Why close a thread on the U.S. Elections?

[Jamo]

Please move the thread to a different section of the forum then. I've seen a 'just three words' thread that went on longer than that. It is an important topic, both here and abroad, isn't it? The topic is certainly being well covered in the world media on a daily basis. Odd, to close an important thread. Must have had enough of those surly Americans. ( I have)Besides, I haven't had my say.

I look at our elections from a different perspective. When the Bush/Gore fiasco happened and Bush won by 537 votes in Florida and the Dems were contending that GOre had won and that the 'Will of the people had spoken' I thought the whole election was so close that the winner was simply decided by flip of the coin, not the will of the people.

I think that is the fallacy of democracy, at least of the sort we have here. Two idiots say nothing then claim a mandate when a one vote result seperates them. No wonder the results were about even. There really isn't any democracy or freedom. The corporations own everyone and run everything, you know.

The larger problem is the media and their refusal to promote a genuine debate and instead to base coverage upon scandal and irrelevancy and to conspicously, consciously avoid all real substantive and specific matters. I'm no apologist for Bush, but Gore was saying nothing of substance about signicfican environmental issues during that election. Neither party committed to anything and the result was a flip of the coin. And the media gives us only swill about that charming Sarah Palin's daughter and other irrelevant personal accusations that shed no light on anything. George Washington himself could not have gotten elected in this environment.

[Wombat]

Originally Posted by Jamo

The topic is certainly being well covered in the world media on a daily basis.

Then IMNSHO, it does not need to be discussed on a motorcycle forum.

There are plenty of political forums out there on the interweb if you MUST talk politics.

[Trekr]

For what its worth... we dont live in a democracy... which is why the guy that wins the NATION popular vote does not become president. Democracy, ruling by the majority, usually turns into anarchy.

We live in a Republic form of Government, ruled by LAW (Constitution)... because the majority gets it wrong sometimes.

maybe the mods could open a subset under the biker handout section to "talk the issues".... as long as they are not flaming, you dont have to open and read them.

[trypcil]

Passion rides high if the 'fix' is in!!!! People can't be trusted, if you think it's happening, you might just be right! Electronic voting is daft.

[7589]

Triumph owners are too strong minded on politics, it's best left segregated.

Go talk politics on a political forum.

Too many views, too many arguments- they don't belong on this forum, even if it is the biker hang out.

Just my opinion...

--Kory

P.S.-- Go McCain!

[Nickwiz]

Its a shame.

Motorcyclists Bikers call em us what you will have a brain too. Yes its great to talk bikes but its good to chew the fat over weightier topics too. Why not let us discuss stuff other than bikes? Ok we can go talk on a political forum but its talking to the folk here that share similar interests in bikes that interests me. Not some completely anonymous politico. Why so scared of debate and opinion? For the most part I think things are handled civily and sensibly here. Differences of opinion are voiced, sometimes forcefully but thats OK. I cant help feel that if you nail this forum down to only talking bikes then it will lose its life and vitality and just become a how do I fix this? who likes the latest (insert model of bike). And that would be bloody boring. I don't sit in a bar with my biking mates and only talk bikes. Yes we do some of the time but we talk about other stuff aswell. Nowt wrong with that. So don't moderate all the life out of the forum. I cant help feeling that theres more going on here than just politics is not appropriate.

[dfeaster]

I like to hear what people that share my interest in riding have to say about the larger issues in our world. There is nothing wrong with a respectful exchange of views. I have been know to change my mind of issues.

--dfeaster

[doodledog]

I go to race meetings marshaling almost every weekend, I am in a Triumph riders club meeting once a month, I go to the pub resonably often, guess what we dont talk bikes much, we discuss all sorts of topics, the ratnet has bike specific groups to talk about our bikes, the hangout is valuable to get an international take on all kinds of stuff, I really dont need the mods to censor the threads the way they have with the election topic, in a way its just imposing thier likes and dislikes on the forum for no real reason, we all know when someone has overstepped the line and I have seen threads locked that really deserved it, in this case I dont agree with the mods action, thing is I have no say as I am on here and subject to the rules set. Thing is its titled biker hang out, its always been a talking shop for lots of stuff, we know the tag says come and talk about bikes, but its never been treated like that, the mods however always use that excuse to lock threads they dont like, Nicks post is as usual to the point and correct, we are all adults and have valid opinions, let us voice them, and as for politics on the web and political websites, comon we are bikers talking the way we see things, not politicians.

[Tbirdnz]

Political threads are not prohibited on the site although they are confined to Biker Hang-Out, the off-topic forum. The Acceptable User Policy (AUP, listed on the Home-Page, Main Menu, under FAQ) does state under Prohibited Activities:

• Negative Political Bias - Posts that advertise, promote, condone the views of others, or encourage inflammatory responses are not encouraged.

The particular political thread that was closed had done it's dash on the titled subject and had drifted away from the original thread topic. The thread in fact had been originated by myself !

We realise that a mix of members both like and dislike political threads and any such threads will be clearly headed as political to ensure that any member that dislike them are alerted not to click on them.