Can we stop the “if you point out republicans are ahead”- you’re a sex offender posts please?

Oscar_Madison

A long way to go in the US General election threads on current affairs forum- it’s clear that no matter what criticism made of Biden in recent months it was treated by derision - actually bullying by boards standards.

The same people now rowing back slowly just because the future is crystal clear.

Anyone pointing out Republicans are “ahead” in the polls are called “rapist symthaisers” or similar.

Can we please have some clear posting guidelines for these threads? There’s about 3 of them - Biden thread, Trump thread and Biden/Trump thread

I’ve reported a number of posts - not because they’re pro Biden - but because I’ve been accused of being a “rapist sympathiser” or words to that effect and also actions like posted pictures similar - it’s not a debate and discussion at this stage, it’s about dealing with trolls and d1cks.

Silentcorner

I'd like to echo the above, any thread that discusses US politics has simply gone toxic and has been for a long long time it gets taken over by posters with extreme views (I would consider anyone who thinks Trump is comparable to Hitler as extreme, given the complete lack of evidence, the fact that he has already served a term and did not in any way act in a manner that would suggest he is authoritarian). The point of boards I would have thought is that is should allow people access to alternate views, if that is the case, then posters with alternate views should at least be given the same protection on threads as posters with the opposite view. I've seen posters banned for nothing, and other prolific posters get away with trolling, swearing etc.

odyssey06

Trump is a rapist. This is a statement of fact established by a court of law. The threads have been full of bad faith arguments and weasel words trying to defend Trump on this. There is a large overlap with same posters jumping onto a poll with glee that shows Trump ahead. There have been vile comments directed at the victim too. Toxic.

Not everybody and not the OP but at some point yes you have to start asking why someone wants a rapist to win the election as it is obvious they do. Thats another bad faith argument... obvious Trump supporters claiming to be 'centrists' yet never posting unprompted criticism of him. Posters who should have been banned long ago for soap boxing and bad faith arguments - which is low level trolling. Then when eventually banned for trolling pop up on one of the other threads and repeat the same crap. I havent seen anybody banned for 'nothing'.

Below links show Trump echoing the language of Hitler. It is Trumps language that is extreme and echoes that of authoritarian dictators and it is reasonable to point this out.

Trumps own VP pick Vance is on record comparing Trump to Hitler.

There is also the fascist 2025 project in play by future Trump administration staff they will put into place if Trump wins. Trumps denials of knowledge of this are laughable and transparent. Trump already tried to steal one election, inciting a mob with violence to storm the Capitol. Another fascist action.

https://www.npr.org/2023/11/17/1213746885/trump-vermin-hitler-immigration-authoritarian-republican-primary

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/dec/16/trump-immigrants-new-hampshire-rally

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122403388#Comment_122403388

For the record I’m not a “Trump supporter” - I’m actually not a “Biden supporter” either in that I don’t believe him going for a second term is good for either him or the country.

But merely pointing out that Trump is ahead in many if not most polls, or to have even questioned whether Biden is the best choice for the Democrats right now; is enough to get you called a rapist sympathiser on these threads- that’s just batshit crazy levels of trolling and should be stamped out at the earliest opportunity by mods- but it’s not which has led to a few posters basically running riot around posters who come into the thread looking for normal boards.ie debate on the topic.

I really don’t care if Trump is responsible for every murder in the USA for the last 50 years- he’s the Republican candidate and he’s currently beating the Democrats in the race to the White House.
But instead of having a discussion around strategy of either party in improving or maintaining their position in the race, we just see absolute childish idiots keeping posting “Trump is a rapist, Trump is a rapist”- that’s it- that’s the so called “discussion”- like we haven’t all read the papers and watched the news for the last 9 years- it’s blatantly obvious to all rational posters what crimes Trump has been accused of- we don’t need to be reminded of it every second post.

well to those people who said “rapist sympathiser” to me and others, you can all fck right off- we’re not going to stand for that level of trolling - we’re putting the spotlight back on you people now- lets see how you feel.

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122403436#Comment_122403436

You are assuming all the posters on the thread are rational interested in sincere discussion. When did you start reading the thread? Because it has never been true.

And it is hard to have a sincere discussion about the candidates, whether Biden is best candidate to beat Trump in the environment I describe below. Are you discussing with someone who really wants Trump to win? Someone pretending to be centrist but just here to bash Democrats.

The simple question is do you want Trump to win versus an other Democrat or not? If you dont, why not?

Is Biden the best choice for the Dems ... because you want to see Trump defeated? Why does the question matter to you?

And are you prepared to answer questions which are entirely relevant?

Do you accept the valid legal basis by which posters call Trump a rapist?

Are you ok with a rapist being President over AN other Democrat?

Can you understand why a poster who is ok with a rapist in the White House might be called a rapist sympathizer or apologist?

So no merely pointing to the polls doesnt make you a Trump supporter ok with rape.... it is if you do so with glee and deploy weasel words to defend Trump of rape.

And for a long time the majority of posts doing that were. Dodging questions about Trumps conduct, pretending not to be Trump supporters. And it was a form of trolling via bad faith argument and soap boxing.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122403475#Comment_122403475

And were such posts reported? And if so what happened?
If someone is a genuine “Trump supporter” - and let’s face it, probably very few “genuine” ones in Ireland but they likely exist, then we’ll know quickly enough through their posting style if they’re just trolling or genuinely hold those views.

It sounds like posters got pulled into a “Trump troll” or two and they won - but that doesn’t mean someone like me, who simply highlighted positive poll results for Trump, and wanted a discussion around how the democrats could best respond to that -got called a rapist sympathiser- NOTHING in my post, invited that response- NOTHING

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122403500#Comment_122403500

We don't always know the outcome of a reported post do we, but I can see a list of threadbanned posters, and judging from posts I have seen on the thread and elsewhere no surprise to see their name in the list.

A couple of posters not banned but who if I was the one wielding the 'ban hammer' would be banned for persistent soap boxing. If you will see other posts I have made on feedback about CA in general I am in favour of a stronger approach from mods to low level trolling.

In the previous post several specific and direct questions about Trump's conduct and the rationale behind your questions. You didn't answer them.

Now I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt that your questions are sincere and from the perspective of "how best can the Democrats respond."

However, 90% of the time on the forum when we see someone "just asking questions" and dodging such questions, it means they are a closet Trump supporter and their "questions" about the Dems are insincere and are loaded pro-Trump or Republican.
So the questions about Trump's conduct come out to try to pierce that charade. Sometimes they maybe come out too quick but it is a reflection on the history of the thread, I can understand why.
(I don't think I ever made an accusation like that against you on the thread, and nor does it mean I condone all the content of posts directed towards you, I am making a general point here)

If you don't want to be tagged as a "Trump troll" (your words), wouldn't it be easier to engage with the questions?
The answers to which (or evasions or rape apologia or attacks on the victim) makes it obvious what kind of poster is being engaged with, and how to respond. Whether this is someone just looking for pro-Trump ammo or someone who you can seriously discuss the Democrat strategy with.

Because you can't have a "normal boards.ie debate" with bad faith posters concealing a pro-Trump agenda like that.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122403977#Comment_122403977

This isn’t a Trump thread so I’ve no interest in going down rabbit holes with you answering YOUR questions about Trump - in fact it’s not dissimilar to the approach being taken on the thread - bottom line is Trump and currently Biden are the candidates for the presidential election -

people have a right to post facts and also if they so wish, to praise or criticise either of the campaigns or the candidates themselves

- calling a poster who describes accurately Trumps current position as “ahead in the pols” a rape sympathiser is completely out of order, that’s what this thread is about so you’re not going to start putting preconditions in my way through forcing a series of questions about my motivation for stating that fact - I’ve taken enough sh1t on the official threads without entertaining it here

- I’ve a right to post that without having to answer your “list of questions” - but clearly you have illustrated the problem here- you’re gatekeeping who can and cannot express a view on Trump, even if it’s a simple statement of fact - if you think someone is trolling then report the post - it’s not your job to determine motivation of the poster.

Raichų

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122403388#Comment_122403388

I am not defending trump by any stretch but you are wrong to say he’s a convicted rapist decided by a court of law.

He was convicted in a civil trial not a criminal trial so it’s not really the same thing.

Irrespective of that I wouldn’t agree with calling someone a “rapist supporter” because they think or support the republicans winning the White House in November.

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122404321#Comment_122404321

But I didn't say that.

I said he was a rapist. Statement of fact based on the legal finding of the act of sexual assault he committed.

A civil trial can make findings of fact.

Raichų

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122404329#Comment_122404329

okay and does that fact therefore mean anyone who suggests he is ahead in polls/beating Biden/has a solid chance to win in November make them a supporter of rape?

I don’t think so.

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122404312#Comment_122404312

It is not going down rabbit holes. They are directly relevant questions to the topic under discussion.

If you won't answer such relevant questions to the topic under discussion, you can have no complaints when posters form their own conclusions as to why you refuse to do so, or what is the point of their question.

Trump's ahead in the polls.
Well what discussion do you want to happen?

Trump's ahead in the polls… and how do you feel about that?

Trump's ahead in the polls… would you like the Democrats to change strategy to give them the best chance of beating Trump?

So yes, the motivation of the poster is relevant to the discussion that comes next.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122404338#Comment_122404338

I already told you Here is not the forum to answer those questions- if you wish to ask me those questions ask them on the relevant Trump threads where I’ve posted

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122404344#Comment_122404344

You don't have to answer them here, I pointed them out as the kind of questions you can expect to be asked, questions which are very much in scope of the thread topic and a "X is ahead in the polls" type question.

I would also add, someone declaring they won't answer questions X, Y, Z but only A, B, C - when X, Y, Z are related to the thread topic, that is also a form of setting pre-conditions to a discussion.

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122404335#Comment_122404335

I don't think so either and have said so repeatedly on this thread.

But also:

So no merely pointing to the polls doesnt make you a Trump supporter ok with rape.... it is if you do so with glee and deploy weasel words to defend Trump of rape.

And let's not pretend there aren't such posters on the CA forum, dissembling that they are not Trump supporters. They are a material factor in how the Trump thread plays out.

This content has been removed.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122404607#Comment_122404607

You made the pointed remark that I didn’t reply to you with answers to your questions on Trump - for the final time This thread is about abuse of posters and trolling - it’s obvious where you stand on that topic

The Hill Billy

In fairness, from what I understand from declassified docs recently released - he's not a rapist - he's a child rapist.

Apologies if this is not relevant to site feedback.

Backstreet Moyes

I Would have to agree, reading through the threads is tough.

Anyone who says anything negative about Biden or doesn't abuse Trump is ganged up on by a handful of posters.

I mean I seen people banned for saying Sleepy Joe while posters joking about an attempt on someone's life where an innocent person died are still posting in a thread.

Just because Trump is a scumbag it shouldn't mean the thread should not be moderated.

Quantum Erasure

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122406278#Comment_122406278

I was about to ask were there any admin around at all, because there's three or four threads in the last couple days in helpdesk / feedback that could do with their input, but emm....

drunkmonkey

You can't even directly quote Biden without your post being erased and no warnings given. Mods just deleating what they don't like. It's why I pretty much stay out of any thread the leftie/Biden gang are hovering over waiting to pounce, twist and erase.

E.Jean Carroll is an absolute fruit cake who's story has changed multiple times. I really don't believe her and doubt very much such nonsense would hold up in a fair criminal trial.

As for the revelation he's now a child rapist being allowed float shows exactly what's wrong.

tibruit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058360308/can-we-stop-the-if-you-point-out-republicans-are-ahead-you-re-a-sex-offender-posts-please

Anyone with a brain cell who has even a minimal interest in US politics knows that Trump is leading in the polls. Why do you feel the need to keep repeating it?

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122406680#Comment_122406680

Firstly I never “repeated it” - secondly when I did post in the Trump thread about it posters in addition to calling me a rapist sympathiser completely denied that he was leading - there’s probably still a few now that are in denial - like I said these people don’t let facts get in the way of a good troll

tibruit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122406729#Comment_122406729

You repeated it by starting a new thread about it ffs.

bloopy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122406736#Comment_122406736

This is not a thread about Trump though.

It is a thread about getting pretty serious accusations thrown at you when discussing certain aspects of U.S. politics.

You are able to tell the difference between the two based on context aren't you?

tibruit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122406745#Comment_122406745

Oh I totally get it. I`ve seen the OP in action before on other threads. Likes to get the dig in and then claim innocence afterwards. Classic passive aggressive type. Does this mean I get reported and banned?

bloopy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122406754#Comment_122406754

Reported and banned?

I am not sure if failing to grasp the context of a thread is a bannable offence.

As for OP, the complaint is that they are getting serious accusations thrown at them when discussing American politics. The types of accusations that are usually considered bad forum etiquette on most sites and are discouraged or removed from the conversation. OP complains that this is allowed and ongoing and questions whether it should be.

Does this help to explain to explain the context of this thread, or do you want a more basic explanation.

Whatever beef you have with OP or the former American president is not relevant to the thread query.

paddyisreal

So over 50 percent of American voters are rape sympathisers. Thats the logic some posters are trying to push. Crazy stuff. I didn't know there were over 70 million rape sympathisers in the states.

tibruit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122406775#Comment_122406775

To understand the context of the thread, you have to understand that the OP is a passive aggressive. When he points out that Trump is ahead in the polls, he is really getting a dig in. He gets called out on it by someone calling him a rapist sympathizer, gets upset by that and has to start a whole new thread to claim that he isn`t.

But if you already know the poster is a passive aggressive (and I do), then you know he isn`t really just pointing out a fact for the sake of it. He is getting the old dig in on Trump`s behalf. And if you dig for Trump….well you`re digging for the baggage that goes with him and there`s no use complaining about getting called out on it afterwards.

bloopy

Again. You don't seem to be getting the concept here.

This is not a thread about whether Trump is a great guy or not, nor is it a thread about the failings or otherwise of the OP.

It is a thread about whether serious accusations can be, or should be, thrown around at opponents in what claims to be a civilised discussion forum.

Should there be repercussions or is it a free for all.

And to be honest, it has merit. I have seen some of the goings on over the last week in the assassination thread and I have to say that some of the comments were pretty shocking.

Including many implying that the guy who did die deserved it for being at a rapist sympathiser event.

That is some extreme logic regardless of whether you support it or not.

I don't know if this is what goes on in the other Biden/Trump threads because I am just not interested enough to click into them.

But if it is in any way similar, then it sounds like everyone involved is just splashing about in a septic tank.

tibruit

You have completely failed to comprehend the point I was making. Anyway…

Raichų

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122404617#Comment_122404617

sounds like the rules are being made up as they go along.

So you can point out on a factual basis that trumps ahead in polls and you’re not a rapist supporter

But if you’re perceived to be gleeful about same then you are a rapist supporter.

Astartes

November is going to be really hard for some people lol

bloopy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122406859#Comment_122406859

MMaybe I have.

Is the point that you would like to pretend that calling someone a rapist sympathiser in a debate is anything more than a low brow political jibe?

tibruit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122406894#Comment_122406894

My point is if you enter a toxic discussion to relay a blindingly obvious fact that you know will get one side all riled up, then don`t complain about the name calling afterwards.

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122406868#Comment_122406868

Are you pretending that there aren't rapist supporters on the thread engaging in the tactics that were described?

Are you pretending there isn't tendentious pro-Trump posting going on, under the guise of claiming not to be a Trump supporter?

It is a a dead giveaway when said posters across the forum are never to be found unprompted with criticisms of Trump or defences of a Democrat.

How long have you been following Trump related threads?

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122406850#Comment_122406850

”Splashing about in a septic tank” is a pretty accurate description of all the threads- thanks for the wording. Hence my request for some ground rules or the next 5 months are going to be torture

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122407072#Comment_122407072

There are ground rules of that sort on one particular thread.

So if your posts were on that thread it reflects a lack of enforcement of rules set by mod.

Read the opening post of:

Neutral ground for all your election talk. However some ground rules. This is not a thread for you to say the sort of things that may have got you banned from one or other existing thread covering the 2 candidates. It is not a thread for "Sleepy Joe", "Dementia Donald" or the like. It's not a thread for posters to accuse other posters of "supporting a rapist". It is not a thread to discuss Trump's legal cases - that can be done in the Trump thread. Basic civility is expected.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058346991/biden-v-trump-and-one-or-two-others-the-us-presidential-election-2024-read-op-before-posting

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122406736#Comment_122406736

This thread is about abuse and trolling - I can see with your aggressive tone that the purpose of the thread is lost on you

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122406868#Comment_122406868

and let’s face it, the people who think they own the thread just because they’ve got away with abusing posters before aren’t going to wait around and see which person you are- it’s “rapist sympathiser for the lot of us

tibruit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122407072#Comment_122407072

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122407081#Comment_122407081

You were clearly trolling on the other thread by weaponizing an obvious fact. Classic passive aggression on your part.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122407102#Comment_122407102

you’re just demonstrating what posters are doing on the thread - assuming without asking and then taking on the role of moderating no less your aggressive tone - why don’t you just call me a rapist sympathiser while you’re at it

And “weaponising an obvious fact”?

Jesus your sensitivity towards Trump is certainly way off the scale -

So what are we supposed to do when Trump is in the lead- say nothing? Because just less than a week ago he was in the lead also but that wasn’t accepted by a number of people and instead we got abuse.
I knew someone would arrive on this thread and act just as they have on the threads in question. Thanks .

Quantum Erasure

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122407114#Comment_122407114

I was just looking back at a thread discussing this issue four years ago...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/115215128#Comment_115215128

Raichų

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122407037#Comment_122407037

I’m not doing anything. It’s you who seems convinced that people in support of trump winning the 2024 election are invariably supporters of rape.

bloopy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122406926#Comment_122406926

Oh right. Apologies.

So the point is that all discussions should be reduced to lowest common denominator bickering whenever the opportunity presents itself.

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122407169#Comment_122407169

You're not doing anything? What are your posts then? How would you describe your posts?

You were asked how long you had been following the threads in question...

You didnt answer, as you didnt answer the other relevant questions put to you on the topic.

Have you paid attention to the Trump thread and formed any opinions of your own?

Trump is a rapist. People in support of Trump winning the election have questions to answer re: Trumps conduct towards women. Because it very much looks like condoning rape or being an apologist for it. The rape is not in isolation…there are comments like Grab Em By The Pussy.

A common defence of Trump on the Trump thread is that it wasnt rape under the strict NY definition of it.

Then when put to them that is still a finding of sexual assault... there is either no reply or a repitition of the line ot wasnt rape. No acceptance that it is a valid criticism of Trump, that Jean Carroll is a victim and Trump is wrong to continue defaming her.

Is that someone condoning sexual assault of women? Implicitly it appears to be.

tibruit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122407114#Comment_122407114

"What are we supposed to do when Trump is in the lead-say nothing?"

Why are you on a toxic thread reminding people that Trump is leading in the polls when everyone already knows Trump is leading in the polls? I`ll tell you why. It`s because you are a passive aggressive who likes to rub people up the wrong way, in this case the anti Trumpers.

That`s not such a big deal but then when you get a negative reaction to your trolling you by your own admission report individuals to the mods. Then you start a whole new thread whining about the abuse you got for your trolling, the abuse being that you are a "rapist sympathizer", and how should we deal with these nasty individuals. The irony of it.

I`m not sensitive about Trump. I gave up on the American political shitshow years ago and I don`t remember the last time I contributed to a political thread.

thegame983

Put the poster on your ignore list.

You already know what they're going to say. So what's the point in reading it?

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122407918#Comment_122407918

If you think I’m trolling report my post- I’d be very confident trolling won’t be found -butI know no ordinary poster would be “outraged” by anything I’ve posted in this thread/ in fact many have agreed with me- so you’re now in the minority- how does that feel?
outraged maybe?

This thread is about trolling and abuse- I started this thread- about trolling and abuse/ and you’ve been abusing me in this thread— ironic isn’t it- I know by your “outrage” that really you’re just afraid of your own posting style will be found out which is obvious here on this thread- keep going!

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122407168#Comment_122407168

thanks for the history lesson- so what you’re saying is I’m on a hiding to nothing with this thread? Ok, I hear ya! Thanks 👍

tibruit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122408040#Comment_122408040

I don`t know why you are putting "outrage" in inverted commas. I never used the word. But I do know that you are a serial passive aggressive troller and I suspect that you regularly report people who react to you. I`ve never reported anybody over the years even though I`ve been abused and even threatened. Unlike you I can give it and take it.