Lately this forum has been changing...

[PaulO]

This is probably the most important time since the founding of our country to make decisions about its direction.  There is little else more important right now than this - even motorcycles.  It is your duty to express your positions on these matters and to try your best to ensure others are fully informed.  The forum will get back to bikes soon.  In the meantime, don't shy away from it - embrace it as your duty.
Paul

[BF]

This is probably the most important time since the founding of our country to make decisions about its direction.  There is little else more important right now than this - even motorcycles.  It is your duty to express your positions on these matters and to try your best to ensure others are fully informed.  The forum will get back to bikes soon.  In the meantime, don't shy away from it - embrace it as your duty.
Paul

 

[Willow]

This is probably the most important time since the founding of our country to make decisions about its direction.  There is little else more important right now than this - even motorcycles.  It is your duty to express your positions on these matters and to try your best to ensure others are fully informed.  The forum will get back to bikes soon.  In the meantime, don't shy away from it - embrace it as your duty.
Paul

While I would agree to an extent with the sentiment expressed, I need to point out that political jokes, ridiculing politicians, demeaning those on the other side and such behavior does nothing to inform the masses or further any cause.

Meaningful and informative political posts are certainly much in the minority.

[Momz]

Willow
I could not agree more.
It is not a good idea to use censorship,....but as far as this forum is concerned, I could see the moderators removing certain posts that are put here just to incite even more political retoric.

After all this is a motorcycle board.

[PaulO]

I think we are too timid these days.  I think that most people would be surprised to learn to what extent personal attacks existed at the beginning of our country.  Not saying this is the best way to go about it but sometimes we need to have a thicker skin. Political jokes like any joke are usually illustrating a fact or point of view.

[bigguy]

There is nothing at all timid about not wasting your time arguing with somebody you are not going to persuade. Many of the post here are not intended to bring on rational discussion. They are invitations for a useless shouting match. Civility is not unpatriotic. Trying to browbeat and belittle somebody with a legitimately differing opinion is.

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

This is probably the most important time since the founding of our country to make decisions about its direction.  There is little else more important right now than this - even motorcycles.  It is your duty to express your positions on these matters and to try your best to ensure others are fully informed.  The forum will get back to bikes soon.  In the meantime, don't shy away from it - embrace it as your duty.
Paul

While I would agree to an extent with the sentiment expressed, I need to point out that political jokes, ridiculing politicians, demeaning those on the other side and such behavior does nothing to inform the masses or further any cause.

Meaningful and informative political posts are certainly much in the minority.

Well said on both counts.

[ricoman]

Also Here is my two cents!!!       If  you want a perfect world, then go to Disneyland it is nearly always perfect.  I somewhat agree with you.  But I think we need to look at the big picture.  I don’t think these people are as angry as they are maybe scared and hurting inside and maybe doesn’t know how to deal with it.  The way I look at is we are family and I will listen to their opinions and views, because that is what families do.  In many cases people are just venting which is a good thing and in many cases they feel better. I think it is a healthy way to express feelings and opinions, it only words.  It’s only when they take it on the road it is a problem.  If it starts to upset you just change the channel and don’t read the threads you think that would upset you, but keep one thing in mind you creating this thread you are venting in your own way and I am sure you felt better after you wrote it. Like everyone says when the rubber hits the road it’s all good. Look at it as making a member feel better; you don’t have to agree with them.

Some of the vitriolic post/comments are not excuseable as any form of acceptable behavior,for any reason. I do not think those posters have the gonads to speak to someone face to face as they speak on the forum.
Some of the posts/posters are nasty beyond belief. There is no way you are going to make them "feel better"-they wallow happily in their negativity and name calling.
Sad actually.

[saddlesore]

"Meaningful and informative political posts are certainly much in the minority."

To make my contribution to the meaningful and informational posts I submit the following.
votesmart.org

completely neutral 

[Jabba]

You can't win an arguement on the internet.  Your opponent will drag you down to his level of stupidity, then beat you with experience.   

Jabba

[PaulO]

Saddlesore,
   Unless I am missing something, both presidential candidates refused to answer the questions and presented by Votesmart.org.  This appears to be useless.

[saddlesore]

If you look further there are more than two candidates. More than 300 in fact.  If the candidates refuse to take the political courage test they must have something to hide. That eliminates them in my book.   I don't want to turn this into a political thread so I will go no further.