Politics on BallOfSpray

[Horton]

We currently live in a hyper politicized culture. It seems like everything is politics. Personally, I spend every free moment listening to news from across the political spectrum. It is unlikely that any of you are paying more attention that I am. I get it. Everything is politics and everything is divisive. For many of you these political issues are emotional and are the core of what matters to you every day. If you want to scream, I understand because I want to scream also but not here.

 

This web site is about water skiing, water skiers and the water skiing lifestyle. The purpose of banning non-water ski related politics is protect conversations about skiing from the constant bickering of democrat vs republican vs libertarians vs whatever. The liberals think the conservatives are full of shit and the conservatives thing the liberals are full of shit. None of this is news.

 

I see no reason to depreciate this forum by letting a few of you to scream insults at each other.

 

[vtmecheng]

 

[The_MS]

Fake news

[Horton]

I know I am going to regret this....

 

Ok @The_MS why do water ski topics have to be commingled with national politics? Why must national politics permeate every conversation?

 

[The_MS]

It sucks that Safe Sport is politically charged but it’s government lobbyist’s that muddy it up. The USOC is also government. Any time you have government involved, it will get political.

[Wish]

How can politics not get mentioned here.

Just think of the time when government was trying to do a work around where they suggest ALL bodies of water were connected beneath the soil in some way that if you even had low land that collected water let alone a having a private lake, the government would have authority over your private property as it “ties into” federal water ways. By the way, that was stopped by the previous administration. It may come back if we don’t pay attention and post those political items here.

[dthate]

@Wish you are correct, and the woman just confirmed to head the Bureau of Land Management, by the Let's go Brandon administration has a history of tree spiking to shut down the timber business, with views and actions like that, they are very likely coming back for the "waters of the US" which can mean water standing on your property can become federal property. So you can be mandated to do whatever they they want with no recourse. That has and will effect waterskiers!

[Horton]

@dthate are you trying to piss me off? do you want me to ban you from the site? I'm sick of this shit.

[Horton]

@Wish when there is a bureau of Land management stories that directly impacts water skiers then it's relevant.

[Keith_Menard]

I was surprised to see the electric boat thread shut down...was that because it got political or repetitive?

[ScottScott]

There's a difference between debating the political issues and painting conservative or liberals with a broad stroke, and certainly using politically charged slogans to do this painting. Specifics about the good or bad in policies that effect water-skiing would be ok if it weren't for the extreme left vs right mud slinging......as is evident in just 2 posts.....that just can't seem to happen.

[6balls]

Then dump the safesport thread

[klindy]

@horton I’ve advocated for years for USAWSWS to make the WOTUS issues their #2 most important topic (membership growth and retention is #1). What @dthate and @Wish are saying is COMPLETELY relevant! I was directly involved in some of the political/environmental actions over the past few years and I assure you it’s a FAR FAR bigger threat than the vast majority of people realize (I include you in the uneducated masses). Currently USAWSWS basically “outsources” the effort and monitoring of the situation to the WSIA. That’s ok but we should have someone (committee?) assigned to monitor and engage AND we should have regular, frequent and transparent reporting on what’s happening.

 

Tangent and included in the above is knowing where all the slalom courses and jumps are in the US. It includes knowing which states or congressional districts are under pressure or at risk. It includes monitoring lawsuits and other legislative proposals to restrict water access and use AND actively supporting those who oppose restrictions. And it includes permit support and guidance for those who want a slalom course or jump on public water.

 

You’re right … there are politics in this issues. But it’s important.

[A_B]

“One of the penalties of refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.”

― Plato

 

My take on the New Green Deal is that it could very well extend into our little niche of the world with lake restrictions, taxes and restrictions on gas, etc.. (cow farts people)

 

There already is a category designated politics, but also includes rules and other issues. Maybe this could be a politics/regulations category where skiers and lake owners can post problems encountered that could resrict or negatively impact our sport? People could share experiences and talk about what they tried to do to prevent or modify proposed restritctions and successes or failures.

 

I am no Plato, but I never paid much attention to politics, but as I have gotten older, I am growing concerned about the direction this country is headed and the limitations it may have on my kids and their kids, to enjoy the freedoms and experiences I have had.

[Horton]

@A_B any number of policies from any administration could impact the water ski community. The vast majority of the readers of this web site are disinterested in all of that until it literally impacts them.

[skispray]

It’s not unreasonable to deal with real, relevant political issues as they relate to water skiing without dragging the conversation into the decisive mud of everyday partisan politics. There’s a big difference between discussing proposed legislation that would materially impact water access and slinging mud about masks, taxes, immigration, or whatever other political topic. The former should be welcomed on this site, the latter shouldn’t be allowed. If you don’t think there’s a difference, then you are probably too intellectually lazy to be having political discussions in the first place.

 

We can’t have a civilized, fraternal message board that focuses on skiing but that also allows free range political discourse. It just isn’t possible in times like these, so if you’re advocating for all political discourse on this forum you need to be careful what you wish for, because this place is the way it is now largely because that stuff isn’t welcome.

[dthate]

@Horton my humble apologies for throwing the "let's go" thing in, it was intended for humor, it came across as cynical. If we let go of the left / right fright it was enormously funny how that came about.

 

And since you own this site, and govern it well, I respect your right to do so.

I will try to keep it between the lines.

 

The rest is real, and relevant.

 

As @klindy stated it's "FAR FAR bigger threat than the vast majority of people realize"

 

The "waters of the US" is a real issue, I was burned on a significant ski hole development project years ago, it still bothers me and it should concern all who enjoy water-sports.

 

 

 

[vtmecheng]

Here’s the real problem, the no political discussion rule must be applied to all. That means someone who has been here for years and can ski into 39.5 is held to the same standards as someone at 22 off. Skiing well or having lots of posts can’t mean leniency.

[Higleyskier]

Thank you Horton. Framing everything as good or evil, nefarious or righteous is for the hysterical. The Chicken Little News outlet gets very boring, very fast…

[75Tique]

OK, I won't say anything about the fact that last year a ski outing cost me $10 and this year it costs me $16.

 

[Horton]

@75Tique yes the price of fuel is an issue but as soon as you frame it as politics how not going to degrade into "your party did this and that party did that... and everyone who thinks one way is stupid"?

 

I can't say this enough times.... the goal keep the subject on skiing. As soon as things get political it becomes just an screaming match. The goal is to prevent politics from dividing skiers. You have the rest of the internet to shit post about politics. Facebook and twitter are there for you if you want to argue.

[75Tique]

@Horton Just being a wise guy. I am fully, 100% on board with your policy. Think about how silly those conversations get. "Well now that you put it that way, why of course your childish unending rants, insults, totally baseless assertions and name calling have convinced me I was politically wrong, so of course I will change my vote next time" said no one on the internet ever.

 

[Wish]

Are we not talking about things that require a vote to change??

 

Gas prices

Lakes/land being confiscated

Mandates

 

Opinions, thought, feelings drive votes. Votes = change in many cases that directly affect skiing.. If not expressed, it’s just a list of facts. Now lowering the dialogue to name calling and/or innuendos is just immature and does not belong.

[ALPJr]

An Okeeheelee in every state! That’d be my political platform.

[morfoot]

Politics are in EVERYTHING. People used to escape to TV and sports to get away from all things Conservative or Liberal. Now even Pro Sports and TV shows are dragging political views into the fold. I've cut the cable cord, refuse to watch Pro Sports and even TV as a whole. Thankfully those in the watersports industry have kept politics out of it and the minute they do I'm done with them too. The last thing I wanna do is come on a forum that is all about the sport I love to participate, watch and learn from is to see it get political. There are plenty of other forums to do so just don't bring it here. Thanks Horton for keeping politics out of this forum. You wanna be Liberal...be Liberal...You wanna be Conservative be Conservative... If you're on Lanier I'll be happy to give you a pull regardless of what side of the fence you're on and then we can discuss who is right or wrong on what on this or that over an adult beverage. I obsolutely DETEST Politics in sports and this one should be no different.

[lpskier]

The following is an example of the type of poll NOT allowed on BOS:

 

Who is the G.O.A.T?

 

1. Nate Smith

2. Andy Mapple

3. Bob LaPoint

4. Sean Hannity

 

Please do not post polls such as this in the future. If polls like this do appear, please don’t vote. No, well, we want you to vote in general, just don’t discuss your vote, or the reasons for your vote, or the fact that you voted, here on BOS. We have clearly voted to have no discussions of voting while all in the same vote…, er,… boat together.

 

Which brings me to my second point, the new BOS motto: “Boat early and boat often.” I think that sums up our combined attitudes and interests nicely!

 

Sincerely,

 

~The Management~