Your Choice, your Vote

[Gazhacks]

Should Politics and religion be a banned subject on the forum?

[NateS]

Should Politics and religion be a banned subject on the forum?

THANK YOU for creating this poll, Gazhacks!

It seems as if a very, very small number of people, with a political agenda of their own, are hijacking the valuable services of the CPAPtalk forum.

There are many, many places all over the internet to discuss and argue politics.

There are very, very few places like CPAPtalk devoted to accurate, reliable information, comfort and support for people diagnosed with sleep apnea and confronted with xPAP, masks, hoses, etc.

While the old-timers here may feel comfortable just ignoring these political hijackings, I have no doubt that many people seeking help and advice for the first time will be turned off and turned away from this valuable forum, when they come here and see these political headlines.

In addition, this hijacking of the CPAPtalk forum very obviously creates divisions and ill-feeling between members who might otherwise have felt like allies and brothers and sisters in a common cause, fighting sleep apnea and addressing treatment.

We don't need anger and hate here. We need compassion and fellowship.

It's a shame.

[hades161]

I do not endorse the idea of a ban or censorship in anyway, unless it's advertisements.

“The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly, is to fill the world with fools.” - Herbert Spencer

[LSAT]

As long as they are marked...OT...the posts are fine with me.

[NateS]

I do not endorse the idea of a ban or censorship in anyway, unless it's advertisements.

“The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly, is to fill the world with fools.” - Herbert Spencer

I see your point, but I don't think it is an either/or situation.

Many other boards have a separate division or forum called something like OFF-TOPIC or Free-for-All Discussion, where members can post anything they want. But why do these political headlines have to pop up right in the middle of help and advice and counseling on sleep apnea and xpap? That is what is a real turn-off.

What are you going to do when religious advocates start putting up headlines about their own version of "one true God" and everybody else is an infidel or non-believer? What are you going to do when headlines about "Satan" start being interleaved with help and counseling and advice for sleep apnea?

Nate

[ThirdOutOfFive]

Well, if you don't want to get involved in political or religious discussions, don't read or reply. The posters who want to create a furror can't do so in the absence of replies -- no fuel equals no fire.

[bartinstine]

I'm a religiously and politically active person but I come here for CPAP information.

If you allow some political content now, how out of hand will it get later this year with this exceptional election year.

Keeping the forum on topic seems to me to be the best idea.

[chunkyfrog]

Information is a positive thing--even if we disagree with it.
OT is a notation we use for a reason.
Someone may be tired and in desperate need of help; but too shy to post--or even register.
There have been times where someone's rant interferes with useful information that real people NEED.
This is very selfish of the ranter.

[hades161]

There are always many good points for Banning or Censorship but in the end I would rather have a Choice in what I read as opposed to someone making that choice for me.

I would suggest asking the moderators of the forum to add a check box when creating a post to allow them to BANNER or otherwise highlight the fact that this is Off Topic. Then on the Client side give people the individual choice I.E. a Check box to exclude/filter Off Topic BANNERED items. At their own choice.

A Forum wide ban on these is a bit heavy handed. IMHO

[redjoe]

Here we go again...

While it is true that the purpose of this forum is to discuss sleep apnea, other related sleep disorders, and the issues that go along with them, most of us are not all-consumed by them. When we get to "know" other people, we may sometimes want to discuss other things with them. When the polite member wishes to do so, as LSAT has already referenced, he or she simply heads the topic with OT (off-topic) in order to let others know that the post is not PAP-related. When others see this, it allows them easily to pass by said post. Our gracious hosts understand this and allow people, within certain limits, to discuss whatever they wish.

While I may disagree with another member, I would not choose to deny them the opportunity to open a discussion about something that interests them, even it if it has to do with ranting about a "trash button."

BTW (by the way), politics and religion are two subjects.

[Gazhacks]

BTW (by the way), politics and religion are two subjects.

Would you like to add mud slinging to it? I did detect a wee dig there didnt I? It's no good shooting me in the back, I saw a post and thought it would be good to have a poll about it. Im a newbie, what do I know

[deltadave]

[Wulfman...]

Should Politics and religion be a banned subject on the forum?

What part of

IT'S NOT YOUR FORUM TO ASK/DECIDE THIS QUESTION

do you not understand?

The premise of this poll is totally bogus. This forum belongs to the Goodman family and they ultimately decide how it will be run.

Also, if you want to be picky, this poll should also have been labeled "OT".

This forum is not necessarily "moderated" and has been pretty much a free exchange of ideas on various topics for seven and a half years. If you WANT to be part of a moderated forum, there are a number of others to choose from, but people won't find real help with this therapy there. This is by far the most helpful forum in this category on the Internet BECAUSE it is so open.

I've always been one who looked at the "subject" (title) and decided whether I wanted to read/follow the thread or not.

If people don't respond to the threads/posts, they won't survive very long.

Get over it!!! You're not the "Decider-in-Chief".


.

[Gazhacks]

Is that a political statement or Religion

[redjoe]

For the record, I have never started an off-topic thread (and I very seldom read them). I would not, however, choose to deny the opportunity to others to start such a thread, but I do believe they should have the consideration to label them as such, and most do so. I have, on occasion, been drawn to a thread where someone posted some beautiful pictures or poetry, or told a story that made me laugh, and I would hate to see such things kept off the forum just because they were not strictly on topic.