The Nazis were able to commit their atrocities because they successfully and systematically narrowed the circle of who they defined as human beings. That cold, dark corner of the human soul—where people first strip away understanding, then empathy, and finally the very label of humanity from another person—was certainly not unique to Nazi Germany. The impulse toward dehumanization has surfaced throughout history, and it was precisely this drive that the authors of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights UN sought to restrain.
This model of a controlled society—characterized by censorship, where Putin brainwashes Russians and feeds them nonsense about how the West wants to tear Russia apart, extending all the way to the "killing" of rights, freedom of speech, and the liquidation of journalists and regime critics—is modern-day Putinism.
He, Putin, claims to be fighting Nazism, when in reality, he is the Nazi. He exerts total control and keeps the regime gripped tightly in his fist. Corruption, nepotism, arbitrary rule, and orchestrated liquidations of those against the regime. That is the modern Nazism being carried out by Putin.
George Robinson43 said:Listen, folks, I’ve been part of this forum since its very inception, and looking back at the absolute lunatics we used to have to moderate, Andrew is practically a saint. Is he biased? In my book, he isn't. Is he quick to hand out bans? Absolutely. But if you think moderation works without the team agreeing on the rules beforehand, you're mistaken. I personally caught heat from him about 10 to 15 times a year, yet in over 20 years, I can't recall being truly livid more than five times. Then again, I likely earned those penalties by following his specific criteria.
In my opinion, Andrew as a user? He's bottom of the barrel. Just your typical Russian bot and a long-time spreader of FBI propaganda. Andrew as a moderator? He's alright. Like I said, there have been plenty of people much worse and far more heavy-handed.
Well described and worth listening to. Nobody is declaring AndrewX fearsome. This is an open space because a massive amount of discontent has brewed up.
He is a moderator. He makes decisions. They aren't always justified, and that’s exactly what we are discussing here. Nothing more than that. Nobody is infallible.
If he leans toward Russia, that’s his business. He has a right to his own views, but the whole point of a forum is to hear both sides. It’s all subjective, so everyone should be able to say what they want.
My focus is on retaining users, because many people simply leave the site when they feel their opinions can't influence the communication standards. That needs to be avoided. The primary goal should be to build the community, not scatter it.
I’ve also been banned multiple times. Fine. But truly, in many instances, it was completely unwarranted.
If we accept that the war in Ukraine is essentially a bipolar conflict—one where heated arguments naturally erupt due to opposing viewpoints—then those clashes shouldn't be viewed as a burden on this forum. Instead, they should be seen as its greatest strength. Vibrant, high-energy debate is exactly what we need. The moderator’s role should be limited strictly to policing insults and threats; beyond that, they ought to let the debate live and breathe on its own.
I should also point out that looking through various threads, I haven't seen any actual hostility that would cause concern, which speaks volumes about the civilized nature of this community.
What does sadden me, however, is the collective outcry regarding how frequently topics and posts are being deleted.
This is an attempt at fostering better mutual understanding. The primary objective of the following content is simple: to improve communication between the community members and the moderation team. There is absolutely no need for tension or unnecessary conflict here. This is merely an effort to see what can be achieved to ensure everyone’s experience on this forum remains pleasant and productive.
Naturally, the motivation behind starting this thread stems from the "War in Ukraine" discussion. Specifically, the deletion of threads and posts that I authored, which were subsequently removed by the moderator. The decision rests solely with him, and it was executed without any prior consultation—only a notification of an infraction was issued. That is, according to the rules, part of how the forum operates.
However, the argument frequently fails to favor the authority figures, namely the moderators. Furthermore, there is no way to restore those deleted threads or posts. They are gone for good.
The same goes for interventions within threads that stifle active discussion—which, arguably, is the very best part of forum life.
This isn't exclusively a critique of the moderator AndrewX; he does his job to the best of his ability, and in many ways, he is exhausted, struggling to balance everyone's expectations. We are all human, and we tend to react instantly whenever we spot a nickname we dislike, treating every thread or post from such individuals with suspicion or dismissing them outright without the chance to defend ourselves.
Being a moderator is an incredibly demanding and complex role. There is no doubt about that. But if that is the case, why shouldn't users have some influence over a moderator who inevitably makes mistakes? Why is it impossible to change a moderator, or perhaps implement a two-moderator system for certain sections to ensure a balance of decisions?
As for my specific criticisms regarding the moderator AndrewX, they are reasoned and, in my view, entirely justified. I will highlight just two examples:
1. The Baltic and the invasion of Ukraine (this thread was deleted despite the existence of several other threads titled with countries and the war in Ukraine).
2. The thread concerning peace negotiations for Ukraine was locked, even though it makes sense for it to remain open.
I am fully aware that I am not particularly fond of the moderator AndrewX due to the opening of threads that he then decided to delete, but is it truly possible that every single one of them was invalid, simply because a group formed and started a debate?
Is it really necessary to impose censorship at every turn just to maintain so-called "law and order" on the forum? Moderators may make decisions based on fatigue or a lack of focus, which is completely understandable. However, that is exactly why we are here: to improve our relationship. So that this forum can be a place for gathering, rather than a site for constant evacuation.
Word on the street is this is actually the eighth package, according to some reports. Who can even keep track anymore? Still, you don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
I am all for every single package they drop. But I’ll go a step further: we need to hit those Russian millionaires and billionaires where it actually hurts. These people are loyal to Putin because he's the one who handed them their fortunes on a silver platter. It is high time we take that away from them by freezing and blocking every single one of their accounts. Whether it's holdings in Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Macau, Panama, or the U.S. Virgin Islands—we need to strike at the ultra-wealthy Russians. They are the ones with enough leverage to finally stop Putin, who is clearly going to see this through to the bitter end. Taking out this madman isn't just an option; it is a absolute necessity.
Sanctions must be sustained and ramped up to the absolute extreme against Russia’s ultra-wealthy oligarch class.
We need to freeze their assets, block them entirely, and if necessary, temporarily seize their property or redistribute it to new owners just to tighten the noose around Vladimir Putin. These Russian elites have to find a way to get rid of Vladimir Putin. Their wealth should remain frozen or confiscated for as long as Vladimir Putin remains in power or stays alive.
That is the sole purpose of sanctions. Eliminate Vladimir Putin.
Is an attack on Volhynia actually on the cards? Word is the SVR is looking to cut off the supply lines providing both weapons and personnel to Ukraine.
Nancy Gomez26 said:There will be more of this, assuming the Russians don't cut off the gas supply before everything can actually be manufactured on schedule.
That is some high-level wit right there... Nice one, my friend..
It won't be the first time Russia has dug its own grave. It's practically a tradition for them at this point.
The brave and bold Slovak government has dispatched S-300 systems..
Ursula von der Leyen was in Kyiv..
Meanwhile, our own cowards, led by that weakling Plenković, aren't sending any weapons or equipment, nor are they even showing their faces in public.. Disgusting! Absolute cowards!
Bryan Booth82 said:Oh, they are sending plenty—they just aren't making a big scene about it. LP
The bottom line is this: Ukraine needs to be getting intelligence, specifically satellite data on Russian movements. Once they successfully disrupt communications, then they can actually strike at the intended targets.
Carl Lee27 said:Hey everyone, hope you're all having a great day! 🙂 - It looks like following the Czech lead, the Poles are now sending over some T-72s too. - The Czechs aren't stopping there either; they're also sending out BM-21s and Strela systems. - Meanwhile, the Slovaks have already sent their S-300s. - And as for the UK, on top of sending armored vehicles and even more NLAWs, it actually sounds like they might be prepping to send some AS-90s very soon.
Interesting... the Czechs and Slovaks are actually sending weapons... While the Frenchmen, Germans, Dutchmen, Norwegians, Italians, Austrians, Swiss, Spaniards, Danes, Swedes, Finns, and Canadians... what on earth are they sending?!!
I don't see the point in focusing on armor... That kind of thing requires fuel resources that we are rapidly running out of... It would be far more important to deliver mobile air defense systems and anti-tank weaponry instead. That is where the priority should be.
Morgan Wright5 said:I mean, as if anyone would actually try to go up against heavy armor with a Barrett right now. It’s clearly meant for much more serious targets than that.
Fine. But it’s still useful for urban combat.. It can be used to tear apart the Russian logistics and infrastructure.. I’m not expecting entire convoys to go up in flames, but I would love to see every third Russian tank get absolutely wrecked...That would be beautiful.
Carl Lee27 said:Can you believe this? Canada just kicked out a whopping 33 "diplomats" from Russia—and that’s out of a total of only 41 people! Apparently, the Russian embassy over there was absolutely packed, carrying way more staff than even China or the USA.
I’m hoping NATO actually followed through on delivering that set of Barrett M82 rifles. Anti-tank weaponry is absolutely critical right now. It completely guts the enemy's morale.