Bothered by Political Signatures

[jmminarik]

Originally posted by laceemouse
community board

I occasionally scan the community board, but that's mainly when someone posts something about it. I've barely enough time as it is keeping up with the DVC boards let alone all of the totally non-disney stuff that goes on there. I've got enough women in my life to whom I need to listen and provide support and empathize with without doing it there!

Other than the photo's sucking up my bandwidth, the political ads are more annoying than anything. It's not like people are getting into (heated) discussions about it here, they're just stating their opinions. To me it's not a lot different than posting pictures of the kids, or whatever 'hottie' the poster particularly likes, or their photo of their favorite resort even if we've all been there let alone seen it.

Besides, it's only a few months until the election.

-Joe

 

[dianeschlicht]

ITA! I think a debate board would be appropriate for it, but not any other board on the DIS! I think the reason the CB has not held much draw for me lately , is because of all the politicising that goes on there! Please, let's keep it off the DVC board!

 

[tjkraz]

No objections here. I'd love to see them banned from the Disboards!!!

 

[vacationman]

I don't even mind if folks want to express why they think their guy is good - I just dislike the bashing that adds nothing but disrespect for our country's leaders - whomever they may be and whatever party they belong to.

As for why this is relevant to the DVC board - it's because this is the main board I view and I see these negative displays here.

We are all here to help each other (I hope), not to offend each other.

 

[ILPHIL]

But the 1st Amendment really has nothing to do with this Forum. It deals with free speech and the government, not a private group.
Just as politics really has no place in a DVC forum, although a discussion of how a particular candidates policies might impact the value of our DVC "investment" would be relevant, I suppose.

I have a very strong preference in this election, but have no interest in seeing cheap shots aimed at either candidate here. I come to sites like this to relax, have fun and get away from reality
Just my 2 cents worth...

 

[Beca]

I agree, I am not crazy about the sigs, but I am MORE upset by people who make comments to others about their sigs! I totally believe that people have the right to their own opinions...I do not have to agree with them, as Andrew Jackson said, "I may not agree with what you are saying, but I will fight to the death for your right to say it." (And, I have no idea what political party HE belonged to...nor, do I care!!) Most of the time, I don't even NOTICE the sigs, at the bottom, but I get REALLY annoyed, when people start talking about it in the thread (whether it is the candidate I like or not). It seems that once threads start talking about it, then the poor OP starts to get slammed by others who disagree. This totally detracts from the sense of community that keeps me coming to this board. There are many people who post on this board who have differing opinions politically, but LOVE them, and greatly respect their views on DVC!!

I just think that expressing political views can only lead diversity when otherwise there could be unity. It is easy to ignore sigs, but when a "DVC" thread is titled "ROFR" and ends up writing significantly about Bush v. Kerry...that can be frustrating.



Beca

 

[Disney Doll]

Well, I don't mind intelligent political discussions, or at least attempts at them. I don't even mind polite disagreement, whether it be over religion, politics, abortion or whatever the hot button issue is.

What I do mind is rudeness and disresepect, and I have yet to see a discussion about a hot button issue not disintegrate into being both rude and disrespectful.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

It annoys me a little, but I try to ignore it.

Most of the people with regular Kerry/Edwards or Bush/Cheney things like the kind you'd see on a sign are fine and I have no problem with. Do you know the ones I mean?

I can think of a bunch of folks with the Kerry/Edwards sign and the Bush Cheney sign who are super nice and respectful of the other sides point of view.

But the insulting ones I just roll my eyes at and don't take seriously anything political said by the person with it in their sig because IMO the person who would put something like that in a sig on a non - political message board (this is a Disney message board, not a political rant site) is not going to ever change their side and they are PROBABLY so blinded by their sides ideology that arguing with them is pointless.

I haven't noticed any of the ones you mentioned yet but there are a few I've seen that I just shake my head at.

 

[Sandy V.]

I don't pay a heck of a lot of attention to posters' political signatures. After a while, you figure out who's "for" which candidate and ignore everything but the post's content.

What bugs me is the name-calling of candidates on thread topics and in posts. Like Disney Doll said, the whole "conversation" often turns into personal attacks and character assassination.

People are certainly entitled to dislike any presidential candidate, but why pour gasoline on a fire?

 

[Pugsley]

Oh yeah! There’s a person who has a big picture of a certain candidate in their signature and it’s pretty distracting to me since seeing said candidate immediately elicits my gag reflex. But I figure they have a right to use that signature and it’s my problem if it bothers me. But I do wish I didn’t have to look at things like that when I’m just trying to read a lighthearted thread.

 

[ShuisFan584]

ITA!

It's bad enough seeing the bashing on a political thread, but I don't want to see it on other threads too. This is supposed to be a happy place to post, so it's not exactly nice seeing pictures that bash someone. It just makes the person with the signature look like a negative person. It doesn't bother me to see banners that support Bush or Kerry, but it's completely uneccessary to have pictures that say "worst president ever," or something to that extent.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by EsmeraldaX
It annoys me a little, but I try to ignore it.

Most of the people with regular Kerry/Edwards or Bush/Cheney things like the kind you'd see on a sign are fine and I have no problem with. Do you know the ones I mean?

I can think of a bunch of folks with the Kerry/Edwards sign and the Bush Cheney sign who are super nice and respectful of the other sides point of view.

These are examples of ones I was talking about that do not phase me or bother me and tend to be used by reasonable people who can have a conversation like mature adults...

&

If people just left it at that, I have no problem with it.

 

[jrydberg]

They're a minor annoyance to me, but no big deal.

Honestly, I've got more important things to put in my signature
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[wvrevy]

Since so many posts seem to be aimed at me on this thread, I'll address it. I once had a political ad in my sig, and deleted it in favor of a picture of my daughter. Well, one of the people I disagree with on the political threads apparently decided that my signature was too big, so they reported it (it was, but only slightly, and it could have been handled a helluva lot better). Upon my next trip to these boards, I found the same person with their signature insulting Democrats, so I changed mine to what you see below.

I have no problem changing it to something else, believe me. But as long as I see that "Vote Democrat...It's easier than working" crap it will stay as it is until the administrators tell me it needs to be changed.

Sorry you guys can't seem to look past that, but oh well. It's no skin off my nose if people that aren't reading political threads get upset if I occassionally post on a fluff thread.

 

[totalia]

You mean you actually pay attention the signatures? I don't even look at them most of the time.

Just ignore them.

 

[DrTomorrow]

Sorry to burst some bubbles here, but mudslinging, personal attacks and pointing out a politicians flaws has been a part of American politics since before there was an America! Some folks like to believe that, until recently, politics was a kind and gentle place, where no one said an unkind word against an opponent. Nope, uh-uh - even the famed "Lincoln - Douglas Debates" were rather contentious. Should political comments be allowed in DIS signatures? That's up to "He Who Owns the DIS" - and those that make the rules. But please, no more of this clap-trap about political discussion only having value if it's "high-minded".

As a reminder that "going negative" has been around longer than any of us, I leave you with two slogans from a Presidential campaign:

Blaine, Blaine, James G. Blaine, The Continental Liar from the State of Maine - Grover Cleveland (referring to Blaine's unethical business dealings)

Ma, Ma, Where’s my Pa, Gone to the White House, Ha, Ha, Ha – James Blaine (referring to Cleveland's alleged out.of.wedlock child)

Oh, this was the 1884 Presidential Campaign.

 

[vacationman]

DrTomorrow, if folks want to show their creativeness and spend some thoughtful time coming up with rhymes that will be remembered 100 years later, I am all for it.

I enjoyed both of the rhymes you listed even though I am, at heart, a true Mugwump.

 

[rocketriter]

Since so many posts seem to be aimed at me on this thread, I'll address it.

wbrevy, stick to your guns. I'm sure most people (including, certainly, the ones who disagree with you and me) are well-intentioned, but the notion of declaring some messages unpatriotic or insulting and not others gets misused very, very easily. Remember just a year ago what happened to the Spice Girls for expressing an opinion that now has a wider following.

The poster who cited past American history is right. American politics isn't nice, or tidy, or comfortable. It's not supposed to be. Democracy is messy and it has plenty of problems. But it's also the best system on our planet.

 

[TheBellhop]

Originally posted by wvrevy
Since so many posts seem to be aimed at me on this thread, I'll address it. I once had a political ad in my sig, and deleted it in favor of a picture of my daughter. Well, one of the people I disagree with on the political threads apparently decided that my signature was too big, so they reported it (it was, but only slightly, and it could have been handled a helluva lot better). Upon my next trip to these boards, I found the same person with their signature insulting Democrats, so I changed mine to what you see below.

I have no problem changing it to something else, believe me. But as long as I see that "Vote Democrat...It's easier than working" crap it will stay as it is until the administrators tell me it needs to be changed.

Sorry you guys can't seem to look past that, but oh well. It's no skin off my nose if people that aren't reading political threads get upset if I occassionally post on a fluff thread.

I can think of a five worse presidents...but since you're a Democrat maybe that would get you all riled up

 

[herc]

They do not really bother me. I try to keep my sig a bit more reserved out of respect for others but I can understand how emotional politics is and how some feel the need to have more flamboyant sigs.

Honestly, it doesn't bother me as much as the giant sigs I see with long lists of dates and count down clocks and huge pictures. But those don't really bother me all that much either. It is something I can just skip over if I feel the need.

Someone said you can turn the sigs off but that would be no fun. We would have no personality here.