This forum has survived and indeed thrived for many years, without the need for heavy handed interventions. Politics has been aired, and if necessary posts removed, without the need for blanket bans. We are at risk of just encouraging blandness, and the loss of some established posters will lead to a loss of the expertise which sets this forum apart.
I concur 100%. It seems that some are intentona path which will leave the forum as dull and bland as they are.
Thankfully, I do have the option of the ignore button, which I am going to use. I may miss some useful contributions, but at least I can avoid some of the rude, unpleasant and unnecessary comments. I think @Dovefromabove’s comment is particularly appropriate.
Hard for those of us who aren't constantly on the forum to always know what has been removed, when and on what thread. The number of complaints/queries seem to now be a daily occurrence and the forum has obviously altered. I disagree with the way the apparent political censorship is going but I also don't think the personal comments aimed at others are particularly helping. One may well disagree with various posts/POV's but stating your disagreement in such terms as some of the above only gives mods/censors more ammunition. Equally so, some posts which give the distinct impression of telling others what to think and how to behave and react to situations can also be extremely patronising as well as becoming contentious. My personal opinion only of course but I have the impression there are a few out there who would more or less agree with what is going on. It would be a pity if the forum closed down altogether but at this rate, it's certainly heading that way.
Hmm … as someone who is prepared to use the forum as the editor has requested … I’m a bit miffed to be considered dull and bland … I thought folk knew me better than that … 🤔
As I’ve said before … can we please stop insulting folk … not everyone has the hide of a rhinoceros.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Hmm … as someone who is prepared to use the forum as the editor has requested … I’m a bit miffed to be considered dull and bland … I thought folk knew me better than that … 🤔
Clearly something has happened which has caused those managing the forums to come out with the 'No politics' directive. As others have said, we've managed for a long time to agree to disagree on many subjects, without action being taken by 'those on high'. I have unfortunately seen a slide to much more in the way of personal attacks, and those whose views differ from another effectively being accused of being fascists.
The easy answer for me would be to have a politics only sub-forum/category that doesn't show up on the new posts feed. Easy to avoid for anyone who doesn't want to look at politics. Lets face it, we as a self-moderating group largely banned discussing Brexit and Politics from chat threads and asked that they stay in their own threads.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
surely anything with the word Politics in the title, is easy enough to avoid if one is such a delicate flower that folk having an opinion different to you is too much to handle? It's worked for years
I’d say that Covid, which had a thread at the beginning of the outbreak, also had political comments in it regarding how the government was handling it. It wasn’t banned even though political issues were raised.
In a similar way to what you’re suggesting @wildedges why not have a members only section which many online forums do. You have to be a registered, signed in member to view. A politics thread could be in there along with anything which could be regarded as even vaguely controversial.
Posts
It seems that some are intentona path which will leave the forum as dull and bland as they are.
I think @Dovefromabove’s comment is particularly appropriate.
I disagree with the way the apparent political censorship is going but I also don't think the personal comments aimed at others are particularly helping. One may well disagree with various posts/POV's but stating your disagreement in such terms as some of the above only gives mods/censors more ammunition. Equally so, some posts which give the distinct impression of telling others what to think and how to behave and react to situations can also be extremely patronising as well as becoming contentious. My personal opinion only of course but I have the impression there are a few out there who would more or less agree with what is going on.
It would be a pity if the forum closed down altogether but at this rate, it's certainly heading that way.
As I’ve said before … can we please stop insulting folk … not everyone has the hide of a rhinoceros.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
It's worked for years