It's sort of a shame . . .

[Retro Grouch]

There seems to be no recourse, as it seems, pretty much, the same folks who can't resist political statements thrown into their posts.

At what point does it become political? Is this a political comment?

Conservative bike riders shave their legs because that's what the greats have always done.
Liberals like having a lot of hair so they don't shave.
Libertarians figure if something is good more must be better so they shave everything.

[DnvrFox]

HA! That's what the bible-thumping, war-profiteering, misogynistic, FOX News-watching bigots WANT you to think.

I can't imagine how anyone could possibly take offense at this! Or this:



Especially if they're sober.




Now boys, if you don't like have your ox gored, then lay off attacking everyone else, and don't act so damn hurt if someone calls you on it.

I for one hate this political stuff, and the photos above do not represent my own views.

Just keep it off the damn forum. Go to P&R or somewhere else.

At what point does it become political? Is this a political comment?

Conservative bike riders shave their legs because that's what the greats have always done.
Liberals like having a lot of hair so they don't shave.
Libertarians figure if something is good more must be better so they shave everything.

THERE!!

You've all gone and done it again!!

I see this post has made no difference!

Sigh - my conservative, liberal, libertarian blood is at the boiling point!!

[HawkOwl]

I can't imagine how anyone could possibly take offense at this! Or this:



Especially if they're sober.




Now boys, if you don't like have your ox gored, then lay off attacking everyone else, and don't act so damn hurt if someone calls you on it.

I for one hate this political stuff, and the photos above do not represent my own views.

Just keep it off the damn forum. Go to P&R or somewhere else.

I get a kick out of this thread. I really do.

People thinking that calling something "political" actually makes it such. Actually all that says is that the poster didn't like what was said and is in a mini-rant. These aren't political at all by my definition. They are humor in the old MAD Magazine sense. Don't like them? Don't watch them. Don't like where the humor is displayed? Open your own internet web site. Me? I got a good chuckle, that I really need. Actually, I think 50+ is the perfect place for this kind of humor. The kids wouldn't be mature enough to laugh and might take it seriously.

I said I didn't post much any more, not because of the "heat", whatever that is, but because it wasn't very useful to me. I originally came to BF for the congenial interchange of information. That usefulness has diminished dramatically. There are other places I can go for entertainment and watching the the monkeys play. Sometimes, I even join in for a good romp. But, I think I'm going to have a lot more fun here in the future.

[CrankyFranky]

Dear Dnvr,
1) We formulate a carefully-considered rule (say, one reserving P & R for, well, P & R- related comments)
2) Members think "Meh, this doesn't apply to ME"
3) Situation Normal, All .... Up
It's only human. We get to see glimpses of people's uncivility and dirty laundry from time to time. Cost of freedom, I guess.
Overall, this is still the most civil of the forums (fora?) Deleting and/or moving posts is the best solution when the flame throwers come out. But another effective method is to simply ignore the posturing.
It's only human. We all have political views, and they're bound to leak out sometime. Few of us have evolved sufficiently to embrace all positions as being of equal value.
Got to get back to my gardening now.

[Pobble.808]

Sigh - my conservative, liberal, libertarian blood is at the boiling point!!

I'm assuming that in this case the "political" comments and Denver's response were made facetiously, but there are those moments when something really does raise your blood pressure to an unhealthy level and that is when the IGNORE button becomes your friend.

I have only applied it to about half a dozen posters over the years, most of them because of their tendency to post OT and obnoxious (to me) political comments, but it has made my time on BF a lot more pleasant.
I've been happy to see that most of these folks are no longer posting, at least on subforums where I go.

Granted that I've been provoked into the occasional political comment myself, later regretted, once the discussion has been bent in that direction, so there may have been some folks who put me on their ignore list too. Fine -- and generally better to ignore than to flame, especially when so little is riding on any of our comments.

Anyway, nice try, Denver.

[Digital Gee]

Geesh, I go away for a few days, and come back to find this. I can't help but wonder what the offending thread was about!

[JanMM]

Geesh, I go away for a few days, and come back to find this. I can't help but wonder what the offending thread was about!

I missed it, too.

Little Feat: I got the apolitical blues.............http://www.sonorika.es/littlefeat/a-...-letramp3.html

My telephone is ringing, they tell me it's Chairman Mao.........I don't care who it is, I just don't wanna talk to them now..................

[Retro Grouch]

At what point does it become political? Is this a political comment?

Conservative bike riders shave their legs because that's what the greats have always done.
Liberals like having a lot of hair so they don't shave.
Libertarians figure if something is good more must be better so they shave everything.

THERE!!

You've all gone and done it again!!

I see this post has made no difference!

OK, I'm taking that as a "yes".

[Retro Grouch]

Geesh, I go away for a few days, and come back to find this. I can't help but wonder what the offending thread was about!

Pay attention, Deege or you'll miss all the good stuff.

It's a shame that we don't have the original thread to refer to. All I can say is if you were able to reread the original thread you'd be surprised to read who posted what on this one.

[Digital Gee]

Pay attention, Deege or you'll miss all the good stuff.

It's a shame that we don't have the original thread to refer to. All I can say is if you were able to reread the original thread you'd be surprised to read who posted what on this one.

Doggone it! Story of my life - day late, dollar short. As I used to say when I was a kid, "Shucks!"

[Dan Burkhart]

HA! That's what the bible-thumping, war-profiteering, misogynistic, FOX News-watching bigots WANT you to think.

You failed to include xenophobic and redneck.
Edit: just so no one takes me seriously

[rubic]

And just think, the political season is just beginning. Oh joy...

[Digital Gee]

And just think, the political season is just beginning. Oh joy...

Which won't be a problem, as long as everyone agrees with ... oh, never mind...

[DnvrFox]

Which won't be a problem, as long as everyone agrees with ... oh, never mind...

If you ride your bike a lot, you miss out on all the fun!!

[Dudelsack]

Which won't be a problem, as long as everyone agrees with ... oh, never mind...

As someone who wants a return of theocracy run by Mayan High Priests, along with human sacrifice to stave off the end of the world on 12/21/2012, I don't have to worry about too many people taking my side of various issues.

It's amazing how many people go ballistic simply by asking them to take partisan rancor elsewhere. I'm not sure what it means, but surely it means something. It will probably provoke an agnostic to recite the Sermon of the Mount to me. Not an effective technique on a neopagan.

[DiabloScott]

You failed to include xenophobic and redneck.

Are you telling me there are OKLAHOMANS in here?

[Dudelsack]

Are you telling me there are OKLAHOMANS in here?

Just visited your blog and watched the "Not Diablo again". Chapeau!

[Retro Grouch]

I can't imagine how anyone could possibly take offense at this! Or this:



Especially if they're sober.




Now boys, if you don't like have your ox gored, then lay off attacking everyone else, and don't act so damn hurt if someone calls you on it.

I for one hate this political stuff, and the photos above do not represent my own views.

Just keep it off the damn forum. Go to P&R or somewhere else.

As someone who wants a return of theocracy run by Mayan High Priests, along with human sacrifice to stave off the end of the world on 12/21/2012, I don't have to worry about too many people taking my side of various issues.

It's amazing how many people go ballistic simply by asking them to take partisan rancor elsewhere. I'm not sure what it means, but surely it means something. It will probably provoke an agnostic to recite the Sermon of the Mount to me. Not an effective technique on a neopagan.

???????

[Dudelsack]

???????

??????

Did I not make it clear that the photos do not represent my own views? Gees, trapped in a ESL world.

[Retro Grouch]

??????

Did I not make it clear that the photos do not represent my own views? Gees, trapped in a ESL world.

And yet that particular partison rancor would not have been posted but for you.

[cyclinfool]

Geesh, I go away for a few days, and come back to find this. I can't help but wonder what the offending thread was about!

I've been away since last summer and the discussions haven't changed.

[Digital Gee]

If you ride your bike a lot, you miss out on all the fun!!

Isn't that the truth!

[CbadRider]

Agree. And deleting the thread appears to be the best approach, as most mods don't take the trouble to analyze who says what. A person will post something that appears innocuous, but someone will take great offense and launch a vitriolic attack. The OP will respond in a rational fashion, but the unperceptive mod will excoriate both of them for instigating a flame war, although one of them is merely trying to defuse things. So I like your approach.

You would think that those of us who have reached this advanced age have seen enough and been thru enough that a certain amount of maturity and objectivity would become evident. But then I think back to when I was 19, and it was clear to me then that older people were just too set in their ways, too self-righteous, and were incapable of thinking outside their own comfort zone, so I just blew them off as being ignorant.

I think that truly wise people are those who know they still have a lot to learn, regardless of how old they are. And one thing I have learned is that the aggressive approach, berating people who hold different or opposing views, only hardens their position. This is why it does no good to yell at idiot motorists who have done something stupid and have nearly killed you. They will NEVER admit that it was their fault. All it will do is to escalate a cycle of belligerent behavior.

And although I am not a religious person, I think Jesus had something when he admonished his followers to "turn the other cheek." He wanted to dsrupt the cycle of violence, where each side is intent on getting even with the other for offenses that occurred hundreds of years ago. It's really hard to not want to get even, even harder than engaging in some form of conflict, but sometimes you have to take the more difficult approach if you want to accomplish anything.

Anyway, sorry for rambling. Just formulating some incomplete/inconclusive thoughts.

Luis

Moderators do take into consideration who posts what. Posts get deleted to clean up a thread and if you don't see them before they get deleted, some of the moderator actions might seem strange.

A lot of things are handled behind the scenes that members don't see. Unless you know the whole story, you won't understand why an action was taken.

[Pistard]

If it where just the political stuff... some newer guy posts a picture of his bike what happens, he immediatly gets nasty grams if his drop is not at least 18 inches.... take off the reflectors, looks too big, everything to discourage regular bike riders to ever post again. Plenty of good advice to be had here though, if you read more then you post.

[Gravity Aided]

I don't mind the political stuff, and it's all political stuff .