I would like to start a thread in Politics And Elections titled “Why are you currently a Republican?”. I do not want snark, mocking, parody etc. from those that are not Republicans, I do not want “I used to be a Republican, but then…”, I do not want “My friend/neighbor/close relative is a Republican”. All I want are straightforward accounts from those who currently identify as Republicans, free from potshots, and I do NOT want a thread poisoning that inevitably leads to “We can either shut this down or move it to The BBQ Pit” so I would like the Mods to wear the steel-toed jackboots for this one.
Can this be done?
This previous thread is not exactly the same, but has some overlap with your proposal:
The amount of snark and attempts at shitposty derailment it attracted, I think, is perhaps instructive, in terms of how difficult it would be to keep such a discussion on track and what it could potentially achieve as far as productive dialogue.
I would not attempt to moderate such. It would either end up drawing lots of warnings and/or generate loads of pit threads and ATMB threads.
It is a definition of a thread that is too much of a problem to be worth it.
Some threads are unworkable.
ETA: Just to bring this to @Aspenglow’s & @raventhief’s attention
Why would any Republican here step forward to self-identify in such a thread? I mean, this board is generally not a safe space for them to express their opinions as it is. You are asking the few remaining to come out more than they already do in other threads, where they are getting mocked and humiliated. Even if someone genuinely participated, what is hoped to be gained?
I’d personally be intensely curious, as someone who used to be a Republican, but has been progressively more and more alienated by the far-right swing the party’s taken since about 2008.
Why wouldn’t I? You say “this board is generally not a safe space for them to express their opinions as it is” — and if that’s already so, then I figure I may as well keep being aboveboard when asked, as well as when it just happens to come up anyway.
My guess is that there are very few Republicans remaining on this board.
“Why are you a republican” is also a different question than “why did you vote for trump”. I can think of lots of perfectly banal reasons for someone who has traditionally been in the Republican party to keep their Republican registration, starting with “local politics matters, and i want my vote to count in local elections.”
But i foresee lots of heat and snark in that thread. I’m not a p&e mod, but i wouldn’t want to moderate it.
Because the thread that @Czarcasm envisions is one that is a “safe space”: one that is “free from potshots,” “snark, mocking, parody etc. from those that are not Republicans.”
Unfortunately, I too am doubtful that that’s possible.
Does anyone think that won’t turn into a thread that is just there to insult Republicans, call all Republicans racists, call all Republicans immoral fuckers, etc.? I started a thread about SCOTUS hearing the case regarding Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan and that took all of 10 minutes to go off the rails and turn into “Let’s flame Republicans!”
Seems to me the point would be to provide them with such a space.
I would be quite interested to read the responses, though I wouldn’t be qualified to comment. I would like to see such a thread.
I am severely disappointed that so many people, including several mods, appear to feel that this community is entirely incapable of producing one such thread on the entire board.
I’m going to concur with fellow mods on this one.
There was a time (and some of us remember it) when such a discussion could take place and remain at the level @Czarcasm wishes for. But I think there is too much anger in our political atmosphere for such a discussion to remain within the bounds he wants.
I don’t think any of us has the time or inclination to sit on such a thread. I don’t.
This would be a trainwreck. I expect it would take so very much babysitting -and still get closed.
I’m hosting my closest friend and her family today for a special lunch in advance of a surgery she’s having on Monday. I think I’d prefer to devote my time to making that special instead of watching yet another thread go down in flames with hurt feelings all around, or having to moderate it so hard the result would be indistinguishable.
Would it help any if the thread were postponed for a week?
ETA: and I’m still disappointed that that much modding would be necessary. I’m not trying to argue that it wouldn’t be, necessarily; but nearly everybody’s assumption that of course it would is upsetting.
You’ve heard from all 3 P&E mods. None of us think this is workable.
Waiting a week is a minor point in the end.
Would it be that much harder to take care of than the pro gun news thread?
The evidence is quite clear. I joke that I could make a thread in Cafe Society on Lemon Meringue Pie recipes and within 5 posts people will be comparing MTG to Putin.
Yes. I think it would.
Nevermind.
Look at how much anger is already generated in this thread – the one just discussing starting such a thread. 