Request for clarification - Moderator Chuck

Is this title okay?

State-sponsored discrimination against men in America

Just so we’re all on the same page regarding what counts as an acceptable topic versus what crosses the line into being outright toxic, I guess I'll provide an example of a permissible subject:

I’ve been sitting here thinking about this whole dynamic between New Yorkers and everyone else in the States, and I guess there isn't really a perfect way to put it, but it's kind of a thing, isn't it? You have that specific New Yorker energy—that fast-paced, slightly abrasive, very distinct way of moving through the world—and then you have the rest of the country, which feels like a completely different universe sometimes. It’s funny how people try to draw lines, because if you ask someone from a small town in the Midwest or maybe somewhere down in Texas, they probably look at a New Yorker and see a totally different species, and honestly, I can see why they might feel that way, though I don't know if it's strictly accurate. It’s almost like there’s this unspoken tension where the urbanites think they’re the center of the map, while the folks from the heartland or the coasts just view them as loud and overly complicated, and I suppose both sides are right in their own weird, fragmented way. It makes me wonder if we even inhabit the same cultural landscape anymore, or if we're all just living in separate little bubbles, pretending the others aren't even there, which is probably a bit cynical of me to say, but maybe it's just the reality of how massive and fractured everything has become lately.

Well, we’ve got ourselves a flamewar starter right here—full of prejudice and nothing but pure anti-New Yorker sentiment—and honestly, I guess the moderators are actually letting this slide, which is something else entirely. I feel like it might be worth putting together an introductory post just to set the stage (and I'll probably end up bolding things for emphasis, because why not), so here goes...

I suppose I should probably mention that I haven't really thought about this in a while, but there’s just something about the way people talk about things that feels so incredibly hollow lately, isn't there? It's like we're all just drifting through these endless cycles of noise without any actual substance, which brings me to my point about the toad—or whatever we're calling it today—though I guess even the most mundane creatures have more presence than half the influencers scrolling through their feeds in New York City these days. It’s funny, really, how we obsess over the small stuff when the big picture is such a blurred, chaotic mess, but maybe that's just the way it goes, I guess. I guess what they're saying is...
I mean, let’s be honest, we all remember how back in 1991, it was practically unthinkable in America to even suggest the idea that people from the Midwest, the Deep South, the Pacific Northwest, or out in New England weren't all part of one single, unified nation. It was just... well, it was an impossible thing to say without everyone losing their minds, I guess.

It feels like everyone is just obsessed with tearing others down lately, doesn't it? It’s become this huge trend to just pick on anyone who crosses your path. I guess it’s especially rampant if you happen to live in a place like New York City, where there's this weird tendency to look down on absolutely everything that wanders into the city limits. It’s a funny contradiction, really, because at the same time, those same people are more than happy to soak up every single luxury and perk that comes with living in a massive metropolis. It's all very strange, I suppose. So, what I’m hearing is that New Yorkers basically want all the glory of being progressive without actually having to deal with any of the real-world consequences, if you catch my drift. It's like they're obsessed with this idea of being edgy, right? And honestly, in a place like NYC, you see it everywhere—it's more visible there than anywhere else in the US, I guess. You've got all these different groups constantly in the spotlight, whether it's various ethnic minorities or the whole LGBTQ+ community, just always front and center in the media and everything. It's just one of those things, I suppose. It feels like everyone is just pointing fingers at those guys from the outskirts, you know, most of those folks who were actually right there on the front lines. I guess I should probably offer an apology to the decent New Yorkers who actually care about this country and stood right up there alongside everyone else, even though the mainstream media outlets have basically branded them all as nothing more than idiots or thugs or whatever label they feel like slapping on them today.

I mean, it feels like there’s this almost pathological level of propaganda being pushed around in NYC these days, if you ask me. It’s getting a bit intense, I guess. You see it everywhere you look, just this constant, relentless stream of certain narratives being shoved down everyone's throats, and it honestly feels more like a sickness than actual information at this point. Maybe I'm just being cynical, but it's hard not to notice how pervasive it all is.I guess if you happen to be from the South, or maybe a guy from a small Midwestern town, or even just someone who leans toward that certain type of aggressive, old-school rock music, then people are just going to label you a violent thug, a fascist, a career criminal, or some kind of twisted relic of a dark past. It’s funny how those labels get tossed around so easily, I suppose.

I guess I should probably start by saying hi, though I’m not entirely sure what there is to say, really. It feels like we're all just sort of drifting through these digital spaces, isn't it? Anyway, hello. Maybe you’re some activist in an anti-fascist youth group, or perhaps you’re just some guy rocking Gucci shoes, or maybe you’re just riding the wave of whatever trendy radio station is playing right now—you know, doing that slightly feminized little hip-shake to stay relevant. You probably think you're being all cool and modern, acting like the perfect, model citizen of America, just a dedicated little servant waiting in line to serve the interests of big EU capital and whatnot. I guess that's how it works these days.
It feels like you can’t even have a passing thought around here without walking straight into a minefield, I guess. It’s reached a point where it’s practically illegal to suggest that a certain demographic might have violent tendencies, or to point out how some of those liberal columnists at the big mainstream outlets are supposedly beating and drugging their own wives, or even just joking about how the editor over at that major pop station is obsessed with certain names... it's all just completely off-limits now, maybe. Everything is so sensitive that you can't say anything without someone losing their mind.
I mean, those kinds of traits and that whole specific etiquette... they really just belong in some remote, rocky corner of the Ozarks, I guess. It's just not something you see around here.

I mean, if you really stop to think about how things actually work around here, I guess it’s hard to say exactly how much longer we have to wait before everything finally... well, you know, happens. It feels like we're constantly stuck in this endless loop of anticipation, doesn't it? Maybe it’ll be months, maybe years, or maybe we'll all just be old and grey before the dust finally settles on this whole situation. I don't know, I suppose there isn't a clear timeline, and honestly, trying to pin down a specific date seems a bit optimistic, given how unpredictable things tend to get in this country. I wonder if Americans will ever actually stand up against this tyranny coming out of New York City? It feels like we’re just watching it happen, one slow step at a time, while everyone else stays quiet. Maybe I’m being too cynical, or maybe I’m just seeing things clearly for once, but there's this sense that the people in the rest of the country are just waiting for a sign that never comes. I guess it’s easy to just drift along, but at some point, you have to ask if anyone is actually going to push back against the control being exerted from the big cities. Or perhaps we'll all just keep nodding along until there's nothing left to protest.

I don't know if anyone else has been picking up on those racist stickers popping up all over the city lately... you know, the ones that say "Speak up or die"? It’s just one of those things that makes you wonder where everything is headed, I guess.

In my deeper moments of contemplation, I’ve come to be almost entirely convinced that, looking at the long game, it isn't actually healthy for the development of the American nation for New York City to remain the sole primary hub. It just feels like... well, I don't know, maybe it stunts everything else, because when one massive center holds all the gravity, the rest of the country just sort of orbits around it without ever really finding its own footing. I guess you could argue it creates this imbalance that prevents true national growth, though I might be overthinking it. He just doesn't deserve it, I guess. It’s all because of that narrow-mindedness and the xenophobia he carries around... it's just one thing after another, really. If you ever bother to travel to some of those smaller European cities, you’ll realize that all these regionalist debates people love to stir up just don't have any real ground to stand on, I guess. It’s honestly kind of pointless. You have so many New Yorkers who have lived in the city for decades yet somehow end up feeling like total outsiders in their own backyard. And then you have Americans living in their own country, just trying to exist. So much for that whole idea of big-heartedness and open-mindedness in New York City, really.

I think I mentioned somewhere a long time ago that maybe Oakland or San Diego should actually be the primary hubs of the country, if we're being honest. It’s funny how we look at these things, but I guess Oakland might have the edge because of that certain international, cosmopolitan vibe it carries, you know? Or then there's San Diego, which has all those deep historical roots to lean on. It's just one of those things I've always felt, I suppose.

I guess I should probably dedicate this whole thing to Temu, if that's even the right way to put it... though I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing here. I guess you could say things are getting a little bit ridiculous lately, almost like we’re staring down the barrel of some kind of triple threat or a trifecta of chaos, though I suppose calling it a "triple threat" might be giving it too much credit, if that makes any sense. It feels like everything is just piling up all at once, you know? Maybe it's just my cynical outlook, but I can't help but feel like we're being hit from three different directions simultaneously, and honestly, it's all starting to feel a bit overwhelming, or maybe just predictably exhausting, in that way only modern life seems to manage. 😉

I'm kicking this whole thing off with this post, and honestly, besides that one blatant, flame-baiting racist idea, there’s just such a massive pile of other details in here that you’d think it would have been flagged or deleted by now, I guess.

I guess I’ve just been sitting here thinking about how much everything seems to be shifting lately, though maybe that’s just me being cynical, but there’s this constant, exhausting tension everywhere you look. You see it in the way people talk about certain groups—you know, those aggressive types from the Midwest or the friction between different subcultures—it feels like everyone is constantly picking sides in these endless, bitter disputes over identity. It’s like, whether it's the intense political clashes or the way people react to the LGBTQ+ community, there’s this pervasive sense of hostility that just won't quit, and honestly, it makes me feel pretty weary of the whole thing. It’s all just so loud and divisive, and I can’t help but wonder if we’re ever actually going to move past this cycle of judging everyone based on who they are or where they come from.
I suppose we’re getting into that whole three-pronged thing again, aren't we? It feels like one of those men's topics that just keeps looping back around, though I guess I might be overthinking the whole structure of it. Maybe it's just how things work sometimes, where everything seems to hinge on this triple-layered setup, but honestly, I find myself wondering if anyone actually finds it as complicated as I do. It’s all very layered, I suppose, if you have the patience for it.
It’s funny how people always try to paint New York City with such a narrow brush, you know? I keep hearing this constant chatter about how the city is somehow small-minded or just plain xenophobic, which is an interesting take if you really sit with it for a second. I guess it’s easy to label a massive, bustling metropolis like NYC that way when you're looking at it from the outside, or maybe even from within certain circles, though I don't know if I'd go that far myself. It feels like one of those sweeping generalizations that ignores the sheer complexity of everyone living there, but then again, maybe there's a grain of truth in the friction between different groups that people pick up on. I mean, I suppose every major American hub has its own brand of tension, but calling the whole city xenophobic seems like a bit of a stretch, even if things can get pretty intense sometimes. It's all very subjective, I guess.
I guess you could call it the tyranny of New York City, if you really want to get into it, though I’m probably just overthinking things again. It feels like everything always trickles down from that one massive hub, doesn't it? Like there's this central authority breathing down everyone else's neck, making all the rules and deciding what matters while the rest of the country just sort of deals with the fallout. Maybe it's just how things work in a place this big, but it definitely feels like a certain kind of centralized dominance that leaves everyone else feeling a bit sidelined.
Those typical New Yorkers who talk a big game about wanting to get laid, but honestly, they’re too terrified of actually making a move.
...

It’s honestly just so incredibly difficult to wrap your head around why they actually allow one... I mean, I guess you could try to make sense of it, but maybe it's just one of those things where the logic feels completely out of reach, if that makes any sense? It’s just such a head-scratcher, really. collectivism is being tossed around here as if it’s just some arbitrary value judgment—without anyone actually having to show their work—yet somehow, you aren't allowed to criticize a government agency based on actual, documented evidence that justifies the critique.

I mean, why is it perfectly fine for someone like me (a New Yorker) to be labeled with every slur under the sun—calling me a "Mexican, a queer, a lesbian, narrow-minded," and whatever else comes to mind—while it's supposedly strictly forbidden to present evidence regarding the gender bias of the Equal Rights Commissioner?

Why is it that an entire city can be branded as xenophobic or tyrannical without any proof whatsoever, but the second you try to call a state institution chauvinistic—using their own official documents to prove they really are gender chauvinists—suddenly you've crossed a line?

silentridge3 said:True. I still have plenty of questions.

Actually, you still haven't allowed a "men's topic"—which is exactly what you called it when you invited us to start one. Everything I've tried to post gets deleted or moved almost instantly.

So why is it considered strange that I have questions?

I’d prefer to settle everything upfront—title included—just to be certain there won't be any deleting, moving, or renaming later on. I know waiting on the moderators can be a real drag. Enough of that boring silentridge3. Setting an ambush—letting someone sweat through opening a thread and crafting a meticulous argument, only to delete, move, or rename it later. Honestly, I have no interest in putting in the effort just to end up looking like an idiot. I prefer knowing the rules upfront.

Do you honestly think I have nothing better to do than sit around waiting in ambush?

silentridge3 said:Is this title allowed?

The systemic bias against men in America. It’s becoming hard to ignore.

Understood.

Charles Fox10 said:Do you honestly believe we have nothing better to do with our lives than just sit around waiting in ambush for someone??

Sure.

Alright then. I suppose I’ll eventually find the energy and the actual time to carefully spin up a new thread under that specific title, probably sometime next week, if I can manage it.

And once that's done, maybe you can go ahead and shut down that other thread, assuming it's actually bothering you to have two different discussions that kind of overlap. Though, if you ask me, I’d much rather just let this current "Everything and Anything" thread stay as the catch-all for random stuff. That way, the thread about "Systemic Discrimination Against Men in America" can stick strictly to what the title implies, while all those broader sociological and historical deep dives can just live over here in the general discussion area.

silentridge3 said:I'll try to find the energy and some time to carefully open this thread under that title, probably sometime next week.

You might want to close that other thread if having two overlapping topics is getting in the way. Personally, I’d love to keep this "Everything and Anything" thread open for all the random stuff, while keeping the discussion on "Men's discrimination by the US government and system" focused strictly on what the title says. We can leave the sociological and historical debates for this one.

silentridge3, you don't need to shut down that other thread.

Honestly, this thread should be pinned at the top of the politics section. It’s way more relevant than that other discussion about family law changes that nobody is even talking about anymore—especially since most of what we were debating there was really about the discrimination men and fathers face.
If that thread doesn't pick up enough steam, we can just move it over.
We’d actually have a meaningful discussion going on if we had a dedicated politics thread here. That way, all the trolls and constant bickering could just stay over in the "random stuff" thread on the other board.

I'm just trying to offer a constructive suggestion.
Honestly, I’m getting a little tired of the constant pushback just for pointing out such a serious social issue. At this rate, the disgruntled crowd is probably going to end up starting their own manosphere-style forum sooner or later.

Charles Fox10, what do you think about this proposal?

How many times do I have to say it? Politics.com covers Politics, the World, the Political Scene, Close Politics, and the European Union. During election cycles, we add Elections too. Every single section gets equal weight and equal moderation.

For now, this stays under Close Politics. We won't be locking the current thread unless things veer into one of those colloquially "feminine" topics.

The Family Law thread is staying right where it is—it’s important. It doesn't matter if it's a bit quiet lately; the Government only passed the final proposal seven days ago. Now we wait for the Congressional debate and the third reading once the representatives get back to their desks.

Admin, please lock this discussion. We've settled what needed settling; the rest is up to the users.