# A challenge **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 22, 2008, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-challenge/464626 "2008-09-22T02:20:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-challenge/464626/61 "2008-09-23T21:18:59Z")
> [@Interconnected\_Series\_of\_Tubes](#): > > No, seriously. Lots of us really wish you’d all shut the fuck up about politics and get over yourselves. Too fucking bad? No, seriously, yourself. There’s a major US election coming up. This is a primarily US board. Get over YOURSELVES. If you feel you must take a small vacation from the board until November 5, feel free. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-challenge/464626/62 "2008-09-23T21:20:48Z")
> [@Interconnected\_Series\_of\_Tubes](#): > > No, seriously. Lots of us really wish you’d all shut the fuck up about politics and get over yourselves. Why read the political threads if they bum you out so much? Really. As long as they’re identified, what’s your damage? There’s a long list of topics I"m not interested in. Hell, there’s whole forums that don’t interest me much, so I tend to avoid them. This thread is akin to posting a thread in MPSIMS entitled “I don’t care about your cat, it’s not that cute!!!” “Stop flirting!!!” etc. Or in Cafe Society a thread about “shut up already about Sci Fi!” Or “Stop going to movies and read a book for a change”. The fact that the title of this thread is non descriptive is a good reason to lash out against the OP, however. ---
**Author:** ![Interconnected\_Series\_of\_Tubes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/13edae/32.png) [@Interconnected\_Series\_of\_Tubes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interconnected_Series_of_Tubes)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-challenge/464626/63 "2008-09-23T21:44:14Z")
There aren’t approximately sixteen billion and seventy-five threads open on flirting, cats, or Sci-Fi. Moreover, those non-sixteen billion threads generally contain more than a bunch of partisan whinging over the latest blog post. Or whatever you self-important nitwits debate about in political threads. I suppose it’s quite possible you’re all having sane, reasonable debates replete with authoritative sources and factual background. But I doubt it. No, I suspect that it’s going to be the typical ideologically opposed dumbasses crashing their skulls together with great fanfare but little accomplishment. Not to mention that for the vast majority of Americans (myself included - so you can kiss my ass, **jayjay** ) their personal vote is virtually meaningless. So, please, allow me to repeat myself: shut the fuck up. Get a life. Find something else to talk about. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-challenge/464626/64 "2008-09-23T21:45:58Z")
Or simply don’t read threads you’re not interested in and let others read and post at their will as well. I’d vote for that. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-challenge/464626/65 "2008-09-23T21:49:47Z")
You know who voted for Hitler? Germans, that’s who. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-challenge/464626/66 "2008-09-23T21:52:27Z")
> [@Interconnected\_Series\_of\_Tubes](#): > > No, seriously. Lots of us really wish you’d all shut the fuck up about politics and get over yourselves. The people getting their panties in a twist about people debating politics during an election campaign are probably the same people who go crimson with rage when I tell them that [the world is not their ashtray](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10166624&postcount=63), and that it does fucking matter when they thoughtlessly poison my planet with their filth. And while I occasionally tell assholes to get bent, when I do, I throw the jerk to the ground and stomp them like the piece of trash that they are. Much like many others here, it’s because I just don’t care that much what you think - that probably pisses you off. That’s fine, too, and for the same reason. So why don’t _you_ shut the fuck up and get over yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-challenge/464626/67 "2008-09-23T21:53:58Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > How about a massive bitchslap to people discussing politics in non-political threads then? I could get behind that! > > (McCain would totally be Kirk.) In the episode where he goes senile, you mean. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-challenge/464626/68 "2008-09-23T21:55:23Z")
Although I’m tempted to concede that everything in life has a political aspect, I think discussions about specific politics, should be confined to a specific place. Yes, we don’t have to read them, but if they are in their own seperate forum, we don’t even have to look at them and decide whether or not to be offended by their insistent presence. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-challenge/464626/69 "2008-09-23T21:56:18Z")
> [@Interconnected\_Series\_of\_Tubes](#): > > so you can kiss my ass, **jayjay** No thanks. I’ve done better things to better asses than yours. Recently, as a matter of fact. ---
**Author:** ![Interconnected\_Series\_of\_Tubes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/13edae/32.png) [@Interconnected\_Series\_of\_Tubes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interconnected_Series_of_Tubes)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-challenge/464626/70 "2008-09-23T22:01:01Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > The people getting their panties in a twist about people debating politics during an election campaign are probably the same people who go crimson with rage when I tell them that [the world is not their ashtray](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10166624&postcount=63), and that it does fucking matter when they thoughtlessly poison my planet with their filth. > > And while I occasionally tell assholes to get bent, when I do, I throw the jerk to the ground and stomp them like the piece of trash that they are. Much like many others here, it’s because I just don’t care that much what you think - that probably pisses you off. That’s fine, too, and for the same reason. > > So why don’t _you_ shut the fuck up and get over yourself. So it’s okay for you to whine (I’m sorry, “debate”) about politics, and it’s okay for you to whine about my whining about your whining about politics - but it’s not okay for me to whine about your whining about politics? And I’m quite sure that you throw jerks to the ground and stomp them on a regular basis. Please, god, please spare me your wrath. :rolleyes: Clever how you copied what I said in that other completely unrelated thread, though. Internet hijinxery of platinum caliber. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-challenge/464626/71 "2008-09-23T22:11:52Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > That is not fair **Shayna** , too many posters can’t help themselves from posting election BS into threads that are not. It is [happening](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10224352&postcount=4)often. It gets tiresome and I understand **Clothahump** even if I think it would be silly for him to think this thread will make a difference. Oh, I didn’t expect it to. I was simply venting. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-challenge/464626/72 "2008-09-23T22:14:08Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#): > > I like cheese. How do we know that.? You may be a republican trying to sell cheese to the poor. You may be trying to have a new government agency in charge of selling cheese. ---
**Author:** ![CircleofWillis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/54ee81/32.png) [@CircleofWillis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CircleofWillis)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-challenge/464626/73 "2008-09-23T22:15:11Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > Much like many others here, it’s because I just don’t care that much what you think - that probably pisses you off. This is why political debate doesn’t exist on this board… ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-challenge/464626/74 "2008-09-23T22:29:53Z")
> [@CircleofWillis](#): > > This is why political debate doesn’t exist on this board… A trillion dollar bailout of Creative Loafing could help with that. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-challenge/464626/75 "2008-09-23T22:32:28Z")
> [@CircleofWillis](#): > > This is why political debate doesn’t exist on this board… Psssst. Did you follow the link I posted in my reply? ---
**Author:** ![CircleofWillis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/54ee81/32.png) [@CircleofWillis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CircleofWillis)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-challenge/464626/76 "2008-09-23T22:39:43Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > Psssst. Did you follow the link I posted in my reply? WTF does the link about not caring about cigarette butts and where they are left have to do with people not caring what others think being the reason that political debate doesn’t exist on this board? It’s the problem with the board. The political stuff on this board is NOT debate. and your quote is why. It’s not necessarily YOU, Shayna specifically. It’s the way the threads exist. Most of the participants in these threads DON’T care what the others think and therefore devolve into name calling, hand waving, rationalizing, blowhards shouting past each other. That, to my way of thinking, is nothing like debate. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-challenge/464626/77 "2008-09-23T22:50:01Z")
> [@CircleofWillis](#): > > WTF does the link about not caring about cigarette butts and where they are left have to do with people not caring what others think being the reason that political debate doesn’t exist on this board? > > It’s the problem with the board. The political stuff on this board is NOT debate. and your quote is why. It’s not necessarily YOU, Shayna specifically. It’s the way the threads exist. > > Most of the participants in these threads DON’T care what the others think and therefore devolve into name calling, hand waving, rationalizing, blowhards shouting past each other. That, to my way of thinking, is nothing like debate. I’ll explain it to you AFTER you actually FOLLOW THE LINK AND READ THE POST. Hint: My post was a spoof. Let me know if you still haven’t figured it out. ---
**Author:** ![CircleofWillis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/54ee81/32.png) [@CircleofWillis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CircleofWillis)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-challenge/464626/78 "2008-09-23T22:59:06Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > I’ll explain it to you AFTER you actually FOLLOW THE LINK AND READ THE POST. > > Hint: My post was a spoof. > > Let me know if you still haven’t figured it out. Again, maybe in your good ear… what I am saying is NOT about you specifically. I am not saying “Shayna does not care what others think in political debates or anywhere for that matter.” What I am saying is that , in general, this seems to be the mindset **of the people in these political threads.** I used your quote is that it struck me that that kind of thinking (not necessarily specifically meant to imply that Shayna does not care what others think in political conversations) is what is wrong with the political “debates” here. Moreso that that kind of thinking, by most of the participants in them, is why debates do not occur on the SDMB and therefore result in metaphorical cigarette butts on the SDMB highway. Sure, I can walk past them, but they are still polluting the highway. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-challenge/464626.md?page=3)