I've noticed some discussions are getting a bit heated so...

[Lilac]

I'll be moving them into this forum.

'Be civil' still applies, but I know there are people here who don't want to get involved.  So here it is.

Edit: Additional rules for these forums.

[Celestial Goblin]

You could might as well name the forum 'Gunpowder and Gasoline':)

[Moondazed]

I like to think that I'm being civil.  It makes me sad that the art of debate has become so clouded by pundits and slanted reporting, no matter which way it's slanted.

[Hunter]

You could might as well name the forum 'Gunpowder and Gasoline':)

Nah.  Not explosive enough.   ;)

[Lilac]

I like to think that I'm being civil.  It makes me sad that the art of debate has become so clouded by pundits and slanted reporting, no matter which way it's slanted.

I'm not saying anyone wasn't, however, I noticed people were getting emotionally charged.  I wanted to separate that from the general silliness of the off-topic forum because not everyone comes here for that (obviously...)

[Vice]

Political debates, particularly among Americans, tend to become rather heated. This is largely out of necessity, IMO. Regardless of whether you're left- or right-wing, we're in a very scary transitional period right now. Laws that define who we are are being changed. The question of whether we're witnessing a necessary adjustment of our society, or the degeneration of our Republic isn't the sort of thing most people can approach in a calm and rational fashion.

...which is why I'm very careful about what forums I'll discuss politics on. I like to have a couple of forums free of the hard feelings that come from learning the political beliefs of your fellow posters. ;)

[King_Furby]

Political debates, particularly among Americans, tend to become rather heated.

Political debates get heated in every culture..not particularly Americans.

[Elvi]

...which is why I'm very careful about what forums I'll discuss politics on. I like to have a couple of forums free of the hard feelings that come from learning the political beliefs of your fellow posters. ;)

Mature people can and do have heated discussions and then carry on quite happily, because in the end, unless there is some very VERY deap seated belief that you cannot possibly tolerate, then everyone is allowed to have their own beliefs.

I myself have a best friend who has the complete opposite of my views and we discuss this regularly, she has been my friend for well over 25 years now and our relationship will not be spoilt because of each others political views.

However, given that there are one or two on this forum who are behaving extremely childishly because I did not agree with them, I can see what you mean Vice.


And yes, Furby, whatever nationality and whatever creed/religion or belief, where two or more people come together who have the opposite point of view, the sparks will eventually fly......

[Vice]

I'm not saying that Americans are the only people who take politics seriously (very much the opposite...the average american is less politically engaged than, say, the average russian). But due to recent...um...events, political discussions hit a sensitive spot for americans who keep up with such things.