Is it time to get rid of the politics Mega Thread

7upfree

Bards wrote: »

The main reason for setting up this poll was to point out the unfairness of the Waterford City Forum. originally the mods set up the Mega Thread to calm down Waterford City Forum (which I think has served it's purpose) for a few months, but to think this censorship has gone on for almost the full term of the present Government just proves it was not to settle down the Forum but to Censor disent of The main Government Party - How else can it be defended?

Please people wake up and demand equality for the Waterford City Forum and allow free and open debate on the issues affecting waterford, it used to be a great forum but over the last number of years the life has gone out of it.

VEC gone to Wexford, The breakup of the hospital network, WRH now an outpost of Cork UH, Water Charges and Property Taxes are here, but hardly a debate on this forum. this is not good for democracy. Would the other Regional Forums put up with this form of censorship? So why are we?

That's it in a nutshell. Forced censorship. Disgusting really. And then mods backing it up.

lassykk

Bards wrote: »

The main reason for setting up this poll was to point out the unfairness of the Waterford City Forum. originally the mods set up the Mega Thread to calm down Waterford City Forum (which I think has served it's purpose) for a few months, but to think this censorship has gone on for almost the full term of the present Government just proves it was not to settle down the Forum but to Censor disent of The main Government Party - How else can it be defended?

Please people wake up and demand equality for the Waterford City Forum and allow free and open debate on the issues affecting waterford, it used to be a great forum but over the last number of years the life has gone out of it.

VEC gone to Wexford, The breakup of the hospital network, WRH now an outpost of Cork UH, Water Charges and Property Taxes are here, but hardly a debate on this forum. this is not good for democracy. Would the other Regional Forums put up with this form of censorship? So why are we?

I was one of the main advocates of the megathread and it was nothing to do with censorship. It was to do with being sick of all the moaning and complaining about politics ruining every thread in this forum. I literally couldn't give a **** who is in power.

Also, people mentioned that the sticky is missed when people come to the forum. Just unsticky it. If there's enough interest in politics (which I'd say there is) it will stay on page 1

lassykk

Bards wrote: »

The main reason for setting up this poll was to point out the unfairness of the Waterford City Forum. originally the mods set up the Mega Thread to calm down Waterford City Forum (which I think has served it's purpose) for a few months, but to think this censorship has gone on for almost the full term of the present Government just proves it was not to settle down the Forum but to Censor disent of The main Government Party - How else can it be defended?

Please people wake up and demand equality for the Waterford City Forum and allow free and open debate on the issues affecting waterford, it used to be a great forum but over the last number of years the life has gone out of it.

VEC gone to Wexford, The breakup of the hospital network, WRH now an outpost of Cork UH, Water Charges and Property Taxes are here, but hardly a debate on this forum. this is not good for democracy. Would the other Regional Forums put up with this form of censorship? So why are we?

I was one of the main advocates of the megathread and it was nothing to do with censorship. It was to do with being sick of all the moaning and complaining about politics ruining every thread in this forum. I literally couldn't give a **** who is in power.

Also, people mentioned that the sticky is missed when people come to the forum. Just unsticky it. If there's enough interest in politics (which I'd say there is) it will stay on page 1

fuzzy dunlop

No, leave things as they are

lassykk wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

So the best chipper in town thread was ruined by political discussion? Be honest if you don't care who is in power then criticism of any political entity shouldn't bother you. If there was nothing to moan about then the moaning wouldn't be credible. There was a whole whack of things that happened with regard to the Council Merger, VEC merger and hospital downgrade that were driven by politicians.Politics is an intrinsic part of the discussion and particularly local politics. If it bothers you that much why not just stay away from those threads? There is only ever about three of them going at the most at any one time. So to say it is not censorship is not credible.

barneystinson

fuzzy dunlop wrote: »

So the best chipper in town thread was ruined by political discussion? Be honest if you don't care who is in power then criticism of any political entity shouldn't bother you. If there was nothing to moan about then the moaning wouldn't be credible. There was a whole whack of things that happened with regard to the Council Merger, VEC merger and hospital downgrade that were driven by politicians.Politics is an intrinsic part of the discussion and particularly local politics. If it bothers you that much why not just stay away from those threads? There is only ever about three of them going at the most at any one time. So to say it is not censorship is not credible.

There's a politics forum for talking about politics though, isn't there, and a politics cafe for chatting wittily about politics. You are (unless I'm mistaken) not being prevented from making your point, you're simply being told "place and time".

One man's censorship is another man's peaceful enjoyment of Boards without having to watch All Ireland standard axe grinding...

wellboytoo

barneystinson wrote: »

There's a politics forum for talking about politics though, isn't there, and a politics cafe for chatting wittily about politics. You are (unless I'm mistaken) not being prevented from making your point, you're simply being told "place and time".

One man's censorship is another man's peaceful enjoyment of Boards without having to watch All Ireland standard axe grinding...

Spot on, I have an interest in Politics, but the constant peeing competition on here, was soul destroying, a lot of it by the very people who are now advocating bringing it back! No Thanks.

longshanks

No, leave things as they are

How about unstickying the politics, bargain alerts, random chat and jobs threads?
If people want to post in them they're just a search away, if they don't want to post there they don't feel obliged to.
As things stand there are too many stickies.

obezyana

Regarding Stickies... I don't get why the restaurant one is there, maybe that is one that could do with being taken down.

Cabaal

7upfree wrote: »

Annnnnd he's back too. Sully calling for reinforcements again? I suppose with an election pending he'll need them!:D

Ok so you have nothing constructive to add here, thats fine.
Take a break from the forum for one week.

You ignored a warning, you decided instead to use it as a opportunity to try and get a dig in at mods and Sully in particular.

This isn't on and you are well aware of that and hiding it being a emoticon doesn't make it ok.

You're on boards.ie long enough to know whats acceptable and whats not when it comes to responding to mod warnings. You're also around on this forum long enough to know that when you step out of line you will be infracted, warned or banned.

Cabaal

obezyana wrote: »

Regarding Stickies... I don't get why the restaurant one is there, maybe that is one that could do with being taken down.

Having a quick glance at the stickys I spotted the bargain alerts one has its last post almost 10 months ago, so its clearly not a very active thread.

I've now unstuck it,

The Restaurants thread actually seems to be a pretty active thread as sticky threads go

obezyana

Cabaal wrote: »

Having a quick glance at the stickys I spotted the bargain alerts one has its last post almost 10 months ago, so its clearly not a very active thread.

I've now unstuck it,

The Restaurants thread actually seems to be a pretty active thread as sticky threads go

Yeah I noticed it is fairly active alright which to me is surprising. I'm still not sure if a stickie is needed. Maybe im jealous I cant have any fancy restaurant food.....Mcdonalds for me is all

Wanderer78

obezyana wrote: »

Mcdonalds for me is all

posh

fuzzy dunlop

No, leave things as they are

barneystinson wrote: »

There's a politics forum for talking about politics though, isn't there, and a politics cafe for chatting wittily about politics. You are (unless I'm mistaken) not being prevented from making your point, you're simply being told "place and time".

One man's censorship is another man's peaceful enjoyment of Boards without having to watch All Ireland standard axe grinding...

Censorship is censorship and there is no justification for it other than to keep the heat off FG and Labour. Yes there is a politics thread. There is also a Food and Drink thread.....For the best chipper in town thread if you want to be that pedantic. If you think can discuss the downgrade of a hospital which is politically driven and has proven to be without discussing local politicians then you have no business being on the thread in the first place.Ditto for the University discussion. Again there is no justification for it so the only logical reason someone is Ok with it is if their own particular political darlings are getting deservedly filleted and this is the only way to prevent it. I'll say it again. People like you weren't complaining when FF where getting it in the neck here......

Bards

No, leave things as they are

Mods - Seems like the majority are in favour of removing the Mega Thread. If democracy is to mean anything then please respect the wishes of the majority of posters here.

Out of 45 votes (I would assume that includes most of the users that frequent this forum) 55% for versus 45% against

Referendums were past on much closer margins than this

barneystinson

Bards wrote: »

Mods - Seems like the majority are in favour of removing the Mega Thread. If democracy is to mean anything then please respect the wishes of the majority of posters here.

Out of 45 votes (I would assume that includes most of the users that frequent this forum) 55% for versus 45% against

Referendums were past on much closer margins than this

Bear in mind Bards, I very nearly didn't even open this thread because the word politics is in it, I wonder how many other users didn't bother even opening it...

And just because a thread you unilaterally started ends up with that outcome, doesn't mean it's a valid democratic vote; anymore so than if you set up your own personal polling station in town and ran the Bards version of the local elections...

Bards

No, leave things as they are

barneystinson wrote: »

Bear in mind Bards, I very nearly didn't even open this thread because the word politics is in it, I wonder how many other users didn't bother even opening it...

And just because a thread you unilaterally started ends up with that outcome, doesn't mean it's a valid democratic vote; anymore so than if you set up your own personal polling station in town and ran the Bards version of the local elections...

even though the Mods said that the Mega Thread was only going to be temporary when it was set up at the time.

Other forums are allowed to discuss politically sensitive topics like this one http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057247249

So why can't we?

Annasopra

No, leave things as they are

Bards wrote: »

The main reason for setting up this poll was to point out the unfairness of the Waterford City Forum. originally the mods set up the Mega Thread to calm down Waterford City Forum (which I think has served it's purpose) for a few months, but to think this censorship has gone on for almost the full term of the present Government just proves it was not to settle down the Forum but to Censor disent of The main Government Party - How else can it be defended?

Please people wake up and demand equality for the Waterford City Forum and allow free and open debate on the issues affecting waterford, it used to be a great forum but over the last number of years the life has gone out of it.

VEC gone to Wexford, The breakup of the hospital network, WRH now an outpost of Cork UH, Water Charges and Property Taxes are here, but hardly a debate on this forum. this is not good for democracy. Would the other Regional Forums put up with this form of censorship? So why are we?

Censorship? Putting discussion of one issue into a megathread is censorship?

As an outside observer mod from another region this is an interesting discussion but I do think claims of censorship (just because politics can only be discussed in a megathread!!!!!!) is wildly exaggerated.

Bards

No, leave things as they are

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

Censorship? Putting discussion of one issue into a megathread is censorship?

As an outside observer mod from another region this is an interesting discussion but I do think claims of censorship (just because politics can only be discussed in a megathread!) is wildly exaggerated.

It is when only one regional forum is afflicted.

How can you have a debate about anything when everything is muddled together into one topic. Try and impose this in all the regional forums for fairness so

Annasopra

No, leave things as they are

barneystinson wrote: »

Bear in mind Bards, I very nearly didn't even open this thread because the word politics is in it, I wonder how many other users didn't bother even opening it...

And just because a thread you unilaterally started ends up with that outcome, doesn't mean it's a valid democratic vote; anymore so than if you set up your own personal polling station in town and ran the Bards version of the local elections...

The vote is public by the way. I voted just to check if it was public or not.

Annasopra

No, leave things as they are

Bards wrote: »

It is when only one regional forum is afflicted.

How can you have a debate about anything when everything is muddled together into one topic. Try and impose this in all the regional forums for fairness so

It's really not censorship. Noone is being censored. The discussion is being moved not censored.

Bards

No, leave things as they are

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

It's really not censorship. Noone is being censored. The discussion is being moved not censored.

Call it what you will, outcome is the same, free political debate is being stiffled which is a form of censorship

wellboytoo

Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication or other information which may be considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, politically incorrect or inconvenient as determined by governments, media outlets, authorities or other groups or institutions.

From the above definition of censorship one cannot say the forum is being censored,corralled maybe but not censored.

Bards

No, leave things as they are

wellboytoo wrote: »

Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication or other information which may be considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, politically incorrect or inconvenient as determined by governments, media outlets, authorities or other groups or institutions.

From the above definition of censorship one cannot say the forum is being censored,corralled maybe but not censored.

By the definition you provided above, in my opinion it is, everyone is entitled to an opinion that is the beauty of democracy, open and free debate. What do the mods have to fear, The Truth perhaps?

wellboytoo

You of course are entitled to your opinion eroneous though it is,that is also democracy .
I have no intention of going through the definition line by line but the fact is you can discuss any aspect of politics you like so long as it is not libelous but only in one thread ,so it's housekeeping not censorship.

robtri

No, leave things as they are

Bards wrote: »

By the definition you provided above, in my opinion it is, everyone is entitled to an opinion that is the beauty of democracy, open and free debate. What do the mods have to fear, The Truth perhaps?

While you are entitled to think what you want and have an opinion, expression of erroneous opinions when they concern other citizens and non citizens often lead to lawsuits.
So certain people slagging off and talking about people in the wrong way can have be a huge problem for the Mods... so censorship to a degree is needed.

Bards

No, leave things as they are

robtri wrote: »

While you are entitled to think what you want and have an opinion, expression of erroneous opinions when they concern other citizens and non citizens often lead to lawsuits.
So certain people slagging off and talking about people in the wrong way can have be a huge problem for the Mods... so censorship to a degree is needed.

Still doesnt answer why Posters on waterford city forum have to adhere to different rules compared to every other regional forum. that is Censorship, pure and simple, there is no explaining it away.

wellboytoo

Bards wrote: »

Still doesnt answer why Posters on waterford city forum have to adhere to different rules compared to every other regional forum. that is Censorship, pure and simple, there is no explaining it away.

There are lots of answers . We are more ballsy and in yer face,we are energised about politics,the divides are more extreme,we have ****ter politicians than everyone else, it's something in the water, 7 up free,
Me,we miss seanybiker, a greater historical proportion of working glass left leaning voters, they took our City but they'll never take our PRIDE ,the drink,the lack of it,do you give up yet?

obezyana

Bards wrote: »

Still doesnt answer why Posters on waterford city forum have to adhere to different rules compared to every other regional forum. that is Censorship, pure and simple, there is no explaining it away.

I don't think the politics thread is the only place the mods are too quick to stifle and it seems as if it is an issue with the Waterford forum in general so I think you will always get some form of excessive control over most threads. I will say though I do agree with the Politics thread being kept as it is as without it every second thread goes off topic because of peoples dislike for FG, water charges etc which leads to even more unnecessary thread closures.

ziedth

This is my first post on this forum in what can I can only guess is years but I can't leave this censorship Craic go. It was my idea for the mega thread initially in the mod forum and I am not political and certainty not a FG/Lab supporter.

I took a step back from this forum because the forum that I genuinely loved and spent years enjoying being a active contributer degenerated into the kind of bull**** that this thread is. Somebody asks a perfectly reasonable question and withing a handful of posts the usual ****e starts again.

I can't urge enough to keep the mega thread.

Bards

No, leave things as they are

wellboytoo wrote: »

There are lots of answers . We are more ballsy and in yer face,we are energised about politics,the divides are more extreme,we have ****ter politicians than everyone else, it's something in the water, 7 up free,
Me,we miss seanybiker, a greater historical proportion of working glass left leaning voters, they took our City but they'll never take our PRIDE ,the drink,the lack of it,do you give up yet?

No valid reason then