The paddock enter ony if you have something sanitised to say.

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Pete McCluskey.

Lifetime Supporter
What has happened to the paddock, it is prefaced by the warning enter at own risk, it should be changed to only enter if you have something nice to say that is sanitised and politically correct.
The paddock used to be a bastion of free speech where people could air their views, and others could disagree and often did sometimes quiet heatedly, which to me was interesting and sometimes funny.
I certainly learnt more about American politics and how real people thought about their politicians than any other forum.
Then there was also the great Global warming/climate change debate which went on for ever.
In my opinion the paddock is now a shadow of its former self. I know critics used to say this is a car forum and politics have no place..they didn't read the warning
Enter at own risk.
Right now we have a huge political event going on that could effect the whole world and I for one would like to hear what real Americans think of Hillary and Donald without the bullshit and propaganda fed us by the media.
I find it ironic that Americans hold free speech so dear and yet an American forum censors the paddock because of a few disgruntled P.C. People. Or maybe they were losing the debate? Sad really.
 
There was an entire subset of forum members (WAOG or was it WOAG) created from the shenanigans that went on there however the cool kids got it and took it for what it was while others wellllllll...... you have noted what happens when people who only claim to have have thick skin get tested .... It leaves one to ask why even have a paddock at all as it truly holds no meaning to the underlying tone of this place unless GOD forbid they actually encourage bonding and lively debate among members. To the moderators credit they let a lot go for a bit.
 

Doug S.

The protoplasm may be 72, but the spirit is 32!
Lifetime Supporter
Pete, I could not agree more with you...it is a sad fact that we Americans are at a rather critical crossroads...in our prior political discussions I always tried to treat our forum members with respect and dignity, as they deserved that much for having had the courage to forge "...headlong into the fray", as we say.
In the end it became more important to not alienate those among us whom I really think of as friends, and a lot of our European friends were justifiably angry that we managed to interject our nation's political angst into many unrelated topics of discussion in the paddock. I was as guilty as some in that regard, but always offered a public apology when our transgressions were pointed out...as was deserved.
I miss our comradeship in the forum...but have failed miserably in every effort to figure out how to mend those fences (we who enjoy a rural lifestyle have an old saying "...good fences make for good neighbors") so that our discussions could resume.
We'll see how this works out...I know many say there are plenty of forums elsewhere that are all about politics...my reservation about that has always been that I have many friends here on THIS forum whose ideas and beliefs interest me...have no interest in winning or losing anything, just wanted to share my beliefs with other like-minded individuals.
Cheers to you, Pete, for having brought this issue up for discussion!

Doug
 
The bit that gets me is the complainers have done zilch to replace or contribute any content in the paddock post cleansing . Were we not told things are so much better now? The place is like a ghost town, bring back the polytiks and associated shitfest I say .:)

Bob
 
That's logic? - We took the shit off the footpath and none of the people annoyed by it replaced it with anything?

IMO the footpath now better serves its community.

Tim.
 
I still advocate a separate paddock - one called Politics and perhaps include religion - a place where all the angry obsessives can abuse each other to their hearts content.
The second paddock area being everything else non GT40 related.

I enjoy the paddock but the US politics - no.

Apparently that makes me PC...

Tim.
 
And re' the angry obsessive, it appeared quite one sided to me.

Apologies for the multiple posts but I still cannot edit in the paddock...

Tim.
 

Pete McCluskey.

Lifetime Supporter
Real people... not media propaganda... seriously... that's what you thought you were seeing...?


Tim

Seriously yes, people's opinions, some based on media propaganda some reasoned and well thought out. For instance Jeff, I invariably disagreed with him but thought his posts were reasoned and well thought out.
 

Pete McCluskey.

Lifetime Supporter
That's logic? - We took the shit off the footpath and none of the people annoyed by it replaced it with anything?

IMO the footpath now better serves its community.

Tim.

Well you thought it was shit, some others including me thought it was interesting and the paddock today is bloody boring.
 

Jeff Young

GT40s Supporter
Well thanks Pete. I appreciate that.

There is one other car forum I participate in that had similar issues with political discussions getting out of hand. A solution that worked quite well was the implementation of a one day ban if, well, you posted something that was assholish. That means not just directed specifically at someone but just rude or derogatory towards others of different beliefs.

Just a thought. Keith seems very middle of the road and able to spot assholes easily. And I mean that as a compliment.
 
Hi Pete

Okay, I'll bite, in the name of anarchy, regarding your interest in Americun politics. In the past I have voted for the candidate who I thought would do the least amount of damage. I voted against people. This time I want to check the box, "None of the Above." One of the candidates should have had charges filed against them by now for mishandling of classified materials (of the highest degree of sensitivity). The other is one of the last people I would want with his finger on the nuclear deterrence button, so driven are they by ego. To the latter's credit, they have had a few hot wives so I put them one rung above the other on the ladder in the cesspool of politics.

Hope that contributes to your good day.
 
PoliticalForum.com - the best Forum for Politics (4000 posts/day)
US Message Board - Political Discussion Forum

A couple of options.
Astoundingly, speech appears free enough to allow discussions of pretty much any kind and within easy reach, but the forum universe seems to be organised and sub-organised into categories using some measure of relevance. Amazing!

Didn't try too hard but I didn't see any discussions of the GT40 so it may all be a conspiracy designed to restrict our freedoms after all.

Anyway, I'm off to my grandmother's to discuss my dogs veterinary issues and to the vets to ask about gear ratio options.

The above is obviously supposed to be light hearted, in reality I see no reason against creating another (opt in and unavailable for those not logged in) paddock area that is a politics and perhaps religion area, if valued long term contributors think this forum absolutely must have a place for it. Wouldn't this strike a happy balance?

The current paddock is far better off as is IMO and the petulance of those trying to make a point by refraining from joining in seems contrived and somewhat obvious to me.
I do not btw include in the above observation those unhappy with the current situation but still contributing.

Tim.
 

Doug S.

The protoplasm may be 72, but the spirit is 32!
Lifetime Supporter
Hi Pete

Okay, I'll bite, in the name of anarchy, regarding your interest in Americun politics. In the past I have voted for the candidate who I thought would do the least amount of damage. I voted against people. This time I want to check the box, "None of the Above.".

I, too, vote "against" politicians. My departed wife worked for a lady lawyer who eventually became a state representative...that person stole from my wife and I have traveled great distances so that I could vote AGAINST her (sadly, she is a democrat).

In addition, whenever I do not like EITHER presidential candidate, I cast my write-in vote for Pat Paulsen...for the same reason Paulsen, himself, stated--he was DEFINITELY funnier than either of the candidates. For our members who may not be aware of Pat Paulsen, he was a comedian on "The Smothers Brothers" show back in the 1960's who used time on their show to spoof the presidential candidates by announcing his candidacy and campaigning for exactly the reason stated, and had to "suspend" his candidacy when the Fed's insisted that in the interest of fairness the producers of the show had to offer the other real candidates equal time on their show (at no cost). His only stated qualification was that he was funnier than the two major party candidates. For decades there have been thousands of write-in votes for Paulsen in every presidential election...and I believe they continue even though he is most assuredly dead.

Sometimes I just can't bring myself to vote for either party's candidate...this "Write in Pat Paulsen" vote has become a small "protest movement" whenever voters believe both major candidates are unacceptable.

Only in America, right?

Cheers!!!

Doug
 
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