What has Obama done well?

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Please, you have to be kidding. Your only problem with 70's post is that 70 wrote it. Let's recap what got us to where we are. Miller101 made the comment that basically Obama's problem is he's trying to communicate with Republicans which is a lost cause because all Republicans are stupid. Dblanch said "get ready for a firestorm my friend" I, being a stupid Republican, made the mistake of getting involved in this thread by joking that I couldn't respond because, well,...if I only had a brain. Then Dblanch came back with some assertion about most Christians are ignorant about religious history and most Christians are Republicans so therefore I guess most Republicans are ignorant. SS33 then came back with some evidence refuting Dblanch's allegations and then Dblanch's retort was to...well, you're a smart liberal, you can go back and read the posts.

But let's not act like we should be giving Dblanch the benefit of the doubt here. He hasn't done or said anything that merits anyone coming to his defense. I think we'd all be best served by ignoring him moving forward...or we can just lock this thread.

Yea, you can lock this thread as I'm all out of naming things that Obama has done well.

[GhettoDogAllStars]

See? 22 pages of great things Obama has done! Ahahahahahahahaha ... this thread was doomed from the get-go.

[Trample the Elderly]

Originally Posted by Slingin Sammy 33

dblanch was getting the responses he got because of his mindless comments below, not because he has differing beliefs:
- accusing me of dropping acid (in more than one thread) because I have differing views from him.
- alluding to Christians being stupid.
- calling Smoot's response "uneducated wit"
- he gets called out on a bogus claim and responds with "poopy head" and a nonsense response.
- responds to posts with "doo doo head", "panties twisted", "go burn a cross, you tool", "jack off to the bible, Bartholomew", "your momma"

70s post is his opinion, nowhere close to the level of the nonsense last night.

And you got mad at me because I thought it was funny when the chimp ate that lady. I never said anything about burning crosses or beating it to the Bible. I've read it several times and I don't see how it's that kind of book. There is this book, "Behind the Barn" . . . . well, I'll leave it at that.

[MTK]

I think this thread illustrates that it's very rare that any political issues can be discussed in a rational, calm, and thoughtful manner around here. I guess it's just a reflection of society in general. Anyone think we should just go back to our old policy of no politics allowed?

[gibbsisgod]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

I think this thread illustrates that it's very rare that any political issues can be discussed in a rational, calm, and thoughtful manner around here. I guess it's just a reflection of society in general. Anyone think we should just go back to our old policy of no politics allowed?

I do

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

I think this thread illustrates that it's very rare that any political issues can be discussed in a rational, calm, and thoughtful manner around here. I guess it's just a reflection of society in general. Anyone think we should just go back to our old policy of no politics allowed?

I would be ALL for that.

Careful though, Matty. Shutting down political threads may aggravate some people. You wouldn't want to be a poopy head.

[JoeRedskin]

Actually, I enjoy the politcal threads and think many issues were discussed and ideas exchanged - all in a rational (or close to rational) manner. It's just that by page 15 or so, we all know where we stand and the info has pretty much been exchanged and it degenerates into name calling. Just lock the thread when it gets to that point.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

I think this thread illustrates that it's very rare that any political issues can be discussed in a rational, calm, and thoughtful manner around here. I guess it's just a reflection of society in general. Anyone think we should just go back to our old policy of no politics allowed?

At least until the 2012 election is in full swing, and it should be its own forum so people who want to avoid it can avoid it. Let's face it, it's very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very rare that anybody on these political threads ever says "I was wrong" or "I hadn't thought about it that way" or "You (someone with an opposing view) bring up a good point."

You'll see most people admitting mistakes, misconceptions, changes of opinion in the locker room but almost never in these threads. And it just really renders the point of a message board moot. Not to single dblanch out, but what the heck, his response to SS33's post with links refuting his assertion pretty much epitomizes all that is wrong with these threads.

The shame of it all is that there a handful of people here who (while they generally don't waver at all) can engage in pretty intelligent political discussion. There are too many people here though who can't.

I have one other idea which I'll PM to you.

[MTK]

Maybe we should just be more aggressive in locking these bad boys. Or yeah, maybe it's own forum would make sense. I think these threads make people shy away from off topic talk in general since it tends to dominate the conversations.

[JoeRedskin]

Look, I'll admit I can be as intransigent as the next guy. At the same time, I also enjoy better understanding opposing points of view if only to make me question and better understand my own.

I think a separate political forum would be great. I enjoy debating politics with other skins fans b/c, at the end of the day, we can find SOMETHING to agree upon. There was a time when you linked to a different forum for political discussion. I went there and that ended up with just basic name calling w/out so much as a "how-do-you-do". Here at least, there is some intelligent discussion before we get to the "poopy headed, bible thumping, cross-burner" portion of the thread.

[Slingin Sammy 33]

It would be a shame to have to shut them down, I like hearing the wide diversity of views we have. We can still discuss things because at the core we all share a love of the Skins. SS & JoeR's takes are right on IMO. Maybe you guys could make them a separate forum and remove access to that forum from those who can't "play nice".

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by JoeRedskin

Look, I'll admit I can be as intransigent as the next guy. At the same time, I also enjoy better understanding opposing points of view if only to make me question and better understand my own.

I think a separate political forum would be great. I enjoy debating politics with other skins fans b/c, at the end of the day, we can find SOMETHING to agree upon. There was a time when you linked to a different forum for political discussion. I went there and that ended up with just basic name calling w/out so much as a "how-do-you-do". Here at least, there is some intelligent discussion before we get to the "poopy headed, bible thumping, cross-burner" portion of the thread.

I see...Matty we should nix the thought of revisiting the idea of linking to a separate forum (not the same one as JR mentions here)

But what you experienced I think is a testament to Matty and how he runs this site and the standards he has set and expects and what you found elsewhere

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

I think this thread illustrates that it's very rare that any political issues can be discussed in a rational, calm, and thoughtful manner around here. I guess it's just a reflection of society in general. Anyone think we should just go back to our old policy of no politics allowed?

actually yes.

[JoeRedskin]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

I see...Matty we should nix the thought of revisiting the idea of linking to a separate forum (not the same one as JR mentions here)

But what you experienced I think is a testament to Matty and how he runs this site and the standards he has set and expects and what you found elsewhere

Absolutely. It is why I would hate for a few a-holes to cause the elimination of a place where at least some relatively respectful discussion can take place. In just about every other forum that discusses politics, it is either a name calling fest OR preaching to the choir. I realize the political threads probably cause more moderator issues than others but, to me, the generally fair resolution of those issues makes this a desirable place to hold such discussion.

[saden1]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

I think this thread illustrates that it's very rare that any political issues can be discussed in a rational, calm, and thoughtful manner around here. I guess it's just a reflection of society in general. Anyone think we should just go back to our old policy of no politics allowed?

-1

Free speech even if the speech is vile.