Starting to look/sound like time to sit back and watch for a while

:popcorn::popcorn:

Politics as a topic has its place and its not on Talk of the Villages.

Friendships can be lost and grudges kept. Politics is also not a place to be brought up on Facebook. I have friends that have unfriended "friends" because of their political views e.g. comments stated on current political views and they no longer keep in contact with those people. I don't want this to happen here. I discontinued my Facebook account because I got fed up with all the politics. Let's keep The Villages Florida's friendliest home town!

Really nice to see so many new people with very few posts chiming in and getting involved in this discussion. Many of the things that billethkid mentioned are true and were buzzed over. Who wouldn't have high hopes that it could work? I am very interested in what's going on but not interested in changing anyone's outlook at all. I did enjoy the constructive posts on the old Thread.

For all the new people who were not active on TOTV'S when the Thread in question was A Glowing Hot Ember I can tell you near the end there were personal threats, constant teaching, and cyberbullying that was down rite sad and people mentioned that it was possibly illegal. Don't know if thats true but the Thread came to an end shortly after the illegal aspect reared its ugly head. I don't want to be any part of something like that again. So if this does work out I'm in to start but if it goes bad I want to be able to opt-out if I want to.

Welcome to all the new Posters. So nice to have you on board.

Political Debate:


:blahblahblah:


:blahblahblah:


:blahblahblah:


:blahblahblah:


:blahblahblah:


:blahblahblah:


:blahblahblah:


Everyone has their side, no one will crossover or change.


Save the keystrokes.


:duck:

If one does not wish to participate, why deny it for others? Does the temptation to participate override one's ability to abstain?

"Unfriending" anyone based on one's political preference is immature in my opinion. I have a family member that I would debate politics with to the point where our spouses thought we were about to go to blows, but when supper was announced, we would laugh and retreat to the dining room. We have never been so close as we are today, and we are both with in the same small arena of the same ideology and we both end up voting for the same candidates. You see, you can be of the same party and yet still debate goals/agendas of your ideology. If my neighbor is not of common political ideology, I simply do not discuss politics with them. Being of differing political preferences does not make ANYONE my enemy and I consider them no worst than if they liked brussel sprouts, when the thought of those sprouts cause me nauseating images.
I would like to see the political forum reopened again for the upcoming presidential campaign, regardless of immature comments. If it becomes nasty enough to anger me, then I simply do as I do now on other forums and opt out of participating. I consider nasty comments to be a sign that the opposing view has won their argument and the debate is over.
Florida gives the motorcyclist the option of wearing a helmet or not. Florida gives the responsibility of motorcycle safety to the operator, not the government. Not being mandated to wear a helmet does not mean that one CANNOT wear a helmet, it just allows one to make their own choice.
Start up the political forum and assure the members of TOTV that they are not mandated to participate....:)

This has been an interesting discussion with a variety of opinions. Political discussions/forums have been tried several different times in several different ways on TOTV and ultimately end up with the same fate. The discussions become personal, nasty, partisan, name calling of public officials, etc. And then, that tone tends to bleed over into the regular forums. It's unfortunate that we cannot maintain civil, topical discussions on important issues but such is the nature of today's cyberspace. I'm sure those intent on such discussions can find other online venues to participate.

Political discussions will not be returning to TOTV.


Thread closed.