I was asked to clarify, so I thought I would put my answer here for the board to see..... I think "on topic" is relative and it definitely has a spectrum. What we are trying to stop is the references to Trump being a monster in a thread about a hurricane, or transgender athletes being wrong in thread about the economy. Threads naturally shift. Counterpoints can still be considered on topic. It's the constant drum beating of the same points by several posters where it simply has no place that we are trying to stop
In all seriousness - given all the rules, mod changes, etc - I think the applicable decision makers have to make up their mind about what they want. A lot of the stated rationale for the changes is for a more civil form of discussion. But the following actions don’t seem to reinforce that. you get two things in political forums: - discussion of various issues - outright partisanship and tribalism While there is a great deal of overlap, I think it is the second that tends to cause the problems. In some ways it is to be expected - a college football forum is all about tribalism - so in one sense to expect its political subforum to be different seems unrealistic. However if you want civility then the tribalism has to be greatly diminished. Some of the more recent mod appointments have included posters who are very tribal, which is inconsistent with the kinder/gentler model. In a gator forum, and most college football forums, civility is created by requiring much more deference from non gator posters. If you are a Nole posting here you must be much more respectful. That’s true on just about any college sports board. So what do we want here? Even handed civil discussion, which kind of goes against the grain of the tribal nature of sports boards, much less the current political environment in general? Seems to me what the admin here is pushing, maybe not even consciously, is the college sports format of deference, with MAGA being the home team. Given most posters in the forum have been left leaning since the crazies left, this is creating an inevitable tension.
But you have to consider that the vitriolic shots by the majority do stand out if for no other reason than numbers. Regardless, I think people thought I would be unfair when I was selected. @oklahoma and I came on at the same time. I don't think we moderate with our political emotions. Why not allow the new guys the same chance
From what I recall neither of you were flamethrowers. To say you want to stop flame-throwing on the board, then appoint flamethrowers as mods, seems contradictory. But we are supposed to hope as mods the former flamethrowers don’t throw flames
I recall the brief time you came to gator shitter and at the time you somewhat supported Trump. While you take a while to get there, you are open minded enough to contemplate reality.
