Obama/McCain Locations--a bad idea?

[Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor]

The SDMB has been polarized before, but this is, frankly, getting creepy.

I am deeply concerned about divisiveness tearing this Board apart.

I've been a member since 1999, & have a long-term, vested concern with the SDMB.

I am not trying to tell the Mods & Admins their jobs.

I am not trying to tell others what their opinion should be.

I am not trying to stifle debate.

But this Board is tense!

Perhaps cooling off time is needed.

Perhaps you should shut off the Location function.Because it has ceased to be used for its intended function, & is being transformed into a Party identification badge.

And IMHO, this is bad for the SDMB.

[What Exit?]

Bosda, I don't think we are taking it as seriously as you are. Most of the location changes have been down in a light hearted fashion and with humor.

What's next eliminating signatures. Some people put political messages in their Sigs. Oh the horror!

[C K Dexter Haven]

Hmmm. I guess I haven't seen this happening, would you please cite a few instances? I'm assuming it's happening enough that you have this understandable concern, that it's not just a once or twice occurrence?

We'll discuss this amongst the mods, but it seems to me on the surface:
- We do have non-US members (many) who don't get all heated about the US election (actually, we have US members who don't get heated about an election, as well, but you know what I mean.)
- Stereotyping based on geography is damn silly ("Oh, you're from Texas, you must be a red-necked evangelical gun-toting lying Republican." "Ha, you're from Massachusetts, yhou must be pinko commie child-murdering spendthrift Democrat.") Arguably, such stereotyping amounts to "hate speech" directed against people because of geography, and is reportable as an offense against our rules?

[Dunderman]

The board is kinda tense, but the Obama location thing seems to be pretty lighthearted and hasn't made anybody snap as far as I know. As for McCain locations, I haven't even seen one.

[What Exit?]

Originally Posted by Priceguy

The board is kinda tense, but the Obama location thing seems to be pretty lighthearted and hasn't made anybody snap as far as I know. As for McCain locations, I haven't even seen one.

There are only a few so far and they also appear mostly light hearted. I like the 'Insane for McCain' one. That was pretty clever.

See this thread: Change your SDMB location to some variant of "I'm not voting for Obama"

See my location for the tenseness and seriousness of those supporting Obama.

Here is the thread that started it. Change your SDMB Location to "Obama Country"!
I see no tenseness in the thread itself.

[MsWhatsit]

I thought it was just cute and funny. (On both sides.) The board is tense? I hadn't personally noticed. But then, I tend to avoid the political debate threads. Shrug.

[glee]

In a light-hearted sense, I see no problems. There have always been humorous entries in 'Location'.

In a serious sense, Bush and the Republicans have made the World a more dangerous place (particularly to the British soldiers who are being killed in Iraq and Afghanistan), as well as smearing the good name of the US.

So this election really matters.

[Giles]

I read a lot of the political threads, and have reasonably strong political opinions of my own -- but I don't get tense by reading or hearing competing political opinions.

It's inevitable that during a US presidential campaign there will be strong opinions on each side -- and some will believe that the opposition represents the very bottom of the pit of depravity. And this campaign has already been going on a long time, and has nearly 5 months still to go.

But if people get tense over a little thing like the Obama location, I think the problem lies inside themselves, and they might need to just ignore that little annoyance.

(Though I will resist the temptation to change my location to "Central Ohiobama").

[An Arky]

I don't see the harm, but as an Obama supporter, I'm concerned with the inevitable backlash to Obamamania coming to a peak just in time for the election.

I wish some of his more strident supporters (not just here) would tone down the rhetoric because you are NOT going to win people over with that shit, ever, and it's more important for the man to get elected than for anybody, online or otherwise, to get their nyah-nyahs out..

I'm leaving my location as is...

[HeyHomie]

I, for one, have always found witty and/or ambiguous location markers rather tiresome. A lot of times, an idea of a poster's location adds some context to a post.

[twickster]

I see it as the equivalent of a yard sign or a lapel button -- an indication of political support without the intent of picking a fight. Read it or ignore it, your choice.

I'm with those not feeling any tension at all.

[tomndebb]

As a Mod in GD, I would have to say that I would only number fewer than a dozen posters--mixed among Obama lovers, Obama haters (divided among the Clinton supporters and the Obama is too liberal camps)--as anything resembling rabid. (And no one is really passionate about McCain.) I really don't think we are going to see a board divided against itself failing to stand. A few of the more excitable posters are liable to indulge themselves in the hyperbolic remarks that have always characterized their participation, but I do not see that spilling over into the larger membership.

[Eutychus]

The board is no more tense than it is during any election season. It goes with the territory.

[BiblioCat]

I find it interesting that the "Change your location to Obama Country" thread has been up for 10 days, and no one's been concerned, but the "Change your location to something other than Obama Country" thread has been up for a mere 12 hours and already someone is complaining.

[NinetyWt]

Perhaps he feels that there was no polarization until the second pole was established.

Myself, I think it's harmless.

[Telperien]

Originally Posted by BiblioCat

I find it interesting that the "Change your location to Obama Country" thread has been up for 10 days, and no one's been concerned, but the "Change your location to something other than Obama Country" thread has been up for a mere 12 hours and already someone is complaining.

I was going to complain about the previous thread, but I didn't care enough. Should I have mustered up my annoyance and done so anyway?

Mind you, I would also then have to complain in the non-Obama thread, if I wanted to express both sides of my view.

[rowrrbazzle]

Originally Posted by glee

In a serious sense, Bush and the Republicans have made the World a more dangerous place (particularly to the British soldiers who are being killed in Iraq and Afghanistan), as well as smearing the good name of the US.

That's your opinion. I will observe that doing the right thing is often unpopular.

So this election really matters.

No more than the last one.

[Eutychus]

Originally Posted by glee

So this election really matters.

The last one really mattered. This one's just clean-up.

[Liberal]

Originally Posted by C K Dexter Haven

Arguably, such stereotyping amounts to "hate speech" directed against people because of geography, and is reportable as an offense against our rules?

I don't think so, Dex, since people can move as easily as they can change religions.

[susan]

It doesn't seem tense to me. It's much less unpleasant than the long-term Clinton v. Obama discussions were.

[silenus]

I'm not seeing a problem here. I'm the only person who even came close to the line, and that wasn't by much. Nobody else cares enough to even make a joke about it.

[Borborygmi]

I can see it now...

The message board is temporarily offline to fix database issue. Also, to give it a massage. Jerry

[JeffB]

Happy ending included?

[Mtgman]

Originally Posted by Borborygmi

I can see it now...

The message board is temporarily offline to fix database issue. Also, to give it a massage. Jerry

Oooh! I've seen that one, but I hope this time it has a happy ending.

Enjoy,
Steven

[C K Dexter Haven]

Moderator discussion basically doesn't see this as a big problem. We don't see much "tension" at this point, and if something as silly as "locations" cause problems now, I can't imagine what life will be like in four or five months when the election is in full swing.

[WF Tomba]

The board is always tense in Great Debates and quite relaxed in other forums. I'm not seeing any excess polarization. And I'm glad some people decided to put up McCain locations.

[Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor]

Perhaps the terrrible bitterness of the last 7 years in the Pit & GD have left me gun-shy.

My concern was honest.

Please disregard my suggestion.

[Exapno Mapcase]

Originally Posted by rowrrbazzle

I will observe that doing the right thing is often unpopular.

Doing the wrong thing can and should be even more unpopular.

Just a general observation, not a debate on any particular subject.

[Q.E.D.]

Originally Posted by Exapno Mapcase

Doing the wrong thing can and should be even more unpopular.

"Can" I get. Explain "should."

[FilmGeek]

I found it lighthearted. I don't get all tense about politics, though.

I thought it was brilliant that almost everyone that changed their location changed it to something different from everyone else. We're a clever bunch.

[Siam Sam]

I find the whole location-changing thing a bit silly but harmless. I don't mind it.

[Marley23]

My memory could be failing me, but I think the board is actually much less divided right now than it was in 2003 or the election season of 2004.

[What Exit?]

Originally Posted by Marley23

My memory could be failing me, but I think the board is actually much less divided right now than it was in 2003 or the election season of 2004.

I am guessing that is because both candidates are much better this time, but I wasn't here, so I could be wrong. Last time there was plenty of reason to hate and despise either candidate. I think it is a little harder to generate the hate to these two. The hate seemed to have been reserved mostly for Hillary for some reason.

[Ellen Cherry]

Originally Posted by FilmGeek

I found it lighthearted. I don't get all tense about politics, though.

I thought it was brilliant that almost everyone that changed their location changed it to something different from everyone else. We're a clever bunch.

This is what I enjoy most about it!

[glee]

Originally Posted by glee

In a serious sense, Bush and the Republicans have made the World a more dangerous place (particularly to the British soldiers who are being killed in Iraq and Afghanistan), as well as smearing the good name of the US.

Originally Posted by rowrrbazzle

That's your opinion. I will observe that doing the right thing is often unpopular.

Just because something is unpopular doesn't mean it's right.

The invasion of Iraq to find WMDs was all based on a lie.
Guantanamo Bay is an appallling betrayal of both the US Constitution and Democracy.
Invading Afghanistan hunting for Bin Laden was right, but Bush isn't doing that any more. Instead the Taliban are taking back the country and heroin production is at record levels.

The bombings in Madrid and London were direct responses to the invasion of Iraq, and Bush and Blair have no credibility in the Middle East peace process.

[Marley23]

The subject of this thread is inherently political, I admit, but if you guys want to continue arguing about the goodness or badness of Republicans, there are other forums for it.

[eleanorigby]

I took it as a good thing, (sometimes I can be frighteningly naive) because I read the impulse as an increase in political awareness and participation.


I feel very silly about now.

[rowrrbazzle]

Originally Posted by Exapno Mapcase

Doing the wrong thing can and should be even more unpopular.

Just a general observation, not a debate on any particular subject.

How many "should be's" does it take to add up to an "is"?

[TBG]

There's one reason (well one that I'm mentioning now anyway) I don't like people using the location area for anything other than location. As far as I know, you can't disable being able to see locations the way you can for sigs. Put something that annoys someone in your sig, they can disable viewing sigs and not see it again. Put something that annoys someone in your location, too bad for them.

I realize people aren't necessarily putting things into the location area to annoy people, but come on. We have sigs here. Use your sig for your opinions and endorsements, use location for, wait for it, your location.

[kniz]

Originally Posted by Marley23

My memory could be failing me, but I think the board is actually much less divided right now than it was in 2003 or the election season of 2004.

How about 1999/2000? Most of us weren't around then but I bet it got rather tense back then, and still here we are today.

[twickster]

Originally Posted by TBG

...use location for, wait for it, your location.

But I did!

[Sampiro]

I agree that it has reached fever pitch and needs to end, and I think I speak for all reasonable Dopers when I say that it will only end when every last McCain based location is burned to the ground!

MCCAINIA DELENDO EST!

Note: C.K. Dexter Haven seems to have had some trouble with his own location. Perhaps we can assist him with one of the following:

Obamahu
Obamaland
Oklabama
Obamanopolis
Kingdom Hall of Obama's Witnesses
Obamadome
Obamannapolis
Military Baracks
Obamaham

or some other.

And of course we'll send him the banner to display from his windows as he seems to have lost his. And the tattoo of course so that we can know when Lord Obama needs us and our cell phone is busy.

[Mark Ryle]

Originally Posted by FilmGeek

I thought it was brilliant that almost everyone that changed their location changed it to something different from everyone else.

Me too. I marvel at their brilliance.

[Johanna]

Obama for this mama

[Elendil's Heir]

But of course!