Temporarily locking the Politics area shortly...

[Bob Hubbard]

I'm going to be temporarily locking the politics section after the US election...probably over the weekend. Give a few days for some post-event wrap ups and analysis, then making politics a no-go on MT for a little while so everyone can relax. There's been alot of heat and alot of passions at play the last few months, and we all need some time to cool off.

What do I mean by a no-go? No political stuff relating to the elections or candidates. Bot feeds will be suspended as well.

I'll probably leave the area locked through New Years, then reopen near the inauguration.

 

[Big Don]

Will you also be changing it's title from " US Elections & Candidates" to "Things Political" or some such? A change, I for one would embrace.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Possibly. It's one of the thoughts I'm considering.

 

[Xue Sheng]

How about "Politics; Same stuff, different day"

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I was thinking....Politics. It's Special High Intensity Training!

 

[tshadowchaser]

Politics: the things we ***** about but can really do little about
HHHMM I did not think that word was on the filter

 

[Xue Sheng]

I don't know why but Politics-A-Go-Go is running through my demented little noggin and the moment.

Now that I have posted it...hopefully it will go away.

 

[Drac]

I don't know why but Politics-A-Go-Go is running through my demented little noggin and the moment.

Now that I have posted it...hopefully it will go away.

Stop head butting trees...

 

[exile]

Stop head butting trees...

:lol:

Now that's funny!.

 

[bluemtn]

How about: "Mortal Kombat: The Political Side" (or something like that)?

 

[grydth]

You folks have run this forum successfully enough that there shouldn't be serious questioning of your decision.

It is, however, a reflection of our overall decay and disintegration as a nation that you even have to consider such an action. This is a legacy of the polarizing and intellectually dishonest Clinton-Bush era, which may thankfully be closing (not soon enough).

The extreme divisiveness, the incessant lying, the perpetual war rooms with unending election modes, the red and blue state compost, the demonization of any who disagree...... this is where that has brought us. If even a place like MartialTalk has to suspend debate, imagine what we can expect elsewhere.

If we have lost the capacity to rationally disagree, if we cannot admit that the other person is an American, too - we are truly dead and rotting as a nation irrespective of any political numbers.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

All good points, as are those a few have brought to me privately.

I want to try and put my thoughts on this out here, and I'm not going to sugar coat or try and pretty things up. I'm gonna speak my mind so everyone knows where I stand.

We added this area to The Study after things got busy and US Politic started to dominate things. Tempers flared, we had some blow outs, and a lot of folks on both sides of the mod-screen are tired. Hell, I'm sure y'all have noticed less from me the last week or so. I'm tired, running on fumes and I know alot of others are too. I love the debates we've had, and the passions people have brought out, but my gut says, after all this, we need a little break.

Thanksgiving is coming up soon, after that Christmas and other holidays, and to me, that's for coming together, family, and relaxing. Not rehashing dead horses, which some of these topics feel like to me.

What I want to do is, consider the results of this experimental split, and look at how everything worked, or didn't work, discuss things with the Steering Board, do a little reorganization in here, then reopen the section.

My plan is, reopen after Jan 1st.
I'll probably make it an optional free Opt-In, so that anyone who want's to skip it completely, can do so, and those of us who want to debate, can do so.
My leaning is to shift a little bit and focus on all US politics, not just elections and candidates, but the political issues effecting the US, leaving the core study for world events.

I'm open to suggestions on how to improve this section as well.

In the mean time, remember to check out the rest of the site too. Don't live in the Study. That's for old rich men who own smoking jackets. LOL!

 

[exile]

Thanksgiving is coming up soon, after that Christmas and other holidays, and to me, that's for coming together, family, and relaxing. Not rehashing dead horses, which some of these topics feel like to me.

A hearty Amen to that, Bob.

There has been plenty of bloodletting about the election, and people need to be able to lick their wounds and adjust to realities that they may perhaps have feared. No matter how bad it seems to those whose preferences are defeated, just remember—it's not even close to getting the answer you didn't want to hear about a biopsy, or a call from the police in the middle of the night about your child and the car (s/)he was driving in. We're all going to live and we're going to be OK.

In the mean time, remember to check out the rest of the site too. Don't live in the Study. That's for old rich men who own smoking jackets. LOL!

I agree. We're here first and foremost because we're martial artists. Heaven knows there's enough to occupy us and get our clocks wound up just in that domain of discussion, without bringing in the rest of reality!

 

[arnisador]

Politics: It's Not Just For The Martial Arts Any More!

 

[Xue Sheng]

Stop head butting trees...

No... I must...or...or...the trees win

:lol:

Now that's funny!.

No its not....watch the trees....watch the trees

:uhyeah:

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

No... I must...or...or...the trees win



No its not....watch the trees....watch the trees

:uhyeah:

Really Bob, Xue and I need to have the ability to
hit trees. This is something we cannot do without!

 

[arnisador]

What if the trees are actually Ents?

 

[Makalakumu]

What if the trees are actually Ents?

Boards do hit back!

 

[theletch1]

You folks have run this forum successfully enough that there shouldn't be serious questioning of your decision.

It is, however, a reflection of our overall decay and disintegration as a nation that you even have to consider such an action. This is a legacy of the polarizing and intellectually dishonest Clinton-Bush era, which may thankfully be closing (not soon enough).

The extreme divisiveness, the incessant lying, the perpetual war rooms with unending election modes, the red and blue state compost, the demonization of any who disagree...... this is where that has brought us. If even a place like MartialTalk has to suspend debate, imagine what we can expect elsewhere.

If we have lost the capacity to rationally disagree, if we cannot admit that the other person is an American, too - we are truly dead and rotting as a nation irrespective of any political numbers.

This is hardly a thing as recent as the Clinton-Bush era. The 1860s ring a bell? Hell, folks have been getting killed over politics since politics began. We just happen to see much more of the vitriol here because so many different people from around the nation (and the world) are able to come together to express their opinion. I have to admit that I'm pleasantly surprised that 99% of the folks on the board are able to discuss things civilly. It's that last 1% that really has the staff (and many non-staff) completely burned out at the moment. I, for one, welcome the closing of this section for awhile. As Bob said, the holidays are coming up and I'd rather concentrate my energy on spending time, happily, with family and friends and discussing more congenial things with all of you here on the board than dealing with 100 reports a week because a few just can't behave themselves.

 

[grydth]

This is hardly a thing as recent as the Clinton-Bush era. The 1860s ring a bell? Hell, folks have been getting killed over politics since politics began. We just happen to see much more of the vitriol here because so many different people from around the nation (and the world) are able to come together to express their opinion. I have to admit that I'm pleasantly surprised that 99% of the folks on the board are able to discuss things civilly. It's that last 1% that really has the staff (and many non-staff) completely burned out at the moment. I, for one, welcome the closing of this section for awhile. As Bob said, the holidays are coming up and I'd rather concentrate my energy on spending time, happily, with family and friends and discussing more congenial things with all of you here on the board than dealing with 100 reports a week because a few just can't behave themselves.

You have me at a disadvantage, as I wasn't around in the 1860's. Seriously, I was referring to an increasing polarization I have seen during my lifetime. I am well aware of another example as well - the Revolutionary era.

Actually, that Civil War era doesn't ring just any bell, but rather an alarm bell. That's where I have been afraid the country's been heading for a second time, and the selfish idiocies and tactics of the Bushes and Clintons have only worsened it.

I wouldn't presume to question how you folks reached this decision. I have no doubt you must be :angel: to ref some of the threads. Its just that once upon a time people could reasonably differ without concluding that the other guy must WANT TO BLOW UP THE WORLD! or that they must BE A COMMIE! I don't question that in your case here it may be a relative few - but I'm thinking in a general sense that the human whoopie cushions have come to dominate our public discourse.

Can't dispute the holiday plans, though, which is about what I want to do as well....