briar patch

[Soloist]

You have made it your business to counter “leftist” politics and you continue the political stuff by arguing about it. Can’t you just report it and move on?

We quite literally have a thread called "DjT" in the Current Events forum. I have yet to have anyone explain to me how a thread about Donald J. Trump meets this criteria:

Things that are not part of politics happening presently and how we approach or address it as Anabaptists.

I don't want MennoNet to continue its descent into being a cesspit that is mostly just political discussion; it repels new members who want to join here and talk about things other than that, and it does not represent Anabaptism or Mennonites well as a whole. I think it's a fight worth fighting for.

Alternatively I guess we can just let the forum die as the same handful of people argue about the same political topics over and over, and when the Politics forum isn't active enough, start bleeding it over into other subforums. I think that's a bad thing.

Did you report it? Or just argue/defend one particular view?

[ohio jones]

Did you report it?

If posts are not reported, complaints in the thread are likely to fall on deaf eyes.

[JohnL]

To clear up any confusion about what makes a post political there are some real simple definitions that's commonly accepted by all the folks I know.
If the person being discussed is currently holding or has held political office then the post is political.
If the topic being discussed is a law or regulation determined by the government then the post is political.
If the topic being discussed involves wars and the nations at war then the post is political.

Current events are stories such as rescues, emergencies, traffic, weather, local news about festivals and crime, good news kind of events and what have you.
These are the definitions I'm familiar with and it pretty much acts like a real effective fence in social situations and family gatherings.

[JohnH]

Did you report it? Or just argue/defend one particular view?

I generally prefer to engage with other people as equal participants instead of running to tattle on them. Instead of trying to report someone's posts and get some kind of enforcement on them, why not discuss and dialogue with them?

[Soloist]

Did you report it? Or just argue/defend one particular view?

I generally prefer to engage with other people as equal participants instead of running to tattle on them. Instead of trying to report someone's posts and get some kind of enforcement on them, why not discuss and dialogue with them?

Hey that’s a great idea! Why not start a response to them in the political sub forum! Be the change you want to see!

[temporal1]

Did you report it?

If posts are not reported, complaints in the thread are likely to fall on deaf eyes.

i don’t know, i’ve wondered, could it be that some members do not want to join the politics subforum, so, when they have something political or borderline, they use current events as a work around? [i don’t know.]

the most confusing (for me) are existing topics that may overlap, but were never politics-only, or no-politics.
i wouldn’t want to have to decide.

(for me) it’s up to admin+mods, i’m sure it’s not always easy. sometimes one must accept decisions of others.
this is a private forum, admin-mods being subjective is part of what makes it work. no one is forced to stay.

reporting to mods isn’t a reflex choice, but it’s helpful. i’m glad the option is there.
sometimes i use it for small mistakes, misspelled words, etc.
i try not to bother them.

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wrt tattling, i trust admin+mods to recognize what’s worthwhile, then use their discretion.
Reporting (or asking) mods is something best avoided, but has value (because of quality moderation).
It’s a matter of trust and respect.

little in life fits hardline rules very well.

[temporal1]

Did you report it? Or just argue/defend one particular view?

I generally prefer to engage with other people as equal participants instead of running to tattle on them. Instead of trying to report someone's posts and get some kind of enforcement on them, why not discuss and dialogue with them?

Hey that’s a great idea! Why not start a response to them in the political sub forum! Be the change you want to see!

Sometimes this happens. Example: Bunny Trails, also, Bunny Trails Politics.

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btw,
i’ve had a share of moderating, admonishments, even warnings ..
not my fav thing, but i try to understand and learn. most come here to learn, i try to learn.

[Jazman]

Goodness gracious.

I was unaware that some personal things were happening with Robert when I wrote this, but regardless, I should have stated my disagreement differently some how or left him out of the discussion entirely. Yes, I disagreed with Robert's approach on numerous things, including discussing politics and I'll continue to do so with some of you. But that doesn't mean my intention was to put down his entire time or leadership here.

Did you see the post where his wife announced that Robert died?

No, I did not. I don't read MennoNet cover to cover... But even if I missed that, I should have responded differently to JohnL? point about Robert being a good example. He was as far as any human could be, even though we disagreed on numerous things.

[Jazman]

Goodness gracious.

I was unaware that some personal things were happening with Robert when I wrote this, but regardless, I should have stated my disagreement differently some how or left him out of the discussion entirely. Yes, I disagreed with Robert's approach on numerous things, including discussing politics and I'll continue to do so with some of you. But that doesn't mean my intention was to put down his entire time or leadership here.

How did you know he wasn’t handling things here any longer, without knowing he passed?

I thought he was still handling things here... I had no idea he had passed. But regardless, I should have worded my disagreement with his approach differently than I did. (which I intended to mean specifically his approach to discussing politics on MN and no other part of his work here - it's apparent I failed at making that clear as well...). But also regardless, just because Robert passed (Lord please be near his family) doesn't mean I change my beliefs/thoughts on how to discuss current events/politics... but my timing was obviously poor... I guess I should have waited 6mo to respond to JohnL's point, and with more understanding and less emotion, it would have come out better.

[temporal1]

Board Guidelines (more in the link)
https://forum.mennonet.com/viewtopic.php?t=5827