Apolitical

[stratman]

I've been seeing some political postings going up that really have nothing to do with Audioholics or our hobby in general! Why don't we keep this site out of politics all together? No one is going to convince ayone to vote one way or the other and my experience is that politics leads to bickering! There are many, many blogs out there that caters to the political, why not take your political dissatisfactions or satifactions to those places. It seems to me the "venting site" is to vent on audio issues not political. I'd hate to see this place become another quasi political mess....and to be frank about it if it does begin to, what's the point of the site?

[nibhaz]

I've been seeing some political postings going up that really have nothing to do with Audioholics or our hobby in general! Why don't we keep this site out of politics all together? No one is going to convince ayone to vote one way or the other and my experience is that politics leads to bickering! There are many, many blogs out there that caters to the political, why not take your political dissatisfactions or satifactions to those places. It seems to me the "venting site" is to vent on audio issues not political. I'd hate to see this place become another quasi political mess....and to be frank about it if it does begin to, what's the point of the site?

People have made this argument many times before you, and I'm sure there will be others after you, but I don't see the point. If you don't like those types of post don't read them. The steam vent is there for a reason, why should we be restricted in the topics of our discussions? A free flow of ideas is what an open community such Audioholics is about. Though we are a group united by a hobby, we are not merely one dimensional beings and thusly should not be restricted to act as such. Even though these discussion can become heated, they allow for people's exposure to different view points which may broaden their world view and make them a more well rounded individual...or it could turn into a massive flame war...either way it makes for good entertainment, outside of the arguments about speaker break-in, all channels driven test, and the audibility of cables.

[stratman]

THE STEAM VENT

"Talk "just about" anything you like here. Or if you've got a beef about a "manufacturer", or just want to vent some "audio" steam.....come on in."

Seems pretty clear to me. No one wants to "censor" or stop the flow of ideas, bottom line this is not a political site. And if something is posted I have right to make a comment on it, just as someone has a right to agree or disagree. POLITICAL WHINING does not belong on this site by the same token neither does human rights. pet rights, etc etc (ad naseum).

[nibhaz]

THE STEAM VENT

"Talk "just about" anything you like here. Or if you've got a beef about a "manufacturer", or just want to vent some "audio" steam.....come on in."

Seems pretty clear to me. No one wants to "censor" or stop the flow of ideas, bottom line this is not a political site. And if something is posted I have right to make a comment on it, just as someone has a right to agree or disagree. POLITICAL WHINING does not belong on this site by the same token neither does human rights. pet rights, etc etc (ad naseum).

I see that you're new here...if you don't like the culture that has already been established in this forum then don't participate. Just as you don't like political whining, I don't like whining about whining. Get over it, and enjoy the forum for what it is.

[stratman]

I see that you're new here...if you don't like the culture that has already been established in this forum then don't participate. Just as you don't like political whining, I don't like whining about whining. Get over it, and enjoy the forum for what it is.

So what's the time required to fit in your "culture"? (Since I'm NEW) And I guess by your invitation for me not to participate (because I don't a gree with a thread and have my own opinion) makes you what: Owner, Mediator, Thought Police??? And since I'm NEW here should I change my political affiliation? If you don't like whining: don't. If you don't like my opinion "you don't have to respond or read my threads"

[Clint DeBoer]

You don't seem to have an executable opinion on this topic... Either you are convincing people not to post politics (which is fine, but just as fruitless as the political posts you speak of) or you are asking US to step in and outlaw certain types of topics/speech (which is a quick way to lose members and waste lots of our time).

To be honest, we're not hip on them either (which is why you won't catch us posting in there) but we're also not into censoring what people choose to talk about topically on the forums.

[stratman]

I guess it's a catch 22, my opinion still stands---I believe this site is not the right venue for political notions, why don't you guys make a forum specifically for it (them)(I guess that would be executable) so whoever goes in knows what they're getting into? This way it won't spill into other forums. A nice name would be Political Alcoholics??

"Is it not ironic that those that demand support for their concept of freedom of speech and ideas are the first to censor those that don't agree with them"?

[Nomo]

At the risk of sounding like doctor Phil here:
While this is first and foremost a site for audio and video information and discussion, it's also a community. While I generally don't participate in the political discussions, my feeling is this; If it keeps decent and knowledgeable people coming back here I say keep it up!

[ChrisJam]

I'm fairly new to this site. I've read many, many posts--I'll never get through all the pages in all the topics, though--and have already expanded my a/v knowledge by an order of magnitude, at least.

I was glad to see the Steam Vent forum. (Hey--I can talk about kidney stones with the best of them! LOL) But I can go two ways on whether political discussions should be allowed. As I understand it, political and religious discussions are not allowed now.

I used to participate on a web forum that centered on a far different topic, though absolutely anything was allowed. I have no problem if someone disagrees with me, as long as we can have an intelligent and polite debate on the topic. But some people on this other site got angry with people who didn't agree with them. Many people got into name-calling. Why? Sorry, I'm far out of middle school, and there's no place for this in my life.

If some of this happened at this site before I found it, I can see why politics was made taboo.

On the other hand, I've seen many posts here that lead me to think that many, many members are smart and level-headed. If they can discuss politics--or any other subject without sinking to ad hominem arguments--that's cool as far as I'm concerned.

BUT--this is a privately owned site, and the people in charge can do with it as they wish. I completely accept that. If I had a popular web site, I'd want the same control.

I agree with nomo, though, that this is a community. No one will like everyone. I talk about politics with a select number of real-life friends, but I doubt that I'd participate in a web-forum political thread. (Never say never, though.)

Chris

[stratman]

I just made a simple observation and interjected with an opinion. I still hold to this: Gene and company should make a forum so persons that want to get into politics, religions, pets, etc have place just for that. That's my "executable opinion". The vent room (as advertised) is not about venting on religion, politics, porn, etc etc, the disclaimer in THE VENT ROOM is clear: trash a manufacturer, trash audio,
trash anything audio related. Yes, from what I can read this site is fortunate to have erudite members and I never spoke about censoring or stopping the flow of ideas....all I said was: make a forum for those types of threads and postings, in the long run everybody wins.