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

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

Post#21 » by TheWolfoftheNBA » Sat Jul 1, 2017 3:27 pm

When will mods here be responsible for their own actions?

A lot of them are absolutely horrible.
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Re: ****MUST READ:*** GB New Policy On Current Affairs 

Post#22 » by Lex Dysic » Sun Jul 2, 2017 12:46 pm

Been through this on other sports forums and my anecdotal observation is that laxness in enforcing no-politics policy on sports boards invariably culminates in polarization and thread implosions.

Like everyone else, I have my own opinions which I voice, debate or even argue about in appropriate forums. I certainly have no objection to well-thought out and articulated political opinions, even if they conflict with my own as pertains to where the lines between the sport and politics naturally overlap. If I don't agree, so long as the opinion is presented in isolation instead of calling those who take issue with it as being wrong-headed or worse, I'm fine with that. Where I have problems is when snide remarks are interjected gratuitously and presented as fact such as "bla bla bla Trump," "bla bla bla Obama" and the like. This is where I believe I'm no different than most others in being viscerally motivated to respond with an opposing snide remark... just to ensure they don't get away with projecting their opinions as fact.

It's a tough job for moderators, especially since like everyone else, they most often hold their own viewpoints. In my football forum, I have seen even the political sections become so polarized and mean-spirited that those who disagree with preponderant viewpoint are ostracized, insulted and made to feel unwelcome. Being insulted and minimized on unpopular but sincere opinions disncentivizes posting AFAIC. I for one consider my football brothers and sisters to be united in our fandom for the team and without any reservation, routinely alert on those who try to foist or crowbar in their political beliefs in a general forum that should unite instead of divide.. whether or not I agree with them.

This a way too long of declaring that allowing sports forums to politicize vs erring on the side of stricter moderation is rarely a good idea no matter your individual beliefs and rarely ends well. Obviously, while I mostly lurk rather than post, this is one topic that has galvanized me to do so.
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Re: ****MUST READ:*** GB New Policy On Current Affairs 

Post#23 » by TinyArchibald » Mon Jul 3, 2017 10:12 pm

As one who reads *much* more than I post, I want to thank you for this policy. Too many otherwise pleasant threads get derailed into political arguments where nobody wins and everybody loses.
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Re: ****MUST READ:*** GB New Policy On Current Affairs 

Post#24 » by NormanDale » Thu Jul 6, 2017 7:24 am

Lex Dysic wrote:Been through this on other sports forums and my anecdotal observation is that laxness in enforcing no-politics policy on sports boards invariably culminates in polarization and thread implosions.

Like everyone else, I have my own opinions which I voice, debate or even argue about in appropriate forums. I certainly have no objection to well-thought out and articulated political opinions, even if they conflict with my own as pertains to where the lines between the sport and politics naturally overlap. If I don't agree, so long as the opinion is presented in isolation instead of calling those who take issue with it as being wrong-headed or worse, I'm fine with that. Where I have problems is when snide remarks are interjected gratuitously and presented as fact such as "bla bla bla Trump," "bla bla bla Obama" and the like. This is where I believe I'm no different than most others in being viscerally motivated to respond with an opposing snide remark... just to ensure they don't get away with projecting their opinions as fact.

It's a tough job for moderators, especially since like everyone else, they most often hold their own viewpoints. In my football forum, I have seen even the political sections become so polarized and mean-spirited that those who disagree with preponderant viewpoint are ostracized, insulted and made to feel unwelcome. Being insulted and minimized on unpopular but sincere opinions disncentivizes posting AFAIC. I for one consider my football brothers and sisters to be united in our fandom for the team and without any reservation, routinely alert on those who try to foist or crowbar in their political beliefs in a general forum that should unite instead of divide.. whether or not I agree with them.

This a way too long of declaring that allowing sports forums to politicize vs erring on the side of stricter moderation is rarely a good idea no matter your individual beliefs and rarely ends well. Obviously, while I mostly lurk rather than post, this is one topic that has galvanized me to do so.


These are fair points. I don't spend time on any other forums, and have pretty much gotten off of facebook, so perhaps I don't have experience with the type of thread degeneration that causes others to support this rule. And maybe I am asking too much of the mods, and this is just easier for them.

But so many NBA topics are inherently political. For example, there is a thread on the GB right now about Curry's new contract. The discussion turned into one on the nature of "value," and whether NBA players are overpaid. This is an inherently political discussion that gets into questions of economic policy and distribution of wealth.

So far, the thread has not been locked, so perhaps my fears regarding this policy are overblown. But it seems that this thread, while valid and discussion-worthy in my opinion, is on the verge of crossing this line. If someone were to make the implicit political nature of the thread explicit, is seems it would definitely cross the line. I don't think there should be rules against making the implicit implications of posts explicit.

In today's NBA, players and coaches make more political statements than ever before. Popovich and Kerr have both sounded off on both Trump personally and his administration's policies. LeBron and the Heat wore hoodies in a social media statement about Trayvon Martin. There is the question of whether the Warriors will go to the White House. I guess this policy exists to keep these discussions from the General Board, but the effect of that is basically silencing them. These are interesting and valid NBA topics, so I think that's a mistake.

We are lucky not to have an NBA today where people seriously argue that "the league is too black," unlike 15 years ago and 20 years before that. But that opinion could come back again, as it repeatedly has throughout league history. If it does, should it not be discussed?

I'm happy that this site exists and I appreciate the generally respectful and fact-based tone that discussions take. You get that so rarely on the internet. I can understand not wanting to do anything to upset that. Still, it is that exact quality on this site that makes me want to discuss the intersection between basketball and the broader world here, rather than somewhere else.
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Re: ****MUST READ:*** GB New Policy On Current Affairs 

Post#25 » by chrismikayla » Mon Jul 10, 2017 11:32 pm

21/20/10/8 wrote:By all means, go to the CA cesspool board if you want to discuss that crap...


I actually think the CA forum is very good and most of the discussions are civil and mature.
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Re: RE: ****MUST READ:*** GB New Policy On Current Affairs 

Post#26 » by chrismikayla » Tue Jul 11, 2017 1:36 pm

magnumt wrote: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 **** :nonono:
    - People come to the GB to read about SPORTS not BLM, Trump, Blue vs Red, Hillary, and other agenda driven political topics :sigh:


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

Sadly I agree with this. I have started a few threads mixing basketball and race and ALL have been locked due to the thread going downhill due to poster immaturity, etc. Would be nice to talk about these things as they are interesting topics but unfortunately they never end well.

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

Post#27 » by Pablo Novi » Mon Aug 7, 2017 9:22 pm

In this thread, "My "Not Counting Segregation; The NBA's 3 Biggest Historical 'Crimes'" 
viewtopic.php?p=58063769#p58063769

(which I, the OP, started yesterday; and which was closed just now, one day later) ... I don't see how the thread even came close to violating this RealGM board policy.

Here's the notification of the closing of the thread:
"Re: My "Not Counting Segregation; The NBA's 3 Biggest Historical 'Crimes'" 
post#18 » by magnumt » 28 minutes ago
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1578014

Socioeconomic and race related topics are NOT allowed on the GB anymore.

Thanks!

--Mags

That thread, and the posts within it did not in any way violate:
"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."

Are you saying that criticizing the NBA for it not fairly covering the pension needs of its pre-1965 players is "socioeconomic"?

The ONLY thing that could possibly be pointed to is "Race" Roles - but there is UNIVERSAL agreement throughout NBA-fandom AND officialdom AND here on RealGM that the early NBA (as all the other major league sports) was definitely segregated. Besides which, the thread specifically is NOT about that segregation - instead, just noting it in passing (so that no one might think that I/we were failing to acknowledge it as THE HUGE problem it was.

Where's the possible controversy? Where's the politics?

Are you saying that ALL criticisms of the NBA, particularly of its PAST policies, is no longer allowed here?
If so, you'd have to start deleting a large percent of all the posts - because tons of criticisms are raised here.

Lastly, the issues I DID raise (old-timers' pension fund; NBL and ABA histories) are certainly not Current Affairs.
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Re: ****MUST READ:*** GB New Policy On Current Affairs 

Post#28 » by inquisitive » Sat Aug 26, 2017 7:17 am

If deal is voided, then maybe he will ask a buyout of his final year and sign with another team later in the season. It diesnt seem likely the Celts can repair the relationship
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Re: ****MUST READ:*** GB New Policy On Current Affairs 

Post#29 » by PerkinsFor3 » Sun Aug 27, 2017 7:37 am

Seeing what political discussion do to a forum like Insidehoops, I'd say, just dont allow it in sports sections and remove any other sections which dont have a clear subject.
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Re: ****MUST READ:*** GB New Policy On Current Affairs 

Post#30 » by eckoner » Sat Sep 23, 2017 7:38 pm

You guys are gonna have to change the policy to include something like "When a politician comments on topics that involve sports you still cant comment on that"

IDK guys that first amendment thing sounds to be going way of the bird!
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Re: ****MUST READ:*** GB New Policy On Current Affairs 

Post#31 » by Purch » Mon Sep 25, 2017 12:55 pm

eckoner wrote:You guys are gonna have to change the policy to include something like "When a politician comments on topics that involve sports you still cant comment on that"

IDK guys that first amendment thing sounds to be going way of the bird!

You don't make any sense. No one is restricting your ability to talk about the subject on realgm. They're simply saying that politically charged disscusions belong in the current affairs board as opposed to the nba board.
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Re: ****MUST READ:*** GB New Policy On Current Affairs 

Post#32 » by Dupp » Sat Sep 30, 2017 9:13 pm

I think this rule is getting out of control. We can't even discuss the NBA sending a memo about standing for the anthem. A lot of which I would discuss how silver is starting to become a lot like stern and a bad commissioner.


I understand the idea behind the rule but there's just s lot of discussion to be had that is getting lost. No ones gonna go to the CA board to discuss silver.

I think you could make this policy a bit more specific and not a general thing. It's hard I know but is a little annoying.
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Re: ****MUST READ:*** GB New Policy On Current Affairs 

Post#33 » by udfa » Sat Sep 30, 2017 9:30 pm

Dupp wrote:I think this rule is getting out of control. We can't even discuss the NBA sending a memo about standing for the anthem. A lot of which I would discuss how silver is starting to become a lot like stern and a bad commissioner.


I understand the idea behind the rule but there's just s lot of discussion to be had that is getting lost. No ones gonna go to the CA board to discuss silver.

I think you could make this policy a bit more specific and not a general thing. It's hard I know but is a little annoying.


I agree, and moreover no one should have to go to the CA board. This is big NBA news. I understand the value of the GB CA policy, but this 'current affair' is not lateral to the NBA. It should be discussed here like any significant NBA story.
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Re: ****MUST READ:*** GB New Policy On Current Affairs 

Post#34 » by Purch » Mon Oct 9, 2017 8:00 am

Dupp wrote:I think this rule is getting out of control. We can't even discuss the NBA sending a memo about standing for the anthem. A lot of which I would discuss how silver is starting to become a lot like stern and a bad commissioner.


I understand the idea behind the rule but there's just s lot of discussion to be had that is getting lost. No ones gonna go to the CA board to discuss silver.

I think you could make this policy a bit more specific and not a general thing. It's hard I know but is a little annoying.



udfa wrote:
Dupp wrote:I think this rule is getting out of control. We can't even discuss the NBA sending a memo about standing for the anthem. A lot of which I would discuss how silver is starting to become a lot like stern and a bad commissioner.


I understand the idea behind the rule but there's just s lot of discussion to be had that is getting lost. No ones gonna go to the CA board to discuss silver.

I think you could make this policy a bit more specific and not a general thing. It's hard I know but is a little annoying.


I agree, and moreover no one should have to go to the CA board. This is big NBA news. I understand the value of the GB CA policy, but this 'current affair' is not lateral to the NBA. It should be discussed here like any significant NBA story.


I for one disagree with this drastically. This summer was absolutely unbearable with how politically divisive and toxic any nba thread became if it even slightly intersected with politics. This board has been much more bearable since the rule was put in place.

It makes no sense, that the same people who are so "passionate" with all their political quips and jabs, aren't passionate enough to navigate to the CA board where they basiclly get free reign.
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Re: ****MUST READ:*** GB New Policy On Current Affairs 

Post#35 » by Sofia » Mon Oct 9, 2017 9:02 am

If every NBA team takes a knee on opening night, will the thread be moved to Current Affairs?
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Re: ****MUST READ:*** GB New Policy On Current Affairs 

Post#36 » by magnumt » Tue Oct 10, 2017 9:29 pm

Sofia wrote:If every NBA team takes a knee on opening night, will the thread be moved to Current Affairs?


Yes.

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

Post#37 » by KnightofHyrule » Tue Oct 10, 2017 10:00 pm

magnumt wrote:
Plutonashfan wrote:What about stuff about like North Carolina LBTG law that directly cause an entire All-Star game to be moved.


All will be redirected to the CA board most likely.

--Mags :beer:

While I am all for separating basketball and politics, THIS particular situation I don't agree with. While the reasoning for the move is unrelated to basketball, the move itself is related. Some basketball fans on the board are affected by a move like this.

Giving a similar example, if Portland is forced to suspend CJ McCollum for a reason related to Current Affairs, much of the conversation will still be related to basketball. Like Portland's lineup going forward, how it will affect their playoff run, how it will affect another team's playoff run, etc. That would be a VERY interesting topic that I may miss entirely because it isn't on the GB. At the same time, some may want to discuss current affairs as well, so we have a dilemma.

What if a racist mob injures LeBron? We can't discuss that on the GB?

I don't know. I want to refrain from current affairs as much as I can, so I'm not going to touch, or even think about the CA forum. But there are some topics that overlap both worlds that I do want to discuss. I don't want to miss those discussions.
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Re: ****MUST READ:*** GB New Policy On Current Affairs 

Post#38 » by magnumt » Tue Oct 10, 2017 11:40 pm

KnightofHyrule wrote:
magnumt wrote:
Plutonashfan wrote:What about stuff about like North Carolina LBTG law that directly cause an entire All-Star game to be moved.


All will be redirected to the CA board most likely.

--Mags :beer:

While I am all for separating basketball and politics, THIS particular situation I don't agree with. While the reasoning for the move is unrelated to basketball, the move itself is related. Some basketball fans on the board are affected by a move like this.

Giving a similar example, if Portland is forced to suspend CJ McCollum for a reason related to Current Affairs, much of the conversation will still be related to basketball. Like Portland's lineup going forward, how it will affect their playoff run, how it will affect another team's playoff run, etc. That would be a VERY interesting topic that I may miss entirely because it isn't on the GB. At the same time, some may want to discuss current affairs as well, so we have a dilemma.

What if a racist mob injures LeBron? We can't discuss that on the GB?

I don't know. I want to refrain from current affairs as much as I can, so I'm not going to touch, or even think about the CA forum. But there are some topics that overlap both worlds that I do want to discuss. I don't want to miss those discussions.


The overlap is what used to open the door and the eventual devolving of topics and resulting multitude of Reports. This (as outlined in the first post) is a hard line rule.

While it WILL make some unhappy and others happy, we have to do this to keep things in order on the GB. Other team boards have also enacted similar stances here on RGM too.

The sad truth is, as IRL, people just can't be civil when it comes to Political, Religious, or Socioeconomic subject matters.

Sorry mate.

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

Post#39 » by Sofia » Wed Oct 11, 2017 12:58 am

I think not being able to discuss things that may be directly NBA related on an NBA board is more likely to make people unhappy.

Fair enough if threads or posts are purely political point scoring they can be edited, moved, or moderated on the basis of baiting a user/fan base or off topic posting, but discussion of issues that are directly relevant to the league should be on a board intended to discuss the league.
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Re: ****MUST READ:*** GB New Policy On Current Affairs 

Post#40 » by magnumt » Thu Oct 12, 2017 5:47 pm

Sofia wrote:I think not being able to discuss things that may be directly NBA related on an NBA board is more likely to make people unhappy.

Fair enough if threads or posts are purely political point scoring they can be edited, moved, or moderated on the basis of baiting a user/fan base or off topic posting, but discussion of issues that are directly relevant to the league should be on a board intended to discuss the league.


You are. On the CA board. Taking a knee (literal or metaphorical) during the anthem is PURELY a political statement.

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