Downward Spiral

[Hawkeye]

Ok this is just my opinion based off what I has observed here on IHD over the past few months up until today.  It seems there have been very few posts regarding dialysis and lots of ones for politics.  Now that in and of itself is not a problem, during election times people have other things on their minds and thats what we come here for is to talk to each other and get each others opinions/help.  The problem is that those political threads in many cases became "battlegrounds".  Lots of things were said that offended others even if they posted that it did or not and people do not easily forget when something they so strongly believe in gets "attacked".  Thats the whole reason IMO they were separated from the normal threads, politics can get nasty.  You would think that since the elections are over that it would settle down and return to business as normal but instead some of those "battleground" threads have now turned from politics to religion, the other most volatile subject you can discuss.  Where do we go from here and when it's all done do we still have members that don't hate each other so much they wont speak/post to each other.  Do we just get clicks that only respond to each others posts with a thinly veiled rude remark here and there to others posts?  Once again this is my observation/opinion and I could be incorrect but I think we are heading down a path to the destruction of IHD at the moment.  I for one wouldn't want to see that happen and I would confidently say I'm not the only one with that feeling.  I'm not trying to say that a heated discussion is not a good thing either but at some point one has to say to themselves that enough is enough.







EDITED: Moved to Proper Section - Sluff/Admin

[Zach]

Excellent point.

[kitkatz]

Here is my response.

The political threads were separated from the main thread areas because it was an incendiary topic for people who were involved in those type of things.  I think the things said there were said in the heat of the moment and the minute members came back to the boards they forgot about it and went about the business of supporting everyone else in dialysis matters. Since I did not dwell in the political section, I was not embroiled in some of the flame wars that existed.  I pretty much have seen a happy contented IHD.com board as I read through the messages each day.  I have no idea where you get the idea we are going to heck in a hand basket around here!  As far as I can see the arguments you are speaking about have been addressed by the admins.

We have three people undergoing transplants right now on the boards and everyone wants to know how they are doing.
I celebrated with everyone ten years on dialysis. Time flies when you are having fun.
We have new members coming aboard everyday and joining in the topics and discussions.
The Christmas Secret Santa exchange is up and running beautifully thanks to Okarol. (40 people involved)
We had beautiful get togethers in Chicago and in Las Vegas with members. We got to know one another face to face.
Our admins and mods are working hard to keep the boards up and running.
Epowife, Trina, has made her appearance onto the boards and is working behind the scenes to get things organized.
Updates to the boards are on their way soon from the wonderful behind the scenes admins.


I think if you went and read the posts from our members you would see are a pretty happy cohesive bunch out here in IHD.com land!

Take your head out of the political area and go look around.  Happiness just sprouts all around!


kitkatz,Moderator

[paul.karen]

:-)

As a newbie.  if i may.

There were heated debates in the political section.  But i for one like kitkat mentioned could come out of the political section and talk to many people i didnt agree with on the main boards like we hadnt just seen each other in the nastyfiles.

I was happy when i first came here to poke around that it wasnt just Dialysis Dialysis Dialysis.  But rather a bit of everything for everyone.
I never thought i would like to hear people talk about peeing.  But in the last few weeks it is a wonderful thing to talk about.

This place prepared me for what will happen in the near future.  As well as for when Obama takes over as president.  And what to make with left over turkey.  It seems to have something for everyone even when we may not want to talk about dialysis.

It is the one stop shop--at least for me.

But Hawkeye.  I do so see and understand your point. I hope something like that never happens.
But like a TV or radio station.  If we dont like what we see or are listening to we dont have to read it.  Seems it was the same people in the political threads day after day.

Again im new if im outta line please say so.

P&K

[paris]

That is why our wise admins created a political thread.   I glace at it, but my focus is on the transplant thread, the caregivers,news articles,  new members, and then I go to the off topic section.  I think those who may disagree on the political thread, may not be best buds anywhere.   With a site this size, there will be personalities that don't necessarily get along, just like any family unit.  But, our common bond holds us together and the friendships I have made here lift me and inspire me.     One of Epoman's threads was  "Is there a God?"   He loved getting a good discussion going.   Some may cross the line and that is when the amazing admins step in.       

[Sunny]

Just do what I have taken to doing: ignore the political threads!

[okarol]

The political thread is not in the Top 10 Boards, either by views or replies. The majority of our members chose not to go there. Kitkatz is correct, there's a lot more going on!

Politics and religion topics are not for the faint of heart. Hopefully members can overcome the differences and not let it ruin their relationships here (or anywhere!)

The Political Section will soon be retired to the Premium section. The Off Topic section will always be available to everyone.

okarol/admin

[Sluff]

The only point I would like to make is that if it were not for the political section the problems in that section would have been in the main Off-Topic section. I disagree with you Hawkeye, I think IHD is far from going to hell in a hand basket.  I did not want politics discussed in the main forums because it is a volatile subject, with many different opinions, and as far as people who may have made enemies, they need to grow up and realize this is the land of the free, freedom of speech and the right to voice ones opinion. As for the ones who can't control themselves it becomes a character flaw that they will have to learn to deal with. These character flaws existed long before the political threads or IHD. No matter how hard we try to correct a member we Admins receive messages from all sides of the issues. We can only do what we think is right and move forward. We can not please everyone. Allowing or disallowing a certain subject or comment sometimes is a thin line between censorship and corrective action.

Sluff/Admin

[Ang]

whats  that  old  saying  never  mix  politics  and religion.


for  my    if  you  think  you might  get  offended  or  don't  like  reading   about  the  subject  just

don't  go  there, a  bit  of  self  control  goes along  way.

[monrein]

I enjoyed the political threads immensely and bear no animosity towards anyone, no matter how they might have expressed themselves.  If I had complaints about anything, I tried to say so in the thread itself and never felt it necessary to ask admin to intervene.  I try to do the same in my real life, that is to speak directly to people who I feel have stepped on my toes because usually these are minor things, misunderstandings or whatever and simply do not matter in the big scheme of things.  If someone is just baiting for a fight we do not HAVE to engage.  There are idiots everywhere (even we ourselves at times) and sometimes they simply need to be ignored.  My life and life in general is  far too short in absolute terms to hold grudges or make enemies over politics or religion for that matter.  I find it really interesting to TRY to understand why people hold the views they do or the spiritual beliefs they do, because our opinions, like our lives, have a context.  We form them often as a result of our lived experiences and the influences that we are subject to and I find this fascinating.  Trying to truly understand where people are "coming from" is one of the most fascinating things for me.  We can learn so much about ourselves.  Why are some so angry?  What causes bitterness?  Why do some give up on love?  What pain and hurt have people had to endure?  What teaches optimism or pessimism? 

It is why I like traveling.  I like encountering the differences and of course the similarities between us as people.  I've enjoyed discussing arranged marriage in India, politics in France, religion in Arkansas (long story) in France and in my own family,obeah in Jamaica, and I've debated many issues in my time as a student and teacher of literature and language.

My only frustration with the political threads is that I'm a much faster talker than I am a typist and I would have  preferred the give and take of a real live discussion with facial expressions and teasing and humour and all the other nuances that go along with that.  I think that is often at the root of forum misunderstandings because we tend to read things into what others say based on people in our own lives or experiences who may hold some similar opinions and then we react, less to what was actually said and more to what we think the person meant.  So darned complicated, communication but I still love trying.

Thanks for the threads and the opinions. 

[Sluff]

Very well articulated Monrein.