Large Scale Central

Message to Bob regarding the direction this Off-Topic forum is h

General Discussion
#1

Why do we need to be subjected to the rubbish of the last few months? I am more than willing to discuss politics and the finance sector, if need be, but am sick of the grandiose bandstanding that has permeated nearly every thread in the Off-Topic forum. It is easy to reply simply do not open those topic threads, but the quality of this site is being denigrated by constant right wing postings pushing specific political/racist agendas.

I certainly would support a censorship or deletion of the off-topic forum and stick to train topics. Prior to last December, the off topic section was a good read with interesting topics, which did rarely get a little heated. The advent of the Obama presidency has seen the true feelings, of many, come to the forefront. I was criticised once before for mentioning a certain topic and find that I am once again drawn to bringing up the subject again, if only to have censorship enforced to a satisfactory level of acceptance. I am tired of the redneck element that has permeated nearly every topic thread in the Off Topic forum. There are numerous forums available for a redneck to express his beliefs and this is not really the place.

If I am out of line then censor me, but I find now that each time I return there are increasing right-wing postings with asociated personal insults, both to your president and other members. There are right to bear arms forums and redneck forums for those so inclined. It is time to separate the train men from the fools who use this site as a cover to post their character defects.

#2

Would self-censorship work?

The internet is replete with pornography, but I choose not to seek it out. Maybe that would work for you, do not look in Off-Topics or do not open those threads that may tend to upset you.

#3
David Hill said:
Would self-censorship work?

The internet is replete with pornography, but I choose not to seek it out. Maybe that would work for you, do not look in Off-Topics or do not open those threads that may tend to upset you.


Yes. All you need to do is SHUT TF UP. 725 Posts as of this writing. More than 700 of them are inflamatiory, misinformation or just plain BS.

YOU are the definition of an Internet Troll.

#4

Tim, while I understand your feelings, I don’t agree with your remedy.

Bob has created a venue where people say what they like. It is the very embodiment of the American belief in freedom of speech. I’d hate to see that change. It gives this forum a character all its own.

I’m selective in the threads I respond to, especially in the Off Topic arena. There’s no point debating a viewpoint you don’t respect. On the other hand, what do we learn by discussing issues only with those who agree with us, or only with those whose electronic “company” we find congenial?

There is a difference between being impassioned and merely rude. I respect the former, and have no trouble locking horns with folks who raise issues they feel strongly about, especially if our views are 180 deg off. I don’t respect the latter, and normally don’t waste my time replying.

Then again, if I’ve had a few beers . . . .

#5

Tim,
Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. You aren’t even capable of pleading your case without hurling insults.
A little self control goes a long way.
Ralph

#6

The comments from David are disingenuous.

No matter how much self censorship is desirable it will not work with most people, and especially not newcomers to LSC.
They will tend to explore all topics not knowing what the actual forum is about. Everybody is curious.

I have received quite a number of E mails and phone calls from concerned individuals that LSC is becoming an unfriendly site.
As a sponsor this concerns me.
I want LSC to prosper and become THE website of choice for high standard modelling and garden railroads. Including indoor Large Scale.
To this end I also include reference to LSC in every Garden Railways ad I run. Small print I know but it is there.

Bob is running the risk of having this site regarded as the repository of what others descibe as weirdos, wackos and malcontents.
Believe me newcomers will avoid it like the plague.

I am well aware the OFF Topic forum was started as a way of getting objectional commentary out of General Discussion.
Unfortunately Off Topic has been taken over by those weirdos, wackos and malcontents others have descibed as being the inhabitors of that particular forum.
I think the “Off Topic” forum should go and a “no contentious issue” policy should be applied Website wide.

This is a train site. Period.
If anyone wants to comment about politics and religion or any other socially contentious issue that has nothing to do with trains, they should take those comments somewhere else.

#7

Ralph,
who let the dogs out!

#8

Tony,
I agree.
The only thing I will read from now on is the Jokes. I enjoy a chuckle.
Unless those jokes are racially or politically abusive such as the so called joke about getting a bunch of Obamas in Kenya. That was very low class.
I don’t care about politics, guns, religion, weather or any other off topic.
But there are some here who just cannot resist these topics. I guess they have no will power at all.
Like ya’ll say, “you don’t have to read them.”
That is correct. I won’t.

#9
Tim Brien said:
.....It is easy to reply simply do not open those topic threads, but the quality of this site is being denigrated by constant right wing postings pushing specific political/racist agendas.
David, did you actually read what I said. I included it as I had preempted your response. I have repeated a little of what I have said. You are the main instigator of racist/politically biassed threads, posted with the sole intention of causing trouble. Take your redneck policies and go to a suitable site that welcomes such trash. I felt that given time you would tone down your rubbish and enjoy the site for what it is, a TRAIN site, not a site to vent your redneck philosophy. From now on I choose to not only ignore your redneck postings, but also your modelling attempts. You are persona non-grata to me. Same goes for your watchdog buddy.
#10

There you go Tim. Spew some more insults.
You suggested the solution to your problem…ignore those people with whom you are unable to control yourself.
Ralph

#11
TonyWalsham said:
I am well aware the OFF Topic forum was started as a way of getting objectional commentary out of General Discussion. Unfortunately Off Topic has been taken over by those weirdos, wackos and malcontents others have descibed as being the inhabitors of that particular forum. I think the "Off Topic" forum should go and a "no contentious issue" policy should be applied Website wide.

This is a train site. Period.
If anyone wants to comment about politics and religion or any other socially contentious issue that has nothing to do with trains, they should take those comments somewhere else.


One need only go through the off topic for the last week and see that you( Tony), Tim and David Hill have dominated the posts.
So, my question is, are you the weirdo, wacko, or malcontent ?
Ralph

#12

Ralph.
If you wish to remain confrontational that is up to you.

If you don’t wish to remain confrontational, why not agree that the “Off Topic” should go, and move on?

Newcomers would be much more enthusiastic and less disillusioned if you did agree.

#13

Tony, Tim, Ralph is right.

The two of you post the majority of the noise here. If you could just control yourself for a bit, this place would settle down.

That you now call for the censorship of ideas with which you disagree suggests that your ideas are lacking any merit at all.

Rarely, rarely do I see either of you post elsewhere on this forum.

Shame on both of you.

Shields up.

#14

I had a boss who gave me some words of wisdom many years ago. “You can be part of the problem or you can be part of the solution”.

Take a good look and see which one you are!

And playing the victim won’t get you any sympathy from me.

#15

Steve,
I will leave it to public opinion/conscience as to where the racist/political/gun rights topics originate. Hint: they did not originate with Tony and myself. Look back over the last five pages of topics and the answer is obvious, with increasing evidence of a right-wing leaning to once, almost taboo topics. If responding to these rednecks is an example of guilt, then I accept some guilt by association.

     Previously,  right-wing subjects were treated with a modicum of subtlety,  however, of late we have redneck jerks calling the president of your own country a mullato black and expressing not only racially biassed propaganda but hinting of possible violent action as to overthrowing a democratically elected government.  Do we really need these racially biassed persons changing this once great train forum into nothing more than another redneck NRA mouthpiece?  

     This is decision time for this site as to whether we return to tried and true topics,  or whether we allow unfethered racist propaganda to increase.  This is not pre-war Germany,  with an entire population closing their minds to all that is happening around them.  It is time for a stance to be taken.  For the most part,  this site is allowed to be self-moderating,  so it is up to us as to whether we will continue to accept this load of biassed crap eminating from sick minds.  For the most part,  refusal to respond to the crap is a start.  If the topic has the hallmarks that it is little more than inciteful propaganda then refusal to even open the topic may discourage the originator of the topic to post further rubbish.

    I have made a conscious decision to ignore the main originators of the 'taboo' topics and hopefully will not respond to the redneck protaganists.  This was a very good site before the cancer set in.  Hopefully,  a good dose of chemotherapy will kill off the cancerous cells and the site can return to a healthy prognosis.
#16
Steve Featherkile said:
Tony, Tim, Ralph is right.

The two of you post the majority of the noise here. If you could just control yourself for a bit, this place would settle down.

That you now call for the censorship of ideas with which you disagree suggests that your ideas are lacking any merit at all.

Rarely, rarely do I see either of you post elsewhere on this forum.

Shame on both of you.

Shields up.


Steve, if you insist on trying to inflame this issue please feel free to do so.
It just reinforces the impression you impart that you are a windbag.
Those of us who consider the good of the site versus their own personal prejudices, think a ban on such BS to be a good idea.

It has nothing to do with anyones opinion.

#17
Steve Featherkile said:
Rarely, rarely do I see either of you post elsewhere on this forum.

Shame on both of you.

Shields up.


Steve,
as you predominantly post in the Off-Topic forum then you have probably missed my numerous postings in the General section, Model making and Rolling Stock sections, in my two years on this site. Maybe we could one day match model making contributions as an example of who actually posts where. You will find that your originating topic threads, in the Off-Topic section, far outnumber my topics by a factor of many to one.

     In the last five pages of the Off-Topic forum,  you have originated 23 topic threads to my 10 topics.  In the last ten pages you have originated 39 topic threads,  to my 10 topics.  Do I need to go back further to demonstrate your attraction to the Off-Topic forum?
#18

While I respect most of the opinions that get expressed on this forum, there are some discussions/arguments that are just un-winnable by either side and therefore pointless. The opinions I respect the most are the ones that refrain from the name calling/ slurs/ finger-pointing/ and any other points that have nothing to do with the argument.

To coin an old phrase here: Opinions are just that “opinions” and like a** holes everyone has one and they usually stink. Especially if you don’t happen to agree with it.

I have to ask a question here. If you’d like opinions censored, then whose opinions do you want censored? The one you agree with or the ones you don’t agree with?

The topics themselves have nothing to do with it. It’s usually in the content of the topic where the disagreement starts. If you have nothing worthwhile to contribute, then lay off the topic. Pretty simple. If you find it offensive, lay off the topic. Again, pretty simple. If enough people ignore it, it will go away of it’s own volition. Again, pretty simple.

Whining, complaining, finger-pointing, and name calling are the actions of a victim. It occurs when the person has no valid argument and wishes to have others feel sorry for him or her.

To quote an old Eagles song; “Get over it”

“Look around and whaddoo I see/ a whole lotta people sayin don’t blame me”

To coin another phrase. “If the shoe fits, wear it.”

#19

After the post in the General section about objective postings, there seemed to be a modicum of self-control and mutual respect for each other and their views, but that didn’t last long. Calling someone names i.e. racist, redneck, etc. is how the war started the first time.

Off-topic, as I understand is for topics of the day, or those not related to trains and modeling. I for one, regularly read the tips in the other sections, marvel at the skill of the modelers and lust after the quantity of equipment others own and post here. Of course someone new will not have much to post about the hobby, at least I wouldn’t assume to tell ya’ll (a little redneck lingo for ya’ll) how to do model railroading.

I do have some life experience, training and interest in The U.S. Constitution (all of it, not selected, favorite parts), my faith, some financial, business, military and veteran issues. I have found a few here that are like-minded and some that seem willing to engage in a healthy, respectful debate.

Yes, I HAVE posted quite a bit in the Off-Topic forum since signing in back in January (?), most of which has been debating with 3,4 or 5 individuals at a time on as many subjects. Only 1 maybe 2 have been respectful and seemed to wish to have a civil debate. I will not back down from bullies, never have never will, but can ignore their childish behavior. I learned from raising four children that usually is their way to get attention or have their own way. Censoring views one does not agree with is un-American, but may be the norm in other countries and cultures. Possibly, it is the different cultures crashing as some of the posts have been made tongue-in-cheek, but have put a burr under the saddle of others (more redneck lingo fer ya’ll).

There is a saying here-'bouts, “If ya’ll can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.”

P.S. I’m proud to be a Pennsylvania redneck. Can’t stand them elitist city-slickers none. They come out to the country to gawk at the farms, then complain 'cause it smells like cow manure.

#20

Ken.
With respect.
I am not asking for postings of any sort to be censored.
For the good of LSC I would much prefer those contentious postings don’t get made in the first place.
Contentious issues are banned at other websites.
They prosper.
If you disagree with that opinion then that is your right.

I would like LSC to prosper too.
Unfortunately I can’t see that happening with the angst currently being displayed here.
The appeal is to Bob to do what many consider the best thing for LSC. Not to censure Right Wing (or Left wing) political views, nor Creationist or Rationalist philosophies on life.

This is a train site for crying out loud.