Has the Political Mudpit forum been ruined by extremists?

[Freddie]

I know this is a site related topic but I wanted intelligent replies and balanced opinions to the question, I fear a similar topic in suggestions forum would get hijacked and derailed so I would like to keep it hear for now.

If I was to review my posting habits over the last 4 months and was to plot them on a graph, I would imagine my posting in the Mudpit would be in a steady decline, and posting in the Total War and activities forums would be on the up. The reason for this is simply because the quality of posting has gone down and the nature of new topics are more extremist then they use to be. Below I have selected a few of the topics I had in mind,

Outcome of Reparations for American Slavery
Has Israel stopped acting like Satan's hired muscle?
Bush Nazi Connections Thread
U.S. Constitution, a joke?

There are a few others that I could point out, but frankly I don’t want to advertise any more retarded threads.What grips me is that this is being caused by only a few posters, who are all relatively new to the site.

[removeduser_487563287433]

It's getting worse, and I have already expressed my feelings on this matter. Conspiracy theorists, religious fundamentalists and blithering nationalists are the problems the forum is currently facing. Personally I feel it should be made clear that it is not a forum for conspiracy theories or youtube videos. I am fed up with people posting a video or when a beef-witted arse-hole posts some dribbling piece of nonsense he got off a blog.

Okay... today's pickings.

Bin Laden will be dead when he's useless to his master(s). For now, he's doing what he does best, playing terror mastermind figure. While Bush is in power he's bound to live! Hey people, I must tell you the truth: Bush is not dumb as he seems! Remember he acted like he is chasing bin Laden early 2002 and bombed Tora Bora mountain and many many civilian houses? He had to do it to look like doin something. If Bush had killed bin Laden in 2001 he would lose his opportunity to invade Iraq so Bush misled the Marines to Afghan mountains to give bin Laden escape time! Weird friendship, isn't it? Bin Laden benefits Bush's BASE so Halliburton, KBR ETC are allowed to steal taxpayers' $ oh I mean war fund. WHY WOULD BUSH KILL HIS ADOPTED SON (bin Laden)? Without bin Laden, Bush couldn't pass his "Patriot Act" or whatever insane stuff we never heard of!
Without bin Laden, Bush woudn't be able to pin down public attention to aimless chase that was orchestrated by the CIA (hunt for bin Laden), while Bush's aides and friends steal everything for themselves.
Without bin Laden, Bush would't be elected 2nd term.
Without bin Laden, Bush ...................
Without bin Laden, Bush ...................

and so I can go on, you see the picture right?

Without bin Laden, Bush CAN NOT LIE!!

That's why bin Laden always escapes dangers and survives bunk busters and all kinds of extremely deadly weapons because he knew where the kill zone would be!! Guess who was that kind man told Laden the coordinates. It's BUSH!!!!!!!!!!!
And Bush turns to American public and says "He's on the run, we'll get him" but he means "God damn, another day full of lies, I am a mother of all thieves!! F()K u, USA!"

[Blau&Gruen]

The topics are a bit repetive in the pit.

[Primvs Sextvs Loverlord]

The topics are a bit repetive in the pit.

You can say that again.

Another problem, as highlighted by Ataegina, is the over-activity of people with agendas. I actually don't have a major problem with that but over the past few months, the same people have been making the same sorts of posts/threads over and over again. Moreover, most of the posts and threads in question are based on vile generalizations and posters fail to provide any solid evidence for what they say, save for (surprise, surprise) links to some angry blogger's website.

[mongrel]

There has been a decline of late, particularly as regards threads relating to belief (or lack of), Muslims, US immigrants and Turks. Though I can have fun baiting extremists, some of the arguments are so poor, its not worth it at times.

[wilpuri]

The Mudpit has always sucked.

[Freddie]

The Mudpit has always sucked.

Not really, I spent a lot of time in the Mudpit during 2006 and most part of 2007, the debates could get heated but in a good debate you would find people would actually try and back up their arguments with a source even if it was just Wikipeida, these days threads read like tabloid headlines designed to grab your attention and filled with right wing or left wing populist opinion.

[Captain Arrrgh!]

Conspiracy theorists, religious fundamentalists and blithering nationalists.

You left out liberals, for some reason...

maybe educate someone

@All. Friends, I don't know what you guys are expecting from the pit. I hope you all aren't expecting to 'win' a debate.
In regards to extremists, a member should be allowed to post that the president is really a robot from the Six Million Dollar Man if he/she wants to without getting ostracized, but this is never the case. A select few have mastered the art of flaming without getting slapped for it, and those have been the only ones who are able to caw at the top of the mudpits's dungheap.

[Omnipotent-Q]

It's getting worse, and I have already expressed my feelings on this matter. Conspiracy theorists, religious fundamentalists and blithering nationalists are the problems the forum is currently facing. Personally I feel it should be made clear that it is not a forum for conspiracy theories or youtube videos. I am fed up with people posting a video or when a beef-witted arse-hole posts some dribbling piece of nonsense he got off a blog.

Okay... today's pickings.

Yeah the mudpit has become most tedious to read.

I think a nice few rounds with the ban stick is in order for the people continually blathering about obvious rubbish in the mudpit.

[HorseArcher]

Yeah the mudpit has become most tedious to read.

I think a nice few rounds with the ban stick is in order for the people continually blathering about obvious rubbish in the mudpit.

There is a new rule (well a month old maybe), that fall-back violators will be suspended permanently (or a very long period of time) until they finally get it (or hopefully grow up/get a girlfriend/go to enjoy the Sun or snow)

The Kosovo discussion has been drawing nationalists of every kind like a magnet
The Hezbollah/Israel relation deal has been drawing various extremist members from both sides.
The USA/Russia relations drawing tense discussions between Russian/American members

I blame the google-search engine and the failure of various educational institutions around the world for manufacturing idiots, and ignorant fools.

[Captain Arrrgh!]

rubbish in the mudpit.

Ungh??? The mudpit is rubbish repository. Banning someone in the mudpit would be favoratism or bias outright, since nearly everyone in there sprouts horns after about three posts.

[Belisarius]

It always gets worse, dies away and gets worse again. Just ride it out and have some fun on the way, maybe educate someone.

[jimkatalanos]

It is getting worse.

[Scar Face]

Worse. As I said in the Questions and Suggestions sub-forum, the Moderators need to respond more harshly to spam, flames, and trolls in the Mudpit. They need to be more hands on all together. It seems like the Moderators only intervene when a direct breach of ToS occurs, but they should be taking steps to defuse the situation beforehand. When someone does breach the ToS, at that, on a repeated basis, leniency should not even be considered.

[Ataegina]

its getting worse, also the favorite place for extremist people and also xenophobic people, in special against americans and jews ... a place wich should be for a polite debate,this is always full of personal attacks !!

maybe can be solved with iron fist moderators !!

[Elrond]

I only post there occasionally mainly because I dont wont to get into an argument with a bunch of extremists - the level of posting has dropped considerably in the last fews months.

I concentrate on other parts of the site so those who post there every day might have a different opinion.

[Ataegina]

@Elrond, thats the best thing to do, because this people dont seek the truth, so arguments are useless for this people !!

[Farnan]

Extremists are ruining the debate in the mudpit...

It has come to a level that arguments are like this it seems:

Bush is like Jesus vs. Bush is like Satan
Everything is a conspiracy
Everything in Iraq is perfect vs. Everything in Iraq is awful
The US has done nothing wrong in Iraq vs. The US has done nothing right in Iraq
The US is Heaven on Earth vs. The US is worse than Nazi Germany
Russia is Heaven on Earth vs. Russia is worse than Nazi Germany
All Muslims are good vs. All Muslims are evil

[Erich von Manstein]

The moderators need to crack down in the 'Pit (and TD, for that matter), and crack down hard. The rank and file are doing a good job but the example needs to come from the top (which we haven't had for the last two months - giving us hope now that Seneca is replacing Tac). The senior mods and our new CoM need to lead by example, making it clear that habitual troublemakers won't last long in the 'Pit. Tac was a gentle soul and that was when he was even around, fostering a lax atmosphere in the site's messier forums. While that approach has its benefits, it also has led to quite a few complaints about Staff's low profile in those forums. I strongly encourage Seneca to tackle this issue now that he has the means to do so.

[The Good]

I think it's been pretty much the same as when I first registered. Then again, that was a year ago.

Also, why the distrust of newcomers to this site? You once were a "newcomer," I once was, we all were.