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LukeM wrote:What are people's thoughts? Should there be a subsection (for registered members only?) to discuss things of a more political nature? These people are going to spout their opinions whether there is or isn't, so why not?
Chads93GT wrote:I personally don't understand why there isn't a lounge forum here, where anything goes. Within reason of course.
BrianC wrote:Luke, I can't see any way to research and understand the WNS tragedy without also understanding the implications that have been put upon cavers by the USFWS. Why have a discussion and leave the primary party out of the loop? If you don't want to read the discussions, then don't.
graveleye wrote:Chads93GT wrote:I personally don't understand why there isn't a lounge forum here, where anything goes. Within reason of course.
trust me on this. We tried it. It got very ugly.
LukeM wrote:BrianC wrote:Luke, I can't see any way to research and understand the WNS tragedy without also understanding the implications that have been put upon cavers by the USFWS. Why have a discussion and leave the primary party out of the loop? If you don't want to read the discussions, then don't.
Brian, I have no problem when any discussion surrounding WNS discusses the way the government has been interacting with that particular subject matter. The real problem is when people put forward a separate agenda that has nothing to do with caving and bats.
Case in point, the thread about the latest Mammoth Cave volunteer controversy. As soon as the subject of the federal government came up someone had to spout their opinion about income taxes. Of course, no one can just let this comment die like it should, and the discussion devolves into explanations of where your tax money goes, accusations of certain un-named Cavechat members being 'anti-government radicals', people who think this is directed at them defending themselves, and complaints about federal social programs. That's just one example of many I've seen lately. Most are purposely indirect as to avoid accusations of being off-topic but they still are, and it keeps people from focusing on the topic at hand.
All I'm saying is it looks like a lot of people here have some steam to blow off and maybe there could be a sort of release valve in the form of a sub-forum.
tncaver wrote:LukeM wrote:What are people's thoughts? Should there be a subsection (for registered members only?) to discuss things of a more political nature? These people are going to spout their opinions whether there is or isn't, so why not?
I would have said yes to a subforum that concerns governmental influence on caving until recently, when it became obvious that government personnel are monitoring this forum, Facebook and who knows what else. Big brother is watching. George Orwell's 1984 arrived just a few years later than his book predicted.
Teresa wrote:tncaver wrote:LukeM wrote:What are people's thoughts? Should there be a subsection (for registered members only?) to discuss things of a more political nature? These people are going to spout their opinions whether there is or isn't, so why not?
I would have said yes to a subforum that concerns governmental influence on caving until recently, when it became obvious that government personnel are monitoring this forum, Facebook and who knows what else. Big brother is watching. George Orwell's 1984 arrived just a few years later than his book predicted.
Government officials are people, too. Some of them are cavers. It is a good thing to talk with government officials who are cavers. And an even better thing to talk with those who are not.
There is a distinct difference between "politics" as civil service government or Congressional actions related to caves, (speleopolitics) and partisan politics advocating a particular party or person, or opining on matters which do not have any relevance to caves or caving. As long as government is making rules about caves and caving, that subtopic should be fair game.
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