Posts by Drew Brooks8

If there was hate speech based on nationality—and let’s be real, there was—they should have just scrubbed those posts and banned the trolls. That’s how this works.🤷Instead, they just shut the whole thing down.🙄

Me, jationa, and Justin Allen17 tried to start a new chat thread over in the off-topic section, but they shut us down too. I’m asking again, just like jationa already did:

Are we all being branded for life because one single chat thread went off the rails? Are everyone who participated in that chat now permanently stigmatized and banned from ever joining another one? Does it mean nobody who was part of that conversation has the right to join any other chat ever again? If that isn't the case—if we haven't actually lost our right to hang out in off-topic threads—then someone please explain: how are we supposed to open a new chat thread without getting punished?

Let me make this short and simple:
why am I not allowed to start a thread in the off-topic section?

Frank Cruz2 said:The first chat thread got shut down because your own crowd buried it under a mountain of retarded, chauvinistic outbursts. It all hit a breaking point when I stumbled upon posts from one of them proving they’re just a professional troll, exactly like zabbbok said.☕
So, the mods decided the chat can't exist because a few people can't control themselves or hold a decent conversation. But seriously, why should everyone else suffer just because two users can't act like adults? Just penalize those two specifically instead of punishing the whole community for such a tiny group. Targeting individual bad actors is the right way to go—not this collective punishment nonsense.👍

Exactly. Because of Johnny and Mario and their pathetic vocabulary🙄, the chat is just going to be dragged through other threads on the USA forum, assuming anyone actually feels like writing anything at all.

And one more thing. Ignoring the 72.31% of people who actually wanted a chat section on the USA board is just senseless. If you admins think this is justified, then honestly, just shut down these three threads right now if we're going to be fair.🤷
It all started with what D@din said...

I have this urge to moderate your political threads, but when it comes to football or waving flags, I'm not interested in getting involved—nor do I care. If you want to talk about that stuff, I suggest we just start an off-topic thread for flags and sports, and talk there instead.

I wouldn't even bother moderating a chat like that. Maybe I'd step in for threats or doxxing, but otherwise? It’s the kind of stuff you wouldn't even tolerate at your local American dive bar—mostly just freedom to poke fun at each other and mock things.

Please, weigh in here.

Edit: I'm not talking about some crazy house; I'm talking about a single thread. A thread for flags, for games, for greetings, safe travels, birthday wishes, Eurovision, and all that other junk you usually drag through politics that isn't actually political.

There is massive dissatisfaction with how the USA subforum is being moderated, and it's been going on for a while. With this decision, you're once again ignoring the will of the majority. You administrators and moderators are the ones responsible for the downfall of the USA board. Except for D@de, because she's the only one who actually lowered herself to the level of an average forum user.👍

Bellwether
There is no democracy here. It never has been, and it never will be. Decisions aren't made by a majority vote on this forum. The decision to let a chat thread live or die rests solely with the site administration.

Look, the admins and mods allowed a thread with over 100 pages to exist in the first place.☕
Even the whole idea and initiative came from the moderators themselves.👍

So what happened? Why the sudden U-turn on the decision?🤷
They shouldn't have permitted it then, especially since there are three similar threads over on Crazy.
Just your standard chat room stuff.
NYC-Chicago-LA, nothing but good vibes!

Leftist Coffee House - the democratic corner.

Conservatives talking food - while the leftists get screwed.

That's fine there, but apparently not here on the USA forum. Why?
Because we aren't "chat material," right?

So what now? 🤷What are the 47 of us who voted YES supposed to do—boycott the USA forum, which is basically on life support anyway?

Brian Edwards78 said:Errrrm, what exactly is stopping those three permanently banned users from just making new accounts? 😕

Principles, I guess. 🤷

George Martinez5 said:👍

I really wish we could get back to the "golden age" of this forum—let’s say, the last six months before the trolls took over. Back then, the discussions actually meant something. There was plenty of smart stuff to read along with some genuinely funny posts. Honestly, you could have used that PDF instead of checking the news sites... political updates and hot topics were posted regularly, paired with actual quality commentary. I'm hoping it hasn't all gone downhill, but if it has, there is one way out... though I'll save that for later.

Yeah, me too. I miss the old days of Yugoslavia 😢when we actually got along. Now? It's a total disaster...
And mods, please don't lock this thread. Let us find a solution together.

George Martinez5 said:My take? The moderators over on the main Politics board don't have nearly enough background—history, politics, you name it—regarding Canada, Mexico, or the rest of the old Yugoslavia. Honestly, they don't even get the vibe. They don't understand the specific way people debate, compete, or just mess around in those circles outside the current US borders.

I think the fix is simple: hire more mods who actually hang out in the Yugoslavia threads. (As far as I can tell, Frank is the only one really active there.)

I'm with you. First off, there's a massive lack of knowledge—it's obvious, or at least it’s obvious to me. Second, we have moderators who haven't even made a single post in the Yugoslavia section. That's a huge mistake. A moderator should be one of our own, someone who actually contributes to the discussions. If they were part of the community, they'd understand the writing style, the banter, and they'd actually know whether a post deserves a ban or a deletion.
It's sad, but if nothing changes, I think the Yugoslavia section is finished.

George Martinez5 said:This PDF shows a massive drop in active users and new threads over the last few weeks. Between the irrational, heavy-handed deletion of posts and entire threads, we're losing all our best contributors.

Look, there was a period of total chaos here, and yeah, someone had to step in. But this? This is way too much... I’ve basically stopped participating entirely because why waste my damn time writing detailed replies when you know they'll probably just get nuked anyway?

We need to stay focused on banning clones and trolling, but for the love of God, try to stop deleting entire discussion threads.

Also, the mods need to develop some thicker skin and show a little tolerance for heated debates (as long as they don't cross the line). You don't have to call a foul on every single interaction.

Exactly.👍 Every other thread gets shut down.🙄We have more locked threads than active ones. The old guard from the Yugoslavia days is practically gone—you could count them on one hand. They left, sign-ups are at rock bottom, and what's the point in writing anything if the topic is just going to be closed regardless?🤷

On top of that, I’m calling on the admin team to lift those permanent bans. Start with Constantinople (who's been banned from politics for months), the Inquisitor, and the Bond pass!

Regarding what George Martinez5 wrote, we predicted this would happen months ago. And here we are. The old Yugoslavia era of this place is dying.

Maybe we should start implementing a "topic-specific ban" as a preliminary step before a full

account ban. It would actually cut down on the number of threads being 🤷 locked just because

some bored people decide to spend their day wrecking discussions...

It’d also kill off the complaints, since a user wouldn't be able to post in that specific thread—it acts as a clear

warning that they're trolling and ruining the conversation. Honestly, those little warnings and badges for trolling are pretty much useless...

Kimberly Fowler5 said:I am proud of my heritage and what I stand for, and I will carry that identity with me until the day I die!!

😕
Wait, didn't you guys say there weren't any more extremists left in America?🤷

"Quote:"

Terry Walker74 said:If you ever take a moment to flip through a church calendar and scan the list of the most serious sins, you’ll notice right at the very top:pride. Now, pride is really just another way of saying we're being full of ourselves, and if you look at how certain languages describe being proud, it all points back to that same ego. It's basically this deep-seated tendency to sit around and absolutely marvel at our own status. I always find myself thinking about Jesus' parable involving the Pharisee and the tax collector, because it's such a perfect illustration! You have this Pharisee who is basically standing there in his prayer, thanking God that he's exactly who he is—this super pious guy who definitely isn't like that tax collector praying right next to him. But then you have the tax collector, who is just pouring his heart out, repenting and asking for forgiveness because he knows he's a sinner. And guess what? Jesus actually praised the tax collector's prayer!
So, my big takeaway here is that no matter what we manage to pull off, whether it's as individuals or working together as a group, we really need to hold onto the awareness that none of us are perfect. Sure, we can celebrate the amazing things other people do, but when we start getting too impressed with ourselves, it’s a sign of some pretty serious character flaws. Personally, I think having dignity is a much better way to live; it’s about having that humility to accept both our wins and our losses, and staying committed to doing the right thing even when life tries to pull us in a dozen different directions.
So yeah, let's just leave that pride behind us. 🙂

Actually, research suggests that more religious countries tend to lean harder into national pride.🤷
"Quote:"

Most Europeans seem to suffer from this weird combo where they have zero faith in God and absolutely no pride in their own country. It’s a strange way to live. Back in 2000, that GfK agency out of Washington, D.C. ran a public opinion poll asking Americans how they viewed the U.S. compared to other nations. If you boil the whole thing down, it’s pretty bleak: 44% of people thought the U.S. was just an average country, 32% felt we were actually worse than others, and a measly 21% thought we were better. The U.S., Ireland, and Poland all sat at the top of those rankings. It brings to mind what Huntington argues in his book *Who Are We?*—basically, Catholicism is a cornerstone of Irish and Polish national identity, while that whole Protestant dissent movement is what really shaped the American identity.

Look, it’s basic psychology: you can't really love someone else if you haven't figured out how to love yourself first. It's a prerequisite. If you don't have that foundation, you're never going to inspire any real belief or trust in the people around you.
Looking at the data, it’s pretty much the same old story: almost every nation in these surveys ranks itself as the absolute best on the planet. There are barely any exceptions to this massive ego trip. Only three groups didn't put themselves at the top. Germans actually placed themselves fourth—trailing behind Canadians, Swedes, and Australians. Then you've got the Poles and the French, both of whom seem to have an even higher opinion of Canadians than they do of themselves.
The author makes a point that Italians actually know exactly who they are, and honestly? They seem perfectly fine with it. It’s not some identity crisis. And you can see the payoff right there in the brand index rankings—basically everyone is more than happy to show some love to their brands.

"Quote:"

The "You Are America!" campaign is a textbook example of how to run a national drive aimed at boosting self-awareness and civic pride. The whole point was to shift the national mood—to actually lift people up and spark some genuine patriotism. It’s about motivating everyday citizens and government officials alike to step up, take ownership of their roles, and finally start pulling their weight to ensure the future of the country.

Bryan Fisher said:Way to go, Snow White—this topic is absolutely fantastic 🙂..and I have to say, I’m loving your signature style!!! 😉

I feel such a deep sense of pride in Canada, despite everything we've had to weather—especially over the last 14 or 15 years. We're still out here trying to live normal lives... or at least, we're doing our best to make that happen. There is so much beauty to celebrate in places like Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh,... and all our other great cities, from the charm of Old Town to the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. I'm honestly so proud of our diverse cultures and faiths; there’s a certain spirit people carry—no matter what they've been through, they always manage to find a silver lining. And don't even get me started on the talent we have—whether it's music, football, or anything else... I could go on about that until sunrise!!! 😉

Thanks, Bohemian_88🙂
You guys really do have plenty to be proud of👍

Jeremy Diaz9 said:Does that specifically worry you, or am I just overthinking things?
Well, since you’re really going to hold me to my word on that one...
Someone out there promoting Hamas really has no business being on a forum like this, let alone trying to lecture anyone else on what's right or wrong.

It doesn't bother me. But at least I actually post in the old America subforum, whereas you haven't shown up there once, yet here you are, commenting...

Jeremy Diaz9 said:Honestly, it might be smarter if you just kept quiet...
And I have no idea why the Admins and mods allow a custom user title like that....
Hamas is a terrorist organization.
Amen!

You really feel the need to weigh in on absolutely everything, don't you?🙄

@walther-P38 and Easternborder ii Aman
Seriously, give it a rest with Operation Storm, and you lot too with Auschwitz—just drop it already.🙄

William Gonzalez said:When it comes to any kind of slur, just hand out bans for harassment to everyone, no exceptions.

Exactly, Condi. But first, we seriously need to clear the air, especially with the moderators... specifically regarding the old America subforum. We need a real standard for what counts as an insult and what doesn't, because right now, people are just manipulating the rules to suit themselves.

William Gonzalez said:I love spotting raw talent when I see it.

Journalism is what keeps public discourse ethical and preserves the values of a civilized society. Honestly, seeing how you tackle such engaging topics, I’ve been thinking lately that you should really start writing a column for a magazine or an online outlet. With your knack for deep research and all those killer ideas, it would be a perfect way to get your voice out there.

Forget about me, Conrad. I'm not interested in those waters. Just tell me this: how proud are you of Boston?😉

To everyone living in the US, Mexico, Canada, North Mexico, Canada, or Mexico... what actually makes you proud?

What’s the big draw for your country?
National pride, specifically?
Is it the history, the landscapes...? What does your nation actually stand for?
What's your "brand"?

A country's image is tied directly to how its people act. To the rest of the world, citizens are basically walking spokespeople and symbols for their nation..

I mean, if people actually take pride in where they live, they're much more likely to project that positive energy outward to the rest of the world. 🤷

granitemarlin77 said:I made it crystal clear what needs to happen immediately if we want to restore some shred of dignity to the politics section because this whole thing has become a joke, not to mention the Mad House.
Usually, I don't go around insulting people, and I definitely don't stoop to swearing at forum users like that.
If I actually treated you that way, rest assured, you earned it.
But this thread isn't about you and me, so back off.

Look, I agree that the politics section has been a total train wreck over the last few months. 🤷
And "you don't stoop to that level"? Please. Now that there aren't any actual topics to talk about, it's easy for you to act high and mighty with your vocabulary...

"Earned it," 🙄 please, give me a break. You attacked me, not the other way around, and I didn't say a single personal thing to you... so since you're clearly feeling privileged by the moderators, don't start complaining now...
Anyway, I agree with you—let's stop wasting this topic so the other users with a clean conscience can actually share their thoughts...

Here's my suggestion, Hroboatos

@granitemarlin77

So you're going to sit there and complain about the mods and certain users...🙄So, you're coming for me now?

He was just hurling insults and swearing at me, all because I wasn't born in America.🤷And now you're sitting here whining? You weren't even there.

Got a red card so hard I can't even swear about it. The whole topic just vanished like magic... yeah, right.

Would you even bother picking up the cardboard?🤷
Give me a break...

As for driftingdriver—he didn't spend enough time in the moderator seat for us to even begin judging whether he’d be any good at it today.

Posmatrač is actually pretty great...👍

Maybe the issue isn't actually how many moderators we have on staff. It might just be that they spend way too much time obsessing over politics. If they don't have the bandwidth to deal with it, then honestly? Just let them step down from moderation.