Off-Topic/Politics

[Muhammad]

Recently I've noticed a couple threads about politics, and just as a note, I'd like everyone who participates in the off-topic forum here to keep a few things in mind relating to these threads.

- Remember that politics as a topic is among the touchiest subjects and can easily make for a heated discussion. I know that most members here don't have a problem getting along and discussing almost any subject in an intelligent way, but with a topic as based on opinions as politics, disagreement is going to happen and how you take a comment or remark may not be as the author intended, and can spiral into a less than respectful disagreement.

- Politics is basically as far from tractors as you can get. I'd rather not see the off-topic forum become over-populated by discussions about politics and possibly drive users not interested in discussing politics, from reading or contributing to the off-topic forum. Not to say there are too many threads about it now, but considering the almost endless possibilities in political discussions, it's something I'll watch in terms of popularity and dominance of the forum.

I'm not going to remove the political threads, but I would like to see them stay intelligent and adhere to the forum terms of use for basic guidelines, and also not increase in number to the point that we're beating any and all political subjects to death here on a tractor forum. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Thanks...

 

[Bird]

Amen!

Bird

 

[john4nh]

Bird, now you bring in religion!!

Just kidding

 

[dass]

Well , Bird , we have to agree with the MAN ! But while we're on the subject ,I would rather they keep that tax refund than raid S.S.funds and..........OOPS...SORRY.....won't happen again ! dass

 

[jimmoore]

I agree Tass! The social security fund is grandmas' cookie jar for all the politicians!

jim

 

[MarkV]

Thanks Muhammad, I agree.

 

[RichS]

Thanks. Wholeheartedly Agree.

Rich S.

 

[RichZ]

Well said, Muhammad!!

Rich

 

[LazyK]

Thank you, Webmaster. Let's not forget the one about the Republican JD talking to the Democrat legislator from Kobota.....(bad jest late in the thread)

Lazy K - Chip

 

[Hillbilly]

Well said Muhamaad!!!!!!!!.......
What was that you said??
Just kidding.......

 

[TBone]

I couldn't agree more Muhammed. After all this forum is "Off topic and just for fun". Thanks-TBone

 

[glennmac]

Phooey, I say.

Someone has to disagree with this, so I will. Politics is "as far from tractors as you can get"? Doesn't seem any further to me than fireflies, the speed of light, recipes or dogs.

Well, maybe the real vice is that politics is "touchy". I don't think so. Everyone in America talks about politics, everywhere; it's part of being a citizen. I think hunting vs. animal rights, for example, is touchier because people take those issues as principled parts of their lives. Everyone realizes that politics is BS to some degree, no matter who you like or don't like politically.

Besides, no one here is going to be motivated to post on local or even state political events. It is only when a national political event becomes "big news" that people start to discuss it here--like Clinton's impeachment, the presidential election, and Condit.

And, finally, my coup de gras argument: the interest in Clinton and Condit is not about politics ... it's "just about ***". We know that because CNN and the New York Times have told us so.

 

[TerryinMD]

Here, Here.....

Bravo to you glennmac.

It is an interesting commentary on our times. I'm old enough to remember Eisenhower to our current President. I never have seen people so riled up as to the last President. This is from both sides!! The passions run high.

What I find most interesting is how the message subject "drifts". Sometimes we lose sight of the original subject posting. Just a passing observation.

 

[Phred]

Muhammad,

I am sure that well all understand your concerns and none of us want's to scare folks away. However, some of us enjoy talking with people that have common interests about politics.

How about a "Politics" section. Maybe call it "Tractor Politics" /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif. You could have a warning for those with thin skins.
In this way those that enjoy this (which seems like a large number) can participate and the rest can ignore / avoid.

Thanks for all your hard work, we all appreciate the forum.

Fred

 

[MChalkley]

Muhammad - I can see from your post that you really think highly of the members of TractorByNet. To glibly request that all comments on politics be kept "intelligent" has got to be one of the greatest compliments in the world. I know I don't qualify. I didn't even know it was possible... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I suppose this is the kind of comment you were talking about though, wasn't it? /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Oh, for that matter, so nobody misunderstands, maybe I should throw these in too: /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

I'll never forget how I once made a very disparaging remark about typical elected county officials (I had my reasons...), only to find out later that one of guys who was participating a lot at the time and whose comments I really enjoyed and respected turned out to be, guess what, an elected county official. He never held it against me, which clearly told me that he deserved to be something much better than an elected county official. (Oops, I did it again... /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif)

MarkC