Just wondering…
Did anyone who’s started a thread about Obama recently on the site think that anyone here was going to vote for him?
I am. 
Since this site has decided to have a GD section, and since it’s the political election season, we’re going to see a lot of these threads. Personally I don’t even think we should have a GD, but that’s not my call and I understand that it generates traffic.
I gave my suggestion a few weeks ago to restrict GD posting like we do Member Sales, but that idea was nixed.
Maybe we should merge all of the Obama threads into one?
I haven’t started an Obama thread, but there is a disturbing trend among some on “our side” to dismiss him with “at least he isn’t Hillary.” As the revelations continue about Obama, his wife, and their past it is becoming apparent that he is even more pernicious than Hillary.
There are also people so blinded by the glossy media persona Obama has cultivated that they actually believe this guy is a “uniter.” I’ve heard people on the radio and even folks calling into C-SPAN who claim to be Republicans who are supporting Obama. There is also at least one poster here who is obviously an Obama supporter.
Besides, isn’t this why discussion boards were created, to discuss? I think there are plenty of folks on “our side” (or moderate) who are dangerously blasé about an Obama presidency. The threads help disseminate information about him that can be used to dissuade the starstruck from supporting the guy. Most of the posts have been pretty factual and when scuttlebutt BS is posted, truth hounds pounce on it.
Anyway, that’s the way I see it.
I like that idea.
Perhaps individual threads for each candidate might keep down clutter. The only danger in that is that really valuable information can potentially become lost in multi-page threads, but it certainly would “clean up” the GD.
The GD section is a good place to kick back at times, and perhaps share information on social issues, or current events some people may not be aware of.
M4C has a high standard among members, so I dont think the GD section needs to be tweaked. Obama happens to be a big news item this week. Two weeks ago there were lots of Mccain threads.
These things sort themselves out unless someone has an agenda, in which case the mods will get involved
I ask this seriously, not facetiously or critically: is the sudden proliferation of Obama threads detracting in some way from the rest of the forum? Are there resources being wasted on them (whether it’s a matter of bandwidth or moderator time/attention or whatever)? If so, merging them or even eliminating them would be fine with me, as someone who’s posted in many of them. Otherwise, though, it seems to me that people who don’t want to read them don’t have to.
Not so much on Obama threads, but GD in general: I like it. It gives the members an opportunity to interact outside the exchange of technical information.
I have seen (and shown my wife) threads where wannabe posturing was called out and exposed. I think pride and a sense of professionalism keeps everyone on their best behavior. I haven’t seen anything get seriously off track like I have on other forums, nor have I seen the repetitive and /or frivolous threads.
I think our members and moderators are a cut above and that reflects in the quality of GD. (I will now get a scratch pad to get the brown off my nose)
I certainly wasn’t going to vote for him, but my wife was considering it.
Trust me; I’m not proud of it either. She is/was a hardcore Hillary supporter (based on nothing more than her being a women) who stated she would vote for Obama if he got the nomination just to get rid of “The Republicans”. Again, let me stress that I’m not particularly proud of this. It’s been a constant sore subject in my house. She even has my daughters “infected”. What can I say; third wife’s are hard to control. 
These Obama threads have given me plenty of ammo to change her mind. All it really took was 1 or 2 of the Obama’s minister anti-American, hate, racist, race card, etc “sermons” youtube videos to turn this around. Now she is going to vote for McCain (hopefully, Huckabee). While I am not a fan of political threads on firearms forums this time they proved VERY useful.
Not likely, but I don’t believe that was ever the issue regardless. Of course, your point has merit, but maybe I can shed some additional light on the Obama threads and GD overall in this sophisticated firearm forum as some others did pretty well.
The purpose of the threads was not likely to convert obama supporters (which we all know are unlikely to exist in great numbers here) as much as to vent in a public forum about something that is so relevant to all of us and our futures. Not just as gun owners, but as Americans. We want to better understand what is happening and how. He is being heavily scrutinized here just as in the press. Maybe some can learn things here that they would not otherwise and can then pass on to others information at the dinner table (or the bar) about the situation. But like anything else, it can get overdone of course.
As far as GD in general, I enjoy it for several reasons. Many of us here think alike for the most part, although we also have our lesser differences. It is a place to discuss issues amongst ourselves. We know many here have been all over the world, seen combat, made arrests, and in general dealt with others who most don’t know about or understand properly. And you don’t have to have done any of those things but can still be valuable here if you care about the issues we all do and/or can pass on firsthand firearm knowledge. Most people I know, sadly, are too uneducated about the world, let alone firearms and could care too little to learn more. My neighbor is my age and at 38 he can’t be pried away from the TV when American Idol is on. The overall ignorance out there is both scary and astounding. So, often I prefer to talk here.
As long as it does not go the way of TOS, I think GD is good for us to interact. Strictly discussing firearms has it’s benefits, but also it’s limitations. So far, the staff has somehow kept what I would consider to be an ideal group of members here. No nonsense, but still not all “business”. And the thread I just posted in a moment ago about the little girl with leukemia is another good thing to come from having a GD.
Just my $0.02.
Most if not all of our politics-oriented threads are pretty much “preaching to the choir”. So long as members remain honest and respectful, I don’t have a problem with them.
I have not started in Obama threads. that said I have posted on a few GD threads including an Obama one. I started coming to this tread for the obvioius technical information. However I have been able to keep up with politics (be it the election or the DC gun ban) on this site. Sure some of the threads my be a little goofy at times. But my personal opinion is they are nice. I look at it like this if you are a LEO you don’t just talk to you LEO buddies about new gear. If you are in the military you dont just talk about the mission. You talk about life you tell jokes & at times you debat all sorts of crap. Not sure if that was the intent of M4carbine when it started but it appears to become that.
Its really fun to kick him in the teeth every chance you get
I am.
Obama in '08: America’s dead, might as well bury her.
I believe GD is good in general (no pun intended.) Like others have said it’s a place to maturely discuss random subjects. As for political differences, last I checked this was America and people are entitled to their beliefs whatever they may be. Like others have said as long as they remain respectful overall their shouldn’t be any issues in general.