Politics and OSW - a brief commentary

[pukingdog]

For the past two days, I've had to monitor the Obama figure thread, and remove or edit a number of posts. I've been told that I might not have handled it as well as I should have, and in one case, that any post with the figure will become a problem. I now offer a few comments on the matter:

_ Anyone who has managed to navigate the process to become a member of OSW, has the necessary intelligence to understand the meaning of NO POLITICS.

_ It is usually a matter of practice to PM individuals after edits have been done, but at least in my case, I deal with members on a basis of how serious the situation is. When numerous or serious enough, such comms may be some time in being sent.

_ Some may fantasize that they can know my personal beliefs based on my actions as an admin, but those actions are as required by OSW regs. It would be abundantly clear if I were working without such restrictions.

_ Politics are proscribed for exactly the reasons that have made this post necessary. With the recent US Presidential election, and DiD's plainly partisan presentaion of their figure, emotions have run high since last year. It has meant extra work for staff, as well as a considerable "period of grace". That period is over.

_____________________

OSW is a board with an international membership. We are here to show our work, discuss the hobby, learn from others, and hopefully give something back. All in a civil manner.

Recently, OSW has had to deal with spammers, neo-nazis, uninformed insults from outside individuals who as guests should know to behave better, and some of it's own members who cannot leave some things at the door. None of these things add anything good to our hobby. As such, they are removed. So before you hit Submit Reply or Submit New Thread, take a moment to ask yourself if it really means anything to the hobby and the membership.

[Ronin Six]

Awesome. Thanks Mike.

And before someone says, "but, but, but... what if it's a political figure, huh, smartypants?"...

We've survived many years with thousands of posts representing war on a global scale, guns, babes, zombies, and violence... still managing to keep the conversation focused on the hobby, without having to sink too many times into somewhat off-topic discussion about things like the moral implications of the glorification of violence, the sexual objectification of women in the media, blah blah etc. Same should apply to figures from the political arena. We all have to do our best to separate the 1:1 from the 1:6 (don't transfer any 1:1 hangups onto a 1:6 toy for goodness sake).

Remember why you collect. Keep it civil, keep it about the toys, and keep the politics at the door.

[Longhorn92]

Sounds pretty simple to me.

Thanks PD--and the rest of the staff--for keeping it toy related.

[Tank Mechanic]

This is unfortunately a much needed post.While I might agree with some of the comments,I don't come here for that.There are plenty of places for it.I come to enjoy my hobby and learn from others and maybe pass along a little knowledge once in a while.This is an escape.Let's keep it.

[Sawgunner]

Thanks Mike you made it K.I.S.S................I guess if the shoe fits(for the last "S" in K.I.S.S.)

[Rogue_Monster]

Politics and action figures do not belong together =|

[Blu Falcon]

For the past two days, I've had to monitor the Obama figure thread, and remove or edit a number of posts. I've been told that I might not have handled it as well as I should have, and in one case, that any post with the figure will become a problem. I now offer a few comments on the matter:

_ Anyone who has managed to navigate the process to become a member of OSW, has the necessary intelligence to understand the meaning of NO POLITICS.

_ It is usually a matter of practice to PM individuals after edits have been done, but at least in my case, I deal with members on a basis of how serious the situation is. When numerous or serious enough, such comms may be some time in being sent.

_ Some may fantasize that they can know my personal beliefs based on my actions as an admin, but those actions are as required by OSW regs. It would be abundantly clear if I were working without such restrictions.

_ Politics are proscribed for exactly the reasons that have made this post necessary. With the recent US Presidential election, and DiD's plainly partisan presentaion of their figure, emotions have run high since last year. It has meant extra work for staff, as well as a considerable "period of grace". That period is over.

_____________________

OSW is a board with an international membership. We are here to show our work, discuss the hobby, learn from others, and hopefully give something back. All in a civil manner.

Recently, OSW has had to deal with spammers, neo-nazis, uninformed insults from outside individuals who as guests should know to behave better, and some of it's own members who cannot leave some things at the door. None of these things add anything good to our hobby. As such, they are removed. So before you hit Submit Reply or Submit New Thread, take a moment to ask yourself if it really means anything to the hobby and the membership.

Right on, man.

[mattlocke06]

Heck I thought this was a place to get away from all that crap?(politics)
This place has been good therapy for me.

[MonkeyMan]

Damn you to hell DID!! Look what you started..:P..Seriously guys, how hard of a rule is this to follow? Sheesh.

[Yujin]

I must have missed the neo-nazis. That one with the uninformed insult, that was quite a wtf moment.

Anyhow, thanks for policing this place again, Mike. I probably have been guilty at times, sometimes unknowingly, so this will be kept in mind. I usually just navigate away if I disagree with what is being written.

[fioski]

AMEN.
Hope you are doing well, Norm, God Bless.

[rawrington]

Yessss. Keep it toys.

[Sinergy]

It's human nature for boardies once they feel comfortable within a site to want to talk outside the box, but for the life of me, I think people don't realize there's hundreds of other sites just for this. I belong to a half dozen sites where one has freedom to talk about anything....This is just one where 1/6 and all the encompasses that is the required norm. I can accept that.

[Staggerly]

I think you guys do a great job with the touchy task of laying down the law while maintaining an easy-going and friendly atmosphere. Much respect!

[cdn_rhino]

When it comes down to it as well, we all like to visit and add our stuff, but this is not home/work/real life etc.... lets leave personal opinions at the door(unless asked for them), and remember, this is somebody elses "house" and we can be removed by not following the rules. If we play nice we get to stay.

[Davinator65]

Well put by all the members here!

[SSG Felder]

Mike....
absolutely on point.
I had a similiar situation on one of our German Forums,where I act as a moderator myself.....

Some time back a member posted a Figure of a Punker....None political stuff were discussed....so No Problem....
Then 2 weeks ago another member posted a Figure of a Neo-Nazi/Skinhead.....and you know what....Politics were discussed from Post #2.
We (Admin/Me) Let them have their arguments if they stayed on topic and no member would be personally attacked...you know a Mature conversation....BUT we had to keep an eye on that thread...Guess what...I got out of hand by Post #10...so I closed the thread....
I didnt like that subject as a Member,thats why I didnt post/comment on it....BUT as a Moderator I had to post and try to keep this on track...

POLITICS and 1:6 DONT go together....this is as simply as it sounds.....

[J3D1]

DAMN!
Hope I didn't start anything by posting further pics on the DID Obama thread.
Personally I love the figure and only wanted to share in it's appearance. Can't understand why anyone wanted to talk politics on that thread.

I am glad that it is still an active thread and hope others post their pics of this figure.

[J3D1]

Great job on the moderation, so great a few of us didn't even notice the malicious posting!

[Wild Geese]

Thanks for putting up this reminder and the moderation, PD.

Some idiots need to learn how to respect this hobby!

[SilentSurfer]

Though pukingdog has in no way suggested it, I would like to offer a public apology to him and anybody else I offended by not leaving personal feelings at the door when coming up with satirical comments in regard to the DID figure. I went too far once and got slapped, and I did it again out of spite this time around, too. I'm an open and honest guy about who I am, but sometimes it's not appropriate, and this thread has a lot to do with me. I'm that little blue guy

I'm over it, it's about the toys, and I have promissed pukingdog that he will have no more trouble with me. And believe me when I say we went at it in the PMs, and, pukingdog, I am sorry to give you so much trouble. Thank you for being more of a gentlemen to me than I was with you. That goes for the rest of the staff as well.

-Nathan

[J3D1]

Though pukingdog has in no way suggested it, I would like to offer a public apology to him and anybody else I offended by not leaving personal feelings at the door when coming up with satirical comments in regard to the DID figure. I went too far once and got slapped, and I did it again out of spite this time around, too. I'm an open and honest guy about who I am, but sometimes it's not appropriate, and this thread has a lot to do with me. I'm that little blue guy

I'm over it, it's about the toys, and I have promissed pukingdog that he will have no more trouble with me. And believe me when I say we went at it in the PMs, and, pukingdog, I am sorry to give you so much trouble. Thank you for being more of a gentlemen to me than I was with you. That goes for the rest of the staff as well.

-Nathan

[rogerbee]

Nice to know you guys are on it!

Leave the politics at the door, but bring your brain in with you!

CHEERS!

[strangex2]

Ooops. I was the one who posted the thread on the DID Obama. Posted it out of respect for him and also the quality of the figure. Hope everything is fine now!

[furious genius]

Ooops. I was the one who posted the thread on the DID Obama. Posted it out of respect for him and also the quality of the figure. Hope everything is fine now!

This isn't about posting a thread about the Obama figure, that's perfectly legitimate and within OSW rules, this is about posts that were made referring to politics & politically loaded comments within the thread. You are totally cool, strangex2.

[nomelrw]

This is a great board and very valuable to us all. I appreciate that there are moderators to preserve the purpose of the OSW. I am a little confused about PD's comment about DID's plainly partisan representation of the President's figure. They stated they would make a figure of the winner of the election which they did. Hit me with a 2x4 but all they did was make a figure of the President or president elect at the time.

[doomhammer]

I think these things are impossible to avoid by the very nature of this hobby. Like mentioned above, in a hobby built up around military figures there's bound to be some toes stepped on. But, I do agree with the no politics rule. We come here to enjoy action figures and that is what binds us, no matter our religion, race or political ideology. Thàt's the power of this hobby, and it should be held sacred. And we need the mods to protect that, so respect to them for sticking their necks out. What really I like about this post is that a mod finds it appropriate to defend his actions and thus recognises not to be above us but to provide us with a kind service, out of love for this community. Having been a mod on several boards myself, I know it's not common to do that and that is certainly the right way to go to strictly police the 'No Politics' rule.

[Grunt1162]

You think somewhere there is a political forum where somebody is letting action figures get in the way of discussing politics?

[doomhammer]

You think somewhere there is a political forum where somebody is letting action figures get in the way of discussing politics?

If there is I'm sure the action figures make it a better place