should politics be banned on the forum?

[661-Pete]

As the 'People's Commissar for Military and Naval Affairs' Trotsky had a lot of people shot, including those who were nominally 'on his side'. In the Kronstadt Uprising several thousands were executed (rather than killed in fighting) and prisoners continued to be killed for years afterward. I'm not sure I'd like to be associated with being a 'Trot'.

I'm not for a moment saying I am a Trotskyite. I'm just saying, I don't take that much offence at being called a "Trot" - a slightly less explosive word than "Trotskyite" anyway.

I'd take even less offence if I were called merely a "leftie", which is a very vague designation....

[Cyril Haearn]

No need to ban politricks on these fora, nearly all of us including me are left-whingers and re-moaners

[pwa]

No need to ban politricks on these fora, nearly all of us including me are left-whingers and re-moaners

I'm left leaning but not a re-moaner, just to break down the pigeon-holing tendency. My own reasons for mostly avoiding political stuff these days is that positions (including my own) don't shift much, and disagreements descend into abusive behaviour. I have better things to do with my time than get involved in online aggro. It does me no good and I'm sure it does my opponents no good, so why do it? But if others want to continue with it and get upset as a result, they are adults and can make their own decisions about whether to continue.

The one and only reason for considering a ban on politics on this Forum is if the moderators find policing political discussions a burden, as they may well do. I'd not want to have to do that job.

[mikeymo]

No need to ban politricks on these fora, nearly all of us including me are left-whingers and re-moaners

When were you elected to speak on others' behalf?

[ossie]

No need to ban politricks on these fora, nearly all of us including me are left-whingers and re-moaners

When were you elected to speak on others' behalf?

+1

[661-Pete]

One of the problems with internet forums is that it's sometimes difficult to recognise sarcasm.

Point?

[thirdcrank]

A good reason for avoiding it unless you can be confident that it will be understood

[Philip Benstead]

Define polities

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dicti ... h/polities

Definition of 'polities'

polities
in British English
PLURAL NOUN
See polity
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

polity
in British English
(ˈpɒlɪtɪ)
NOUN
Word forms: plural -ties
1. a form of government or organization of a state, church, society, etc; constitution
2. a politically organized society, state, city, etc
3. the management of public or civil affairs
4. political organization
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
C16: from Latin polītīa, from Greek politeia citizenship, civil administration, from politēs citizen, from polis city



Then I suggest much of viewforum.php?f=6

would have to be banned.

[thirdcrank]

The following is perhaps pedantry on my part

politics

[ˈpɒlɪtɪks]

NOUN

the activities associated with the governance of a country or area, especially the debate between parties having power.

synonyms:

government · local government · affairs of state · public affairs · diplomacy · party politics
activities aimed at improving someone's status or increasing power within an organization.
"yet another discussion of office politics and personalities"

[gbnz]

One of the problems with internet forums is that it's sometimes difficult to recognise sarcasm.

Hmm, yes. I was about to post a question asking if a certain 99 year old bloke had won the Tour de France (Nb. It's literally the first time in 30 years I've had to stop listening to Radio 4. I thought Covid news reviews were getting a bit too much )

[ANTONISH]

One of the problems with internet forums is that it's sometimes difficult to recognise sarcasm.

Hmm, yes. I was about to post a question asking if a certain 99 year old bloke had won the Tour de France (Nb. It's literally the first time in 30 years I've had to stop listening to Radio 4. I thought Covid news reviews were getting a bit too much )

Funny that : I was listening to radio 4 when the programme was interrupted by the sad news - then information to the effect that there would be rolling blanket coverage across all BBC channels. I turned off knowing what was to come.
I ended up viewing France 24 to get some news.
When a famous princess sadly died I went to France for two days to avoid the funeral misery fest.
One can sympathise with the family but forcing mourning on the whole nation seems a bit excessive.

[al_yrpal]

Its funny, I was camping with the family in the Dordogne for Charlies Wedding. We watched on the camps TV. The French knew more about our Royal Family than we did! Coincidently we were in France at the Puy du Fuy for Diana's funeral, I never watched. Our Royals seem to fascinate people around the world.
There does seem to be rather excessive TV coverage about the Duke. Few references to his hilarious gaffes

Al

[Cyril Haearn]

HRH: Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon?
It is interesting to read obituaries, often they seem to be praising the deceased, but if one reads carefully one may find hints that they were not as innocent as snow, +1!

BTW al, I was thinking of you when I mentioned most of us including me being left-whingers, I think you are not one, hope that is ok

[Tangled Metal]

Was the Duke a left winger? Ecomentalist? Check! Involved heavily in helping people from all backgrounds including deprived? Check! Into saving the planet? Check! I wonder how you would define his politics?

Privilege was his life but does that truly deprive you of the right to be a leftie? Wasn't Benn from a privileged background and indeed fought hard to lose his viscount peerage? Of course he needed to do that to stay on as an mp. The Duke didn't need to do that but could he still be a leftie?

[661-Pete]

There does seem to be rather excessive TV coverage about the Duke. Few references to his hilarious gaffes

Perhaps it was deemed to be 'bad form' to mention them on the actual day of his passing. I confess to having had no qualms about badmouthing Thatcher on the day of her demise (and earning the wrath of Mods in more than one place! ). But I still maintain she did more harm to this country than the Duke ever did.

If I were to choose anything negative about the late DofE, I'd say he did irreparable harm to his eldest son by packing him off to Gordonstoun school. That was one of his mistakes - but then we all make mistakes in our lives.

I'd prefer to say, "respect to the DofE". He had an impossible job to carry out. And in an ideal Britain (i.e. a Republic) that job would never have existed.