ATS Political Protest!

I do this out of my love for the people of Above Top Secret. This is a truly excellent site, and I'd hate to see it buy into the very same problems we've come here to address.

We come here to escape politicians, secrecy, bureaucary, and scandal. Yet, I'm getting hourly propaganda from 'candidates' wishing to be elected on to a governing council. I'm all for a republic, I live in one, but the fact still remains there's no place for it here. Up until this point, the administrators of the site have done a fine job of maintaining a pure discussion board without individuals representing a large group of people. Why change? Why now subject us to the same political backlash? Why are we inviting conspiracy amoung ourselves when we are asked to deny ignorance?

For this, I'm a 'no vote' in protest. Please do not include me on the propagandist's mailing lists.

This is not the first post I have seen taking this stance.

This 'hourly propaganda' you speak of is what? A few U2U's sent at the effort of candidates and no cost to the membership of ATS in an attempt that they might, through the freely given donation of their own time, help ATS evolve futher for the enjoyment of us all.

These very elections are being run in hope to improve your ATS. I think perhaps the organising and running of such an event by staff and candidates alike at the expense of their own free time and in an attempt to improve the ATS we all already enjoy should be appreciatively acknowledged rather than scorned.

That said, if you are not willing to participate - don't. Any annoyance at U2U's can be simply remedied - delete them, all it takes is a little wrist action.

I'll close now.

Jak

Originally posted by JAK
This is not the first post I have seen taking this stance.

Ah, apologies for the duplicate, I guess I'm not the only one.

Originally posted by JAK
This 'hourly propaganda' you speak of is what? A few U2U's sent at the effort of candidates and no cost to the membership of ATS in an attempt that they might, through the freely given donation of their own time, help ATS evolve futher for the enjoyment of us all.

It's not just the U2U's, but also big pictorial blog spam-ads bumping out some really nice, real people trying to express themselves. Anyway, there's a concept called "polling" which I think is a more true demonstration of democracy. In fact, I'm flattered when someone asks specifically what I think. Do I feel someone else can adequately represent me more than myself? Surely not.

Originally posted by JAK
These very elections are being run in hope to improve your ATS. I think perhaps the organising and running of such an event by staff and candidates alike at the expense of their own free time and in an attempt to improve the ATS we all already enjoy should be appreciatively acknowledged rather than scorned.

I've heard this song and dance before. How it is for my own good? I need no food, water, highways, or healthcare here. Well, that's the way big government works I guess.

Originally posted by JAK
That said, if you are not willing to participate - don't. Any annoyance at U2U's can be simply remedied - delete them, all it takes is a little wrist action.

I'll close now.

Jak

Along with the 'wrist action' of closing pop-up ads. "Join us and you'll have less of them!" Now, that's a strange incentive, isn't it? Funny thing is, when things become covered in red-tape, a work of art becomes just another billboard. How many more 'wrist actions' can I expect, especially when I have to fight the U2U's to keep under quota?

I totally dig what ATS was, but not a fan of where it's going.


[edit on 3-6-2005 by saint4God]

Originally posted by saint4God
Along with the 'wrist action' of closing pop-up ads. "Join us and you'll have less of them!" Now, that's a strange incentive, isn't it? Funny thing is, when things become covered in red-tape, a work of art becomes just another billboard. How many more 'wrist actions' can I expect, especially when I have to fight the U2U's to keep under quota?

I totally dig what ATS was, but not a fan of where it's going.

It's taken more combined Mod "wrist actions" to respond to your post and make this snazzy graphic demonstrating where to find your own pre-programmed protest button than it will take you to delete a few U2U's.

Use it


Now I'm making another wrist action as regards your general bemoaning of ATS's direction. Can you guess which?

Originally posted by RANT
It's taken more combined Mod "wrist actions" to respond to your post and make this snazzy graphic demonstrating where to find your own pre-programmed protest button than it will take you to delete a few U2U's.

Use it


Now I'm making another wrist action as regards your general bemoaning of ATS's direction. Can you guess which?

Hehe, okay that's certainly fair. Please don't take this a lack of appreciation for all the work done here, my goal is to preserve it. So, why build a political infra-structure? We come here to root out problems of them, not to build more, yes?

[edit on 3-6-2005 by saint4God]

I was just about to start a new thread on this as well. It's not fair that I have to go into my U2U box and see all this political campaigning which I don't care about. If people are even interested in voting for this thing (which I still don't even understand the point of), then they can go to a part of the site and read everyone's propaganda about why they should be elected to these ficticious and useless positions.

I understand that you guys want to push these elections and you feel that they're important to the site. Well, unfortunately not all of us agree. And I don't recall asking to receive campaign literature in my U2U box. I love ATS, but this is by far the biggest turnoff to the site yet for me.

Please, create a page where people can go and read this stuff instead of cramming my U2U box with it. Not all of us care about this election. Give us a break!

It'll all be over soon.

I'm with the original poster as well.

Originally posted by saint4God
For this, I'm a 'no vote' in protest. Please do not include me on the propagandist's mailing lists.

I hope this process doesn't invite the backlash you mentioned. I don't think it has to. I was surprised to see my name wind up at the top of the P@ATS list. I am honored to be so highly regarded. I have not sent out the spam vote for me u2u. I was arguing with myself over whether or not it would turn folks off. What do you all think?

saint4God, I won't ask for your vote, but...

Originally posted by EastCoastKid
I hope this process doesn't invite the backlash you mentioned. I don't think it has to. I was surprised to see my name wind up at the top of the P@ATS list. I am honored to be so highly regarded. I have not sent out the spam vote for me u2u. I was arguing with myself over whether or not it would turn folks off. What do you all think?

saint4God, I won't ask for your vote, but...

Because you asked first, send me an e-mail by U2U! Person to person, it doesn't have to be more than a single word. I will make the exception and vote for you.

Good to see courtesy still lives.


[edit on 3-6-2005 by saint4God]

Originally posted by saint4God
Because you asked first, send me an e-mail by U2U! Person to person, doesn't have to be more than a single word. I will make the exception and vote for you.

Good to see courtesy still lives.

Nice to hear, Saint. And I appreciate your honesty on this.

something that says "Quit ya Bellyaching" !

I think the egalitarian nature of the selections, the fact that folks like myself who never would have campaigned or posted solicitation threads but were voted by peer posters out of acknowledgement, speaks to the wellness of the site & fidelity to the ideals you're griping about as compromised.
I did participate in the U2U raison d'etre, exclusively, because I thought it the very least invasive to those like yourself, who would rather just have candidates STFU. Delete couldn't be easier - no bandwidth/ thread space taken up.
Don't let it stop your vote, though. Anytime you have one, as an employee-board member-citizen or to see who gets kicked off the island, take it!

Originally posted by Bout Time
something that says "Quit ya Bellyaching" !

Since this would be the purview of DISC, if elected I'll make this a top priority!" Along with every other promise I made pandering my way into office.

DISC Monkeys, not just for that emoticon you really think you need...

OK, All I have to say is that ATS is....

FREE, good to go, awesome, FREE, the greatest site on the internet, no charge to me, no charge to you, FREE, addictive, FREE and last but nost least FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

So what's the big deal? huh? I mean the owner is kind enough to let us have say on many things in regards to the opertion of ATS.

A small price to pay IMO.

We come here to escape politicians, secrecy, bureaucary, and scandal

True....so you would rather the MODS pick people to represent each topic? or rather the ATSers have a vote.

Yet, I'm getting hourly propaganda from 'candidates'

Hourly Propaganda...

I'm all for a republic, I live in one, but the fact still remains there's no place for it here

Electing a few members to represent respective thread topics and forums does make ATS a "republic". It makes it a site that ask us (the members) who we would like to represent each topic.

Can someone please call the Wambulance?? (joking)

Originally posted by SportyMB
OK, All I have to say is that ATS is....

FREE, good to go, awesome, FREE, the greatest site on the internet, no charge to me, no charge to you, FREE, addictive, FREE and last but nost least FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

It is addictive, isn't it?

True....so you would rather the MODS pick people to represent each topic? or rather the ATSers have a vote.

That's the thing I like about this whole election process. It's the MEMBERS choosing their own representation. And NO diebold voting machines.

Democracy kicksA$$.

Originally posted by RANT
Now I'm making another wrist action as regards your general bemoaning of ATS's direction. Can you guess which?

OMGLMFAO!!!! Brilliant, bloody brilliant.

Use it

Damn, you beat me too it. Oh well, at least mine flashes.

Originally posted by SportyMB
Hourly Propaganda...

I thought it was kinda funny too. Just using the language of the board. Methinks peeps take these topics too seriously. So I'm not gonna vote, does anyone really care?

Electing a few members to represent respective thread topics and forums does make ATS a "republic". It makes it a site that ask us (the members) who we would like to represent each topic

Then what does it make it? Keeping in mind:

re·pub·lic
(1) : a government in which supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected officers and representatives responsible to them and governing according to law (2) : a political unit (as a nation) having such a form of government

We gots representatives speaking on our behalf, empowering change and who will be setting the standard (laws) of the site. Now, it's not a big of a deal as a country, but the structure appears the same. Model UN anyone?



[edit on 6-6-2005 by saint4God]

You know, I consider this position (council member of whatever forum) to be of the highest. Why? Because it is a position that the PEOPLE have chosen us to serve.