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 Post subject: A Non-political Political Request
PostPosted: Wed Jan 20, 2021 12:13 pm 

Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2015 11:54 am
Posts: 1773
Location: New Franklin, OH
Not as an organization representative but personally I ask: Where in the title of this website is the term “personal politics”? Ladies and gentlemen, I tire at the personal politics that are hijacking threads. I, and I’m sure many others, consider this site a valuable educational resource, not a political soap box. I’m sure we all get upset at times by the news and views of the day, but please don’t bring it here unless it is absolutely relevant. Give respect to all on this forum and refrain from expounding on your personal politics.

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Eric Schlentner
Turner of Wrenches, Drawer of Things


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 Post subject: Re: A Non-political Political Request
PostPosted: Wed Jan 20, 2021 6:10 pm 

Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2009 12:15 pm
Posts: 175
Location: At large
I second that statement!

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Matt Giardino
ALCO Historical & Technical Society


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 Post subject: Re: A Non-political Political Request
PostPosted: Wed Jan 20, 2021 9:41 pm 

Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2019 1:53 pm
Posts: 1222
Location: Annville, PA
The politics behind Penn Central is always a good one though, Eric, and that's all I'm going to say about that. LOL


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 Post subject: Re: A Non-political Political Request
PostPosted: Fri Jan 22, 2021 11:21 am 

Joined: Fri Apr 26, 2013 5:56 pm
Posts: 399
Location: Ontario, Canada.
Certainly, personal attacks should be limited. However, often people will spew out their own political beliefs until someone offers a different view, then they will suddenly decide we should not talk politics!
Understanding and discussing politics seems like it is essential in the rail preservation and other hobbies. Note the recent thread on here about coal in Great Britain. Green/left policies will effect the hobby immensely with the imposition of carbon taxes and other anti-fossil fuel measures. That may, in time, reach down to the volunteer's ability to even drive to your museum/work site. Those policies will certainly drive up your organizations' costs. They need to be discussed and understood.
Local politics are always crucial. Municipal rules effect us directly. Note the past threads about collections being dispersed, or rail lines abandoned due to local outcries.
We cannot divorce ourselves from politics. Obviously, it is difficult to discuss these issues without anger entering into it. We are very polarized these days, and those on the extremes on both sides are equally to blame. The moderators are placed in difficult positions on these sites. Of course, they have their own political beliefs. However, they have to be careful about taking sides.
Submitted respectfully with thanks to this site for its good works.


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 Post subject: Re: A Non-political Political Request
PostPosted: Fri Jan 22, 2021 2:30 pm 

Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2015 11:54 am
Posts: 1773
Location: New Franklin, OH
GW - Those are examples where the politics are relevant. I have no problems with discussing them as we should be aware of how those politics may affect us in what we do.

What I object to is the near continuous politicking, standing on soap boxes and pontificating personal political opinions by a few bad actors. That does nothing productive, wastes time, calories and electrons and baits others into pointless arguments as it relates to this board’s premise while alienating those who are tired of the drivel no matter which side of the line they may stand. We all get more than enough of it elsewhere, we don’t need it here.

I guess you can lump personal attacks/flaming in with this, too.

We need a return to respect and civility is what I’m sayin’ in a nutshell. I’ve said what I need to. I’ll be quiet and sit down now.

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Eric Schlentner
Turner of Wrenches, Drawer of Things


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 Post subject: Re: A Non-political Political Request
PostPosted: Mon Jan 25, 2021 4:00 am 

Joined: Mon May 28, 2018 11:28 pm
Posts: 90
I wholeheartedly agree.

I have radically different political views than most people here. I don't think politics should factor into any discussions here - especially when it's fearmongering with no basis in reality.

I don't think any of that will lead to productive discussions.


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 Post subject: Re: A Non-political Political Request
PostPosted: Tue Jan 26, 2021 4:13 pm 
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Joined: Fri Oct 01, 2004 2:46 pm
Posts: 2667
Location: Pac NW, via North Florida
It's not just right now, I think it's always been this way, where some folks can't have a discussion without mentioning an issue they can't not think about (I remember back in the era before HR departments, working with a very strongly religious woman and there was an ongoing office pool for a winner who could get her to have a discussion about anything and not mention her religion. Months would go by without a winner). Online, it's so easy to do as we don't interact in online like we would in person, but that doesn't seem to matter to those types.
I have had to walk away from countless passengers on the RR I volunteer at, who'd go on and on about whatever political issues they had, thinking I was a captive audience. I'd tell them once I didn't discuss religion or politics, and then if they didn't pick up on that, I'd just look at my pocket watch as if I was missing something and then briskly walk away. So it happens in person all the time as well, but that type.
Yeah, I just don't get it either. The old adage of not discussing religion or politics is always good advice, because what's the point? You're never going to change anyone's mind about either!
Great Western wrote:
However, often people will spew out their own political beliefs until someone offers a different view, then they will suddenly decide we should not talk politics!
Oh, so very true...

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 Post subject: Re: A Non-political Political Request
PostPosted: Tue Jan 26, 2021 5:15 pm 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 1:51 pm
Posts: 11482
Location: Somewhere east of Prescott, AZ along the old Santa Fe "Prescott & Eastern"
p51 wrote:
It's not just right now, I think it's always been this way, where some folks can't have a discussion without mentioning an issue they can't not think about


I've heard this described as "letting [politician/religion/enemy] live rent-free in your head."

It's been exacerbated of late by the propensity of politicians and activists to reduce complex issues to blaming a chosen scapegoat rather than address the larger issues involved. This boils down to both an exploitation of "tribalism" and empowering one's chosen side/cause/party to build power and authority.

The late writer Charles Krauthammer explained the syndrome best with the now-cliched description of "Bush Derangement Syndrome," where opponents of George W. Bush quickly went not just from mere opposition of his policies, but to spittle-flinging, fanatical deranged rage at the mere mention of his name. Since then, similar derangement against political leadership has been stoked and magnified by political opportunists on both ends of the linear political extremes, attempting to scapegoat opposition leadership for every imaginable political, social, and even natural ill. (Regrettably, another set of those "scapegoats" can involve blaming every misfortune on, and/or seeing every issue through the eye of, "racism," "sexism," "ageism," or other form of bigotry.)

To end with a touch of humor:

How do you tell someone's a vegan/keeping gluten-free/etc.?

You don't. THEY tell YOU.
Every. Other. Sentence.


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 Post subject: Re: A Non-political Political Request
PostPosted: Tue Jan 26, 2021 6:48 pm 

Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:15 pm
Posts: 1477
I’ve ridden Amtrak quite a bit over the years and it’s always interesting to dine with fellow passengers in the dining car. Once on the empire builder I had lunch with 2 young adults who were on the way to picket the fracking in North Dakota. At dinner I ate with an middle age lady from North Dakota who spent most of her time complaining about all the kids coming to her town to picket and that they should go back to the liberal cities and mind their own business.

I just listened to both views and learned what I could from both sides. The only time I’d get into politics was with people complaining about Amtrak being a waste of government money. I’d try to point out the good of passenger rail and defend them where I could.


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 Post subject: Re: A Non-political Political Request
PostPosted: Tue Jan 26, 2021 7:39 pm 

Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm
Posts: 6400
Crescent-Zephyr wrote:
I’ve ridden Amtrak quite a bit over the years and it’s always interesting to dine with fellow passengers in the dining car.


Crescent-Zephyr:

One of the highlights of my wife and I's rides on Amtrak, have been those meals with fellow passengers in the diner. Met some interesting folks ourselves. A guy who retired to Panama; a "supporting actor" who was a regular on a number of TV shows including "Police Woman"; an Ohio couple who brought their tandem bike with them to ship only to find out it was overweight and they had to FedEx it out west; a couple who described a fistfight on another Amtrak train with the protagonists knocking each other all over the car like a Hollywood movie; and a lot of other interesting folks. I can't ever recall being seated with anyone where we did not enjoy their company.

Les


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 Post subject: Re: A Non-political Political Request
PostPosted: Tue Jan 26, 2021 8:45 pm 

Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2019 1:53 pm
Posts: 1222
Location: Annville, PA
Planes, trains, and automobiles... LOL


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 Post subject: Re: A Non-political Political Request
PostPosted: Tue Jan 26, 2021 9:01 pm 

Joined: Mon May 28, 2018 11:28 pm
Posts: 90
Don't act like it's limited to a single side, Alex.


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 Post subject: Re: A Non-political Political Request
PostPosted: Tue Jan 26, 2021 10:25 pm 

Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2019 1:53 pm
Posts: 1222
Location: Annville, PA
It only takes two sides to divide and conquer, huh Connie?

Women vs. men, black vs. white, gay vs. straight, Demican vs. Republocrat, Coke vs. Pepsi, CSX vs. NS, BNSF vs. UP, etc., etc., they're always coming up with new ones...

Just wait until there's only two giant transcons left and then you'll see the railfan rumbles really begin. LOL


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 Post subject: Re: A Non-political Political Request
PostPosted: Tue Jan 26, 2021 11:37 pm 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 1:51 pm
Posts: 11482
Location: Somewhere east of Prescott, AZ along the old Santa Fe "Prescott & Eastern"
Connie4800 wrote:
Don't act like it's limited to a single side, Alex.


Nowhere did I claim anything I discussed in that carefully-worded post above was limited to one "side."

And anyone that thinks that, if they actually read all of what I wrote, might want to re-examine their own prejudices.


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