Silvita.. I agree 100%.

Wow!... I just heard on the news that the Pakastani forces have Osama's second-hand man cornered....Anyone seen John Kerry?

MadridMan,

If you don't see this as bashing your own President because you don't like his politics, then you aren't being fair and impartial like you intend to be.

If I made the comment that was similar about the Spanish President I would be considered bashing him, but this is acceptable?

Wally's comments were politically biased as a dove, and clearly defines his intent to put the blame on Bush for what happened. If I said that the Spanish President was "happy" that the attack took place because it got him elected that would be bashing... Wally's comment isn't?

Sorry! I totally disagree. But since it's your forum you have a right to move the bar left or right as to what you think is impartial. I just don't agree with this decision but will live with it.

Wolf

Silvita, I also agree 100%

Jennita wrote: Ain't that the truth?! And no. NO NAME CALLING WILL BE TOLERATED!! Just because you're semi-anonymous (as in we can't see your face or know where you live) doesn't mean you have the right to insult others, no matter their political viewpoint.

Wolf wrote: [quote]MadridMan,

If you don't see this as bashing your own President because you don't like his politics, then you aren't being fair and impartial like you intend to be.



I don't know who said your above quotation as I no longer have the stamina to sift threw them all. But no, I don't feel that which the person stated was appropriate. NO. As for your statements, as long as you aren't calling names or making insults then fine. Go for it. You can say because this happened that that will happen. Good. No problem.

Maybe it was a mistake to open this political commentary category. I'm fed up already after only a day. Maybe it's time to go back to "the old days" when we ONLY talked about travel and tourism and the wonders of Spanish culture and society. Ah yes... remember those glory days? That was so nice. I fear, as I said before, that I'll be spending the majority of my "message board police" time right here in this category, reading through the pages and pages of political commentary, probably the thing (i.e. politics) I like least in this world. Gee. This message board USED to be fun. Nice. Warm. A great place for people to make friends and exchange witty banter. Ah yes... Seems those days are gone - at least for the time being.

So what can I do?

Option 1) immediately delete those postings I decide are offensive, threatening, or tasteless without any word?

Option 2) Enter into each discussion (and there are a lot of them) and give my reasons why I was removing a posting and thereby spark more opposition and discussion and, probably, more name-calling?

Option 3) Totally turn my back and turn my eyes away from this category and just let it all happen; bash this person, insult that person, offend this person, try to convince some other person that ETA is the best thing since sliced bread until I'm blue in the face and ready to murder, post inappropriate or sexist photos, and just let it all go to hell.

Option 4) Close down the entire Political Commentary and force people to post their political viewpoints (i.e. demands) in the Transportation category or whever they like, causing the casual would-be Spain traveler to see it and say to themselves, "Sheesh! Look at all this crap?! If this is what I'm going to be seeing in Spain then I don't want to go!!" Or they'll say, "What a bunch of #@$%^ for posting that stuff on a messages board. Well, I guess it's just like all the rest - no moderation"

Option 5) Hmmm.. let's see... shut down the boards ability to accept new registrations for the next month, thereby stemming the flood of new fanatics and would-be Spain Bashers and allow or HOPE FOR some kind of equilibrium to take place... hopefully!

Option 6) F*** it all, turn off the lights at MadridMan.com, and take a new interest in nightly TV reality shows.

Option 7) Just let things run totally rampant here and turn into so many other trash-talking, service-advertising, website-link-posting message boards, where the moderator MIGHT check in once a month.

Option 8) Take a NEW interest in politics, shut down the messag board totally, and reopen a new one DEDICATED to Spanish politics and how its decisions influence the worlds' attitude. Now THAT would be a FULL TIME JOB!

Okay. I'm done ranting. But you know what? I don't feel better. In fact, I feel worse. My saying what stays and what goes, saying what's appropriate and what's not, trying in futility to read all these new, 1000s of postings about politics in such a short span of time - is just not possible to do well 100% of the time. I haven't been online all day because my (new) boss was hounding me (don't pity me, please), pushing me, spying on me - so I have THAT to deal with all day long, still having pains in my heart for the Madrid bombings, and then come home to all this stuff? HOLY MOLEY! Is it worth it? I'm REALLY starting to wonder!

But I know one thing. I'm no longer going to ATTEMP to defend Spain anymore. It's impossible. I'm spent. I've done all I can. And, as many of us have learned in the past few days since the elections, we can describe, site references, quote experts, give statistics, show why this and why that until we're BLUE in the face. But the truth is, the person reading those words thinks you're totally wrong and he'll return with an equal number of quotes and statistics and expert accounts, etcetera and on and on and on and on 'til the end of time. One person KNOWS he's right and the other person KNOWS he's right too and no amount of head-bashing will change the mind of the other. FUTILITY. It's an absolute, total stalemate. Always is.

Done! Finished. That's it. Wish I had some beer in the fridge. Ugh.

Blah blah blah. Blah blah blah. And I really mean that. X2. And you can't convince me otherwise because my "reasoning switch" broke off at the last elections and I'm not able to open my mind once again. (EDIT: this paragraph was sarcasm, by the way)

Didn't I already say I was "done"? Hmmm... Guess I still have some "rant juice" dribbling out of my ears.

Wolf - You're absolutely correct -- you know more about what I actually meant than do I. How silly of me to not realize your psychic abilities.

Good bye.

MadridMan - Please feel free to delete my account. I can go to the bad part of town and get mugged if I want to be treated as Kevin and Wolf treat people.

MadridMan,

Good rant! It's about time you get your turn at it. God only knows the majority of us have had a hell of a lot of opportunities to do it. I applaude what you said, and totally agree. It isn't easy to do the job you are on this board, and I don't know what anyone else thinks, but I'm damned glad we have had the board and you moderating it.

It is difficult deciding what is and isn't a proper post. Each of us sees things a little differently, and its because of these differences there are arguments, but it's also through these disagreements where we all grow a little closer in our understandings of each other. It sure beats reading the newspapers and watching TV to get information. Here we get it first hand, with a personal flavor.

Nobody can question your love of Madrid or Spain. Nobody can question your right to support, and defend them. That's a given, because this whole site is about Spain and your love of same. Moreover, it was your love of country that brought us together in the first place.

Thanks for the rant! You had every right in the world to do it! We're all human and have a right to "let it out once in a while." Where better to do it than with family. After all, that is what we are out here isn't it? Family?

I may disagree with you at times, but rest assured, it has never diminished my respect for the great job you've done out here and your right to govern it the way you have. I'm with you 100%, and will support your decisions even if I do disagree. It would be a very boring world if we all agreed with each other all the time. I just can't imagine my having to be an OSU football fan!!!! :p

By the way! That was one of the best damned rants I've read out here! Go for it!!!

Wolf

Wally,

No, I'm not psychic. But I do deserve the right to disagree with you when you post something open to criticism. In a perfect world we'd agree on everything, but this is not a perfect world.

When we post something that has specific political undertones like your calling Bush a liar and specifically blaming him for what happened in Madrid, can you honestly say that someone won't step up and say you're wrong? If they didn't rebutt what you said, that would be acceptance of what you said as fact.

If there's any hurt feelings or animosity over this, it's on your part, because I certainly don't harbor any ill will against you. You have a right to your belief and I have a right to mine. I also believe you have a right to state your mind, and I have a right to state mine.

Now, leaving the site doesn't make sense. Stick around and enjoy the discussions, get into them, and put your two cents worth in. That's what makes this site beautiful. We're allowed a degree of free speech.

Wolf

Do not take lack of rebuttal as agreement.

Right on Vicki.

And MadridMan, you are awesome. I see nothing wrong with deleting posts you find innapropriate, offensive, whatever. It's your board, and a great one. Thank you again and again.