Does anyone else feel the thread locking is going too far

[Steven Triggs]

It seems lately that far too many threads are being locked or edited citing "politics" as being forbidden. I am aware that the TOS clearly state that we can't discuss politics, but it seems to me like too many posts are being deemed political. If someone says that a model at a recent event said something lame about how her boyfriend died, the fact that it occured at a political event doesn't make someone's assertion that her comment was ridiculous a political view of the poster.

Also, if I happen to mention someone's name who is known because they are a politician, it doesn't just by default make my comment political. I can think someone said or did something absurd without stating that I agree or disagree with their politics.

If a major tool manufacturer replaced the cast iron in their top of the line table saws with cardboard, I suspect a lot of us would post on here that we thought it was a terrible idea. Now, if the designer of that saw turns out to be a politically active person, can we no longer make fun of his poor choice for the saw? Afterall, we'd be talking about someone who is into politics.

I realize the above example is a bit odd and extreme, but it seems to me like some fairly innocuous posts are getting hit lately. I'm concerned about where this is going...

[Tim Morton]

It seems lately that far too many threads are being locked or edited citing "politics" as being forbidden. I am aware that the TOS clearly state that we can't discuss politics, but it seems to me like too many posts are being deemed political. If someone says that a model at a recent event said something lame about how her boyfriend died, the fact that it occured at a political event doesn't make someone's assertion that her comment was ridiculous a political view of the poster.

Also, if I happen to mention someone's name who is known because they are a politician, it doesn't just by default make my comment political. I can think someone said or did something absurd without stating that I agree or disagree with their politics.

If a major tool manufacturer replaced the cast iron in their top of the line table saws with cardboard, I suspect a lot of us would post on here that we thought it was a terrible idea. Now, if the designer of that saw turns out to be a politically active person, can we no longer make fun of his poor choice for the saw? Afterall, we'd be talking about someone who is into politics.

I realize the above example is a bit odd and extreme, but it seems to me like some fairly innocuous posts are getting hit lately. I'm concerned about where this is going...

so you would rather clutter up these threads with people taking personal shots at one another over politics? You can find tons of places to banter about politics...this just isn't one of them

[John Shuk]

There is an exclamation point at the top of the posts that allows people to report posts or threads. If a bunch of people report it becasue they aren't too comfortable with the stuff in it the Mods may feel responsible to react.
I'm sure all of the mods will "look within" due to your post bost but it's better to shut it down prematurely than to have people with hurt feelings in my opinion.
Some of these things are subjects that people get passionate about and it can ruin the tone of this place. I'd hate to see that happen and if some stuff gets lost in the mix then I can handle that.

[Keith Cope]

I absolutely agree with the policy. If you think back a couple of years, we have lost some great members due to personal attacks, etc. It would be a shame to lose more when simple actions like this can help prevent that sort of thing.

[Per Swenson]

I am all for it.

I am fully capable of being rabid on both sides of the

political spectrum. I can't help it.

Frankly these views of mine are not pertinent here.

Nor should they be, even though this is the off topic forum.

And my apologies for the stuff I have been slinging lately.

Per

[Joe Tonich]

I don't always agree with some of the things that happen here (which some of ya know), but we're the guests. Homeowner makes the rules, we respect em if we wanna keep comin back.

[Steven Triggs]

It seems like you misunderstood my post? I don't have any interest in bantering about politics. Also, I certainly don't think personal shots should be tolerated. The whole point I was trying to make is that I'm concerned that in an effort to maintain the civilized environment we all want, we may be going to far.

At the risk of being accused of making a political statement here, which is not my intent, it reminds me a bit of some of the stuff that goes on in schools now. In an effort to prevent gun violence, we've adopted so called "zero tolerance polices" and we now expel kindergardeners for playing cops and robbers on the playground. I think we'd all agree that is an overreaction. I'm just concerned that a similar overreaction is occuring here.

But, perhaps I'm in the minority on that feeling...

so you would rather clutter up these threads with people taking personal shots at one another over politics? You can find tons of places to banter about politics...this just isn't one of them

[Jim Becker]

My response in another thread applies to this one, too. The issue isn't necessarily topic, but behavior, plain and simple.

Jim
SMC Moderator

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Steven.....Believe me when I say the Moderators Don't want to have to edit or move a thread to the Moderators Forum. We are all a socialable bunch. What you don't see is that we get a number of PMs accusing us of not moving or editing threads soon enough.

While someone may take a pot shot at a political figure or philosophy and think it's harmless and only meant as humor,someone else is often insulted by the same remark.

A lot of the threads lately have been moved NOT because of the political content but because people posting had already lowered themselves to calling opponents names.

Moderators are all volunteers. Editing a thread takes time. Especially if it runs away before we happen to catch it. Thus it is often moved because it's quicker to move it than to take 30 minutes or more to accurately read it and edit the many posts as necessary.

As one of the newest moderators, my view of the forum has changed immensely just because of the number of PMs I get from people who wanted a post either edited or closed and moved.

Moderators are not facists. And....we try to allow thoughtful discussions even in the Off Topic forum but within the grounds of the Terms Of Service. When politics or flaming starts, we have no choice but to edit or move the thread to preserve the character of SMC.

JMHO

[Gary Keedwell]

It seems like you misunderstood my post? I don't have any interest in bantering about politics. Also, I certainly don't think personal shots should be tolerated. The whole point I was trying to make is that I'm concerned that in an effort to maintain the civilized environment we all want, we may be going to far.

At the risk of being accused of making a political statement here, which is not my intent, it reminds me a bit of some of the stuff that goes on in schools now. In an effort to prevent gun violence, we've adopted so called "zero tolerance polices" and we now expel kindergardeners for playing cops and robbers on the playground. I think we'd all agree that is an overreaction. I'm just concerned that a similar overreaction is occuring here.

But, perhaps I'm in the minority on that feeling...

Steve...just want you to know that there are alot of people that feel like you do. I happen to think that the people in charge (in your example, school system) are looking for the easy out solution.
Seems like the same kids who loved to debate and challenge authority in the 1960's are now in charge and don't want to deal with the issues like our parents (God bless them) did. To me " zero tolerance" means there is no debate therefore no problem to deal with. ( I had an old girlfriend like that....she's been divorced three times lol)
Sorry for long dialogue.
Gary K.

[Keith Outten]

Ken and Jim have explained our policies well. The reason these policies are so strickly enforced here is that we decided in the beginning that The Creek would be a place for all woodworkers...young and old / women and men. When things start getting roudy for want of a better term it can quickly cause many of our Members to get concerned that our Community is degrading to a level that is inappropriate for many who came here because civil behavior is the standard.

Ladies are comfortable participating here because they know our Staff will enforce our TOS. Many of our Members have children that have joined The Creek, their parents feel comfortable with their children participating here knowing that our Staff will enforce our TOS. We have demonstrated over four years that our Community can be civilized, friendly and kind toward each other. Whenever a thread starts to degrade our first concern isn't the thread, it is the protection of our Members.

If we seem a bit trigger happy when it comes to removing threads our concerns for our Members outweighs the loss of a particular topic that has become a problem. We are a Moderated Community and our Members report problem posts as quick as they appear in many instances. A particular Moderator may receive a dozen Private Messages in a matter of seconds when someone violates out TOS, you can see that most of the time we don't make the decision to remove a thread...our Community does.

.

[Keith Outten]

Gary,

I am a child of the sixties so I understand all too well how you feel. The bottom line is that The Creek isn't the place or the platform for political debate or civil disobdience, its a woodworking forum.

Our only goal is to maintain a friendly place for woodworkers to gather.

.

[Bruce Page]

Steve, I can see both sides of the argument but as someone who’s been here from day one and has seen seemingly innocuous threads burst into flames, I have to side with the Mods. SMC isn’t a democracy but it’s the best WW forum on the net because of it’s rules.
JMHO

[Steve Clardy]

Steve, I can see both sides of the argument but as someone who’s been here from day one and has seen seemingly innocuous threads burst into flames, I have to side with the Mods. SMC isn’t a democracy but it’s the best WW forum on the net because of it’s rules.
JMHO

[glenn bradley]

We have actually lost folks who want to spend their time talking wood not other stuff. There are plenty of forums or even SMC's PM system to cover other needs. Here I like to talk wood.

I do enjoy the off topic stuff as it acts as a sort of window into other Creeker's lives outside of pure woodworking so I guess we just have to find a mix that fits the culture of this forum and save the stuff that doesn't for somewhere else. No biggie.