Or 52 to 48 then we’ll need a second vote, but it doesn’t matter because Richard will make the final judgement.
I voted Yes because I do not think these political debates are useful. Unfortunately, I may not have convinced anybody to change direction and there some posters who do descend in to name calling, which is why I think they are dropped.
I voted no. The issues are of huge importance. Most contributors seem to be able to debate without resorting to name-calling and vitriol. For me the answer is blocking from that particular thread those who cross the line in behaviour, not the topic itself.
I don’t know what you have to say
It makes no difference anyway
Whatever it is, I’m against it
No matter what it is or who commenced it
I’m against it
Your proposition may be good
But let’s have one thing understood:
Whatever it is, I’m against it
And even when you’ve changed it or condensed it
I’m against it
I’m opposed to it
On general principles, I’m opposed to it
And so it begins,even before any political viewpoint is stated !
No, it’s useful to learn things in these sort of off-topic threads; I know I did.
It’s not difficult to ban people for going too far. Other forums manage, this one can.
So No.
But a definite ban on people who begin a thread, or a post, with So - So I’ve got some new speakers… Please stop.
And a 1 week ban for people who post apposite song lyrics. I’d go for that.
I’m in two minds on this. In principle I think anything should be open for discussion. But in practice some people cannot restrain themselves from shouting ‘fascist’, ‘marxist’ or ‘racist’ and the discussion descends. Only yesterday an MP’s office was attacked by someone shouting ‘fascist’ and trying to smash the windows.
As Timmo says, people become keyboard warriors and behave in a way they wouldn’t if they were having a discussion in the pub.
There is so much hate in the world. Over the summer, while the Brexit ban was in place, the Forum was a happier place.
So with a heavy heart I think political threads should be removed. How ‘political’ is defined I’m not so sure - education, housing, global warming? The alternative is to delete people’s accounts, but that puts Richard in an invidious position and one that is unreasonable to expect the moderator to take on. There are some members who post about 90% of their stuff on political threads and rarely on music or HiFi, which is what brings us here in the first place. One might think they are only here to cause trouble.
It’s also worth remembering that Naim is one of the world’s top Hifi companies with a reputation to maintain. How does it look around the world to have a Forum where people behave as if in a bear pit?
If people could self-moderate, such a move would not be needed. But it seems some cannot, and because of them the Forum will very likely become a poorer place.
People have disagreed about charitable events, nothing to do with politics.
Some people are more argumentative than others. If I know something is going to ‘raise my dander’ then I just avoid the thread.
I’d rather it was still available as an option, the brexit thread in particular I do believe is valuable.
I suspect the thread is valuable only in revealing how people who otherwise appear reasonable actually have a very dark heart within. Quite honestly I’d rather not know it.
I don’t think it was valuable, it was mostly people posting opinions with selective quotes to support those opinions. I also think it is unfair to ask Richard, who does an excellent job moderating a hifi forum, to moderate a political forum.
I prefer discussions on loudspeakers or song lyrics as Naim is about music, not politics.
This, I think, is the key here.
I’ve just spent the last hour or so dipping in and out of various non hifi threads on the ‘fishy’ forum. Am I missing something, or are the contributors much better at self-moderation? The Brexit thread (and the Trump one) seem to be far less bad temperered than those that have existed on this forum. I appreciate that forum is not one that is sponsored by a hifi manufacturer and therefore probably receives less moderation than Richard has to apply. Come to think of it, the Naim FB forum is certainly not heavily moderated, and that doesn’t seem to evidence the bad tempered vitriol seen frequently on these pages!
Can it be we are simply unfortunate in attracting the unpleasant trolls to a greater extent than the other places (and there only seem to be only a dozen or so)? If we were to get rid of these, perhaps that would solve the problem. I don’t like to advocate any form of censorship, but some of these contributors do not deserve any type of platform.
Let me tell you the other key
Politicians will find any issue to politicise and especially in the guise of trying to help someone.
I see the Padded Cell as an example of a largely well behaved group but unfortunately might be put down due to needless and un-necessary polls / referendums.
Brexit is a prime example…of an unnecessary referendum straining a good country to its limits.
I propose a Ban on Polls like this please…
I voted yes despite dipping into it now and then.
Yes I did appreciate different view points, and I’m all for free speech, but I was getting overwhelmed with stuff - so I am happy with Richard moderating all / any subject if it gets just too much.
Political threads should be banned - this is not an appropriate forum for them (imho).
I thought long and hard about this and in the end decided that no they should not be banned. We all have a choice whether or not to view a particular thread. People die for the right to express their opinions under less favourable regimes in different parts of the world. Richard has the final say and can stop things getting out of hand. As long as he is happy to moderate, then keep it as it is. If you ban these types of thread as they are “ultra vires” from the role of the forum, then where do you draw the line?
Interesting observation: some of the people arguing that political threads should be banned are among the most prolific contributors on those that have existed. If you don’t like them why do you participate?
I just want know what happens when I go to bed, I’ve woken to find that they’ve disappeared and due to the time difference have no idea what happened. 
It never existed Pete. It was just a bad dream!
The forum can sometimes be a only place from 1/2 way around the world. This morning I think I was the only one logged in, it’s like talking to yourself.
Pete, when i’m in Canada, it’s the same, the time difference means there are very few people, live on the Forum and you might as well be talking to yourself.
OTOH, in most of these “politicaL” threads I also get the feeling that i am talking to myself !!!