Is an effort going to be made to stop political threads in Hot Topics?

[jizzeater]

Sorry to be a pain in the ass, but I figure I'll make one last attempt here. This needs to stop. Warnings and/or bannings need to be handed out. metta being the prime offender. The worst part is, he doesn't even comment on the story, just spams the forum with political links.

[star-warrior]

Political threads do get moved over to the CE&P forum, sometimes, they do have stories that are newsworthy and might be of interest to the wider public. If so, they may remain for a little while before moved off to sink or float in the politics area.

[jizzeater]

So, is it okay if I post 5 threads a day with one link each from Drudge, Fox News Channel, the Cato Institute, etc., bashing President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, or Harry Reid?

I just want to know what level of trolling is acceptable, to ensure I have equal treatment when stirring up trouble over there.

[star-warrior]

Like I said, they get moved eventually, there are times when mods are either busy doing other things or plain not on-line.

I think we have to take the good with the bad, remember the anti-bush threads a while back? It seems (from my point of view as a Brit member) that the forum's politics is dominated by American 2 party polarisation. JUB reflects a broad spectrum of political views, agreements, and differences of opinions. This allows for much heated debate, not all of which I really understand being a non-american. However, the thing is to report the posts, and the mods on at the time will assess it, and move it if necessary.

The post reporting link is to the lower left of each and every post. It helps to alert us, and is a private communication between the person posting the report and the moderation team.

[jizzeater]

It seems (from my point of view as a Brit member) that the forum's politics is dominated by American 2 party polarisation.

The forum is dominated by one side of that polarization, and manifests itself as silly Republican-bashing. It seems to me these threads are allowed because they are "preaching to the choir". Provocative political threads shouldn't be allowed just because the vocal majority agrees with them. Enforce the rules even-handedly across the board.

How is this thread, a link to an old video, a "Hot Topic"? How is it even a mature opinion on politics, or informative in any way? It's just insulting, and a clear attempt to bash.

Tea Bagging
http://www.justusboys.com/forum/showthread.php?t=319537

As for the mods being busy, it would be easy and effective to give warnings. If you send a clear message that these threads won't be tolerated, I'm confident it will stop. As it stands right now, the perception is the mods/admins don't really mind them. Put a sticky up, if necessary.

[TriBi]

Well - that thread was pretty much taken to task by the members themselves - and even the OP participated in the subsequent 'put down' from what I can see.

One benefit of a Forum like JUB is that very often member 'self moderation' does occur - and when it does so in this way the best course of action is often just to leave it. This particular thread spanned not much more than 1 day - and was made fun of in HT. Would you really have wanted that to go into CE&P - and likely have dragged on into a protracted useless argument? I would have thought not.

Also, as per the point made by SW - we cannot possibly read every single thread in each and every forum. If you do report something it will be looked at and discussed - that does not mean to say that we will action it if it is agreed that there is no real point in doing so (for whatever reason - and there can be many).

[jizzeater]

Well - that thread was pretty much taken to task by the members themselves - and even the OP participated in the subsequent 'put down' from what I can see.

I don't know how you arrived at that conclusion. The thread went nowhere and only mustered jokes because it was an old topic and no one took the bait. The point is, it's a political troll thread and doesn't belong in Hot Topics.

Do a search of metta's threads, and you'll find political threads posted to HT every day. Is that acceptable? I want to know if this is going to be allowed. If it is, I want some reassurance that I will be treated equally when I start spamming HT with controversial threads from the other side. We can enforce the rules and treat people fairly by keeping politics in the proper forum, or we can let this blow up into a political war on HT.

I'm not going to report threads, because I know that will just be ignored. Plus, it's not my responsibility. If you lack the resources to enforce board rules, then do as I suggested and make a sticky or give warnings/bannings. Other rules get enforced very quickly, from what I've seen.

[jackoroe]

Jizzeater, I understand your apparent frustration with political issues showing up in HT from time to time. But understand that there may be a Hot Topic that is also political in nature.

Some of the examples that you've cited wouldn't be permitted in CE&P because of the lack of commentary by the OP. We don't allow posting of a video, a story or a picture without some time of context or commentary. CE&P is designed to be a more thoughtful area for substantive discussions. I know it doesn't always work out that way, but we do our best to see that it does.

HT is a more flexible forum in that members have far more latitude in the subject matter being discussed. I've seen dozens of threads on toilet habits that aren't exactly a hot topic, but we allow it because somebody thinks it important.

TriBi is correct as it relates to self-modding of HT. The members do a fairly good job of either reeling in other members who go too far or simply not participating in threads they deem irrelevant. Given the number of posts in HT, we get very few complaints.

But all of that having been said, I'll make it a point to check in there more often and do what I can.

[jizzeater]

Jizzeater, I understand your apparent frustration with political issues showing up in HT from time to time. But understand that there may be a Hot Topic that is also political in nature.

I agree there are some marginally political topics that are acceptable in HT, such as news about the gay marriage case or gay rights in general, but spamming controversial links, as I said before, doesn't add anything and is meant only to bash the other side and stir people up. This is a near daily occurrence, not "from time to time".

Some of the examples that you've cited wouldn't be permitted in CE&P because of the lack of commentary by the OP. We don't allow posting of a video, a story or a picture without some time of context or commentary. CE&P is designed to be a more thoughtful area for substantive discussions. I know it doesn't always work out that way, but we do our best to see that it does.

Then just lock the thread, or preferably, delete it.

[bankside]

Never mind.

[LittleDove]

Or, you could not look at something you don't want to look at.

[jizzeater]

Or people could follow the rules and you could mind your own business. Why are you replying to this? These threads are meant for the mods and admins.

[Corny]

no .. this forum is open for everybody to participate - we won't limit the feedback just to one person because he/she started the thread. if you want a private discussion with mods/admins there is always the "ask the moderators" forum.

[jizzeater]

Well, all that person's feedback was was a bitchy attempt to limit my feedback. Now, since you're here, why don't you weigh in on the subject at hand? I see you on HT all the time.

[Corny]

the others already said the important bits - ce&p is for the deeper on-topic discussions, you may also discuss politcal things that are of a general interest in HT - but it is possible that we move it.
if you overdo it, and we think it hurts the flow of the forum, we might start to get a bit more proactive. but usually our members are pretty quick to raise their voice when they think that you just dump links and create threats senselessly - if you observed HT recently, there has been a prime example for that.
but in this case, it seems that it's mainly you who is annoyed by it.

[jizzeater]

but in this case, it seems that it's mainly you who is annoyed by it.

I'm a loudmouth who isn't afraid to speak up when I see something that is wrong. For every one person who complains there are usually a bunch more who feel the same, but don't speak up. In this case, there are others who have complained.

This thread was in HT originally, and was only moved after we bitched about it (I wasn't the first). Read #53 and #67. http://www.justusboys.com/forum/showthread.php?t=318923

As I said, this message board has a little bit of a political bias, so it's no wonder that you're not seeing a huge outcry. But, there are still some of us minority members here who get tired of constant bashing. I avoid responding for several reasons, board harmony being the main one, and it would be nice if the mods would enforce the rules to make that easier.

[Corny]

and there is nothing wrong with speaking up - that's what this forum is about. if something bugs enough people it usually needs one person to make a start, but so far there is not much to see. and usually it's the other way around - there are only a few, loud complaining people while the rest doesn't mind or care

this board doesn't have a bias - the members do. we don't care how they taint there threads or links .. and just because we have ce&p it doesn't mean that any kind of poltical thread is "verboten" in HT - as jackoroe pointed out there is a different "climate" in ce&p and it appeals to a somewhat different audience.

[jizzeater]

this board doesn't have a bias - the members do.

It's my suspicion that the members and moderators do (mods are members, after all). The questions I posed, which still haven't been answered, are:

Am I allowed to spam links from conservative websites? If so, what is the limit? I want to make sure I am allowed to do what is apparently okay for others to do. If there is no bias here, I won't be punished or have my threads moved.

we don't care how they taint there threads or links .. and just because we have ce&p it doesn't mean that any kind of poltical thread is "verboten" in HT - as jackoroe pointed out there is a different "climate" in ce&p and it appeals to a somewhat different audience.

As I said, I don't expect every thread that skirts political issues to be dealt with. There are general interest political topics that aren't simply partisan attacks.

As for jackoroe's point: "CE&P is designed to be a more thoughtful area for substantive discussion". That should apply to every political thread. Thus, if it isn't fit for CE&P, it shouldn't be allowed, IMO. If a political thread isn't "substantive" and "thoughtful", there is a high risk it will blow up into a fight and "hurt the flow of the forum".

There's a reason for that old saying "never discuss politics or religion in polite company". Controversial topics have a way of dividing people who would otherwise be friendly. I would like to avoid having the HT environment poisoned. On the other hand, it is difficult not to be tempted to respond to these threads.

[bankside]

The old saying is in fact, never discuss politics, religion, or sex in polite company. This is JustUsBoys.

I think you're fighting an uphill battle.

If I might add, addressing someone by name when you disagree with them and want to debate them seems fair whether it is in CE&P, Hot Topics, or even Site Help & Feedback.

Addressing someone by name when you want to talk about them and their posting history to other people is either best not done, or confined to the Ask The Moderators forum.

Don't you think?

[jizzeater]

Now, see, this is a perfect example of what I'm talking about: http://www.justusboys.com/forum/showthread.php?t=320842 No commentary, just a copy & paste thread. Spamming links that bash Fox News and that stir up controversy. You've got replies from both sides and a ripe situation to start a political fight in HT.

Here in CE&P, you have sticky guidelines against this, and that's a political forum where people are given fair warning about not being for the faint of heart:

Please do not use the forum as a news ticker. It is reasonable to assume that members have access to their own news sources. Failing to provide appropriate commentary or disregarding copyright laws may result in deletion of your post(s) and/or additional sanctions.

http://www.justusboys.com/forum/showthread.php?t=219426

If it's not allowed there, it shouldn't be allowed anywhere. Why is it against the rules over there? Maybe because it's annoying, pointless, and clutters that forum? Add in the issue of creating partisan strife on a forum not intended for that, and you have the reasons I'm complaining about it happening on HT.

A mod also edited the OP on the thread, so I know it has been seen.

[Corny]

Here in CE&P, you have sticky guidelines against this, and that's a political forum where people are given fair warning about not being for the faint of heart:

If it's not allowed there, it shouldn't be allowed anywhere.

And this is where you are wrong.

Just because you are not allowed to post pics of some pornstar in "show yourself off" that doesn't mean that you can't post them elsewhere.
CE&P is it's own forum with additional rules that extend the CoC. it does not define rules for any other forum.
i, again, recommend to read jackoroes post in this thread.

[jizzeater]

I've read jackoroe's post. I quoted from jackoroe's post.

Since you aren't going to see things my way, just answer my questions and I'll go about my business.

[jackoroe]

Jizzeater, you've been provided as good an explanation as we can give you. If you're asking permission to troll, that request is denied.

We've explained that there are differing standards for many of the forums here in JUB. For example, we don't allow flaming on the Health and Well Being forum. Using your logic, it should be allowed there because we allow it to a degree at HT. Do you see where that logic falls flat?

I'm sorry if we don't see things your way, but we have established rules and procedures that have been serving JUB pretty well over the years. Again, we'll keep an eye on HT and make sure that which can be suitably moved to CE&P, does find it's way there.

Thanks for taking the time to bring this issue to our attention.

[Jayden]

Some people are to afraid to post in c&p. So they post their 15 threads a day in HT. Its way to much and half that shit is just trolling. There are some that just post to post. Its always the same crap, dadt, or gays getting married etc. Do we really need an update when some judge sneezes in court? I have to agree with JE on this one.
Some of these daily posters are over doing it and should be asked to post this nonsense in c&p. And thats my opinion.