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

by Simon 59 Replies latest forum announcements

• 

  xenawarrior

  git:

  sorry- you are wrong. I never was a witness. So your attempt to insult me is a lost one.

  And it doesn't matter what the context of those words were, IMO. They simply aren't necessary to make a point of any kind.

  XW
• 

  Angharad

  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?

  I'm sorry Farkel, but that statement is absolute rubbish. Simon has clearly stated the reasons for this request but you have chosen to ignore them and put your own spin on it. Much like others people are constatenly putting their own spin on the reasoning behind the yellow ribbon thread. How many times and how clearly does Simon has to state his reasoning for a decision/request with out it getting twisted to suit other people and make him look like the bad guy/unreasonable/ biased forum owner.

  These threads have continually got out of hand on both sides, and then its Simon who is looked to, to sort it out but no matter what he does or doesnt do he is being unfair. Also another reason for limiting these threads to a few main ones is that, with post like these all over the board it is just not possible to read everything especially when the thread gets to 6 ,7 pages and we get complaints because somthing someones said has not been acted on.

  Just because he has been vocal about his feelings, people seem to think him incapable of making a decision based on facts / circumstances and not what his own opinions are - that in itself is insulting.
• 

  Englishman

  This is a tricky one. I appreciate that it would be good if we were all more civil to one another, but I don't know if this is the way to go about it. I suspect that the subject of the war is ready to peter out of it's own accord anyway, it'll evolve into lot's of minor discussions about nationalistic issues and gradually fizzle out.

  I appreciate Simon's good intentions though.

  Englishman.
• 

  Simon

  xenawarrior: exagurations like that have been said on both sides and none of them are fair or welcome. Calling people blood-thristy war-mongers is just as insulting as calling someone a saddam-loving commie. The point is, people on both sides have thrown insults about. Neither are welcome.

  Farkel: (shaking my head)

  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.

  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.

  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!

  This takes the biscuit ... I suggest you have a look at the topics I posting in similar ilk and would be interested if you think the timing of those "favoured" pro or anti war peolpe as you try and make out.: 22 Mar - Some important rules for "war" topics 24-Mar - Would it be better to have a halt to war topics ? Trying to claim there is some sort of timing to me doing this is stretching it somewhat Farkel ... or were you envisaging having the forum used for some sort of victory parade?
• 

  Simon

  This is a tricky one. I appreciate that it would be good if we were all more civil to one another, but I don't know if this is the way to go about it. I suspect that the subject of the war is ready to peter out of it's own accord anyway, it'll evolve into lot's of minor discussions about nationalistic issues and gradually fizzle out.

  I agree that it would be good if people could be civil and discuss things properly but some people have demonstrated time and time again that they can't. People seem to go out of their way both to cause offense and to be offended. I've had messages thanking me for dicussing things civily and saying how much they enjoy the debate only for them to complain behind my back a few days later. Also, also I've had people demanding other posters are deactivating for nothing more that expressing a low opinion of George Bush!

  I can't see the war thing fizzling out that soon as it will drag on for some time at a lower intensity (like Afghanistan) and eventually become "un-newsworthy" and not get the publicity (like Afghanistan). The topics will just become less focused on specific events and more on generalities of "views of foreigners" and such like which is potentially more dangerous. It's easy to debate facts but opinions are a bit more difficult.

  I'm not intending to censor anything and havn't so far contrary to some people's claims - I have been fair to both sides. I do find it annoying that given how free I've been allowing people to post things (some god-damn insulting crap sometimes) that the same people turn round and complain that I am not letting them have their say and am favouring the other side.

  I will not stand by and see people bully others into feeling that they cannot express their opinions either because they get blasted or because they are afraid to upset people who are being vocally over-sensitive. For this reason, I sometimes play devils advocate.
• 

  blondie

  I will just say that I work with about 45 people. I know that they do not all agree on what is happening. But we do not talk about it by our own choice because we are there to work for our employer not discuss politics, the war, etc. We have other "political" issues that are more directly affecting us, such as keeping our jobs, not losing our health insurance, not paying large increases in taxes, wondering if SARS is going to spread in our area, etc.

  This is a site for people to talk about their issues with JWs and the WTS, at least I thought it was. I'm sad to see that some have been hurt over this.

  Blondie
• 

  El Kabong

  One thing that saddens me is how some posters call other posters stupid, moron, dumbasses, no brains, and other nasty comments just because they don't agree with them on this war. It saddens me because we got out of the Society where your personal opinion couldn't be expressed on any topic. (Unless you were an elder or elders wife of course). Of course the people on this board are going to have all sorts of different opinions. But, IMHO, there are the few "verbal bullies" who make it impossible for other less vocal posters to express their opinion, either pro or con, on this subject.
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  Pleasuredome

  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?

  peace for america and the world! and we all lived happily ever after. yes all those that didnt want war all hoped that this war would turn into a nuclear holocaust or another vietnam.
• 

  wednesday

  i think Brother Farkel has a very good point. The americans and Brits have done a good thing, but we certainly don't want to give them credit for it by discussing it now-do we?A blind person could see there is an anti-american bias to the discussions.

  edited to add, my feelings of there being bias to the discussions, are not directed to any one individual.it is a general statement.
• 

  bittersweet

  Can't we all just get along?

  Simon, I'm all for toning down the America / War topics ( not that I read them anyway ). It tends to get too heated, and people get their feelings hurt.

  I came here because it is a forum for people who have issues with the WTBS, and it has been a great help to me. If people can discuss the war and how it may affect the org., or the people in it, that's one thing. But the continuous bickering over who's right and who's wrong, is getting a bit tedious.

  I also think it's great that you are getting everyones opinion on the matter. As forum administrator, you could just block these threads. I for one appreciate the fact that you are willing to discuss the matter, and get others input on it.