Let's tone down the America / War topics and get back on track

Simon

Further to this topic:

Suggestion: Should we stop threads discussing America?

I have decided that it may be better if we call a halt to the topics about America and the War in general.

There is more background info in that topic but the key points are:

All these topics are distracting from the main purpose of the board. It is supposed to be about "JWs" and allow people with a common post to get together, get support, share information and so on. It isn't intended as a politcal forum.
I know people make friends and post what interests them and I've prpvided forums for this but the war stuff has really taken over to an excessive degree. Reading some of the things posted has made me angry and I suspect others too.
While there are forums like "current affairs" I think the focus should be how things relate to JWs. For instance, how will the war affect the WTS's interpretation and slant on things? Will it make people doubt all they've been told about what's "coming soon" and so on.
People have proved that not everyone is capable of discussing rationally and civily and I think enough friendships have been broken or fractured over all this which again, is not what I want to see.

I don't expect to have an outright ban and big news can of course still get a mention but I think we can all cut-down on the number of posts made on this subject and just agree to disagree for now otherwise I can see it going on forever (probably longer than the war itself knowing us).

I know some people will not like this and have enjoyed the topics and maybe the strong debate but I hope you will cooperate in trying to tone things down. I won't lock the threads and do not intend to delete new ones as I'm sure a polite request will work.

I'd still of course be interested to hear your thoughts on this decision ... few decisions are ever really "final" so if you think I'm being mad, please let me know.

Mulan

I haven't read many of those threads because my view of the war is not the popular view. But, it's my view.

I really think we should be able to say what we believe here, without everyone jumping all over us, because they disagree. Just my thoughts.

oldcrowwoman

I personally don't read politics and war threads. I have no desire to engage in them. I have my own personal feelings on these matters .

One thing I do know the press and media does'nt share the whole story and not knowing if we are getting the full truth. As my own personal experiences with the press and the media stretch the stories or add their own flavor. I work in level 1 trauma center ER. Hear or read its changed when taking care of people in disaster situations knowing what the truth is. So I take the media and press with a grain of salt. Whether its locally or world wide. So whats being reported is not always the gospel truth!

May be there are different forums to engage in politics discussion. I realize theirs the freedom of speech.

Is there specific guidelines on the forum what is discussed? Maybe the boundaries need to be re-established? Food for thought.

Maybe a special place on the forum for politics. I don't know.?

Beings we live in the land of the free. Maybe have people have the opportunity to vote on this matter. And everyone has the opportunity to voice their opinion! A thought!

.OCW

nowisee

dear simon,

i just wanted to let you know that i agree with both mulan and oldcrowwoman.

i too have avoided these threads for the mostpart for the same reason that i don't watch "firing line", "the ricky lake show" or the "jerry springer show"..... no matter how valid or invalid the arguments are i really hate to watch people yelling at each other. i mean, life is just too short.

that being said, it is too bad you felt forced to speak out like this. i am sure that it was not an easy choice for you to make. i am not for enforced censorship, but i am all for voluntary censorship. certain things should just not be said or done for the sake of everyone's good, but it really should be voluntary. i didn't realize that people were getting hurt and friendships damaged. too bad, so sad.

anyway, that's all. i appreciate this forum very much, it has already helped me immensely, i have learned from it, and in just one month have made some very good friends.

my best wishes to you,

nowisee

gitasatsangha

That would be best. This board can help a lot of people.

Still.. as a person on the Left, I am absolutey tired of having rightwingers equate those of us with divergent political view from they as similar to the WTBS.

xenawarrior

I agree that things have gotten out of control. One of the things I read today was that folks shouldn't take things as "insulting". My thought on that is- why don't people write things in a way which isn't insulting instead of asking folks to not be insulted by what they read? It's not that difficult !!!

I'm not talking about all of the things written. I'm talking about the many things which have been posted - from both sides which could be considered by any reasonable person as insulting.

It is simply not that difficult to take time when posting and think about the audience and how the words will fall on them. IMO, it's simple common courtesy!!!

IMO statements such as this from gitashtangha are just plain unneccessary:

It just happens that the bloodthirsty wannakillababy warmongers are a bit wrong about the whole thing.

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/50026/2.ashx

This may be how he/she feels but is it necessary to post this kind of crap? No, it's not and it's inciteful and serves absolutely no purpose at all except that his/her true feelings get to be expressed at the potential expense of another poster. Nothing was said to him/her about this statement.

Not every thought or feeling about an issue needs to be expressed. It's about restraint and tact. It is entirely possible to have a debate about both sides of an issue no matter what it is and even to have it heated without getting so ugly and insulting in the process.

Without that common courtesy being exercised it becomes a free for all and then someone has to decide who was wrong and that is where things get really muddied. Then it becomes a matter of perception about words already written and all of that is sifted through the belief system of whoever is judging it at the time. It's a no-win situation and for as much as I might disagree with Simon's perspective on world issues, this is an awful tightrope to walk.

My 135 cents

XW

Farkel

Simon,

Now that the war has turned in the way that you, and others like you, including Communists didn't like it to turn, you now want to muffle discussion about it?

Well, that makes sense: the naysayers get bashed by the facts, so they want to change the subject and suggest that the subject they debated (and lost) got trashed by the reality of this war they thought they were smart enough to predict.

Well, fine and dandy. Change the subject when people like you are found to be woefully wrong. It's your board.

Long after you and I are buried, Blair will be written in the history books as a great and fearless leader.

Remember, Simon: Winston Churchill was hated after WWII. Try to keep things in historical perspective.

Blair and Bush (and vice versa) are making major and positive history here. I'm sorry some people are so narrow-minded that they cannot see it.

I just make music. Want some more?

Cheers Mate, er Bloke! (I'm not multi-lingual). Bloody good! er, nice job! Hell, I have no business talking with someone who doesn't have a common language with me!

Farkel

Uzzah

Farkel:

Just my opinion, but in your post above, you are being an ass.

Stick to Jdub topics and blowing away the tower. Stick to your music.

You have had enough battles with forum owners rather than having this unnecessary one over a political battle.

Just my opinion.

Uzzah

Xena

so just the war or anything thing to do with the war? does that include politics? of any type?

just looking for clairification....not trying to be a smart ass (for a change)

gitasatsangha

Xenawarrior, I can tell you were a good witness at one point, because you have quoted me completely out of context. How does it fel being back in the saddle again?

Let's tone down the America / War topics and get back on track

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