While I agree this thread should be deleted because of its non-paddling, political nature, the posts here can hardly be compared with the “vile and primitive” posts that were often on “bicker and banter”.
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Waterbird, I have read all the posts on this thread and I can’t see anything a thinking person could call destructive vile or primitive. My best guess is that if that political lean was to your liking you’d be fine with it, but when information and/or opinions that go counter to your wishes are posted you then look for a way to shut it down resorting to such inflammatory term as “destructive vile or primitive.”
There any many (in fact most) postings on this form that I have no great interest in, so I don’t read them or follow them. That’s the real answer. If you don’t like it, don’t read it. But trying to keep others from reading and interjecting is the closest thing I can find to fit the titles you ascribe to others here who have posted opinion ----- on both sides of the issue.
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Don’t be silly. The thread leans both ways. And stop the BS—you don’t think “I have always lived in the Western USA but not in the communist-leaning coastal states” is inflammatory?
That’s your formula for creating an amicable environment that brings people together around a common interest? Hopefully the site owner has better ideas.
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Why is there so much gun talk on this forum in the first place? Other than having one (and knowing how to use it) on trips where such protection is warranted, what does the subject have to do with paddling? Maybe a discussion of whether it’s better to conceal carry (to preserve the advantage of surprise vs a potentially aggressive bear) or to open carry (so the bear sees the weapon and doesn’t approach in the first place) is appropriate, but other than that … ?
It’s not about politics, it’s about the rationality of talking about guns on sites intended for gun enthusiasts and talking about paddling on sites for paddling enthusiasts.
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While I do not disagree that Constitutional Carry has little to do with paddling directly, neither does food, or cars or dogs or many other subjects that are not being called out for censorship. So speaking for myself only, I’d point out that many of the posters on this thread are interested in the subject of they would not have posted. That sure seems like amicable environment that brings people together
As I said and say again; Don’t like it? Don’t read it. That’s not divicine, It’s free choice. Censorship is divicine.
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Felons cannot own guns by law.
This is a devisive topic. I was camping with a close friend of 35 years last summer. I mentioned to him that I had a revolver in the truck. It started a difficult discussion and created some rift in our friendship. It has been repaired since that time.
There are really only two kinds of people in the US when it comes to guns, those that are afraid of guns, and those that are afraid to be without guns. Why is there so much fear in the first place? Because guns kill 35,000 people a year.
Though I have not attempted and inventory, my recollection is that nearly all posts about cars, food, and dogs have a direct connection to paddling (boats on cars, food for camping, dog-friendly boats, etc). That’ s not true about this thread or others that evolved into gun-related banter.
I’m not talking about censorship. I’m talking about using the right tool for the task at hand, and I suggest that there are better tools for discussing guns and the 2nd amendment than a paddling forum.
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Some good thoughts there Alice. I can’t say I’d disagree and if I did it would be only on small points.
For the most part I’d agree. Guns are not as linked to most paddling as much as lunch or cars ---- and may be about even with dogs. I carry a gun 100% of the time, even on the water, but that’s just me. I don’t do so because I am in a kayak, I just do so. At all times. Doing so for over 50 years is habit forming.
What I’d call on the site owner to do is instead of censorship is that a new category might be opened called “Everything non-paddling”. My bet is that many if not most members will not delve deeply into such a category, but they can any time they wish to if it was there. For myself i have zero interest in Stand-up paddle boards and there is a category for them here. I just don’t go into it because I have no interest. same would be true for some if there was a “Everything non-paddling” forum.
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Because ammosexuals just can’t keep it in their pants and LOVE to talk about their fetish.
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What’s in sight
when guns are drawn
plinks off of cans
for seconds yawns
as many left
but to a right
cold-fisted comfort
dying to fight
or is by dieing
we cut our metal?
or is it in dyeing
brown lies rose petal?
It is a Paddler’s Place of General Discussion, in whatever floats your boat, but…
A little banter,
perhaps sans bicker.
But guns and politicians?
The boat sinks quicker.
Now, if I can only figure out how that oxidant of a fava bean dutch oven melange’ killed our free speech (and bolstered Mongo) at the campfire??? szihn, ya got me stewin’ over that one (but then I always love an excuse to open the dictionary).
Hey, @WaterBird here’s a vile and primitive post for you. Of course the user name checks out for a troll, so it isn’t really surprising.
Wow, and I thought I’ve been confrontational
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The water temperature around has broken 70, so our warm water fish are heading towards spawn, so I am going to take a real weapon, a fly rod, up river a few miles tomorrow.
Then I’ll float back down and see if I can tickle any fishing into hitting a dry fly.
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The gun is merely a tool…the shooter, whether lifelong criminal or emotional in their action, is the problem. The person who uses the tool is the problem.
I like the idea of an “Everything non-paddling” option.
Unhelpful.
Because people travel to primitive area where personal safety is the individual’s responsibility. Talk of bears, cats, coyotes and wolves, on top of the psychotics.
It’s mostly citified people who tolerate the political class decriminalizing criminal behavior. As Steve said, why can’t some members just ignore a topic and let others indulge.
By the way, the ratio of shots fired by police and the number that hit an adversary is about one in five or 20%. Pittsburg is shutting down the police force between 3 am and 7 am; thirty-five other major police departments are thinking about following the model. The day you need to protect yourself, it’ll be too late to learn. Pray you don’t need it. In Maryland, it took one month to fill out some of the paperwork, then the second round took 8 days. Good luck if someone threatens you, or the police department shuts doen and you have someone kicking your door down.
It amazes me that anyone would ignore the topic. The day you need to take care of your own safety, rather than depend on your elected vermin, the topic will become very critical. Your life could depend on it.
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humm
My post was 'hidden" (meaning censored) despite the fact it got 7 hearts.
MohaveFlyer also got 7 hearts like mine and her post seemed to agree with mine.
the reason is that it was “offensive” . To who? obviously not by all, and seemingly not to many.
Well it’s OK.
The type that is so easily offended that they need such support and “protection” are not harming me a t all. I’ll go on and be fine.
I enjoy this forum some, but not so much it will be missed if I am kicked off.
Hate and thin skin is in style these days so it seems.
I think this subforum of paddling.com IS supposed to include friendly chatting about some nonpaddling matters. It is not Advice or Trip Reports, which focus solely on paddling.
Labeling an entire region of the country according to what someone has been, errrr, led to believe, or proclaiming that one’s own religious god is The Only God For All People is not friendly chatting.
True discussion about gun laws, religious beliefs, politics, and moral questions belong on a separate web forum entirely. These circular threads have quickly deteriorated into chest-thumping, stereotyping, bragging. They are not brief tangents, but instead pervert a paddling forum into anything but.
The site owners might only care about data harvesting and forcing popup ads on readers. There used to be some semblance of moderation here. They might as well bring back Bicker and Banter and immediately move all intentionally hostile comments (guns or not) there. That would be the easiest form of moderation.
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Just wear your PFD and be happy with it.
Sarcasm aside, I agree with you, and I happen to think that the Constitution is the law of the land and that the 2nd Amendment means what it says, but I don’t see the need or utility in having this discussion here. I don’t think that anyone will change their mind. Additionally, I have no desire to convince anyone to be responsible for their own safety, I just want them to leave me and the 2nd Amendment alone, so I can be responsible for my own.
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Extremely well said. Thank you. My sentiments exactly.