Important Topics - Please Review This Thread.

[timetowinarace]

I'd like to use some quote's from this thread to make a point. Please keep in mind, I am not picking on anyone, nor actually disagreeing with Hadit rules. Just trying to make the observation that some subjects, political and VA, are in the gray area for discussion on the board.

From me "It is getting harder and harder to distinguish what content is acceptable."

From Carlie "Oh I think health reform will be good for veterans - it's gone.

or

Oh I think health care reform is going to be bad for veterans - it's gone."

From Pete53 "I left the Universal Health Care and current plans for covering all Americans open as I think that is something Veterans need to discuss and learn."

I think that should make some kind of point. I want to stress that I do not disagree with posts being closed and deleted. I do suggest that this happens to non political posts as well. A recent one that comes to mind had to do with a 'news' story about the VA going after a certain group of veterans. There was division on the board wether or not it belonged on Hadit. It was closed. It was not political.

The point? I think it would be more accurate and easier to understand if the board policy was to close and or delete VA subjects, political or not that BECOME inflamatory. That is what usually happens anyway and rightfully so. It is very difficult to know which subjects this will be at all times. All subjects should be VA related of course.

I know the moderaters have a very difficult job and I'd like to make it easier by not having these subjects come up at all, but I don't find that to be possible. It's very difficult to have a "zero tolerance"(quote=Pete53, Carlie, Tbird) policy and a disscrepancy as in the quotes above. These closed and deleted posts were all VA related subjects. The moderaters did the right thing in closing them once harsh words were being used.

[darkhorse]

There is a huge gray area on what's considered political.

Unless your discussing one particular claim then even discussing Veterans Benefits is political if you want to look at the big picture.

The VA is wrapped in politics just as much as who's gonna be elected to Congress.

As long as the money for our benefits comes from the distributing source we all know as our Government then political discussion is at hand.

Limited discussion on how to correctly and ethically obtain benefits for those that deserve them is what this site is all about. I call it 'GIVING BACK."

DH

[Stretch]

More of my opinion:

Jeez, I said we that Hadit has 1500 members. I was off just a little. I re-checked membership and Hadit has 4,637 members as of today. That is huge growth considering the boards evolution. Seems like Hadit and its moderators have been doing something right to have this kind of growth. The most people I managed was 130.

Can you just imagine 4,637 different opinions in each post. It is not hard to see how different opinions can cause members to stray from the purpose Hadit is intended for by its owner. It can even become an uncontrolled free-for-all mess without moderation.

I can see that some are saying that moderation is one-sided. I don't think that this one-sidedness is true. Even an insinuation that the moderators are one-sided is an insult to further argue a fruitless point that also insults moderators sensibilities. Who would want to hurt these selfless workhorses?

Some veterans could be afraid that their VAMC's are in jeopardy because of opposing health care systems changes. None of us know anything about what will happen to our VAMC's, in the future, so it is all speculation.

In support of Pete's comment about the Veterans side of health care, somehow this needs to be discussed to alleviate Veterans fears of losing what we already have.

I even have thoughts of the VAMC's becoming over-run with other countries peoples or other problems that will diminish the value of our VAMC's. This is a legitimate issue concerning Veterans.

It is a fine line to keep this out of politics, but older members should blend this with Hadit's purpose and their common sense to keep it as rational as possible and not take advantage of political moments.

We can all see that moderating 4,637 people, can be a difficult thankless job, that is without pay. More members are on the way everyday. I think that this post is in equipoise and the benefit of the doubt should go to the Veteran Hadit moderators.

I don't mean to give the impression that I am stepping on anyones toes. I am a nobody. I do appreciate everything that has been said in this post, by smarter people than me, but I agree with the moderators.

[purple]

Define Ironic: A thread about "no politics" has turned into an argument about what is/is not considered political. jmho.

[john999]

I may not be able to define a political post, but I know it when I see it.

[magician2000]

Inflammatory for this Board is partisan either Democrat or Republican.

So does this equally apply to those that are partisan to being independent... :o