"Allow Politics on TMP Forums?" Topic

Where's my ZardoZ option?

We are surrounded by politics because the media is constantly in our face.
A Code of Conduct over vague political restrictions would be better.
Followed by a Code Duello utilising the rarest and most expensive weapons which must be paid for by the participants.

I'm at something of a loss as to why Fox News and MSNBC are even mentioned on a miniatures site.

I would make every Board except Ultramodern a "Politics Free Zone".
Bloviate all you want there about O and T.
Elsewhere, 20 days in the DH. Although why anyone would wNt to drag Hillary into a Biplanes discussion is beyond me.

What do politics have to do with miniatures?
There are thousands of sites that you can go on and
chat/rant about politics, but very few about the miniatures hobby. Why the need to discuss it here is beyond me.

+1 D6 Junkie (even if the D6 is far inferior to the D10)

No politics, please, says this extreme fiscal conservative… But be fair about it. No protecting some while pillorying others.

You are discussing politics all the time anyway so why not. To mis-quote Clausewitz:

(Miniature) War is not an independent phenomenon, but the continuation of politics by different means.
Carl von Clausewitz

:-)

No. People get too angry and take politics ( like religion) too personally. Heck, look how angry folks get over dissing their favorite rules or the location of HMGS conventions.

So why do people who get irrationally angry over stuff get the "Heckler's Veto"?

YouTube link

What he said…

Folks know I like to argue politics. Heck, I like to argue.

I went to an argument clinic the other day and got overcharged as I was looking for a good argument and the rep was only providing me with an argument. But I digress…

I'd be fine with politics allowed / bad behavior not allowed (i.e. I could state what either sides position was and point to things as to why one side was right and the other less so, but do it without editorializing) but the net gain of allowing it would be far outweighed by the animosity those discussions bring out and puts the editorial staff in the position of calling balls and strikes. Just like the umpires, there will be blown calls, missed calls, and the feeling that you are getting nailed while someone else is getting the home team calls.

So, although I'd LIKE it to be here, I don't see it as workable and would vote no.

What do politics have to do with miniatures?

Typically nothing. Problem is this, despite the title, is not "Just The Miniatures Page" even though that discussion has taken place more than once in my many years here. Bill has chosen to have boards that have at best, tangential connections to gaming and even those often are a fertile ground for non-gaming posts whether they are political or not. But in each case of discussion, Bill has made it clear that he wants to keep the other boards here because folks like them.

There are other sites like Lead Adventure Forum, Wargames Website, and game (company) (type) (by name) sites and Yahoo Group sites that strictly enforce the no politics rule, and you may need to supplement your "gaming discussion fix" on those.

There is a difference between talking about politics and having a political discussion. The former is an inherent part of talking about wargames, which embody war, which is inherently political. The latter is taking sides on the morality of action.

… but the net gain of allowing it would be far outweighed by the animosity those discussions bring out and puts the editorial staff in the position of calling balls and strikes. Just like the umpires, there will be blown calls, missed calls, and the feeling that you are getting nailed while someone else is getting the home team calls.

Well-put, Terrement. My sentiments exactly.

I say no. I wish that we COULD have it that way, but I just don't see it as practical. Even if it means everybody has to stay after class because of the actions of a few cloacae.

My point has always been that if the Editorial staff is not going to enforce the rule fairly there should be no rule at all.

fair?
not likely to happen.
Surrender Dorothy!!

TMP has been more pleasant recently than it has in recent memory. I'd like to keep it that way. So for me, NO WAY!

I agree with John the OFM…unless it gets me Dawg Housed. Timely, fair and balanced, moderation would be a wonderful thing.

I agree with Who Asked This Joker, TMP has become a friendlier place without the politics. If I want politics, I can visit Facebook.

TMP has been more pleasant recently than it has in recent memory.

Don't get over to the Ultra-Modern board much.

We have "The Blue Fez" for a reason.

For 9.99 a month, I'll offer a service where you can tell me what you believe, then I'll explain why it's stupid and awful and why YOU specifically are the cancer that is going to be the downfall of the Roman empire.

Winston I agree that "in theory" we could all act like adults. But the real world seems to not follow that theory.

Don't get over to the Ultra-Modern board much.

Or at all. Modern and Ultra Modern don't come up in my feed so I remain blissfully unaware.

Please, no politics. There are only a handful of good wargaming forums but there's a whole World Wide Web full of politics.

My point has always been that if the Editorial staff is not going to enforce the rule fairly there should be no rule at all.

What makes you think it isn't?

The crowd appears to have spoken. Hopefully we don't get repeat polls until the "right" answer comes up.

How about the third choice – No politics AND bad behavior gets punished?

There is no such thing as a civil debate about politics. So allowing politics to be discussed on TMP would be a de facto acceptance of uncivil conduct.

So what's the choice?

Not only no, but Hell no!

The UM board proves that politics is already de facto allowed on TMP, but it still shouldn't be permitted officially since this would "invite" partisan politics and personal attacks. Bad behavior and politics often go hand-in-hand, unfortunately.