"From the FAQ regarding Ultramodern" Topic

Are there any special rules on the Ultramodern Board?
The Ultramodern Board includes discussion of contemporary military events. Politics should be avoided. Advocating for particular sides or factions is not allowed. [NO CHEERLEADING RULE]

Well. How about that. 😄 Not allowed to cheer for Israel, Iran or America. Not allowed to cheer for Ukraine or Russia.
I can also see why my bringing up the Constitution regarding Congress declaring war is bad. Okay. My bad.

want to quote from a book/magazine article/website. Is there a limit to how much I can quote?
Yes. In order to respect possible copyright issues, please quote no more than three paragraphs. [COPYRIGHT RULE]

Just about every thread or topic here on the current… situation in Iran has multiple violations of this one. As one of my professors said once (more than one, actually) "I already know what Aquinas thinks. What do YOU think?" In this day of cut and paste, it's so much easier to cut and paste than to actually summarize. What do YOU think?

See the FAQ, scroll down. Far down.

TMP link

If you see forum rules being broken, hit the Complaint button and we'll take care of it.

Understood. I have been hitting the [!] button, but I also get ignored.
Now that I know you will deal with the problem, I'll continue.
And I hope others do too.

I might add that saying "Iran must not be allowed to have nuclear weapons" is clearly taking sides, and CHEERLEADING.

Bill, you can fix this problem by exempting the war in Iraq from this restriction.
Just put it in the FAQ.

It would also be nice to not keep on getting dinged for politics when I disagree with blatantly political posts.
Fair is fair.
Saying that this "war"* is going fantastic should be just as much "politics" as saying it it is not being handled well. 🤷
I'm not going back to find offending "3 paragraph" violations either. I'll just keep my eyes peeled, like a good hall monitor.

And, I know that there are those who think that I am cheering for … the Bad Guys here. Couldn't be further from the truth. I just want fairness and the rules followed.

John makes a fair point.

Rules ought to be applied consistently, whether it's "cheerleading," political commentary, or simply overlong cut-and-paste quotations. If the standards exist, they should apply equally to everyone, regardless of which side of any current conflict they favour—or which political conclusions they draw from it. Fair complaints, IMO, do get ignored.

That said, I sometimes wonder whether trying to persuade people on matters touching modern American politics is largely a fool's errand. Positions are fixed long before anyone begins typing and what follows is often less a discussion than a ritual exchange of competing certainties. Minds are seldom changed; tempers often are.

Perhaps that is all the more reason to insist on the forum remaining what it is meant to be: a place for informed discussion, civil disagreement, and—ideally—a bit of perspective. We can debate history, military affairs, and even current events without assuming that every disagreement is either bad faith or partisan betrayal.

Fair moderation, consistently applied, is probably the best we can hope for. Convincing the truly convinced of "the truth" is another matter entirely.

Inconsistent moderation on blatant political posting & posturing has driven away many & silences others from contributing to the "normal" TMP boards.

OK – I'll shut up now..

Ochoin + 1

Armand

It is Bill's sandbox … he makes the rules.

If I think something does not look "kosher" I will hit the [!] at times.

Everybody should have the pleasure of a little time in the box … I mean the Dawg Haus. I left a baseball and glove in there for the next occupant. ⚾

It is Bill's sandbox … he makes the rules.

Are you saying that he can ignore the rules in his FAQ? 😱

🤔

"Then I will just say snarky things about them.
Please behave like an adult. It makes the forum unpleasant when you indulge in mocking irreverence and sarcasm. [SNARK RULE]"

So would that cover someone who consistently:

Questions someone's education, compared to their own education?
Offers to correct their spelling?
Offers to help with the rewriting of their posts?
Belittles their use of English?
Could add more examples, but won't.

Also would saying something like: "The US is a bunch of losers" be considered a "group attack"?

Legion +1

Are you saying that he can ignore the rules in his FAQ? 😱

I didn't say that … you may be alluding to that ? 🤔🤨

Sometimes in may be smart to play dumb … 😎😏🤦‍♂️

My totally reasonable suggestion is put the Ultramodern Board on a "Time Out" for 180 days to give all involved a cool-down period.

This is, after all, a forum for gaming. And none of the posts on this Board have anything to do with gaming.

Or, failing that, put the board on Moderation.

Either way the problem is solved and all parties can move on.

Honestly Stone, I have no issue with Bill doing that. No discussions of the Ukraine, Iran or anything going on in the last 20 years.

Although somehow, it would worm its way into posts in other venues. I'd put money on it.

Gaming on Ultramodern is in another Forum…

Armand

I have been hitting the [!] button, but I also get ignored.

Never ignored, but we may disagree with you.

I might add that saying "Iran must not be allowed to have nuclear weapons" is clearly taking sides

I don't think there is anything partisan or political about that. It's a position which can be debated. Just debate it without making it all about certain politicians.

Saying that this "war"* is going fantastic should be just as much "politics" as saying it it is not being handled well. 🤷

Neither is political, unless you make it political by adding unnecessary commentary.

I'm not going back to find offending "3 paragraph" violations either

Every one of your complaints has been handled. Posts have been trimmed. People have been reminded about the rules.

I just want fairness and the rules followed.

And we just want you to keep your politics to yourself. Debate the war, don't bring in what you think of particular politicians.

Rules ought to be applied consistently…

And I remind you that the staff editors have little awareness of the politics you speak of. Unless you mean Philippine politics.