Political Threads and Discussions Ban 9/17/08

[Pablo]

I often get asked why some political discussions are closed or completely deleted. To save a few PM's, here we go.

In the history of Club Stogie, a majority of the time political threads are started they get out of hand and members start calling other members names and throwing accusations. When this happens we delete them. You will also see many examples of threads that have been kept open when there was spirited, respectful debate.

Spirited debate is a good thing, name calling and accusations suck.

There will never be a political forum at Club Stogie, and political threads that even start getting out of hand will be closed or deleted. Club Stogie is first and foremost a cigar forum.

I know there are many that do not agree with this policy. That's OK, there are many political forums on the web for you to partake in. I strongly encourage you to take your heated political discussions there.

[poker]

Club Stogie members:


As a result of the increased percentage of political & religious based threads as of late & how they usually end up, the Moderators and Administrators of Club Stogie ask you not to post or start any threads that are political or religious in nature as of now. They will be shut down and removed immediately before they get out of hand.

Unfortunately, we have come to this decision due to the high maintenance nature of these types of threads. These create more problems than they are worth usually with folks calling each other names, arguments, baiting, problems when the moderators step in, and folks asking to have their accounts deleted. Many here have already witnessed this behavior.

Rather than selecting which of these threads to close, all of them will be removed as they are noticed by the moderation team. Threads that will be removed by the moderation team for this reason will be done so without any prior notice and without warning. Please do not PM a moderator asking that a deleted/closed thread be reopened as this will not happen.
If a non political or non religious thread takes a turn and gets political/religious in nature, the entire thread is subject to removal.

Yes, we know it starts innocently enough. It begins quite civil. Yes, we also see how well the following 3 pages go too. What you do not see is all the reported posts we have to deal with, dozens of PM's saying how "it wasn’t my fault", or "he started it", or "what about that other guys thread". It’s just too much work and most times it damages Club Stogie for what it is first and foremost....a cigar message board. It’s not a "post whatever you like" board. It’s not a "political agenda" board. Its not a board to debate about other religions either. It’s a cigar board. Let me repeat...it’s a cigar board.

We appreciate your understanding our position on this. If you feel you must participate in political or religious banter/debate, there are hundreds of other places on the internet you can go and have your fill. Club Stogie is not, and will not be one of those places. The Administrators and Moderators at Club Stogie are some of the best around and they already have their hands full as it is, and these types of threads are seriously high maintenance. Remember, you may not have to open and skim over every thread posted, but the moderators do, all 97,000+ of them.

So please, cut the mods a little slack. They work their asses off so you can be a member of the best place on the web for cigar enthusiasts.

So once again for those that are thinking they can do what they want here:

[SIZE="4"]A new Club Stogie policy is now in effect: No threads that are political or religious in nature is allowed. [/SIZE]