<p>I also would like to see the attacks on my religion eradicated within this forum...so much anti-Muslim sentiment...do you see me making attacks on Christianity?</p>
<p>Now, if political discussions can be controlled(i.e. "mature" college-bound/college-attending students can debate without resorting to attacks on one's political affiliation/religion(or religious dedication), and if people check their facts before they articulate their views), then they are ok, and, in nspeds' words, enlightening. Otherwise, they are not useful, and they basically come to, "my party is better than yours, you're stupid, your party does this your party does that and that makes them dumb." People need to realize that there are varying viewpoints, and that their own is not the only valid one.</p>
<p>and laura...i think where Roger is going with "i dont' want to see anyone bashing my religion anymore," thing is that...you don't see much religous bashing, until it comes to a political view. Misinformed(or uninformed), closed minded ppl come by and bash Islam continuously(although I dont' know if Roger is Muslim). You see little or no ill-will towards any other religion...you don't see me go around and say "Christians are the evil scum of the earth and they consist of nothingmore than war mongering, power-hungry, reverse-terrorists." But you'll constantly hear ppl say "Islam is an evil religion with evil principles...everyone that believes in it is a terrorist. (example of moronic statement) - the Quran specifically states that 'The West is a contamination on Allah's great Earth...kill all the Western infidels.'" Few ppl know much about Islam, and refuse to take a Muslim's word on what the religion actually stands for, and this IS an issue. Otherwise politically inept users who come to these political threads to learn about an issue start to form opinions through facts that aren't even slightly credible. It's one thing to actually use information you gained from a credible source, and another to assume what a particular religion preaches and act like you're the world's greatest theologian.</p>
<p>Political topics reveal the benefits and limits of on-line discussion forums. On the one hand, there are a lot of bright, articulate people on this site whose posts offer interesting and thoughtful perspectives--from both sides of the fence; I value the fact that such far-flung people can come here to communicate. On the other hand, the very fact that we are far-flung--anonymous, for all intents and purposes--leads to bad behavior, the sort of ranting, baiting, and disrepect that probably wouldn't crop up if we were all seated together at one giant dinner party. This troubles me, particularly because I believe that political discussions rarely change minds. I've always felt that the chief benefit of political discussion is to be found in the conduct of those who participate, the fact that people who disagree can air their views respectfully and find whatever commonality they can, even if only in the sincerity and thoughtfulness of their beliefs. Because we are adults whose beliefs are largely fixed, I see political discussion as a test of civility, a test that we as a culture--and perhaps as an on-line commuity--are failing. I believe in free speech as much as I believe in anything, but with freedom comes responsibility, and too many people are opting for the sort of easy route favored by the likes of Bill O'Reilly and Michael Moore, the kind of people who forget that moral consequences inhere not just in what they say, but in the way they say it.</p>
<p>Why we're failing--now that would be an interesting discussion!</p>
<p>he is the ADMINISTRATOR...that's a little higher up than the Moderator...and he's not a "fake" administrator...you can't exactly check a box that sets your status as mod/admin when you set up your user name.</p>
<p>papa john it said College mom is the moderator. What does she think about it? She actually has to read it. And who doesn't know what they're talking about? Is admin the owner of the site? Where are they??</p>
<p>Yes, they are useless because nothing is ever accomplished. But some people are just political nuts and feel the need to express their opinions. So let them, it's usually intelligent discussion/debate. </p>
<p>In the real world, you'll encounter political debate sooner or later. Not that CC is "the real world," but why impose irrational rules of forcing people to keep political opinions to themselves?</p>
<p>For the political threads that I actually bothered to read and were interesting enough to not skim, I did learn some enlightening things.</p>
<p>There will always be some people who will get extremely worked up over a debate on a message board and begin personal attacks against those who don't agree. Unfortunately completely banning ignorance and immaturity isn't as possible as banning someone's IP.</p>
<p>There are plenty of intelligent people on this forum who are intelligent enough to discuss politics without letting it come to some childish online brawl.</p>
<p>Confused no, but I feel in this country that everyone thinks I'm going to "hell" because I don't subscribe to the going religion. Haven't you read about the Left behind series of books? If you are not religious you feel totally outside the frameword of today's society. I'm not confused, just not religious, but actually very spiritual. Should we have to feel that way in a country founded on separation of church and state?</p>
<p>enjoi..the political discussions are mainly on the parent's cafe, which college mom moderates.. Nothing to do with this thread..just the one where passions run rampant with bored parents who are suffering from empty nest..</p>
<p>If you don't like the political discussion, move on... I find them exciting and fun...and why not talk about stuff...I took a break for a bit, and came back...</p>
<p>And what is political anyway- talking about NCLB, the military on campuses, recruiting, affirmative action, voting, volunteering, who is to judge what is political...as we all know, many issues can become political...for instance, where to shop for college supplies</p>
<p>How will that be decided? And by whom? Many people here talk about affirmative action, it affects a lot of people in many ways, no child left behind, well that NEEDS to be discussed</p>
<p>I have a big old radio in my house, I can choose which stations I want to listen to, if one annoys me, I move on, I don't tell the people not to discuss whatever they are discussing</p>
<p>well tell that to the FCC...they banned Howard Stern from the airwaves for his lude radio talk show :)...apparently changing the station just isn't good enough sometimes ;)</p>
<p>I think political discussions are fine. Granted I don't know too much about American politics and rarely read the Bush vs Kerry threads but I really enjoyed the BJP or Congress: Either or Neither thread in the International Students forum where the debate was both interesting and civil :)</p>