'all are what can make this forum bigger and stronger.

[Skipper]

A wise thought Slipdigit. Most of us have stopped posting on these threads any way. They are interesting as long as people behave like gentlemen. I have already complained about these kind of threads turning into sterile political battles with clichés. It usually ends up with the thread being closed and some posters, who could have been potentially nice posters on others threads, being banned for insulting people. Now I'm being realistic and I know that the "my country is better than yours attitude" is hard to eradicate but I will fully support the mods in trying to help them to keep the quality of the forum high.

[Stevin]

I come here because this is a WW2 forum. I hardly ever engage in any political discussion, save some one-liner here and there, so I am usually not even aware of the heated debates that are raging. However, just like Skipper, I welcome any initiative that brings this community together instead of polarising and will support every measure. Although a two week hiatus will bring some quiet (perhaps), what happens when these topics are "open" again. What it comes down to is the behaviour and attitude of every single participant/rogue...

[Za Rodinu]

I entirely agree! We have the Free Fire Zone for that, but there are limits to the acrimony that sometimes crops up there, and what's worse, elsewhere in the forum.

It would be a help if the Moderators (sorry for the criticism but I feel I have to say this) took the initiative of intervening sooner with a PM or two to the offenders, and a Blue Helmet on the thread. That ounce of proactivity would help prevent further unneccessary grief.

And the offended members should be able to use the Whistle Blow function without hesitation. I know one of the Mods has gone to see his otorhinolaryngologist (no, that's not a German word) due to the frequency I myself use it!

Putting hotheads in the cooler for a few days would be good too. Heck, I remember even Sloniksp was sent to the Gulag for a few weeks in his younger days and look what good it did to him! (hm, bad example, he's still a knucklehead)

If all else fails, I'm sure the Panzer Penguin will be able to find cheap lots of tar and feathers in Ebay.



If this were put to a vote I'd gladly say Aye, with the proviso that Russian and Portagee members are exempt from the rule

[Joe]

I say it's a great idea, because this is a WW2 Forum, so we should stick to WW2 related topics as much as possible.
And besides, that Iraq thread was just argument followed by argument.

[Von Poop]

[Slipdigit]

Oh, the dreams of an idealistic, almost middle-aged man.....ask a question to many, few respond.

(See the first post)

[Sloniksp]

I must also agree for the most part..

But to add and NOT be a pain. Since we have so many members from around the world here, I find it interesting, entertaining and at the same time educational as to read what their thoughts are on the current events that are also happening in their part of the world.... As long as ( as Skipper wisely put it ) they are posted in a respectable manner.

Please no negative rep points for this!


Oh and way to single out my thread, JESUS!

[skunk works]

I agree.
The cooler is a place not only for (over reacting) responders, but baiters/gallant antagonists as well.
In (I would suspect) ever increasing times until eradication ? Unless the Ultimate sin is performed.
Pretty easy to smell out someone spoiling for a fight, (no matter how polite).
Ignore the post, no one will think less of you, only less of them.
Feelings get hurt, everyone (almost) gets out gunned (from time to time). Let it go, learn from it.
Vendettas or total victory is unnecessary.
Every "Dog" has his/her day.

I love this place, it's an eclectic BONANZA of straight forward/obscure/first hand, and imaginative information on WW 2.

Better than any History, Western Civilization, Modern day, World course I ever took or was indirectly connected to.

Don't squash the possibilities, (and I'm including myself) of awareness, and education, on a Global scale about something that was monumental in its effect.

We don't need no stinking Excite/U-Tube Blog ! We're smarter than them. Let them pretend in their PC/Revisionist version.

WW 2 had enough fighting, and it's over.

[T. A. Gardner]

In my view so long as it stays in the Free Fire portion of the forum and members are not just slinging personal insults and invictives at one and other I have no problem with it. What may be best in this particular area is to have some means of flagging threads with current political content so that those who do not want to endure this subject can easily avoid those threads. But, Free Fire Zone only. Mixing it into any other area is just wrong given the forum's theme of focus on WW 2.

[bigfun]

Originally Posted by Stevin

I come here because this is a WW2 forum. ..

well said Stevin!
that's why I'm here!!!

[TA152]

Politics, war, and military stuff go together. I agree with Slons post.

Start a revolution !

[Slipdigit]

Originally Posted by TA152

Politics, war, and military stuff go together. I agree with Slons post.

Start a revolution !

What does he know, his name means elephant in Russian.

[Sloniksp]

Originally Posted by Slipdigit

What does he know, his name means elephant in Russian.

AH HA, I AM NOT ALONE AND I HAVE FOLLOWERS, FOLLOWERS I TELL YOU AND WE WILL NEVER REST, EVER!!! cough, cough

And dont let the size fool you, elephants are by no means dumb we can communicate with each other for miles and without actually hearing or seeing each other.... Sorda like in this forum

[bigfun]

careful Slip, they say the elephant is the real king of the jungle!

[Za Rodinu]

Ha! See post 31!

Operation Bagration

[chocapic]

Originally Posted by Sloniksp

And dont let the size fool you, we can communicate with each other for miles and without actually hearing or seeing each other

So the size of your ears is only for bragging ?

I agree with Slipdigit, as long as it does not turn into "you can speak of everything except Iraq, because it makes some people feel uncomfortable".

This would mean no more "what's up in Belarus ?" no more "what's up in Georgia ?" no more "Al Gore wins the Nobel price" no more "Hillary Clinton = Stalin - mustache + high heels", no more threads about "the invasion of criminaliens from outer space", no more Michael Moore and what about the missile shield in Poland, what about Putin trip to Iran etc etc ?

Moderators would have to be enforce the ban of ALL political discussion, I'm fine with this as long as there is no bias.

[Za Rodinu]

Originally Posted by chocapic

"Hillary Clinton = Stalin - mustache + high heels"

Are you messing with me boy? Coz if you mess with me I'll be giving you negative reputation for:

"You really do need to work on your humor and your english"

[Slipdigit]

I'm not wanting to ban current political discussion by any means. What is happening today in the world has it's roots in what happened then and before. I don't mind at hearing personal insight as to what is happening around the world.

I just feel we should devote most of our good discussion time to the main topic. There have been several times I hit the ol' New Post button at the top and the only new replies would be strained discourses on current events while good "What if" threads went untouched....oops bad example...while good threads on how much better a general George Patton was than Georgi Zhukov went uncommented on. That was for you, Slava.

My hope was that a week or two of discussion oriented only toward WWII would redirect this forum back to it's original intent. We, in essence, would have a voluntary stand down (of political talk), not unlike the military has when they've had a series of fatal accidents. We've certainly had a couple of those lately. I would never ask for or recommend an enforcement of ban on current events.

Anyway, we seemed to have some good discussions going, lets make them better.