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Darat · 15th August 2007, 08:02 AM

Welcome to the new "Social Issues & Current Events" section. This section used to be part of the old "Politics, Current Events & Social Issues" section.

It had been suggested quite a few times that we look at splitting the "Politics, Current Events & Social Issues" so we've taken the plunge and decided to trial this split.

What this section should now primarily be about is discussing social issues (and current events) using the tools of critical thinking and skepticism. some example from recent threads would include discussions about the social implications of issues such as abortions, universal health care, gay marriage, patriotism and wrongful arrests or convictions as well as the discussion of current events like disasters.

Of course many subjects could be both a political and social or political and a current event however that's true for many of the other sections of the Forum so we don't expect to be able to create a black and white clear distinction between the two split sections.

We are going to leave the majority of the old "Politics, Current events & Social Issues" in the new "Politics" section but will start to move some of the more recent threads that are now more suitable for this section here.

Thanz · 15th August 2007, 08:26 AM

I think that my thread that just got moved here on homophobia in Brazilian soccer is a good example of a thread that should be in this forum. But I have a quick question: where is it more appropriate to put some of the oft debated topics like gun control or abortion? Does it depend on the impetus for the thread - for example, if a new law was passed on gun ownership it is "politics" but if an example is posted from the news on a little old lady shooting an intruder, it goes here?

Darat · 15th August 2007, 08:31 AM

I'd agree with your examples - another one I would use is to consider "global warming". We've had discussion about that in both the old "Politics..." section and in "Science..." and both were appropriate for each section because sometimes there can be many facets to the same issue.

Cain · 15th August 2007, 09:39 PM

Let us be clear: since this is a trial run members can help dissolve this forum by boycotting it, correct?

David Swidler · 15th August 2007, 09:50 PM

Ooh, that's an idea for a new feature: "Ignore" entire subfora.

rjh01 · 17th August 2007, 01:45 AM

It is not a new feature, you can ignore sub forums now. Just do not go into them. Also you can set new posts to ignore certain sub forums.

I expect the number of posts made in this sub forum + the politics sub forum to be more than the old sub forum. Something to look out for in the statistics.

15th August 2007, 08:02 AM	#1
Darat Lackey Administrator / JREF Forum Liaison Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 64,974	About this section Welcome to the new "Social Issues & Current Events" section. This section used to be part of the old "Politics, Current Events & Social Issues" section. It had been suggested quite a few times that we look at splitting the "Politics, Current Events & Social Issues" so we've taken the plunge and decided to trial this split. What this section should now primarily be about is discussing social issues (and current events) using the tools of critical thinking and skepticism. some example from recent threads would include discussions about the social implications of issues such as abortions, universal health care, gay marriage, patriotism and wrongful arrests or convictions as well as the discussion of current events like disasters. Of course many subjects could be both a political and social or political and a current event however that's true for many of the other sections of the Forum so we don't expect to be able to create a black and white clear distinction between the two split sections. We are going to leave the majority of the old "Politics, Current events & Social Issues" in the new "Politics" section but will start to move some of the more recent threads that are now more suitable for this section here.
	__________________ If it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart? - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn 1918-2008

15th August 2007, 08:26 AM	#2
Thanz Fuzzy Thinker Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Centre of the Universe Posts: 3,850	I think that my thread that just got moved here on homophobia in Brazilian soccer is a good example of a thread that should be in this forum. But I have a quick question: where is it more appropriate to put some of the oft debated topics like gun control or abortion? Does it depend on the impetus for the thread - for example, if a new law was passed on gun ownership it is "politics" but if an example is posted from the news on a little old lady shooting an intruder, it goes here?
	__________________ "I am totally with Thanz on this one." -- Yahzi

15th August 2007, 08:31 AM	#3
Darat Lackey Administrator / JREF Forum Liaison Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 64,974	I'd agree with your examples - another one I would use is to consider "global warming". We've had discussion about that in both the old "Politics..." section and in "Science..." and both were appropriate for each section because sometimes there can be many facets to the same issue.
	__________________ If it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart? - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn 1918-2008

15th August 2007, 09:39 PM	#4
Cain Straussian Join Date: May 2002 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 7,004	Let us be clear: since this is a trial run members can help dissolve this forum by boycotting it, correct?
	__________________ *Arrested Development* is coming back! Michael (to GOB): Get rid of the Seaward. Lucille: I’ll leave when I’m good and ready.

17th August 2007, 01:45 AM	#6
rjh01 Gentleman of leisure Tagger Join Date: May 2005 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 17,319	It is not a new feature, you can ignore sub forums now. Just do not go into them. Also you can set new posts to ignore certain sub forums. I expect the number of posts made in this sub forum + the politics sub forum to be more than the old sub forum. Something to look out for in the statistics.
	__________________ dddffffpppqqqq Want to use your computer for something that will make society better? See this thread for details Folding@home

15th August 2007, 09:50 PM	#5
David Swidler Carrot Mohel Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Right here, obviously. Posts: 8,302	Ooh, that's an idea for a new feature: "Ignore" entire subfora.