Are we smart enough?

[Scottler]

1.

[Scottler]

Ozzy you rock, as always.

I'm going to spend the rest of the day trying to decide whether or not I want to sacrifice the friendships (albeit virtual) I've made with so many of you in the past few months for the sake of being allowed to be my opinionated self.

[Cherokee_6]

We can't discuss something intelligently, even if no flaming is going on, without the moderators closing the door.

Hyp, you obiviously are very pasionate about your beliefs, and you know...thats great! Many people are just too agreable for fear of being branded as different.

However, if these forums do not fulfill your needs, then maybe it is necessary to seek out a forum like the one Ozzy suggested to fill that need.

That way, you can still come to this forum and share your questions and thoughts about FS and things that are allowed!  :)

[Hagar]

[quote]1.

[Oso]

[quote]You don't like Americans? Awesome!

[Scottler]

Okay, two points.

Let there be no confusion about a few things.  

1.  I DID NOT MAKE THE COMMENT ABOUT BLACKS.  lol  (I know there will be a few people who think I did, because it says so in quotes.)  If you go back to page one, you'll see my precise quote.


2.  I am also an American.  I'm a native New Yorker, and I'm a former United States Marine.  If anyone loves this country more than me, let them introduce themselves to me, because I'm curious who they are.

Now, with that said, let me go on.

There are some black people that I do not like.  There are some Indian people that I do not like.  This is precisely what I said.  It's when you presume that I'm making a blanket statement that it gets ugly.

We've become such a politically correct world that we can't even say the word "black" without ourselves being black, and it is disgusting.

Yes, there are some people out there who hate everyone.  I feel sorry for them, because they're closing themselves off to so much.

Next, I feel like people in this thread have misunderstood what I'm talking about when I say "issues".

I'm not talking about having a pro-life vs. pro-choice debate.  Not at all.  Whoever mentioned that there are children here is correct when they said so.

What I'm talking about is the tight grip that some of the moderators have.

Case in point.  I made a joke about the hurricane and the fact that soon democrats will blame it on President Bush.  (This happened, incidentally.  lol)

That was it.  Moderators were on this like stink on a monkey.  Don't you think that's taking the no politics rule a little too far?

Another thread was started by a highly respected member (if nothing else but in my own eyes) regarding the death penalty.  (This thread was started after discussion on something horrible which he'd been witness to was being discussed.)

Again, moderators jumped all over both topics, threatening to lock it.

I understand that this is a private website, and that Pete can make whatever rules he chooses, and I completely respect that.

But what I do not support is when moderators get carried away with enforcing the rules to the point of you having to re-read your posts to make sure they're not going to lock it, all before you press the "Post" button.

We ALL have to use a little bit of common sense, and not let idiots ruin things for all of us.  That means that we as members have the responsibility to watch what we say, but the moderators should have the responsibility to use some good judgement.  Pete obviously believes they've got it.

[Oso]

[quoteLet me rearrange your quote,][/quote]

He did not make the comment with the term Black. I did to make a point. So,....oops - sorry Hyp.

My whole tirade was more for general readership to understand why I am not tolerant of anti-American statements. Right after I first got here there was a lot of it. It was during the start of the war. I was defending my country. Most of the coments and jokes were coming from a Frenchman. You can ask Ozzy, I restrained myself from retaliation. Too bad too, I had a ton of good French Jokes. But I felt this was neither the time nor the place. Since then I have made friends and decided to stay.

But friends or no, I still would not tolerate it. And the mods do a good job.

I do not come here for political debate, there are forums that specialize in that. When I have a party in my home there are two subjects that are taboo, politics and religion, either will start a cat fight in a heartbeat. So I feel no different when congregating with friends here.

[Scottler]

While going through my inflight training with CAL, I had a very dear friend in my training class.

[ozzy72]

Scott, we were NOT having a go. We mods have to keep an eye on things, and politics like religion is a v.passionate area for many people. That is why I suggested that other forum, they want to discuss these things. Brave. I go mental talking politics and it normally ends up with me proposing to shoot various MPs and bomb the EU headquarters or some such silliness.
Also please remember that Europeans are far more conservative on the issue than you worldly Statesiders. I've always enjoyed the frankness of American politics, and the brutality of the press. Much cleaner than the money in a brown paper bag stuff we have in Britain
In my early days here I got a jolly stiff talking too from Pete for a rather accurate but crass observation about America and certain actions re-a certain Senator. Now what I said was right, and I would stand by it 100% but Pete for a number of good reasons doesn't want politics or religious wobblies being caused around here, so the mods for good or bad have to deal with these.
There have been times I've had to lock a thread when I was in 100% agreement with what someone was saying, but it didn't fit in with SimV. So you have to respect Pete (he is the Guv'nor), and his wishes for the site.
Is this limiting freedom of speech? Perhaps. Personally I view it as not upsetting anyone (barring a certain couple recently). I mentioned politics in a class once and ended up in a couple of metric tonnes of elephant poo over it Turned out that the political party I was making my err observation about, well the son of one of its prominent MPs was in that class
So here is my top idea. Lets go flying and supp some beer

Mark (not as wise as Confusicous, but considerable more sober than WC Fields, well until the next beer anyways)

PS. When do you want to have that race?

PPS. I know Oso had a lot of good French jokes, I sent him a load Some of his had me rolling on the floor. But I still have friends in France.

[Scottler]

Mark-we can race as soon as I figure out how to repaint my purdy (and fast, ta to you) Mustang.  It's such a good paint on there, that I can't figure out how to repaint it in the colors I wish to have.  haha

Second, why is it that jokes about other nationalities are okay, but serious discussion is bad?  If anything, I'd think it were the other way around.

I do respect Pete for his rules, and I will say that I truly believe his intentions to be pure.

But I've always felt that people are placing ENTIRELY too much responsibility on others for their actions, and this would be another example.

99% of the times, I do agree with the mods.  But there is still that 1% that nags me to death. lol

I mean no disrespect by starting this thread, and if anyone with the means to do so believes that I do, then by all means, erase the entire thing.

It was meant as a legitimate look at the people here, to see what THEY think about this very controversial issue.

I'm the least politically correct person you'll probably ever meet.  I will tell you to your face what I think about you (not you, but you know what I mean) and not blink while doing so.

This philosophy has resulted in my being called many things, though I can truthfully say that I've NEVER (and I mean not once) been called a liar.  

Those who oppose me can say what they wish, but not many can say that.

[ozzy72]

Even the nationalities thing got a little out of hand a while back, when France opposed the little shindig in the Gulf, there were quite a few problems here that seemed to prove the case in point of Petes not wanting certain topics here. That was why talk of the war was banned. We didn't want to end up like certain lesser forums
A good American friend of mine here, and a French gentleman ended up at loggerheads. And things got a little colourful.
As for Political Correctness! **** it! Call a poor person a poor person not fiscally challenged! Thats my motto, I too am honest, but unfortunately slightly less subtle than an A-Bomb But hey, it keeps my students in line

Mark

Ps. Do you really think you can whip me? I've been practising in the 51 in my spare time, you are going to have to fly the rivets off her to take me

[Scottler]

Spare time?  What is that?  And yes, I can beat you.  But I thought that it was going to be spitfire v. Mustang?

Oh, and if you want, you can delete this whole thread.  lol  No one got the point anyway.  haha

[ozzy72]

Nah, lets do it in identical aircraft. Then it'll be down to skill of pilot and amount of beer consumed
Now that IS the way to fly

Mark

[Scottler]

But what's the fun in losing to you?  I wanted to win.  lol

[ozzy72]

Err yeah right. Like anyone could take me when I'm in my beloved Spit!

Mark