****MUST READ:*** GB New Policy On Current Affairs

[magnumt]

Greetings everyone, we will be VERY much enforcing the new GB Policy below:

No longer will Politics, or ANY Current Affairs type news or Politics be allowed on the GB. It will cover not just government talk (like Trump vs Hillary, Healthcare, etc), but also Immigration, Race, Gender Roles/Issues, Social Economic Welfares, War, etc.

You see, under our old existing policy, a snide out of nowhere remark like "...just like Trump," is a joke comment perhaps, but will NOT be allowed on the GB anymore under this new policy, and WILL result in Warnings being issued (once we see them).

Under both scenarios (old & new policy), they are both baiting and derailing users. The end result being the VERY real and negative downward spiral of a thread(s).

Anyone involved with political discussion will receive a Warning/Strike AFTER the announcement goes up. Why? Well because:

- They would have been warned already via the announcement
- This is a BASKETBALL message board
- We have a DEDICATED politics board as a COURTESY, not a requirement
- We're all mostly adults here, and adults have shown time and again that they CANNOT discuss politics civilly and WITHOUT the conversation (and subsequent thread) going to the ****
- People come to the GB to read about SPORTS not BLM, Trump, Blue vs Red, Hillary, and other agenda driven political topics

This is NOT a black & white policy either. We reserve the right to extend it to any topics we haven't outlined already above going forward. But in short, even sports related topics/news that cross into Current Affairs territory will not be allowed on the GB and only on the CA.

If you see such things being discussed ANYWHERE on the GB, PLEASE Report it.

Current Affairs Board: http://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewforum.php?f=69

Thank you!
- GB Mod Team

[Sofia]

Will consideration be given to the proximity to basketball on new threads before issuing warnings/strikes?

For example, Warriors Whitehouse invitation and Phil Jackson "posse" comments obviously cross into both realms, but I'm curious where the line is between basketball and politics.

[magnumt]

Will consideration be given to the proximity to basketball on new threads before issuing warnings/strikes?

For example, Warriors Whitehouse invitation and Phil Jackson "posse" comments obviously cross into both realms, but I'm curious where the line is between basketball and politics.

Context will indeed be considered. But (using the White House example), if the Warriors choose to not go, it's usually done so as a Political statement. Phil Jackson's comment delved into Race (even if he didn't intend it to, it did). Both of these would now be CA topics and no longer welcomed on the GB.

--Mags

[SimonFish]

We deserve the right to extend it to any topics we haven't outlined already above going forward.

reserve*

[antonac]

I've not been posting here very long so fully understand my opinion won't count for much, but I have to be honest and say for all current affairs topics to be made off limits is disappointing. I understand wanting to limit jokes and talk about Trump where it's not appropriate, but basketball is so deeply related to American race relations that to ban discussion of it amounts to whitewashing the issue in my opinion. For me, it's not acceptable that Lebron can be racially insulted, for example, and basketball fans have to stay quiet and not confront the issues surrounding this. If an owner or player is racist he shouldn't be protected by rules prohibiting the discussion of uncomfortable topics. I think surely it makes sense to punish people for being insulting, for taking threads completely off-topic or what not, but not to ban the subjects all together. is talking about politics and race actually worse than using misogynistic language to talk about players (i.e. "kevin durant is a b*****.")?

I respect if you wish to enforce this rule, and of course I'll follow it but I can't say I agree with it.

[Purch]

I've not been posting here very long so fully understand my opinion won't count for much, but I have to be honest and say for all current affairs topics to be made off limits is disappointing. I understand wanting to limit jokes and talk about Trump where it's not appropriate, but basketball is so deeply related to American race relations that to ban discussion of it amounts to whitewashing the issue in my opinion. For me, it's not acceptable that Lebron can be racially insulted, for example, and basketball fans have to stay quiet and not confront the issues surrounding this. If an owner or player is racist he shouldn't be protected by rules prohibiting the discussion of uncomfortable topics. I think surely it makes sense to punish people for being insulting, for taking threads completely off-topic or what not, but not to ban the subjects all together. is talking about politics and race actually worse than using misogynistic language to talk about players (i.e. "kevin durant is a b*****.")?

I respect if you wish to enforce this rule, and of course I'll follow it but I can't say I agree with it.

Migrating the discussion to another forum isn't banning discussion. So your basic premise is flawed. Also, basic insults used in sports conversation like the one you stated are clearly not intended to be misogynistic, but unfortunately in this age a lot of people have completly disregarded context to label words/pepole homophobic, misogynistic, racist , transphobic ext.. because we're currently living in an, "outrage culture", where everyones racing to be offended by the next thing. So you see basic threads completely devolve because people throw around these labels on a whim, and then people retaliate.

I think the mods clearly are right in this instance, that people on this forum have shown time and time again, that they lack the ability to have civil conversations about politics that intertwine with sports.

[Fencer reregistered]

I've not been posting here very long so fully understand my opinion won't count for much, but I have to be honest and say for all current affairs topics to be made off limits is disappointing. I understand wanting to limit jokes and talk about Trump where it's not appropriate, but basketball is so deeply related to American race relations that to ban discussion of it amounts to whitewashing the issue in my opinion. For me, it's not acceptable that Lebron can be racially insulted, for example, and basketball fans have to stay quiet and not confront the issues surrounding this. If an owner or player is racist he shouldn't be protected by rules prohibiting the discussion of uncomfortable topics. I think surely it makes sense to punish people for being insulting, for taking threads completely off-topic or what not, but not to ban the subjects all together. is talking about politics and race actually worse than using misogynistic language to talk about players (i.e. "kevin durant is a b*****.")?

I respect if you wish to enforce this rule, and of course I'll follow it but I can't say I agree with it.

Migrating the discussion to another forum isn't banning discussion. So your basic premise is flawed. Also, basic insults used in sports conversation like the one you stated are clearly not intended to be misogynistic, but unfortunately in this age a lot of people have completly disregarded context to label words/pepole homophobic, misogynistic, racist , transphobic ext.. because we're currently living in an, "outrage culture", where everyones racing to be offended by the next thing. So you see basic threads completely devolve because people throw around these labels on a whim, and then people retaliate.

I think the mods clearly are right in this instance, that people on this forum have shown time and time again, that they lack the ability to have civil conversations about politics that intertwine with sports.

Well, that's the problem. You just violated the new policy, by criticizing an alleged "outrage culture", and denigrating people's carefully considered (at least in some cases) sociopolitical opinions as "whim"s.

I don't see how you could reasonably have been expected NOT to violate the policy, given your views (wildly incorrect though they may be ). So the policy is flawed.

[Veggamattic]

This website will eventually over moderate itself out of existence. They think putting a stop light at every corner is the answer to everything. So short sighted.

[NormanDale]

I've not been posting here very long so fully understand my opinion won't count for much, but I have to be honest and say for all current affairs topics to be made off limits is disappointing. I understand wanting to limit jokes and talk about Trump where it's not appropriate, but basketball is so deeply related to American race relations that to ban discussion of it amounts to whitewashing the issue in my opinion. For me, it's not acceptable that Lebron can be racially insulted, for example, and basketball fans have to stay quiet and not confront the issues surrounding this. If an owner or player is racist he shouldn't be protected by rules prohibiting the discussion of uncomfortable topics. I think surely it makes sense to punish people for being insulting, for taking threads completely off-topic or what not, but not to ban the subjects all together. is talking about politics and race actually worse than using misogynistic language to talk about players (i.e. "kevin durant is a b*****.")?

I respect if you wish to enforce this rule, and of course I'll follow it but I can't say I agree with it.

I agree completely with this post. Seems like a deeply misguided policy.

[ProfessorJM]

I can understand this policy, but a little bit of it is unfortunate as I think certain things can relate very well to player perceptions (especially in trying to discuss free agency moves, coaching hires, and team/owner relations and how it impacts basketball performance during the season and decisions/moves in and out of the season, even things like team branding, marketing, etc.) but it sounds more like there is too much for the moderators to reasonably handle because the discussions have gotten out of control. I guess I don't see basketball as totally isolated from the real world because basketball performance is impacted by non-basketball factors as well as pure basketball factors, but again, if it's out of control not sure of a better solution.

[Axel]

Great policy guys, keep up the good work. Folks have ample outlets to express their political opinion both on RealGM, and other places online. Facebook for one has become almost entirely political, at least on my feeds. Keep the discussion there where it belongs. Anyone who has issue with this policy is just upset that they can no longer freely proselytize on the most active board on RealGM.

[Novocaine]

Great policy guys, keep up the good work. Folks have ample outlets to express their political opinion both on RealGM, and other places online. Facebook for one has become almost entirely political, at least on my feeds. Keep the discussion there where it belongs. Anyone who has issue with this policy is just upset that they can no longer freely proselytize on the most active board on RealGM.

Fully agreed.

[sunskerr]

Limiting discussion of these issues for whatever reason has the same effect of trying to distort or cover up actual problems with a blanket. The NBA has always been somewhat a platform for progressive politics. Sports and politics have always been intertwined, domestically and internationally to raise awareness whether people like it or not.

[magnumt]

Limiting discussion of these issues for whatever reason has the same effect of trying to distort or cover up actual problems with a blanket. The NBA has always been somewhat a platform for progressive politics. Sports and politics have always been intertwined, domestically and internationally to raise awareness whether people like it or not.

Your discussions are NOT being limited:

http://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewforum.php?f=69

--Mags

[sunskerr]

Limiting discussion of these issues for whatever reason has the same effect of trying to distort or cover up actual problems with a blanket. The NBA has always been somewhat a platform for progressive politics. Sports and politics have always been intertwined, domestically and internationally to raise awareness whether people like it or not.

Your discussions are NOT being limited:

http://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewforum.php?f=69

--Mags

Thank you for providing a link to that board. Perhaps it should be linked in the original post.

Although there is certainly more political discussion, there is less user activity on that board. The policy still has the effect of trying to separate the discussion of NBA from politics, whether that is intended or not.

I respectfully disagree with the policy and the view that said policy does not limit our capacity to discuss some of the most important aspects of the NBA.

[ProfessorJM]

Great policy guys, keep up the good work. Folks have ample outlets to express their political opinion both on RealGM, and other places online. Facebook for one has become almost entirely political, at least on my feeds. Keep the discussion there where it belongs. Anyone who has issue with this policy is just upset that they can no longer freely proselytize on the most active board on RealGM.

Really agree about Facebook, respectfully disagree about a seemingly blanket statement that anyone seeing flaws with the policy is because they can't proselytize. I think that's really painting a lot of good posters on this board with too broad a stroke. There are dozens of reasons why one might have some concern about the nature of future discussions on the board for very different reasons beyond the one stated. I'm ok with the policy because I believe the mods can't police effectively, but yes, I have some concerns that the future quality of NBA discussion might become too simplistic without some broader contextual issues that absolutely impact basketball issues. I'm actually wondering for example how poor say a Donald Sterling discussion might have been if posters felt impeded, thereby negatively impacting a good debate on the subject.

[druggas]

I come here for sports talk, nothing more.

[21/20/10/8]

By all means, go to the CA cesspool board if you want to discuss that crap...

[Plutonashfan]

What about stuff about like North Carolina LBTG law that directly cause an entire All-Star game to be moved. Not everything is Black or White and that was actually a very Civil discussion and mostly positive with the NBA taking a hard line stance. Also what about LBJ fully supporting Hilary. Seems very blanket but I do understand being a mod here must be tough as $*** good luck.

[magnumt]

What about stuff about like North Carolina LBTG law that directly cause an entire All-Star game to be moved. Not everything is Black or White and that was actually a very Civil discussion and mostly positive with the NBA taking a hard line stance. Also what about LBJ fully supporting Hilary. Seems very blanket but I do understand being a mod here must be tough as $*** good luck.

All will be redirected to the CA board most likely.

--Mags