Could we move the Israeli War threads into Politics? - Page 5

[mammastar2]

I was an occasional poster to the news/politics forums, with periods of more activity than others.

I understand some of the logistics that went into this decision - it's a lot of work to moderate, we want to keep it civil, etc etc.

However, I'm concerned about the wider message that it sends.

First, there's the notion that when discussion gets heated, we should stop making the effort. Not my favourite view, that, time and hassle of continued efforts aside.

Second, there's the idea that, because it's a "mothering" board, politics are dispensible. If there's news to be discussed, let it be about cloth diapers or breastfeeding only. That saddens me and concerns me.

One thing I like about these boards is the idea that being a parent encompasses more than an obsession with potty training and when to introduce solids, that sharing experiences on those issues can take place side by side with students (who happen to be parents) discussing study techniques, readers (who happen to be parents) discussing literature, spouses (who happen to be parents) discussing their relationships, and citizens (who happen to be parents) discussing the world around them. I like the idea of being parents and citizens of the world.

[Callimom]

I was so saddened to see this, and I understand how difficult a decision this was.

I agree with the PPs that politics is so important, especially now, to us as mothers and I hope that Mothering can find a way to host dicussions about these topics in the future.

Thanks to the mods for their work on the forum!
Karen

[bluetoes]

Originally Posted by mammastar2

I was an occasional poster to the news/politics forums, with periods of more activity than others.

I understand some of the logistics that went into this decision - it's a lot of work to moderate, we want to keep it civil, etc etc.

However, I'm concerned about the wider message that it sends.

First, there's the notion that when discussion gets heated, we should stop making the effort. Not my favourite view, that, time and hassle of continued efforts aside.

Second, there's the idea that, because it's a "mothering" board, politics are dispensible. If there's news to be discussed, let it be about cloth diapers or breastfeeding only. That saddens me and concerns me.

One thing I like about these boards is the idea that being a parent encompasses more than an obsession with potty training and when to introduce solids, that sharing experiences on those issues can take place side by side with students (who happen to be parents) discussing study techniques, readers (who happen to be parents) discussing literature, spouses (who happen to be parents) discussing their relationships, and citizens (who happen to be parents) discussing the world around them. I like the idea of being parents and citizens of the world.

Exactly how I feel. I am very saddened by this. Yes we have dissenting opinions, yes we can get on each others nerves. That is life. But even the person I find most annoying in a politics debate could be a super helpful mom on another section or I could help someone. We can't shelter ourselves from dissenting opinions.

Having said that, I appreciate all the hard work in the moderation of the forum, well done!

[athansor]

Wow...I have to admit I'm also feeling a bit lost now. I've learned and grown so much because of my participation on those two forums (N&CE is actually my browser's home page).
I appreciate the hard work the moderators had to do to keep the discussions going, but I sure am going to miss those forums. I want to thank SM and the other posters here who have summed up my feelings on this so well.
If there is a place to connect with other posters here to continue these dialogs, I'd love a PM, and I hope to see the discussions back in the future.

[~threemoons~]

Originally Posted by mammastar2

I was an occasional poster to the news/politics forums, with periods of more activity than others.

I understand some of the logistics that went into this decision - it's a lot of work to moderate, we want to keep it civil, etc etc.

However, I'm concerned about the wider message that it sends.

First, there's the notion that when discussion gets heated, we should stop making the effort. Not my favourite view, that, time and hassle of continued efforts aside.

Second, there's the idea that, because it's a "mothering" board, politics are dispensible. If there's news to be discussed, let it be about cloth diapers or breastfeeding only. That saddens me and concerns me.

One thing I like about these boards is the idea that being a parent encompasses more than an obsession with potty training and when to introduce solids, that sharing experiences on those issues can take place side by side with students (who happen to be parents) discussing study techniques, readers (who happen to be parents) discussing literature, spouses (who happen to be parents) discussing their relationships, and citizens (who happen to be parents) discussing the world around them. I like the idea of being parents and citizens of the world.

:

Thank you for all work that this section required.

I am sad also. I would frequently come to this section when there was an issue I didnt understand well. We have so many well informed, intelligent people here.....the conversations were always stimulating.

[lotusdebi]

Reading the news this morning, I was in tears. Tears of joy and relief. Tears for me. Tears for my country. But, most especially, tears for my children.

I've spent the past many years grieving. Many others in the news forums grieved with me. They shared my feelings of pain, anger, and hopelessness. Now, at this time, those feelings are receding. Feelings of hope and healing are renewed. But, now I can't share the news and those feelings with the very people who have accompanied me on this journey thus far.

The people on the news forums ARE my tribe. We not only share many parenting philosophies, but also the knowlege that the ongoings of our world affect our children. We share an engagement and an investment in our nations and our planet that many other parents don't. Many AP parents I interact with IRL aren't interested in the news. I can't discuss and debate current events with them if they're not making an effort to be informed. So, I come here. I parent the way that I parent because of my politics. And I like to share, discuss, and debate the issues of the day with others who also consider their parenting and politics to be related.

[nonconformnmom]

Here's a crazy idea. How about having the politics and news forum be completely unmoderated? Everyone who enters would have to agree that they will behave as adults and that if their feelings get hurt or they get offended, they have to deal with it on their own. No whining!

We could still have the membership requirements so that only people who have shown themselves to be decent MDC citizens would be allowed to post there ...

[vbactivist]

Originally Posted by nonconformnmom

Here's a crazy idea. How about having the politics and news forum be completely unmoderated? Everyone who enters would have to agree that they will behave as adults and that if their feelings get hurt or they get offended, they have to deal with it on their own. No whining!

I would love to see the forum return.

and wouldn't the gentle discipline/natural consequence of saying something hurtful be that people didn't like or respond to you? Not that you'd get your hand slapped by someone with more power?

[nonconformnmom]

I would expect heavy use of the ignore feature; and that can be a good thing.

[lotusdebi]

Originally Posted by nonconformnmom

I would expect heavy use of the ignore feature; and that can be a good thing.

I'm a big supporter of the ignore feature.

[Maeve]

Originally Posted by nonconformnmom

Here's a crazy idea. How about having the politics and news forum be completely unmoderated? Everyone who enters would have to agree that they will behave as adults and that if their feelings get hurt or they get offended, they have to deal with it on their own. No whining!

We could still have the membership requirements so that only people who have shown themselves to be decent MDC citizens would be allowed to post there ...

I love this idea. Will never happen, but I love it.

[bri276]

Originally Posted by nonconformnmom

Here's a crazy idea. How about having the politics and news forum be completely unmoderated? Everyone who enters would have to agree that they will behave as adults and that if their feelings get hurt or they get offended, they have to deal with it on their own. No whining!

We could still have the membership requirements so that only people who have shown themselves to be decent MDC citizens would be allowed to post there ...

that's the best idea I've heard in a very long time.

[bluetoes]

Originally Posted by vbactivist

I would love to see the forum return.

and wouldn't the gentle discipline/natural consequence of saying something hurtful be that people didn't like or respond to you? Not that you'd get your hand slapped by someone with more power?

I would love to see that too. People really weren't very nasty anyway. OK sarcasm could be a problem (guilty) but it wasn't that bad.

[JessasMilkMama]

I am also quite bummed. I've always been impressed by, empowered by, and proud of the intelligent and diverse women we have here at MDC and in those two forums. NCE was my main forum. I learned a lot. Not just news, but from other people sharing their views and experiences. Like another poster said, our politics often great influence our mothering. And now, with Obama just starting this huge new chapter in our country? I cant believe current events wont even be allowed in TAO. Its like, move along little ladies, back to your arts and crafts forums. And while I DO appreciate the mods who are trying very hard to do their difficult jobs, I have to say I am completely saddened and embarassed by this decision.

[rainyday]

Count me as another who is upset that the n&CE and Politics forums have been closed.

I think it diminishes the mothering.com community and sends the message that politics and news are not important enough to warrant a space on this board. Almost every other subject that arouses our emotions and affects our daily lives and the lives of our children is supported on this board, and to have these boards, ones that allowed discussion of issues that have a major impact on our lives, closed is truly a loss for everyone at mothering.com, whether they used these forums or not.

I too wish they could return and wholeheartedly support vbactivist's idea of an unmoderated forum if moderation is such an issue. Or perhaps more volunteer moderators could be added to lessen the burden on the current ones.

[tireesix]

Originally Posted by nonconformnmom

Here's a crazy idea. How about having the politics and news forum be completely unmoderated? Everyone who enters would have to agree that they will behave as adults and that if their feelings get hurt or they get offended, they have to deal with it on their own. No whining!

We could still have the membership requirements so that only people who have shown themselves to be decent MDC citizens would be allowed to post there ...

On a mainstream site I use they have a debates section which is pretty much unmoderated. There are times when it has got nasty but those threads are removed and it was a rare occasion that anything needed to be treated in such a way.

[hazelmama]

Originally Posted by mammastar2

I understand some of the logistics that went into this decision - it's a lot of work to moderate, we want to keep it civil, etc etc.

However, I'm concerned about the wider message that it sends.

First, there's the notion that when discussion gets heated, we should stop making the effort. Not my favourite view, that, time and hassle of continued efforts aside.

Second, there's the idea that, because it's a "mothering" board, politics are dispensible. If there's news to be discussed, let it be about cloth diapers or breastfeeding only. That saddens me and concerns me.

One thing I like about these boards is the idea that being a parent encompasses more than an obsession with potty training and when to introduce solids, that sharing experiences on those issues can take place side by side with students (who happen to be parents) discussing study techniques, readers (who happen to be parents) discussing literature, spouses (who happen to be parents) discussing their relationships, and citizens (who happen to be parents) discussing the world around them. I like the idea of being parents and citizens of the world.

: I'm pretty shy so I hardly ever post on MDC and I don't think I've ever actually posted in the politics or news forums at all, but I read there daily. I've learned so much from the news, current events and politics forums. I can't express how saddened I am to see these forums removed. I really missed them even during the short holiday break.

Originally Posted by nonconformnmom

Here's a crazy idea. How about having the politics and news forum be completely unmoderated? Everyone who enters would have to agree that they will behave as adults and that if their feelings get hurt or they get offended, they have to deal with it on their own. No whining!

We could still have the membership requirements so that only people who have shown themselves to be decent MDC citizens would be allowed to post there ...

I know there are a lot of well founded reasons for all the moderation on this board, but please please consider this and any other options that come up before giving up completely on the news/current events/politics forums. The intersection of parenting and news/politics is so important. Just as MDC is a rare haven for naturally minded parents in a mainstream world, the opportunity for these kinds of political discussions with the kind of crowd MDC draws is even more rare. In fact, I don't know if it exists anywhere else.

[athansor]

Originally Posted by nonconformnmom

Here's a crazy idea. How about having the politics and news forum be completely unmoderated? Everyone who enters would have to agree that they will behave as adults and that if their feelings get hurt or they get offended, they have to deal with it on their own. No whining!

We could still have the membership requirements so that only people who have shown themselves to be decent MDC citizens would be allowed to post there ...

Interesting idea! I've seen something similar done on another board, and it seems to work well.

[nonconformnmom]

I guess there would have to be some kind of agreement on an unmoderated forum that anyone who logs into the forum would have to click "I agree". Crafting the agreement could be onerous but I'd be happy to help out.

For example, at the very least there would have to be something to the affect of "threats of violence are cause for immediate banning from MDC" and also some serious consequences for violating others' privacy as defined specifically (like naming their location, their occupation, their full name, phone number etc.).

I'm thinking of the improbable but possible scenario of someone posting along the lines of "I know you live in __________ and I and my friends are going to come beat some sense into you" kind of thing. That should be an immediate banning from the entire community ...

But typical sarcasm, offensive opinions, and even flaming should be something that consenting adults can tolerate without need for a babysitter.

[JessicaS]

We are not going to have an unmoderated forum.

And we have *often* suggested people use the ignore feature (or demanded )