What the heck is going on
 

Is it just me or ????? but there seems to be an unusual amount of threads on war and peoples opinion on it. When a thread gets closed then another one to push a person's opinion gets opened. I think we all get that people have different opinions. Point taken.
But people this is a aquatic related board!!!!! I know they are in the lounge section but come on - IMO this is an area to post fun or interesting stuff. Not try to stuff your personal opinion on a controversial subject down other people's throat.
Personally I am just a bit sick of it. I am sure that there are many related boards out there where these kind of postings are appropriate but again, IMO, this is not the place.

I haven't been paying attention to them. I know myself, and I might get a little testy, were I to wander over into those threads :wink:

Yeah I think I'm going to have to keep a closer eye on them. People can discuss that stuff on a board thats related to it.

If i had a glass eye, id put a clownfish in it.

Smile Ruth !

lol. There's a strange visual. Err...no pun intended.

Have to agree Ruth. Thats close to what I said in the last thread I closed for the same reason. Guess people who post these on reefing boards, think everyone,s interested in their opinions.

As mentioned there are great boards for it, where you had better be good at debating to hold your own. Even RC has an affiliated political or religious debating board or try your luck at the sump on Reefs Org. :smile:

I don't see what the big deal is, it's pretty easy to ignore threads if you are offended or not interested. I think threads in the lounge should have a wide latitude for open, civil debate. It is interesting that many of the heated threads that some call for a lock are also the most viewed threads. When boards start to get trigger happy on locking threads the whole tone of the board changes. Fewer threads get started, fewer posters with anything meaningful to say participate, an overall "my way or the highway" attitude emerges. You'll be left with a small online clique who'll treat the board as their personal chat site. I've seen it happen on another board I use to frequent. Notice more eastern members checking out Canreef lately? I always find it amusing when people want to be protected from reading, looking, buying, clicking/scrolling through something they feel is inappropriate in some way. As if they are being forced to engage the material. Maybe Canreef needs a lounge sub forum where heated topics can be moved with a "do not enter if easily offended" warning.

I see the validity of both points of view. On one hand, the Lounge forum is for "anything off topic". On the other hand, it also instructs that these subjects shouldn't include things like religion and politics.

Is war an issue of politics? Depends who you ask.

I think that some could have been offended by some of the jokes in the "Bored" thread....so....hmmm. Good thing I'm not a mod and responsible for such decisions :wink:

So why not use the boards that are dedicated to that purpose. Why must Titus provide a platform for it on his aquarium board?

I 100% disagree. Very few boards allow political debate. I mentioned one above and I am a member of another that does but I also belong to another dozen that dont. If anything I find it drives away aquarists that wish to post on aquarium related topics.

How do you figure moderating heated political or religious discussions drives away members interested in aquarium related topics?

The largest and most popular reefing boards, have a restriction the same as us. Some boards that allow it, have pages of heated threads in their lounge everyday but less than 1/2 a page of aquarium related threads. I dont see where their large lounge membership does anything for the reef portion. If anything, as I mentioned before, it distracts from it.

I suppose if the boards owner wished a forum for just that, it could be done. Some boards have done that, where a separate registration is required. But then again, that shows how it needs removal from boards like this. I guess the big question is,
* Why does a board thats purpose is to discuss aquarium related topics, require a political discussion forum?

* Why do those that wish to do so, not use the boards designed for such a purpose?

Of course, except for this boards policy, most of this is my opinion on things.

In answer to your question regarding the amount of views, perhaps they are like me. I read to such forums, almost daily. However I seldom post, as I cannot hold my own with many of them and besides, arguing with someone online, is like banging your head on the wall.

But if I wish to read or I guess participate in those discussions, I go where they are. It has nothing to do, what so ever, with my posting on this board or any other board I post on reef related topics.

Part of the trouble as I see it, is politics and religion are two topics that get really personal really fast. Then you get bad feelings spilling over into the regular topics, it becomes a viscious circle.