Politics Sub-Forum

[BambooLounge]

I made this suggestion in the "Site Reorg" thread, but it got buried and it may not have been the correct thread anyway.

The thread title is pretty self explanatory and I think a quick browsing of the Water Cooler and now the Film Forum sub-forums clearly illustrate a need for a Politics sub-forum. The fact that every film from W to TDK to Rambo incites long winded back and forth political ideology discussions is getting to be a bit much. I am all for discussing films and analyzing their message, but the discussions quickly spiral out of control into petty left v. right bickering. Not trying to belittle people's political convictions, but as someone who cares far more about film than politics, it is getting to feel a bit intrusive.

[Gators300]

I concur.

Chris

[cardpetree]

I disagree

[Maxx_75]

Originally Posted by cardpetree

I disagree

I agree with your disagreement. A seperate forum for Political discussion will not have the effect that its promoters wish. It will not keep politics out of the other threads.

[BambooLounge]

Originally Posted by Maxx_75

I agree with your disagreement. A seperate forum for Political discussion will not have the effect that its promoters wish. It will not keep politics out of the other threads.

I believe it would if enforced. Just like people are quick to post a "wrong forum" when people bring up off-topic things in other threads, political discussions would be confined to the Politics sub-forum. I'm sick of discussing a film and having the debate devolve into some pointless, off topic political discussion because someone disagrees with the "message" of the film. Film discussion should be just that, discussion of the film, its "message" should matter only so much as one speaks to the means in, which it was brought forth. Using Rambo as an example, I really don't care if people agree with the message that violence is necessary. That does not make the film better or worse. The script, acting, direction, lighting, etc makes it a better or worse film.

It should not be that hard for people to post in the appropriate forum. Most people seem to be able to do it now with the existing forums, so why would they magically be unable to post political threads and have political debates in a Politics Forum?

[kch2003]

I agree with the OP. It gets annoying when threads turn into Political battles between two extremists.

EXAMPLE: The Iran thread in the H20 Cooler. It quickly became a place where people argued about Iran's politics, instead of discussed the culture which is what the OP intended. Then the MOD's had to go through and split the posts so that the people wanting to discuss the Cultural aspect could actually get a word in.

VERY good idea to create a Political sub-section, especially with the upcoming Pres. Election, it will get a large amount of traffic.

[cardpetree]

The Iran thread was a slap in the face. And then to turn around and make it a bash free Iran thread, that was another slap in the face.

[BambooLounge]

Originally Posted by cardpetree

The Iran thread was a slap in the face. And then to turn around and make it a bash free Iran thread, that was another slap in the face.

Try not to turn this political sub-forum thread into a political thread...thanks.

(MODS: Posts like the one I quoted and those like it are the very reason we need a politics sub-forum. Some people cannot separate their political views from whatever they talk about...please give them a place of their own for the benefit of everyone)

[kch2003]

Originally Posted by BambooLounge

Try not to turn this political sub-forum thread into a political thread...thanks.

(MODS: Posts like the one I quoted and those like it are the very reason we need a politics sub-forum. Some people cannot separate their political views from whatever they talk about...please give them a place of their own for the benefit of everyone)

Exactly, literally the perfect illustration as to why there needs to be a Political sub-forum in the W.C.

[cardpetree]

Originally Posted by kch2003

Exactly, literally the perfect illustration as to why there needs to be a Political sub-forum in the W.C.

I still disagree

[Maxx_75]

Political comments almost always start from current discussions or a link to a news story. For this reason alone the political discussions will always continue in the water cooler where the topics are free flowing.

It isnt constuctive to start dividing up the section of the forum that is already set up to discuss off topic topics.

[BambooLounge]

Originally Posted by Maxx_75

Political comments almost always start from current discussions or a link to a news story. For this reason alone the political discussions will always continue in the water cooler where the topics are free flowing.

It isnt constuctive to start dividing up the section of the forum that is already set up to discuss off topic topics.

Then why not just post those threads into a Politics sub-forum? It makes far more sense. This way things in Film Forum and Water Cooler that are not meant to be political will not become political since political postings will be restricted to one specific place. That is the point of the sub-forum to keep political discussion/debate out of apolitical threads (film reviews, etc)

[Maxx_75]

I sure wouldnt want to have to read every one of those letter length posts in order to mod that forum. Even when I get into the discussion I post a few times and then can bring myself to read it all.

[BambooLounge]

Originally Posted by Maxx_75

I sure wouldnt want to have to read every one of those letter length posts in order to mod that forum. Even when I get into the discussion I post a few times and then can bring myself to read it all.

Moderating the politics forum? It should be no different than moderating any other forum.

As for keeping politics out of where it doesn't belong. I am sure once it is established that there is a place for political discussion, people will report posts and tell people they are in the wrong forum just as much as they already do concerning the other forums.

I fail to see how this is a difficult thing or why any user would be against having seperate forum for political debate. They would still get to say what they want, but just saying it somewhere else. And the majority of users who do not engage in political debate nor care to will be spared having to comb through it or deal with it when we are posting about a film.

If need be, I would be more than willing to accept a compromise that keeps all political discussion (even if tied to a film) in the Water Cooler thread. But, as it stands people post their political beliefs in Review threads, the Film Forum, and anywhere else they can find a place for it. It is annoying.

[JU1CYFRU1T]

It's NOT going to happen. If people want to talk politics... go to a political forum. We are not going to open up a special place for people to discuss politics, because it would just end up being worse than Pandora's Box. People can't control themselves when they talk about their beliefs (political OR religious)... and we aren't going to make a dedicated sub-forum for people to continue the name-calling/fighting.

As for people derailing threads... report them. It's the same as hi-jacking... and won't be tolerated. I am making a note for the moderators to IMMEDIATLY delete posts that attempt to derail threads with politics, and to issue their posters infractions.

I understand that the election is coming, but that is NOT a valid reason to start being A-holes to each other.