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hammer4nc · January 25, 2009, 04:07 PM

Threadlock in this forum, has been applied in an arbitrary and capricious fashion. Trying to use statistics on % of closed threads as some kind of index, to support your previous decision to censor political discussion, is circular reasoning at best. A conclusion in search of supporting data. You're really grasping at strawmen here, Al.

This whole notion of "signal to noise", as a motivation for censoring L&P, has been quite selectively applied; look at any of the other TFL sub-forums, to see all manner of tripe, duplicate threads, off-topic, etc. that is tolerated, even encouraged. Suddenly, political topics wasting precious bandwidth, as the motivation for censorship, doesn't pass the smell test.

Another knob frequently polished..."we need to avoid strident expression, so that fence sitters don't think we gun owners are a bunch of knuckle-dragging neanderthals". This theme has been applied by the statist elements, moderators and members alike, to quell dissent...even that falling within the bounds of propriety/TOS. Shameful.

Compare the political discussion on TFL back in 2000, to more recent times...the big difference now, seems much less tolerance for discussion of official misconduct; much quicker to play the "bashing" card, with the express intent to inflame, and thus shutdown via threadlock, the entire discussion. Inumerable references to obese bubbas in camos, toting tricked out SKS's... sound familiar? Exhortations to storm city hall with your illegal machine guns?

And TPTB bought bought into that tactic, lock, stock and government-pension-paid-for barrel. Maybe its a sign of the times. One observation: the forum has self-selected its audience, now comprising more members with an unquestioning "law and order" ethic, regardless of how abhorrent that law might be.

This is going to be interesting to watch, once the Obama train starts rolling...similar to present discussions on Illinois repressive gun laws. We'll have an abundance of advice on how to comply with every little detail of the law, but by God, you better not mention "infringement" (its a political concept).

{Predictable Thread - Q: It takes a year to renew my FOID! A: Quit crying, baybee, we're understaffed!}

I still can't figure out this line in the sand...political discussion being repeatedly dismissed as "conspiracy theory/chicken little/doomsday crapola";

then somehow magically rising to the threshold of acceptability for discussion, once a legislative bill has been proposed, and maybe not even then, unless it has a lot of co-sponsors. Does the vitriol in locking these threads expose an ulterior motive?

Here's a concept: Every gun control bill has its roots in politics. So, its agreed we just ignore the whole deal until the gun-grabbers serve up the next AWB, then we can play catch-up? Well, maybe by being docile, we've won over a few fence sitters? Epic FAIL!:barf:

In summary, if I didn't know better, I'd think the forum staff had a hidden agenda. As someone posted, defend the second amendment, and crap on the first.**

Thanks for this opportunity for expression. I reckon I'm in the minority. Maybe this will stimulate some meaningful discussion. Now, off to the gym.

**Please, no need to rehash "this is a private forum, so the 1st amendment doesn't apply"; malarky. Just like with the RKBA, either you support the right to free expression or you don't (within bounds of propriety). Once you start to heavily censor for content, as this forum has chosen to do, you can no longer claim to support the ideals of the BOR. At least without being hypocritical.

January 25, 2009, 04:07 PM	#4
hammer4nc Junior member Join Date: December 3, 2000 Posts: 575	A missive on censorship. Threadlock in this forum, has been applied in an arbitrary and capricious fashion. Trying to use statistics on % of closed threads as some kind of index, to support your previous decision to censor political discussion, is circular reasoning at best. A conclusion in search of supporting data. You're really grasping at strawmen here, Al. This whole notion of "signal to noise", as a motivation for censoring L&P, has been quite selectively applied; look at any of the other TFL sub-forums, to see all manner of tripe, duplicate threads, off-topic, etc. that is tolerated, even encouraged. Suddenly, political topics wasting precious bandwidth, as the motivation for censorship, doesn't pass the smell test. Another knob frequently polished..."we need to avoid strident expression, so that fence sitters don't think we gun owners are a bunch of knuckle-dragging neanderthals". This theme has been applied by the statist elements, moderators and members alike, to quell dissent...even that falling within the bounds of propriety/TOS. Shameful. Compare the political discussion on TFL back in 2000, to more recent times...the big difference now, seems much less tolerance for discussion of official misconduct; much quicker to play the "bashing" card, with the express intent to inflame, and thus shutdown via threadlock, the entire discussion. Inumerable references to obese bubbas in camos, toting tricked out SKS's... sound familiar? Exhortations to storm city hall with your illegal machine guns? And TPTB bought bought into that tactic, lock, stock and government-pension-paid-for barrel. Maybe its a sign of the times. One observation: the forum has self-selected its audience, now comprising more members with an unquestioning "law and order" ethic, regardless of how abhorrent that law might be. This is going to be interesting to watch, once the Obama train starts rolling...similar to present discussions on Illinois repressive gun laws. We'll have an abundance of advice on how to comply with every little detail of the law, but by God, you better not mention "infringement" (its a political concept). {Predictable Thread - Q: It takes a year to renew my FOID! A: Quit crying, baybee, we're understaffed!} I still can't figure out this line in the sand...political discussion being repeatedly dismissed as "conspiracy theory/chicken little/doomsday crapola"; then somehow magically rising to the threshold of acceptability for discussion, once a legislative bill has been proposed, and maybe not even then, unless it has a lot of co-sponsors. Does the vitriol in locking these threads expose an ulterior motive? Here's a concept: Every gun control bill has its roots in politics. So, its agreed we just ignore the whole deal until the gun-grabbers serve up the next AWB, then we can play catch-up? Well, maybe by being docile, we've won over a few fence sitters? Epic FAIL!:barf: In summary, if I didn't know better, I'd think the forum staff had a hidden agenda. As someone posted, defend the second amendment, and crap on the first. Thanks for this opportunity for expression. I reckon I'm in the minority. Maybe this will stimulate some meaningful discussion. Now, off to the gym. Please, no need to rehash "this is a private forum, so the 1st amendment doesn't apply"; malarky. Just like with the RKBA, either you support the right to free expression or you don't (within bounds of propriety). Once you start to heavily censor for content, as this forum has chosen to do, you can no longer claim to support the ideals of the BOR. At least without being hypocritical. Last edited by hammer4nc; January 25, 2009 at 04:22 PM.