Closing a thread, why?

I've just noticed that the thread on the effects of rising costs has been closed, why?

This thread was posted in the Tea Room, a section which I thought is for any topic unrelated to the others in the forum. Some members seemed uneasy that the thread was getting 'political', is that the reason it was closed and by whom?

The title of the post indicated that it would inevitably be a political discussion, no different to what happens in our club when we all get together. We don't spend all our time talking about model engineering, we put the world right every week, and I have no doubt this is replicated in every club! Getting involved in the discussion isn't compulsory and reading posts in a forum isn't either, so do we have free speech or not?

I was about to respond to the comments made by SOD, which I found rather disparaging, and found the thread locked!

Probably why it was locked. Politics is verboten under the rules, in the interests of keeping the peace. Most forums are the same. The one forum (motorcycle related) I know of that has a special political section with no rules is an absolute cesspool of ignorance, bigotry and personal abuse. You would not even want to go there and members would not want it on this forum, I am sure. (Edit: Not implying that SOD's comments fell into this bracket of course!)

Edited By Hopper on 07/07/2022 08:26:17

If it's got contention then it tends to be removed, quite a few people in here get upset with those threads

This place is a haven of model engineering contentment

and there's plenty of other places you can have a politics cagefight

I come here for a respite from the serious issues in the world!

Which is precisely why I don't belong to a model engineering club.

Andrew

Doesn't happen in my club, RMA and Andrew!

We might put the world to rights occasionally but we don't have a "cage-fight" over it.

Nevertheless, I find it sad that someone refuses to join any club dedicated to his hobby, because he thinks it might do that, or might have known it happen elsewhere.

Give me some credit; the decision was made on direct personal experience. I did visit a local club but it seemed to be full of whining old men. I also made the mistake of saying I was a professional engineer; you'd have thought I had farted in a lift given the response.

Andrew

Me too!!!

I wasn't suggesting a 'cage fight' about anything, just normal conversation which naturally diverts, and not only in a club situation. As I said before, you don't have to join in, but if politics etc is banned, please make it known to all. I'm sure the original poster wouldn't have posted in that case.

I think the forum is great for the hobby, but like all forums, has its collection of 'experts' on any subject. In my opinion, the 'Tea room' discussion area should not censor anything We all have personal preferences and we should respect that.

Maybe Admin could say who closed the thread and why?

It's in the forum rules that are posted here somewhere. Pretty clear from what I remember.

Edited By Hopper on 07/07/2022 09:41:21

I must admit, that I've joined a few clubs and found that they were not what I was expecting. Then it dawned on me! It wasn't he clubs that were the problem.

David

Everyone has their own opinion but only the muddy raters have the blue pencil and the spike.

Regards Ian.

I am a member of two clubs and while neither is exactly everything I would like to see - together they complement each other perfectly and I am proud to be a member of both.

Can't find anything other than this which is under the heading Tea Room.

This is the place for discussion of any issues that aren't in the forum mainstream. Misplaced threads will be moved here.

As Hopper rightly said in the first reply it was drifting too far into politics. RMA, have a read of this and Neils post part way down this page

Andrew you forgot to say that you were also not making a Loco

Edited By JasonB on 07/07/2022 10:28:26

I can see both sides of the argument Jason but the post in question was always going to be political. Perhaps better wording on the Tea Room topic heading would deter this if you really want to. I don't like censorship of any kind; if I don't like what I see or read, I leave it. As I said before it's not compulsory reading matter.

There are one or two regulars on here who are very opinionated, and in this case I didn't have a right to reply.

I have to say the only thing I find a problem on this forum is when people disparage clubs Both St Albans and Exeter are a friendly bunch and I have visited clubs in 3 continents and always found the members welcoming of fellow 'brethren' just as Nevil Shute wrote about decades ago.
When I dropped in on Cambridge 3 years ago they immediately offered me tea and biscuits and gave me a guided tour (by train of course). Must get back to see their carriage shed in finished state.

I agree, maybe specific clubs have a funny culture but I've been very lucky with both of the ones I've attended. Very supportive and keen to help a novice. I've also seen first hand how cultures can be changed for the better (in my case a very aggressive workplace that became much friendlier through the effort of a few people).

I can see why you feel you should have had the right to reply, and perceive some here are extremely self-opinionated.

There is a way I use to ignore them - the usefulness of a thread is mostly inversely proportional to its length. Using this principle you can see them and ignore most of the self-opinionated. For me, I also avoid radio amateurs. Just my self-opinionated answer