Q. Is a Facilitator Much Like an Enabler?

Welcome to the Social Issues forum. I am your Forum Subject Matter Expert, but I would prefer to be viewed more as a facilitator. The beauty of our forum is that almost any subject can be discussed here as long as it is approached from a sociological perspective.

We wouldn't be very interested in your romantic relationship problems, but we would very much like to discuss the courtship mores and rituals of your culture and how those and their evolution impact your relationship.

We don't care so much that your favorite athlete was traded to another team, but we are interested in the dynamics of the recruitment policies, pay structures, and trading practices of sports teams and how they impact individual players and fans.

Accordingly, the use of steroids and the impact of performance-enhancing drugs on sports, teams, players, and fans would be an excellent topic.

Here's the Social Issues forum description, found at the top of each thread page:

Social Issues and Civil Unrest: Discussion of increasing civil unrest, inspired by the citizenry's distrust or anger toward their government throughout the world. This forum is also for the examination of government corruption, mismanagement, or other issues in social programs, the arts, and immigration.

The most powerful weapon in an FSME's arsenal is the "applaud button," so let us discuss for a moment what is likely to garner applause from me:

I like well-reasoned arguments that draw upon the experience, observation, and research of our members more than the repetition of clichés and buzzwords.

I prefer those who are willing to listen to the arguments of others and fashion their own arguments accordingly.

I respect sober analysis, but I abhor deconstruction.

I admire enthusiasm, but loathe hysteria.

I appreciate an authoritative approach to an argument, but am offended by authoritarian arrogance.

So, let us revel in the broad range of topics that we are allowed to discuss here, but let us be respectful of the limits imposed on those subjects so that our discussions can be structured and disciplined, but most of all, fruitful, constructive, and enlightening.

Respectfully,

Grady


[edit on 2006/8/1 by GradyPhilpott]

edit on Fri Aug 12 2011 by DontTreadOnMe because: EDITED TO UPDATE THREAD TO REFLECT CURRENT SOCIAL ISSUES FORUM GUIDELINES

[quote removed by staff]

Great! My most urgent topic is Government. The United States government in particular. The 13 colonies began the Revolution in April, 1775, although we prefer July 4, 1776 as the start up date. Representatives of the colonies met in Philadelphia and created the United States of America - the name given to us in the Articles of Confederation, done in 1777.

That document created a unicameral legislature. It failed in two respects. It lacked an effective executive and it failed to have tax or revenue raising powers. The former function was exercised by Committee of the States, made up of 1 member from each state. A vote of 9 was required to take any action.

To raise revenue, the individual states agreed to contribute to a common fund based on the value of the land within their borders. The Articles worked well enough to give us the decisive victory at Yorktown, in 1781. The peace treaty was done at Paris in 1783. The treaty was delayed in part by the hope of the British that the colonists would relent and return to the kingdom.

In the colonies, the general consensus was growing that the Articles were inadequate to the new nation’s needs. A second Constitutional Convention was called to meet in Philadelphia. The City of Brotherly Love was America’s largest city and was centrally located. The new document was done in 1787 and submitted to the 13 colonies. 10 states had ratified in time for an election in 1789. (Should have been held in 1788 but the first election was late.) Only 10 states voted in the first election. New York, North Carolina and Rhode Island were to late ratifying the new document to participate.

I have said all that to say this:
This document is not adequate to our needs in 2006. We have a president that is unpopular and who, if we had a parliamentary system, would most likely have been booted from office after Katrina. We, however, are saddled with him until January 20, 2009. Like him, like his policies, or not.

In 1787, we were familiar with the institutions of kings and queens. The monarchy. The monarch held office for his or her lifetime. We choose to limit our executive to a four year term in 1787, which musts have seemed an extremely short time period. I therefore want to alter our current Constitution to provide for re-call of the president before the completion of his term of office.

Congress. Congress is micro-managing America. It must be that all the 535 elected members of the House and Senate imagine themselves as being the president. If you will listen to CSpan or CSpan 2 you will hear the most tedious and most exaggerated goings-on which pass for committee hearings. It is an impossible task. The current US budget is $2.75 T. We used to lament we could not comprehend billions, and now we are dealing with trillions. There are many things that only Congress can do, but trying to get a handle on the budget is not one of them. Micro-managing must end.

Judiciary. The great strength of the Federal judiciary is the lifetime appointment. And, add the provision that Congress cannot reduce their salary. Even the lower court judges, the District Courts, are each appointed by the President and approve d by the Congress. This means that higher court judges are not the bosses of the lower court judges. A district court judge need not bow to an Appeals court judge or even to a supreme court justice. They are on equal footing in that rearward.

But I don’t like the right leaning judges appointed by Reagan and the Bush41 and Bush43. I don’t like them enough I am willing to give up the lifetime anointment. What we needed in 1789 is not necessarily what we need in 2006. To travel from Charleston - the richest city in America back then - to Boston, the leading intellectual city, could take 8 weeks in the winter.

Our times are more demanding. Communications are instanteous and more capable. I suggest we make Federal judge adornment for a single 15 year term if the appointee is under age 55, and for a single 10 year term if over 55. I believe this would put the judges beyond undue political influence, if that is even possible with lifetime appointments which was the rationale.

Bureaucracy. Civil Service. I will add an addendum for this most important change in our Constitution. We must find some way to incorporate a decent, skilled and energetic Civil Service. This is the bedrock of a democracy and we are killing it, shooting ourselves in the foot. Back Later.






[edit on 7/15/2006 by donwhite]

Hi, donwhite. I provided a definition of facilitator, so you can go by that. Enabler is used in some circles as one who promotes the destructive behavior of others, so I would like to avoid that impression.

Your views on government are more than welcome, but remember to start your own thread, so that others can find it more easily.

Grady


[edit on 2006/7/18 by GradyPhilpott]

I would be interested in discussing the ideas of rebellion and conformity with anyone. I have just finished my college sociology course and (combined with my psychology course) have begun viewing things in a completely different way.

Originally posted by JackofBlades
I would be interested in discussing the ideas of rebellion and conformity with anyone. I have just finished my college sociology course and (combined with my psychology course) have begun viewing things in a completely different way.

This is also one of my primary interest in contemporary culture. My academic background is also in Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology.
It will be very interesting to compare the British and USAs, rebellion and conformity issues.

First off I'd like to state that I think there are definite genetic influences, whether one is a follower or an iconoclast.

Grady,
How absolutely marvelous. A new Forum.
I wish you a merry and wholesome time as facilitator (Big Brother) I hope this will be one of the places with rational open minded contributions.
WIS

Thanks, WIS. It's not really a new forum, but I hope to usher in a "new attitude." My apologies to Patti LaBelle.

Originally posted by JackofBlades
I would be interested in discussing the ideas of rebellion and conformity with anyone.

Originally posted by whaaa
This is also one of my primary interest in contemporary culture.

Go for it, gentlemen. Start a thread and put your hearts into it. I think you can have the times of your lives right here at "Social Issues."

politics.abovetopsecret.com...



[edit on 2006/7/19 by GradyPhilpott]

I would really like to discuss relationship violence and try and develop ideas to educate the public as well as ways to combat it. For instance I learned during my daughter's freshman orientation that the first 6 weeks of a young lady's freshman year of college is the time she is most likly to be a victim of sexual assault. I'd also like to discuss ways to make this time safer.

Originally posted by gallopinghordes
I would really like to discuss relationship violence and try and develop ideas to educate the public as well as ways to combat it.

Start a thread, gallopinghordes. It's pretty easy. Do some internet research, draw from your experience and information derived from those you know, organize your thoughts and create a narrative designed to inform and stimulate dialog. You can start from here.

politics.abovetopsecret.com...

[edit on 2006/7/20 by GradyPhilpott]

A thread about AIDS would be intresting, and also about media and internet.

Originally posted by pARADISE
A thread about AIDS would be intresting, and also about media and internet.

Well, pARADISE, it looks like ragster's got you covered.

politics.abovetopsecret.com...

As for the AIDS thread, get busy and do a little research, get your thoughts together and post one. It's not that hard. You can start here:

politics.abovetopsecret.com...


[edit on 2006/8/4 by GradyPhilpott]

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott

Originally posted by pARADISE
A thread about AIDS would be intresting, and also about media and internet.

Well, pARADISE, it looks like ragsters got you covered.

politics.abovetopsecret.com...

As for the AIDS thread, get busy and do a little research, get your thoughts together and post one. It's not that hard. You can start here:

politics.abovetopsecret.com...

[edit on 2006/8/3 by GradyPhilpott]

I just saw the other threads, and about the AIDS thread I thought we couldn't make them. I' ll work on it.
And this forum is one of the best ones here on ATS!

Thanks, pARADISE. I'll be watching for your thread.

Would it be possible to have an sort of index that categorises all the threads that deal with racism ?
I thought that something like that would be an good idea because there are lots of threads that deal with the issue of racism in the Social Issues forum.

The Boolean search should be able to accomplish that task for you, if you take the time to master its techniques.

If you haven't heard already, Above Politics is being reintegrated with Above Top Secret.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

This, I believe, is a very positive move, which I wholeheartedly support.

Taken broadly almost all issues are social in nature and eventually almost all issues become politicized.

Segregating politics from conspiracies is almost impossible in my judgement, because I haven't met a conspiracy yet that didn't in some way involve the government to some degree.

Social Issues and other forums will become Political Issues on the ATS board and we will continue to have discussions there that can be more flexible than they could here on Above Politics, which sometimes shoehorned issues into rather circumscribed categories.

May we all continue to prosper and grow.

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott
Social Issues and other forums will become Political Issues on the ATS board and we will continue to have discussions there that can be more flexible than they could here on Above Politics, which sometimes shoehorned issues into rather circumscribed categories.

May we all continue to prosper and grow.

So, what happen to the Social Issues fourm?

Is it Dead?

And why are there still active topics in the fourm, when there is no access to the fourm, unless you link thru your profile page.

I had a topic moved to the Social Issues fourm. It apears in the social issues fourm, but is not accesable thru ATS... on ATS, when clicking on the Political Issues, it gets taken to a page that has political issues, but the Social Issues have Dissapeared... this fourm no longer gets any traffic... is that why my thread was sent here to die??? just joking... or am i....

And since it apears that socail issues is a dead fourm, can my topic be moved to a fourm where people that are not already participating in the thread, can start.

I realise my post might be a little confusing so ill post some links to better 'show'

So, my thread appears Here in the socail issues fourm.

But there is no access to this fourm from Here or Here

My guess is that the thread would apear Here as it is indicated in you text...


Anyway... can my thread be moved from the dead fourm, to an active one...

I'm sorry I don't have an answer for you.

The AbovePolitics domain is non-existent, yet the Social Issues forum remains. My FSME privileges are not in effect in this forum, only in the Political Issues forum that replaced this one and several others.

I know that threads are being moved here, but I don't know why.

I wish I could provide a satisfying answer, but I can't even guess what the deal is here.

reply to post by GradyPhilpott


Thanks.


I am then going to guess it was moved here on acident.

The only way to access this fourm is via your profile...

ill take it up with the mod who did it.

Thank you.