New Policies for Political Bickering on ATS ## MAKE IT STOP! ##

I can't be the only one whose noticed all the political baiting going on in the stop political bickering thread can I?

I call them the Master Baiters as they are very good at what they do. Everyone knows the Master Baiters love it when people pay attention to them so instead of really contributing everyone gets sucked into Master Baiting too.

Why else would they post confrontational statements in a thread specifically started to discuss rationally this problem of political bickering, baiting and sniping.

I will not post anything confrontational as I feel wholly confident in saying that those who have the goods come to ATS and debate in a civil manner every day. Those that don't tend to stay away...oh god I'm rhyming.

The Master Baiters will come and go from time to time and if ignored will go away but in the end I suppose leaving someone to Master Bait on their own isn't very fun for the Master Baiter.

Springer, I'm surpised at you buddy, getting tricked so easily, you know better than to play with the Master Baiters

Of course if they were capable they'd be here debating, calmly and rationally...oh god now I'm close to Master Baiting.

It is contagisoidnapijfpdoaiduf....oops went blind for a second.

Spiderj

Originally posted by Springer
Please... Get a clue mate. This site is very well known and if they had the ability to "tear us apart" they would be here in a minute. I'm pretty sure they've already come and gone with their tails between their legs.

You see, there is nothing to "tear up" this isn't a schoolboy competition, this a way to CRITCALLY CONSIDER current events.

Springer, I'm simply stating what I saw in other forum boards in the past. I stated there are some pro-Bush Americans who aren't aware of this forum board and would probably have challenge you on your assertions in this board or in PTS. I'm not in the habit of going to other forum boards and "advertise" ATS.com because they have the same rule on forbidding advertising/linking other forum boards as yours.

Originally posted by Springer
Your idle rantings about a MOOT POINT are growing tiresome and your obvious incapacity to grasp a simple edict is evidence of a lack of synaptic transmissions.

Frankly, I'm disappointed that you do not clearly grasp my points. Thank you for demonstrating ignorance with me. Good day!

Originally posted by pawnplayer
Trust me, there are very smart pro-Bush Americans who can take on Springer or SkepticOverlord and tear them apart.

Fortunately, they are at other forum boards and not in here. Although I am forbidden, per ATS T&C, to post any link to these forum boards, suffice to say that's understandable.

... and that is where it all starts ...


ATS is NOT for Politics.

THAT is the Entire point of this topic/thread discussion.

No matter the level of knowledge, insight, nor aptitude of Political debate or discussion ...

ATS is NOT the place for such.

Politics.AboveTopSecret.Com
Politics.AboveTopSecret.Com
Politics.AboveTopSecret.Com

Got it? Get it? Have at it!

* statistically the rule of threes virtually ensures viewer retention

Originally posted by pawnplayer
Trust me, there are very smart pro-Bush Americans who can take on Springer or SkepticOverlord and tear them apart.

That's likely very true. I spend most of my available time ensuring that a very popular discussion board with custom technology and a complex server farm remains up and running for the 2+ million monthly visitors we get. Since I don't spend my time honing my political bickering skills, I'm sure someone that does will out-bicker me hands-down.

But the last time I checked, PTS is rather slow. I'm wondering why our politically minded members aren't spending more time engaging on politics over there?

The member (for now) pawnplayer been our second adventurer to utterly miss the point, get three chances in this very thread and yet prove unable to grasp the point. And is now unable to participate with the deniers of ignorance on ATS, for two days.

My reply to his obvious bait was civil and offered the "out" (the "this isn't a competition" bit) but he failed to see it.

Let all those who wonder what "qualifies" as unwanted within the hallowed halls of ATS peruse this fine work of typical political blindness and the inability to distinguish between the here-to-for described "wanted" and the "unwanted".

Springer...

[edit on 7-6-2006 by Springer]

I'm new here,so I admit that I haven't been exposed to all of the partisan bickering. However, I don't believe that partisanship per se' belongs here. The problem is THE SYSTEM and the SHEEP who lazilly cling to their warm, fuzzy, Must-See-TV lifestyles...not just one party, one corporation, or one President. I have assumed from the very beginning that the government monitors this site and the people who use it. I think it takes balls to be a member here and possibly expose yourself to the scrutiny of The Powers That Be. I have always thought that the government would have people pose as members to monitor and spread dis-information. I have even considered the possibility that this site is being ran by THE MAN himself to keep a close eye on all of the unbelievers. I'm surprised that someone like The Troublshoota can even stomach coming to a site like this. To think it IMPOSSIBLE for the government to have played a part in any aspect of a 9/11 conspiracy is naive. The Romans burned Rome to have an excuse for conflict. I'm not saying I believe in a 9/11 conspiracy,and I'm not saying that I don't, I just believe that ANYTHING is possible when it comes to the people who are in power maintaining the status quo. It is our duty as citizens to question authority and to keep the goverment as honest as we can. It is our responsibility as human beings to not allow anyone to lead us collectively down the prim rose path to our velvet cages. I think that it's obvious that the people who are active here are more patriotic than the average Joe Sixpack. ( although Joe Sixpack is what they want!!).I wonder if anyone at the CIA,or the FBI,or The Department of Homeland Security is enlightened enough to even consider THAT. Oh yeah, 86 the political partisanship...this isn't the place for it.

Originally posted by cosmo dag
I'm new here,so I admit that I haven't been exposed to all of the partisan bickering.

To think it IMPOSSIBLE for the government to have played a part in any aspect of a 9/11 conspiracy is naive. The Romans burned Rome to have an excuse for conflict. I'm not saying I believe in a 9/11 conspiracy,and I'm not saying that I don't, I just believe that ANYTHING is possible when it comes to the people who are in power maintaining the status quo. It is our duty as citizens to question authority and to keep the goverment as honest as we can. It is our responsibility as human beings to not allow anyone to lead us collectively down the prim rose path to our velvet cages.

Oh yeah, 86 the political partisanship...this isn't the place for it.

All I have to say to this is... EXACTLY! Er, that, and WELCOME to ATS cosmo dag.

Springer...

Originally posted by cosmo dag
To think it IMPOSSIBLE for the government to have played a part in any aspect of a 9/11 conspiracy is naive.

By that measure anyone who thinks it IMPOSSIBLE for the government to not have been involved in any aspect of a 9/11 conspiracy is overly confident. BTW I raised this point in another thread but I’ll just repeat that I hope we don't automatically question all for questionings sake and that there's something behind each challenge.

The Third Way

Originally posted by cosmo dag
To think it IMPOSSIBLE for the government to have played a part in any aspect of a 9/11 conspiracy is naive.

Originally posted by WestPoint23
By that measure anyone who thinks it IMPOSSIBLE for the government to not have been involved in any aspect of a 9/11 conspiracy is overly confident.

And speaking as a skeptic, I must point out that both perspectives could well be wrong.

Question everything.

Yes both could, we will get to the bottom of that one some day but sadly I think that day will come soon enough.

Originally posted by Majic
The Third Way


Question everything.

Now there's the IDEA behind ATS... Many have mistaken The Three Amigo's inherent "skepticism" for being skeptical of the "out there stuff" exclusively...

NOT the case... We are to a man, equally, if not more so, skeptical of the "Official Line". ANY "Official Line" especially those promulgated by ANY political party and EVERY dogma.

Over and OUT.

Springer...

Political Hack "Exile": 3) Members who are "political hacks" who cannot hold themselves back from turning ATS-topics into political slug-fests will receive a 2-day timeout in which they are limited to PTS-only access. All of our staff will have the ability to apply these "political troll" warnings.

Politically Inspired ATS Banning: We hope that we never need to use this option, but anyone that receives a second "political troll" warning will be permanently limited to PTS-only access.

What makes you think that these people would benfit PTS ?
Quite frankly if someone cant distinguish bewteen a conspiracy and political ideology isnt of any benfit to any part of PTS.

I like politics and love talking about it. What I do hate is when it descends into bickering. I am not immune to it. And I feel bad when I am drawn into bickering. I want the bickering to stop.

But I would like, on PTS as well as ATS, for anyone at least to be allowed to make any views known without being branded with insults or being tagged with "behavioral issues" because of what has been said.

We should be allowed to say what we feel as long as it complies with the T & C guidelines. And no one should prevent us from saying it.

Why can't people take comments the way they are, think about them and answer them intelligently?

And why can't people ask questions without them being branded as an "agenda"?

(Knowing what happened concerning my comments on a previous BBQ thread that I won't name, I'll say only this)

Because of the comments and questions above, I will not be dragged into being blamed for a "vendetta" or "describing a certain thread". I am not blaming certain members. And I am certainly not carrying any inherent negative attitudes. And I am certainly not making this issue about me. And this is certainly not an agenda. And Hell No, this is not about race. So don't go there. And this time on this thread out of respect to the Three Amigos, I will not entertain anyone trying to make it so, including those who did it the last time.

I am speaking about this in a general sense.

And if you do, I won't answer you. And I won't "respectfully" wait until the mods or the staff respond again.

And I hope to see the ATS logo turned up again.

Sorry for the anger of this rant. But I that's how I feel at this time. And I will still continue my love of debating politics regardless. And despite how others may feel about me or my comments on these boards, I still carry a deep and abiding respect for what they say and will continue to try to answer them as diligently and persuasively as possible.

Take care,

Ceci














[edit on 7-7-2006 by ceci2006]

Ohhhhh, lets just kiss and hug and love one another.....

Soon it will be a bright new day...( and can you tell i just took my meds?)

May peace be with you and in your hearts.

G'nite

dg,

I want this to be the same way. I am sorry for the furiousness of my tone in the previous post. I even questioned whether I wanted to be that mean in a post because usually I'm easy going. But it needed to be said.

I would like debate and spirited conversations to be treated just as they are. Nothing more. I have grown weary of witnessing other posters being humilated in degrading ways. And I am also tired of the more sensitive and thoughtful posters of being ridiculed just because of their compassion. This is not a new issue. This is an issue I have advocated for a long time now.

I have also advocated that these debates and discussions on threads to be learning experiences. Not thinly veiled attempts to attack a dignitary, issue or belief. I like to learn from the threads I participate in. And I enjoy it the most when there are people who take the time to teach and explain issues instead of others simply cutting another off because "it isn't intellectual" or that "it is idiotic".

It isn't wrong to seek the truth through asking questions. And it isn't wrong to post information if it sheds light on a given topic.

I am always for people stretching their minds more and thinking outside the box. And that means that people should be able to take whatever stand they like. They should also take the "controversial" as well as the "accepted" in the same way when cordially dealing with others.

No one, whether they are American or not, should not have to feel they are "treasonous" with subject matter about the United States when discussing politics or conspiracy. They should be able to express themselves and entertain questions when they are asked.

And we, as Americans, should realize that we are part of larger world stage. It would benefit us to hear what members from other countries have to say about their nations. And everyone ought to have an healthy interest in what's happening in other parts of the world. It makes us better people on an international stance. Here too, I thank our ATS members from other countries. Their insights have broadened my world view considerably.

But ultimately, I am tired of bickering with people. I don't like the way I feel when I bicker, because a conversation about any fascinating issue should not have to make you feel horrible when you walk away. It should be positive, entertaining and enlightening.

This is as "kumbaya" as I get, but I would certainly hope that in the midst of much-needed conversations--whether conspiratorial or political--people will most definitely try to be polite and kind to each other. That's all. I will try to do my part.

Hugs (or virtual ones) would most certainly help, though.

Btw, this is the post I should have made opposed to the one above. However, I still advocate both.

Take care,

Ceci





[edit on 7-7-2006 by ceci2006]

I used to be one of the if you don't like [insert con/rep/bush word here], then your wrong...anti-American. Just look at my earlier post and you'll see exactly what I mean. I look back and I see what a close minded goober I was..

Yeah, I just wanted to throw that out there.....ATS DOES make a difference. Im far from being Anti-American....as of lately I've been very critical and skeptical about everything the current administration (and all other administrations) does....wondering what their true motives are. But I still consider myself to be one of the more pro-American members on this board

Keep up the good work ATS.

Sporty


[edit on 7/7/2006 by SportyMB]

Polarization, group think and extremism are becoming a global trend, so good luck on trying to abate the march to war mentality.

Public debate has devolved into "might brings right" and bash/trash tactics, while diplomacy and reasoning has been thrown out the window. The lines are drawn and groups are entrenched. They see that all that is left is attack, attack, attack.

This story goes into the phenom:

A Country Divided: Examining the State of Our Union
abcnews.go.com...

Lesson this week: Mexico's Presidential election...watch and learn.

Originally posted by Regenmacher
good luck on trying to abate the march to war mentality.

At least we are one location where there is an attempt to do something to manage the issue... and judging by the reaction in this thread and private member U2U's, it's something we should have done much sooner.

Also, while we are trying to limit political sniping and baiting as much as possible in ATS, this by no means indicates we want to limit political debate in any way. So watch for a couple new ways in which we will promote constructive poltical debate, discussion, and even old-fashion mud-slinging.

Stay tuned.

I'll be rooting for ya, since little is learned in flame or "show of force" posting other than how to dig your heals in and go into reactionary battle mode.

Here's to constructive debating that promotes independent learning rather than sheeple think.

I'll be watching with renewed interest...and hoping it works.

Just a separate forum. Blocked from spidering. Gloomy template.

Call it The War Room. Vent, Rant and Rumble.

Anything goes in there.

How say you, Amigos?

EDIT: If you are caught violating T&C for bickering on any of the regular forums, you will be sent to The War Room and locked out of the regular forums for a certain amount of time related to the infraction commited.

[edit on 7-7-2006 by HardToGet]