The Surfer Mag just ceased their political forum, and are removing posts suggesting alternatives. It was huge.
Politics and religion are forum destroyers — vehicles of hate and hostility…
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True, but silencing free speech is not good for democracy. Just don’t participate. It is Mike’s call. It was huge.
An open forum discussion of topics of interest, where opposing views are analyzed & explained, questioned and defended, is what “free speech” is all about. The right to hold and to share differing viewpoints. OK.
But on a privately owned website, it is fair to have and to enforce rules of engagement, a standard of conduct, of decorum. Free speech is not an open invitation to profanity, vitriol, threats of physical harm or legal action, insults, etc.
Unfortunately this is where most of these type discussions end up, in very short order, which is probably why SurferMag shut it down. I’m just guessing, I have never frequented the political forum.
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Free speech does not mean a private entity has to post your views anymore than a newspaper is required to publish your “Letter to the Editor.”
I have never seen political discussions on forums that do not deteriorate into insults, hate speech and threats — and they are almost always based on opinions without credible substantiation. All other topics get pushed to the bottom of the queue.
You haven’t posted at Sways in 16 years. And your first post on the new forum is about ushering in politics and not “surfboard design and build?!”
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The new forum used my old name when I could not contact Mike directly, and due to the way the SMag operators were canceling posts for alternative places, appearing they were against free speech anywhere, thought it would be better than using my current Sway’s name.
Now at a point not too long ago this site had fewer posts in a month than they would have had in a day during the peak post Clark Foam. I do agree with all that you are saying, would you agree that it seems to be working already, (adding content)? Just maybe “Strike while the iron is hot”, and pull all those people to a SEPERATE forum.
I do not agree. Swaylocks has never been about politics.
While the traffic is not what is was, the tone and content at Sways has become civil, useful and tolerant — an opportunity to create a solid DIY forum.
That you chose to use your “old screen name” over your current screen name to propose this pretty much says it all.
There are multiple opportunities for political diatribe/rhetoric on Facebook (etc.).
Sways does not, and never did, need political bovine manure.
Magazine Surfers have always been a different breed…
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Please you tell me what all it says. Is Stoneburner your actual name (Does that say anything). My reason is that if the new SM operators were as fascist as they appear, I did not want to get banned. The existing group would get diluted by a non surf related site.
When Sways was first resurrecting, I changed my screen name to my actual name — Bill Wurts (found in several of my new posts, had you read any of them). Mike suggested I change back to Stoneburner because members were more familiar with that screen name.
However that has no bearing on your use of old and new screen names (Stoneburner is still my original Sways screen name).
Magazine Surfer fascists sounds pretty fringe conspiracy theorist to me. It seems you spend considerably more time posting at Magazine Surfer than you do here.
Further discussion would be pointless sophistry (classic political discussion mode).
Accept. Reject. Does not affect me…
Personally I can’t see why a political discussion category would have any relevance? I come here to learn about surfboard design and techniques. As a newbie I ask questions and rely on the generosity and grace of those with experience who are willing to share. Political discussion tends to lead to heated exchanges and intolerance of others views.
I’m from NZ and have absolutely no interest in discussing politics from anywhere else in the world. To be honest I try and avoid political discussions in my own country!!! Please keep it out of this forum. There are many places where you can argue with or align with politically minded people on the net if you’re so inclined.
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The idea is to help Mike capture an existing group. This is a cohesive group, they like to be there. Any other site would get diluted by a non surfing site. Do you guys have any interest in surf schools, or do you just ignore those ads? Are you helping Mike? No it is all about you. There are about several months worth of Sways views over there on the subject in less than a day. The traffic size here is abysmal. It is called a business strategy. (I have only posted in the Pol Forum about once every couple of months FWIW. but like Mike)
As of 3 PM PST 5/19/24 7,500 views almost 400 posts on 3 threads on the subject at SM.
@reborn honestly and sincerely appreciate the shout out. 100% definitely not into making SWAYS a place for open political discussion…simply put, it’s off topic.
Keeping things focused on topic & tone, while certainly not great for the bottom line, is a fundamental strength of this place.
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And why Swaylocks is still the Source…
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Good morning,
Let me start with a joke.
- how do you know if a politician is lying?
- easy, watch close and check if is lips are moving.
Swaylocks (and i am really new here) is a great source of info and help and it works great, i dont see the need for a politics thread. (Maybe a jokes thread??)
This said is important to say that surf should mix with politics, the same way music, literature, gardening and many other activities should.
Surfers should not stand by if the government wants to build a higway with a pilar on a midlle of your home break.
Surfers shouldn’ t standby if the government allows the factory to dump waste into the ocean etc, etc…
If anyone can find in the internet there is a good watch: "the lost jewel of the atlantic"movie
Is about the destruction of a world class big wave spot because of building a higway for turists to get faster from the airport to city center in an island that you can go round it in 2 hours!
Cheers and good waves.
Sorry for the english (not native)
Perhaps you should check with stoneburner to get an OK to allow for your examples about content unrelated to surfboard construction.
You are a trip.
This thread has legs, keep i going!
I think Sways moved too many times and the original was easy to navigate, with the moves old threads went missing or too hard to find. There was gold in those hills.
I can appreciate the points, pro and con on the subject of adding political discussion to the forum. Fist off, I am very opinionated on the direction we are heading in this Country. I am probably out of step with 99% of the surf community when it comes to politics. However, I come to this community to glean insights and ideas, innovations both good and bad and whatever the contributors to this forum have to say- about shaping that is! I agree with the statement that there are “plenty of places to go to discuss politics”. Let us keep it about board crafting. Everyone is happy there.
I am soon to be 71 years young. I started surfing when I was 12. Surfing has always been for me a way to get away from the friction of life. Not emphasize it. I don’t discuss politics in the water. When I am in the water I am waiting for my next wave. All that is on my mind is the line-up, the weather, the swell; the sights and sounds that go with it. The totality of the wave riding experience. Nothing else matters at that point. It is good for the soul. The extension is when I am creating something with my hands. Same experience. Peace and the satisfaction of a job well done. I respect what you all are saying, but my choice is to keep it about the craft not the politics. All due respect to freedom of speech and the opinions of others.