When did ATS become so right wing minded and politically motivated?

If you don't like what has happened to ATS, no one is forcing you to stay.

No one is forcing you to read political articles and OP's.

You are choosing to upset yourself by reading them.

Simple solution. Don't read stuff that upsets you.

Go to sites that will always agree with you if you can't stand anyone saying something that doesn't agree with your religion of liberal ideology. Try facebook, twitter, and watch CNN, MSNBC, NBC, CBS, ABC, read the NY Times and Atlantic. Comment on their articles, and you will feel much calmer and more at peace if having people disagree with your religion upsets you.

a reply to: olaru12

You finally got that desk mirror?

a reply to: ExiledSpirit777
Political views were evenly balanced until Donald Trump won in 2016.
As far as I can tell, most ATS members who hated him fell into a sulk, and consequently stopped coming to ATS.
Obviously, the defection of the left-wing members meant that only the right-wing voices were now being heard.
Every now and then, during the years that followed, left-wing members have been popping up to complain how right-wing ATS has become- quite oblivious to the fact that their own defection has brought about this situation.
I'm always reminded of the story about the man who killed both his parents, and then pleaded for merciful tretment on the grounds that he was an orphan.

originally posted by: DISRAELI

I'm always reminded of the story about the man who killed both his parents, and then pleaded for merciful tretment on the grounds that he was an orphan.

Brilliant and spot on, thanks!

a reply to: ExiledSpirit777

There's always been a strong right lean here (been a regular since around 2009, but didn't make an account till few years later), but back then the discourse was much more civil and people actually cared about facts and sources.

Around the 2016 election the far right aspect increased exponentially, along with all the shady facts and meme'politics (similar to social media, etc).

Just my opinion as a long time visitor.

Edit - Politics in general has increased rapidly here since the later part of Obama's 2nd term, and then increased quite a bit in 2016. Nowadays the vast majority of new topics are politics.

I’ve been coming on here for years and just lurked until now. This site has not become more “right wing” it’s a reflection of a massive number of people who feel a certain way about the huge dangers of allowing “woke” culture to destroy the country from inside out as a massive minority. Yes, the Constitution was created to protect the minority and it dies by allowing woke culture to exist, speak freely(unlike anyone so called right wing to speak freely on all social media sites.) Even many, many Democrats are jumping from this ship as well and Kamala’s own people are leaving in droves. We finally shut down the freeload that is Disney. Things are blowing in the winds my friend and it’s seemingly in the direction of keeping our Constitution intact and not censoring and canceling free speech only for the actual majority in this country. Can’t even believe I’m writing this as it all seems like a strange nightmare. It only takes ONE generation to totally change the narrative and flip an entire nations finest and greatest rights, so it will take another one to fix it all, but thankfully we have been slowly righting the ship just in slow motion. a reply to: ExiledSpirit777

There is another variable in play as well, other websites I used to post to went nuts censoring anything but left opinions.
I used to post to the Huffington Post, Reddit, Twitter, Facebook and the political section of a popular Star Wars website.
I was either banned or quit all those websites for their left leaning bias, ATS is the only place I have now, so that happened too.

I am sure I am not the only ATS person that has abandoned or been banned from other websites.

a reply to: ExiledSpirit777
So many conspiracy theorists have talked about the nwo/great reset etc. for decades and what just happened? The pandemic was the obvious beginning of this. We are living it real time and of course, it became political because they will only succeed if they manage to divide people.

Many of us are being called right wing as a manufactured insult because we believe in freedom and rights. I'm in canada and a couple times I mentioned online that I felt human rights were being violated during the pandemic and I got attacked by locals as "trumper", "right wing" etc. Clearly stuff they heard on tv and felt it their social duty to call me out.

I'm an oldie from the punk world which used to be considered left wing so this label shifting to right wing is pretty obvious as a political tactic. Canadian Dear Leader called the unvaccinated "extremist, racist and misogynist" so instantly anyone who took a stand on the side of their own medical decisions got labelled with those good, old fashioned red neck, hillbilly slurs to discredit them. It's hardly fair but when the majority is completely ignorant that we are all being played nobody will notice.

So now, this former left wing oddity can say that I proudly stand with the freedom seeking right wing, the christians, the sikhs truckers, anti covid vaxxers, anti mandate hillbillies, scientists who don't believe in science, trumpers etc. and many more who don't believe the government has our best interests at heart.



Editing to add that the post above sums it up perfectly... all voices but left leaning were silenced on all social and news media. I got censored everywhere trying to discuss the pandemic with people I knew in real life. Not many venues left and ats, to my mind, is a wonderful place that allows free speech but has great moderators (rudeness/off topic disrupts the flow of the subject so while it is free speech I love that it isn't allowed here so the discussion doesn't get derailed. Many people work really hard on their posts here because of this two way respect)

originally posted by: igloo
So now, this former left wing oddity can say that I proudly stand with the freedom seeking right wing, the christians, the sikhs truckers, anti covid vaxxers, anti mandate hillbillies, scientists who don't believe in science, trumpers etc. and many more who don't believe the government has our best interests at heart.

This is it, yes. Whenever I get disheartened that the wetiko mind virus has become unstoppable, I come to places like this that still allow some kind of free expression and find out that of course, many people are resisting, realizing, refusing...

a reply to: ExiledSpirit777

I think you're right, up to a point. I think the reason that ATS started becoming so Pro Trump is because most of us understand that the election was rigged. Just logically, how can you think that Biden received more votes than Obama did. Obama was and is Charismatic, most people at least said that he was a good speaker and personable. When Biden was running for office from his Cellar, he looked half dead, now he's full dead.

We as Americans don't take kindly to being pushed, and we are being pushed. How about the Vacs? No, I think that we are fed up with this BS.

originally posted by: stelth2
a reply to: ExiledSpirit777

I think you're right, up to a point. I think the reason that ATS started becoming so Pro Trump is because most of us understand that the election was rigged. Just logically, how can you think that Biden received more votes than Obama did. Obama was and is Charismatic, most people at least said that he was a good speaker and personable. When Biden was running for office from his Cellar, he looked half dead, now he's full dead.

We as Americans don't take kindly to being pushed, and we are being pushed. How about the Vacs? No, I think that we are fed up with this BS.

People were heavy against Trump. Thats how he could get more votes. People just wanted him out of office. Im sorry, im in the camp that I can't see that election being rigged at all. For the first time ever, an election is rigged, because their guy lost. I don't buy it. I've surfed this website during the height of it and paid attention to what they claimed was "evidence" and I just cant buy it.

I equate the vaccine mandate as to that of polio. It was pushed. We just have a indoctrinated society of becoming rebels and questioning things without challenging their own opinions while doing that. The government says they suggest one thing, they do another. I get it. But it's just how minds are working these days.

a reply to: LastFirst

That's a whole lot of words with no answer. Which narrative is it?

originally posted by: DISRAELI
a reply to: ExiledSpirit777
Political views were evenly balanced until Donald Trump won in 2016.
As far as I can tell, most ATS members who hated him fell into a sulk, and consequently stopped coming to ATS.
Obviously, the defection of the left-wing members meant that only the right-wing voices were now being heard.
Every now and then, during the years that followed, left-wing members have been popping up to complain how right-wing ATS has become- quite oblivious to the fact that their own defection has brought about this situation.
I'm always reminded of the story about the man who killed both his parents, and then pleaded for merciful tretment on the grounds that he was an orphan.

This is the reply so far that I can fully get on board with. Well said. I think you may have hit the nail on the head.

originally posted by: xuenchen


Wrong. MCCARTHY WAS CONTROLLED OPPOSITION 😁

That would be interesting to weed out.. seriously.

I have an open mind...any leads on that?

originally posted by: mysterioustranger
a reply to: ancientlight

ATS is a "Private Members-Only" Forum. Look it up.

As such...we do not entirely have free speech here. There are site rules that you agreed to when joining.

Must join to post. Private Member Only Forum.

Dont mistake Free Speech as a given everywhere. Rules abound.

***ATS is the best place to be tho. Welcome!

This i agree with the club thing.. sorta..

But, the proper interpretation of LAW OF THE LAND..

Is that anything operating on that land must follow that law.. any other definition is false

a reply to: LastFirst

So no answer? We get it, but you THROW OUT words.

damn sucker, you're still playing their game...

a reply to: LastFirst

Great. You said what I meant...or you meant what I tried to say!

Just visit the forums of ones choice.

originally posted by: charolais
a reply to: ExiledSpirit777

There's always been a strong right lean here (been a regular since around 2009, but didn't make an account till few years later), but back then the discourse was much more civil and people actually cared about facts and sources.

Around the 2016 election the far right aspect increased exponentially, along with all the shady facts and meme'politics (similar to social media, etc).

Just my opinion as a long time visitor.

Edit - Politics in general has increased rapidly here since the later part of Obama's 2nd term, and then increased quite a bit in 2016. Nowadays the vast majority of new topics are politics.

Yes! I remember ATS when the members were serious about "Civility and Decorum" and aversion to one-line posts. The Political Mud Pit and other political forums were created in an attempt to contain the vitriolic substanceless posts that diverted from thread topics, but the effect was normalization and spill over into the other boards.


I see now a great lack of concern for source quality, and even thread titles that are not even supported by sources offered. My opinion is there is a great deal of similarity with 4chan in bickering and squabbling and political meme image posting and even advocation and justification of violence.

a reply to: ExiledSpirit777

So russia gate never happened?