A modest proposal

Message

#1 Post by **Bob78164** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 1:55 pm

I wish I'd thought of this earlier in the day, but I didn't.

I agree with the suggestion that for today, this entire forum should be a moratorium lounge. If it's good enough for our two major party candidates for President, it's good enough for us.

May I suggest in honor of the day that a Moderator or Administrator with power in all necessary fora temporarily (i.e., until tomorrow) relocate all active political threads into, say, the Suggestion Box forum (without a shadow), along with an announcement here that they've been moved there? Once today is done, they can be seamlessly restored here.

I could move them out, but I wouldn't be able to bring them back, or I'd do it myself. --Bob

PlacentiaSoccerMom · #2 Post by **PlacentiaSoccerMom** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 1:56 pm

That's a good idea. Either that or we can start a bunch of new threads and only respond to non-political threads to keep the nice stuff on the front page.

MarleysGh0st · #3 Post by **MarleysGh0st** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 1:59 pm

Then we'd get cries of censorship.

Just don't start any political threads today. Don't respond to any who do.

Just for today.

#4 Post by **Bob78164** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 2:02 pm

MarleysGh0st wrote:Then we'd get cries of censorship.

Just don't start any political threads today. Don't respond to any who do.

Just for today.

But that's the point. Nothing's being censored, and anyone who wants to be political will be steered in the correct direction. The political posts would simply be relocated for the day (with adequate "signage") to honor the wishes of what I perceive to be the substantial majority of Board members who wish to honor the day. --Bob

Bob Juch · #5 Post by **Bob Juch** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 2:08 pm

Bob78164 wrote:
MarleysGh0st wrote:Then we'd get cries of censorship.

Just don't start any political threads today. Don't respond to any who do.

Just for today.
But that's the point. Nothing's being censored, and anyone who wants to be political will be steered in the correct direction. The political posts would simply be relocated for the day (with adequate "signage") to honor the wishes of what I perceive to be the substantial majority of Board members who wish to honor the day. --Bob

Based on the number of responses and readers of today's political messages, you're wrong about a majority.

#6 Post by **littlebeast13** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 2:10 pm

First off, let me say that, while I think today's moratorium proposal was a nice idea, it is completely voluntary whether anyone wants to participate in it or not. I will not, nor would I expect anyone else, to tell anybody on here what they can or can't post at any time.

Second, I never have, nor would I support for any reason moving any threads from the main forum at any time for any reason (Within our very loose standards). It just isn't what this Bored's been about for the last 8, almost 9 years....

Third, it seems a lot of the suggetsions of quarantining the politcal threads are coming from people who really don't want to view them, don't really want to respond to them, but just can't help but look at them, see something that agitates them, and feel compelled to respond to it. This can be cured with a little willpower not to take the political bait (And there are a few regular BB's who apparently have nothing better to do all day that lay politcal flame bait on the Bored..... AND YOU ALL KNOW WHO YOU ARE), and better yet, not clicking on the obvious ploitical threads in the first place.

Now, let's all play nice and be kind. Hello Squirrel is watching you.....

lb13

MarleysGh0st · #7 Post by **MarleysGh0st** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 2:12 pm

Hello Squirrel is surprisingly wise!

#8 Post by **littlebeast13** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 2:13 pm

MarleysGh0st wrote:Hello Squirrel is surprisingly wise!

But his typing sucks as usual....

lb13

PlacentiaSoccerMom · #9 Post by **PlacentiaSoccerMom** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 2:16 pm

littlebeast13 wrote: Third, it seems a lot of the suggetsions of quarantining the politcal threads are coming from people who really don't want to view them, don't really want to respond to them, but just can't help but look at them, see something that agitates them, and feel compelled to respond to it.

I am not clicking into the threads, but every time I see the title "Lipstick on a Pig" when I click onto the bored, I just feel a little bit sad.

kayrharris · #10 Post by **kayrharris** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 2:39 pm

PSM is right. Just the name of the thread can be upsetting.

I'm doing as much ignoring as I possibly can. I'm getting pretty darn good at it, too!

sunflower · #11 Post by **sunflower** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 2:41 pm

Me too.

I'm slightly sad that I might miss out on good posts...but anything with a questionable name I'm now staying away from.

And I can't remember who said it sometime last week - but it was good advice - I now just stay away from posts that have certain people as authors or responders. If I miss a couple good ones, oh well. It's better than getting my blood pressure up reading the ones I don't want to read.

ulysses5019 · #12 Post by **ulysses5019** » Fri Sep 12, 2008 12:08 am

For the bored's literary edification from wiki:

Modest Proposal: For Preventing the Children of Poor People in Ireland from Being a Burden to Their Parents or Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Publick, commonly referred to as A Modest Proposal, is a satirical essay written and published by Jonathan Swift in 1729. Swift appears to suggest in his essay that the impoverished Irish might ease their economic troubles by selling children as food for rich gentlemen and ladies.