Does Lit Need A "Political" Forum?

[Rumple Foreskin]

There have always been some politically oriented threads here at the AH. Recently, however, with the US presidential race heating up, it seems like the numbers have grown to the point where threads about politics and politicans make up over half those on page one.

So my question is: would it be a plus or minus if there was a Lit forum specifically for those with political opinions they'd like to express? Even if one were created, since the AH isn't moderated, folks would still be able to talk about politics here. But the general tone might revert to being more supportive than confrontational.

Your thoughts?

Rumple Foreskin

 

[sr71plt]

It seems to have one. What it probably needs is an actual writers forum.

 

[Darkniciad]

Sounds like a plan to me. There's no shortage of such threads to merit a sub-forum even outside the election cycles. Those who want to wade in can, and those who could give two flips wouldn't have to hunt through all of them when the rush starts, trying to find posts that interest them.

Seriously doubt it would improve the tone of the threads, however.

 

[Munachi]

well i guess the result could either be, that the author's hangout becomes more of a writing forum, and the politics move to the political forum - or that the author's hangout suddenly feels all lonely and empty... i guess...

i don't have a problem with political posts - though i notice i rarely go into them, at least those that are like ten or more pages of posts repeating the same arguments, and each post being actually a 5000 word essay - but that has less to do with not being interested, and more with that i just don't have the time.

actually, i have no opinion on the this, i just realized.

 

[oggbashan]

I think that the political threads will become less frequent once the US Presidential election is decided - until the next one.

As I have said before, this US Presidental election rouses passions because there is a clear difference between the candidates and the parties have almost equal numbers of supporters.

We in the UK have a choice between two (or three) grey men and the differences in policies between them are slight. Whoever wins the next UK election is unlikely to make much difference to most people's lives.

Og

 

[Guest]

I think that the political threads will become less frequent once the US Presidential election is decided - until the next one.

As I have said before, this US Presidental election rouses passions because there is a clear difference between the candidates and the parties have almost equal numbers of supporters.

We in the UK have a choice between two (or three) grey men and the differences in policies between them are slight. Whoever wins the next UK election is unlikely to make much difference to most people's lives.

Og

I agree.

The same thing happened four years ago. It went away after the election.

 

[Munachi]

um... i think the reason is more that us-americans are the strongest represented group of posters here. and that US politics are usually most followed by people from other countries. i would guess for example most germans know more about US politics and have more of an opinion about it than the politics of the countries directly neighbouring them.

edit - i mean this in reply to ogg's reason of why there are more discussion about US-elections than other elections...

 

[voluptuary_manque]

I, for one, can hardly wait for November so this whole thing is over. Given how little real difference it will make (sorry, Sarahh and Stella. I used to be a bureaucrat. We were the government, the politicians just made all the noise.) the missplaced passion will be better spent, IMO, on sex.

 

[sr71plt]

the missplaced passion will be better spent, IMO, on sex.

Discuss erotica on a erotica site? Wow, what a revolutionary concept. The teenage girl and soccer mom posters here would be upset by that, wouldn't they?

 

[Safe_Bet]

Discuss erotica on a erotica site? Wow, what a revolutionary concept. The teenage girl and soccer mom posters here would be upset by that, wouldn't they?

Just a fucking minute there, Bubba! "Soccer mom" and "erotica" are not anymore mutually exclusive than are "jet jockey" and "egotistical male pig", apparently!

 

[sr71plt]

Just a fucking minute there, Bubba! "Soccer mom" and "erotica" are not anymore mutually exclusive than are "jet jockey" and "egotistical male pig", apparently!

I think you maybe have confused "soccer mom" with "suckka mom."

 

[Safe_Bet]

I think you maybe have confused "soccer mom" with "suckka mom."

Hmmmm, maybe we need a dumb-ass reply forum, as well!

 

[sr71plt]

Hmmmm, maybe we need a dumb-ass reply forum, as well!

Haven't you already started one?

 

[Safe_Bet]

Haven't you already started one?

Yup. Thank you for being the first entry.

 

[jomar]

I think that the political threads will become less frequent once the US Presidential election is decided - until the next one.

As I have said before, this US Presidental election rouses passions because there is a clear difference between the candidates and the parties have almost equal numbers of supporters.

We in the UK have a choice between two (or three) grey men and the differences in policies between them are slight. Whoever wins the next UK election is unlikely to make much difference to most people's lives.

Og

I agree.

The same thing happened four years ago. It went away after the election.

I wasn't here, but that's what I was thinking.

...the missplaced passion will be better spent, IMO, on sex.

Nicely worded.

 

[DesertPirate]

Yup. Thank you for being the first entry.

Most of us keep him on ignore, it makes life more pleasant

 

[Penelope Street]

Does Lit Need A "Political" Forum?

Need? No. But I think the addition of one would be an improvement.

 

[rgraham666]

Hi Penny. Long time no see.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Hi Penny. Long time no see.

Really! Where've you been, dear? We miss you as well as your stories. How 'bout a new one?

 

[Belegon]

No.

We will see the outrage die down after the election. It happened before, four years ago.

...and as the Author's Hangout, I think it is appropriate that whatever is on our minds be discussed.

This isn't the classroom, it's the Teacher's Lounge.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

No.

We will see the outrage die down after the election. It happened before, four years ago.

...and as the Author's Hangout, I think it is appropriate that whatever is on our minds be discussed.

This isn't the classroom, it's the Teacher's Lounge.

Ever been in a Teachers' Lounge? The level of discussion is no higher than that of the classroom. That's why I spend so much time here. Dealing with children all day has an alarming tendency to rub off on one.

 

[gauchecritic]

It's a reasonable idea because party politics and the seemingly illimitable number of times that MiAmico posts the same thread (and BFW or JBJ or whoever it was crying about getting bashed) does tend to move the front page along faster than it can be read by the whole membership. I'd vote in favour of some kind of moderator whose sole purpose would be to move overtly political threads. (and all of MiAmico's threads whatever the hell guise he starts them off as.)

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Need? No. But I think the addition of one would be an improvement.

Welcome back, Penny.

As usual, you've come up with a better term.

Since the AH is unmoderated, even if a Lit political forum was created, its use would be optional and political threads could still be started here, right?

This post is strictly a trial balloon. Some AH'ers have been turned off by all the political threads and the bitterness they can generate. Others enjoy the give-and-take.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Need? No. But I think the addition of one would be an improvement.

Penny!!! HUGS! Good to see you!

 

[neonlyte]

Yup... I'm too easily distracted, I need taking away from politiks.