Off Topic Mod Poll

[Leo]

I agreed to return to posting on the political threads because I hoped I could bring some niceness to them. For weeks there has been animosity and a number of posters put SH on ignore.
However I am now under attack from a few posters who seem to think I am unfit to be a mod.
I so not need to be under attack and subject to the kind of unpleasant comments I was trying to prevent.
So let's just sort it out.
Please vote below and I am more than happy to abide by the result. Simple binary choice. I will hold no hard feelings whichever way the result goes.
Watford posters including Canary Dave only.

 

[Hornet-Fez]

As much as we disagree on certain topics I am more than happy for you to continue as a mod. I really don't think it's an issue.

 

[canary-dave]

I think anyone saying you should not be a moderator are using dirty tactics because they cannot defeat your opinions honestly!

 

[superhorns]

I have probably had more disagreement than most on these threads with Leo, but he has done an excellent job, starting this week being an active mod (not knocking H ) keeping us in check. Everybody likes moaning at the ref, very few have the guts to do it.

Let us wish each other 'Bon Weekend'and get back to debating (arguing)

 

[yorkshirehornet]

Leo.... I think you jumped into the thick of it a bit too quickly. It is not an either or..... if you want to stay i am happy for you to do it....

But perhaps don't mix modding ( which needs to be in the background and clear) with the ups and downs of hard arguing.......

I also respect the rights of Toby,SH and all to post challenging views etc.

Let's ALL make a bit more effort to rub along together...

 

[oldfrenchhorn]

You have picked up challenge at the time when one is there. I thank you for putting yourself on the line.

 

[Leo]

Leo.... I think you jumped into the thick of it a bit too quickly. It is not an either or..... if you want to stay i am happy for you to do it....

But perhaps don't mix modding ( which needs to be in the background and clear) with the ups and downs of hard arguing.......

I also respect the rights of Toby,SH and all to post challenging views etc.

Let's ALL make a bit more effort to rub along together...

I understand what you are saying Yorkie but I do not want to just see the board continue where people post with venom. Whether that is against each other or by posting either snide or vicious comments against groups or people they disagree with. The only serious disagreements I have had over the last week have been about the style of this board. The posts I have engaged in other than those have been fine. If there is not a consensus that we need to cut out some of the anger that people feel against other political parties or groups then we will never be able to have a board that is beyond pure football - and that hardly needs modding.
I have not modded at all. All I have done is to argue for a board where we do not call people - yes people scum. I do not want to be associated with a place that is like that. If I am not able to carry a strong torch - of persuasion not modding - for that then I believe this board will never see others return or newbies arrive.
I respect all challenging views - I have no issue with people's opinions -only how they express them. You and others who used the "ignore" button recognise the importance of not just what we say but how we say it.
As I said in a post there is an axis of people with very similar views on here and most others on the political forum are close to their views. I do not think they realise how formidable and daunting they can be. When that is coupled with aggressive and insulting language it deters people from daring to give an opinion. I am fairly thick skinned yet even I have found it daunting when a group take issue with you. SH has been in that position for a long time. I know he enjoys a bit of rough and tumble and is suitably thick skinned and can defend himself - but is that really what we want?
If you want me as a Mod then you have to want me to try to keep this board pleasant. I am not a saint and make as many mistakes as others - but I try not to be personal and try to keep to genuine arguments. If that is how others want the board to be then support me. If not I am very happy to let another give it a go with their own style. I will not get rich on my Mod salary

 

[oldfrenchhorn]

I think you can see from the results and comments, that right, left and centre do see what you are trying to do. It doesn't really matter that there are more left leaning posters than the other way. Their views carry the same weight as any other. We can all say what we believe or want, but there are not many in Westminster listening to us. I just trust that all of us have a bit more of a temperate attitude to others than that mad man across the pond.

 

[colognehornet]

Don't worry Leo, just stick to your guns. Our forum has been busier than ever over the last couple of days, which is good. The only thing which worries me is that we have 3 political threads which are dominating things at the moment (they also overlap a lot) - which may be a bit intimidating for others. We need some other threads (silly ones - where you don't have to think are welcome).

 

[andytoprankin]

I agreed to return to posting on the political threads because I hoped I could bring some niceness to them. For weeks there has been animosity and a number of posters put SH on ignore.
However I am now under attack from a few posters who seem to think I am unfit to be a mod.
I so not need to be under attack and subject to the kind of unpleasant comments I was trying to prevent.
So let's just sort it out.
Please vote below and I am more than happy to abide by the result. Simple binary choice. I will hold no hard feelings whichever way the result goes.
Watford posters including Canary Dave only.

Who are the "few posters" and where do they say that? I've looked and can't find.

 

[Leo]

Thank you all for your views. It is rare for a poll to be unanimous (even if only 8 people voted) It is even more rare for that to be followed by an action directly contrary to the vote.
Yesterday evening I asked H to find someone else who would take over modding from me. One other person had volunteered when I did and hopefully he will now take it up.
I think the mod needs to care less about how people post and be more relaxed than I am. I have found the political threads on this board toxic to use a phrase initially coined by Yorkie for some time. Initially I simply stopped looking and posting there but as a mod I have to. Giving that to another enables me to post on only threads I enjoy. The deciding factor for me was when I posted a hypothetical question to try to make people think and a moderate poster took me to task, determined what I thought and accused me of simply posting to even up the board and defend someone I was not defending. When there can be that degree of mistrust from a moderate then it is time to step aside and let someone else have a shot. I believe this board will not attract more neutrals due to how we post on the political threads and if I cannot help make a change then I need to let someone else follow their vision.
Again though thanks to those who did support me.

p.s. - this is not a hissy fit, nor something I have done without consideration and I am not a Diva so do not think the board is all about me. By tomorrow night I guess we will all be debating a football match - which is great. COYH

 

[yorkshirehornet]

Enjoy

and

COYH!

 

[Toby]

H and Leo (or whoever will take over).

Could you ask the supermods or Mick to create a subforum for the politics threads on here? It would solve all the complaints about them.

Newcastle board have one, so does General Chat, it's fairly easy to set up. We could just call it 'Other' or whatever suits, and have it password protected with something easy like COYH

That way, people on the board can easily choose to access the politics threads but it won't be used as the excuse for no new members joining.

 

[yorkshirehornet]

H and Leo (or whoever will take over).

Could you ask the supermods or Mick to create a subforum for the politics threads on here? It would solve all the complaints about them.

Newcastle board have one, so does General Chat, it's fairly easy to set up. We could just call it 'Other' or whatever suits, and have it password protected with something easy like COYH

That way, people on the board can easily choose to access the politics threads but it won't be used as the excuse for no new members joining.

good one... if we decide exactly what goes in it... eg. does environment... or just the 'hot' politics?

 

[Toby]

good one... if we decide exactly what goes in it... eg. does environment... or just the 'hot' politics?

I would put anything non-football related in there, and a stickied thread at the top of the page explaining how to get into it.

The politics threads are not to blame for the lack of newcomers. We're one of many forums out there, it doesn't read like an open forum and it's not exactly somewhere people will feel welcome to.

I don't use Twitter/Facebook so can't spread the word. The WO or similar would be a good place to advertise, but then you'll also get all the trolls that come with it.

 

[colognehornet]

good one... if we decide exactly what goes in it... eg. does environment... or just the 'hot' politics?

Sometimes difficult to decide what is politics and what is not. Some people can bring politics into anything. We do seem to have an abundance of political threads at the moment. Effects of Brexit, Politics, Trumpers, even the France thread could turn political, the Environment certainly. However, if we sever these from the general forum then no casual visitors will see them. They would, in effect, be closed to non locals (ie. Hornets), which I don't find such a good thing because I like it when fans from other clubs come onto our board. I've said it before, and I'll say it again - if people don't like political threads then they should open their own threads. A politically minded person can make any theme 'political' - even football clubs fan bases are, sometimes, political - if not so much in England then certainly abroad.

 

[yorkshirehornet]

Sometimes difficult to decide what is politics and what is not. Some people can bring politics into anything. We do seem to have an abundance of political threads at the moment. Effects of Brexit, Politics, Trumpers, even the France thread could turn political, the Environment certainly. However, if we sever these from the general forum then no casual visitors will see them. They would, in effect, be closed to non locals (ie. Hornets), which I don't find such a good thing because I like it when fans from other clubs come onto our board. I've said it before, and I'll say it again - if people don't like political threads then they should open their own threads. A politically minded person can make any theme 'political' - even football clubs fan bases are, sometimes, political - if not so much in England then certainly abroad.

Yes good perspective.... I am swayed between Toby's and yours.

I think more importantly we should see how we can invite more people to join.

Perhaps the welcome thread could be revised for example

 

[Toby]

Sometimes difficult to decide what is politics and what is not. Some people can bring politics into anything. We do seem to have an abundance of political threads at the moment. Effects of Brexit, Politics, Trumpers, even the France thread could turn political, the Environment certainly. However, if we sever these from the general forum then no casual visitors will see them. They would, in effect, be closed to non locals (ie. Hornets), which I don't find such a good thing because I like it when fans from other clubs come onto our board. I've said it before, and I'll say it again - if people don't like political threads then they should open their own threads. A politically minded person can make any theme 'political' - even football clubs fan bases are, sometimes, political - if not so much in England then certainly abroad.

The way it works is that you have a subforum linked at the top of the page, it's the first thing people would see when they logged in.

You can add text underneath it to explain what it is and what it contains.

Was just an idea, I don't want the politics threads to be scapegoated for killing the forum.

 

[colognehornet]

I would put anything non-football related in there, and a stickied thread at the top of the page explaining how to get into it.

The politics threads are not to blame for the lack of newcomers. We're one of many forums out there, it doesn't read like an open forum and it's not exactly somewhere people will feel welcome to.

I don't use Twitter/Facebook so can't spread the word. The WO or similar would be a good place to advertise, but then you'll also get all the trolls that come with it.

Even football can be political Toby. We once had a thread on Paolo Di Canio on here (Fascist salutes etc.) was that football or politics ? Sometimes the choice of a football club to support can even be partly political - particularly in Europe but sometimes here as well. How many people of ethnic origins support Arsenal or Spurs rather than Chelsea ? Do people of Jewish origins not have a tendency towards Ajax Amsterdam ? Do I feel happy about supporting a club which belongs to a rich Italian family - I do it because I was born in Watford, and because I supported them before the Pozzo's came along. Politically I should be supporting a club owned by its supporters eg. Exeter City. The choice in el classico (if not for locals) is partly political. In Italy I support Calcio Livorno, my favourite Belgian club is Standard Liege, and in Germany St. Pauli - that, in turn, tells you my politics.

 

[Toby]

Even football can be political Toby. We once had a thread on Paolo Di Canio on here (Fascist salutes etc.) was that football or politics ? Sometimes the choice of a football club to support can even be partly political - particularly in Europe but sometimes here as well. How many people of ethnic origins support Arsenal or Spurs rather than Chelsea ? Do people of Jewish origins not have a tendency towards Ajax Amsterdam ? Do I feel happy about supporting a club which belongs to a rich Italian family - I do it because I was born in Watford, and because I supported them before the Pozzo's came along. Politically I should be supporting a club owned by its supporters eg. Exeter City. The choice in el classico (if not for locals) is partly political. In Italy I support Calcio Livorno, my favourite Belgian club is Standard Liege, and in Germany St. Pauli - that, in turn, tells you my politics.

I know that it spreads everywhere, I didn't picture it as a blanket ban, just a place to keep all the off-topic threads somewhere so people don't complain. I personally think it's better for the forum to have a wide range of topics but it seems to be causing issues.