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***Official FBG Politics Forum Census*** (1 Viewer)

That's all well and good.  But, what did he win?  An internet debate years later?  Congrats, I guess?
While it was nice to be right that wasn't the win. I already knew I was right. The win was in not letting the attacks drive me off or silence me. The win was in gaining some respect from those who started off as enemies. The win was in coming through it and out the other side with my dignity and pride intact despite those that tried to take it. I might think of some more later but that covers the big things I think.

 
I haven’t been around as much as normal the last few weeks...

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I feel disenfranchised & marginalized.
 
Do you think maybe it has something to do with the nature of this hobby? To succeed at fantasy sports you have to make decisions based on logic and not faith. 

I am not an atheist (I was raised Catholic), and I know I have made decisions based more on faith than logic. If two players were close in talent and one of the players was from my favorite NFL team/hometown/alma mater, I have sometimes used that as a determining factor, whereas an atheist would not approach the situation the same way.

When I go through your Weekly Matchups and see that my #1 RB is listed under "Tough Matchup", I still try to have faith that he will have a good game despite what logic might say. 
The message board at FFToday is apparently very pro-Trump.

 
So I've held many unpopular opinions here and been attacked over them. You may recall a little dustup called the Iraq war. A few of us took the position against that war. We were called cowards,  traitors,  unpatriotic, idiots, and those were  some of the kinder attacks. We had facts and legitimate questions. We were vilified. What goes on around here now isn't even close and that's a good thing. And of course at the end of the day we were proven right.My own experience included being hounded into every thread I posted in and being attacked. For literally years. Even Joe was in a couple of those dogpiles but he wasnt really ugly about it. What did I do? Did I talk about victim hood? Management is against me woe is me? No. I realized I was taking a position that people didn't like and that in so doing I was opening myself up for what came. As much as I could I tried to handle it with a little grace but I'm human so sometimes I didn't. But I never let them silence me or force me off the board. Never went so far I got a timeout. I'm still here and the worst of them are almost all gone.

I won.

What are you going to do?
:goodposting:

Remember that well. Pretty much the point i realized i didn't have a party. 

 
So I've held many unpopular opinions here and been attacked over them. You may recall a little dustup called the Iraq war. A few of us took the position against that war. We were called cowards,  traitors,  unpatriotic, idiots, and those were  some of the kinder attacks. We had facts and legitimate questions. We were vilified. What goes on around here now isn't even close and that's a good thing. And of course at the end of the day we were proven right.My own experience included being hounded into every thread I posted in and being attacked. For literally years. Even Joe was in a couple of those dogpiles but he wasnt really ugly about it. What did I do? Did I talk about victim hood? Management is against me woe is me? No. I realized I was taking a position that people didn't like and that in so doing I was opening myself up for what came. As much as I could I tried to handle it with a little grace but I'm human so sometimes I didn't. But I never let them silence me or force me off the board. Never went so far I got a timeout. I'm still here and the worst of them are almost all gone.

I won.

What are you going to do?
Eh, you're still a pinko.

 
Here's the cleaned-up state data. (One person entered "NO" for the state. I changed it to Louisiana since "NO" doesn't seem like a typo for any state that begins with "N.")

California    -    21
Pennsylvania    -    10
New York    -    8
Ohio    -    7
Illinois    -    6
Maryland    -    6
Michigan    -    6
Texas    -    5
Virginia    -    5
Wisconsin    -    5
Massachusetts    -    4
North Carolina    -    4
Oregon    -    4
Washington    -    4
Colorado    -    3
Florida    -    3
Georgia    -    3
Kentucky    -    3
Minnesota    -    3
Tennessee    -    3
Arizona    -    2
Connecticut     -    2
Idaho    -    2
Indiana    -    2
Iowa    -    2
Kansas    -    2
Missouri    -    2
New Jersey    -    2
Washington DC    -    2
West Virginia    -    2
Alabama    -    1
Arkansas    -    1
Louisiana    -    1
Mississippi    -    1
Nevada    -    1
New Hampshire    -    1
Oklahoma    -    1
Rhode Island    -    1
South Carolina    -    1
South Dakota    -    1
Vermont    -    1

 
So I've held many unpopular opinions here and been attacked over them. You may recall a little dustup called the Iraq war. A few of us took the position against that war. We were called cowards,  traitors,  unpatriotic, idiots, and those were  some of the kinder attacks. We had facts and legitimate questions. We were vilified. What goes on around here now isn't even close and that's a good thing. And of course at the end of the day we were proven right.My own experience included being hounded into every thread I posted in and being attacked. For literally years. Even Joe was in a couple of those dogpiles but he wasnt really ugly about it. What did I do? Did I talk about victim hood? Management is against me woe is me? No. I realized I was taking a position that people didn't like and that in so doing I was opening myself up for what came. As much as I could I tried to handle it with a little grace but I'm human so sometimes I didn't. But I never let them silence me or force me off the board. Never went so far I got a timeout. I'm still here and the worst of them are almost all gone.

I won.

What are you going to do?




6
Do you have specifics? I'd be very embarrassed if I was even remotely ugly to you. I apologize if I was. What I remember most with my take on involvement with the War in Iraq was how proud I was of our congressman John Duncan. Duncan was one of the more powerful Republicans in the House for years and he opposed the war. I agreed with him. 

I realize everyone thinks their persecution is the worst but I don't feel the board (or the United States) has seen anything close to what it's seen the last few years. 

 
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Here's the cleaned-up state data. (One person entered "NO" for the state. I changed it to Louisiana since "NO" doesn't seem like a typo for any state that begins with "N.")

California    -    21
Pennsylvania    -    10
New York    -    8
Ohio    -    7
Illinois    -    6
Maryland    -    6
Michigan    -    6
Texas    -    5
Virginia    -    5
Wisconsin    -    5
Massachusetts    -    4
North Carolina    -    4
Oregon    -    4
Washington    -    4
Colorado    -    3
Florida    -    3
Georgia    -    3
Kentucky    -    3
Minnesota    -    3
Tennessee    -    3
Arizona    -    2
Connecticut     -    2
Idaho    -    2
Indiana    -    2
Iowa    -    2
Kansas    -    2
Missouri    -    2
New Jersey    -    2
Washington DC    -    2
West Virginia    -    2
Alabama    -    1
Arkansas    -    1
Louisiana    -    1
Mississippi    -    1
Nevada    -    1
New Hampshire    -    1
Oklahoma    -    1
Rhode Island    -    1
South Carolina    -    1
South Dakota    -    1
Vermont    -    1
By Region:

South - 42

West - 37

Midwest - 36

Northeast - 29

FBG PSF Percent of Total vs US Percent of Total

South - 29.2%, 38.1%

West - 25.7%, 23.8%

Midwest - 25.0%, 20.9%

Northeast - 20.1%, 17.2%

 
While it was nice to be right that wasn't the win. I already knew I was right. The win was in not letting the attacks drive me off or silence me. The win was in gaining some respect from those who started off as enemies. The win was in coming through it and out the other side with my dignity and pride intact despite those that tried to take it. I might think of some more later but that covers the big things I think.
That's fascinating as I don't remember it that way at all. I also fully admit I don't have great recall for everything. As I said, my big influence was our local congressman being one of the most respected Republicans in Washington being opposed to the War. He got some pushback as you'd expect with a prominent leader in the party not going along with the president of the same party. But by and large, it was civil and honorable. My recollection was way more people thought the WMD intel was a laughingstock. That's super interesting you remember it as you being vilified and hounded by everyone. And make sure to understand - I believe what you say. I just find it interesting we have such different recollections of it.  

 
By Region:

South - 42

West - 37

Midwest - 36

Northeast - 29

FBG PSF Percent of Total vs US Percent of Total

South - 29.2%, 38.1%

West - 25.7%, 23.8%

Midwest - 25.0%, 20.9%

Northeast - 20.1%, 17.2%
That's interesting. It's pretty much the opposite of what I thought the demographics were.

 
Interesting. That's exactly what I'd predict. What were you thinking and why?
Just seemed to me like most were from Northeast or Midwest. Maybe it's the preponderance of Patriots and Celtics fans that plague grace the various NFL/NBA threads.

 
They're just louder. ;)
:yes:

I'm married to a New Englander. I abide the Sox and the Patriots (as a Charger fan I have no standing and feel it's better not to burden our son with that weight anyway no matter how hard it is for me to see him wearing the Brady jersey), but there is no Celtics in our house, Lakers only. She's agreed to that arrangement. Anyway, when it's Sox or Pats - things get loud.

 
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That's fascinating as I don't remember it that way at all. I also fully admit I don't have great recall for everything. As I said, my big influence was our local congressman being one of the most respected Republicans in Washington being opposed to the War. He got some pushback as you'd expect with a prominent leader in the party not going along with the president of the same party. But by and large, it was civil and honorable. My recollection was way more people thought the WMD intel was a laughingstock. That's super interesting you remember it as you being vilified and hounded by everyone. And make sure to understand - I believe what you say. I just find it interesting we have such different recollections of it.  
Joe it was pretty ugly. Nothing that I've seen here in recent years comes close. People were enraged that I wasn't supporting the war. I try not to be a drama queen but yeah people were not shy about their displeasure. And it went on for a long time. People stalked me to anything I posted subject wasn't importsnt. Pretty sure others had roughly the same experience.  

And no you were never ugly to me.

 
Joe it was pretty ugly. Nothing that I've seen here in recent years comes close. People were enraged that I wasn't supporting the war. I try not to be a drama queen but yeah people were not shy about their displeasure. And it went on for a long time. People stalked me to anything I posted subject wasn't importsnt. Pretty sure others had roughly the same experience.  

And no you were never ugly to me.
Thank you. I'd hate to think I was uncool to you. I do think it's fascinating how we remember it differently. But I also have a hard time remembering what I had for breakfast. So there's that. 

 
Thank you. I'd hate to think I was uncool to you. I do think it's fascinating how we remember it differently. But I also have a hard time remembering what I had for breakfast. So there's that. 
To be honest Joe our interactions have always been fine. You asked me one time to stop pushing the filter and that's the closest I've ever gotten to a warning or anything.

 
Look at the bright side of the religious affiliation question.  The Rapture will have very little impact on PSF traffic. 
Yes I laughed.

It's funny.

We need to laugh at ourselves more.  

Though you will all miss when it happens.  I have a seat at the poker table up there with Peter, Matthew and my uncle John.

 
I disagree.  When I make an opinion and then I have eight people jump my case with personal comments directed at me,  it is not easy to stay cool.  IMHO, the best thing you could do is clamp down on making discussions personal.  It would make this forum much more welcoming to conservative posters.
Yeah this is a thing. I've put out some comments occasionally that don't line up with the majority here. You'll respond to one post specifically and you come back an hour later and your inbox has 6 notifications in it from a bunch of different people. Some snarky comments, some asking other loosely related questions.....(rarely) you'll get an intelligent response back to continue a dialogue, but at that point you're engrossed and drowning in 6 different conversations from 1 post you responded to. At that point, I'm not even bothering trying to keep up with all these conversations, and I just leave. Like Joe said, it's just easier that way.

 
I believe the main reason that this forum has become so anti-Trump is because so many of Trump’s statements and ideas are rotten. They do not deserve the consideration or respect that traditional conservative ideas do. The main reason that there aren’t that many Trump supporters here isn’t because they don’t want to be surrounded and isolated; it’s because they don’t want to have to defend ideas that can’t really be defended on a rational basis. 
I think MT's data makes it pretty clear -- when 65% of responders say they are agnostic/atheist, it becomes pretty obvious that the forum population is skewed away from social conservationism.

Many who maybe once self-described as conservative are now eschewing the label because the term conservative today is generally associated with nativism and socially conservative positions only.

ETA: a perfect example of this is the 130 of 152 responders put 5 on Gay Marriage. That should include some "conservatives." But 23 put themselves at 7 or greater on the ideology spectrum. So that pretty perfectly overlaps with the 22 non-5's.

It seems absurd to think that you can't be conservative and be pro-equal rights. But it seems little to no one identified that way. 

 
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I think MT's data makes it pretty clear -- when 65% of responders say they are agnostic/atheist, it becomes pretty obvious that the forum population is skewed away from social conservationism.

Many who maybe once self-described as conservative are now eschewing the label because the term conservative today is generally associated with nativism and socially conservative positions only.

ETA: a perfect example of this is the 130 of 152 responders put 5 on Gay Marriage. That should include some "conservatives." But 23 put themselves at 7 or greater on the ideology spectrum. So that pretty perfectly overlaps with the 22 non-5's.

It seems absurd to think that you can't be conservative and be pro-equal rights. But it seems little to no one identified that way. 
Many religious folks see marriage in religious terms as between a man and a women.   You can respect their relationship and even provide them with all the rights, but it still is not a marriage just by how the term is defined. 

 
Many religious folks see marriage in religious terms as between a man and a women.   You can respect their relationship and even provide them with all the rights, but it still is not a marriage just by how the term is defined. 
The Bible wasn’t written in English. It has absolutely nothing to say about how English words should be defined.

 
The Bible wasn’t written in English. It has absolutely nothing to say about how English words should be defined.
Traditionally marriages are a religious ceremony even today.   Rightly or wrongly, many people associate marriage with religion and the traditional concept of what it is.  

 
Traditionally marriages are a religious ceremony even today.   Rightly or wrongly, many people associate marriage with religion and the traditional concept of what it is.  
Not all of them are. Do you think non-religious marriages between one man and one woman should be legally recognized?

 
Not all of them are. Do you think non-religious marriages between one man and one woman should be legally recognized?
I am just explaining why religious people view marriage like they do.   The state is free to define it and accept whatever forms of marriage they wish.  

 
prefontaine said:
I think MT's data makes it pretty clear -- when 65% of responders say they are agnostic/atheist, it becomes pretty obvious that the forum population is skewed away from social conservationism.

Many who maybe once self-described as conservative are now eschewing the label because the term conservative today is generally associated with nativism and socially conservative positions only.

ETA: a perfect example of this is the 130 of 152 responders put 5 on Gay Marriage. That should include some "conservatives." But 23 put themselves at 7 or greater on the ideology spectrum. So that pretty perfectly overlaps with the 22 non-5's.

It seems absurd to think that you can't be conservative and be pro-equal rights. But it seems little to no one identified that way. 
Perhaps FFA progressives are simply the point of the sword. Newly eligible voters are increasingly secular,  even those few who are registering Republican. And the growth rate (of secularism) is pretty eye-opening.

 
Perhaps FFA progressives are simply the point of the sword. Newly eligible voters are increasingly secular,  even those few who are registering Republican. And the growth rate (of secularism) is pretty eye-opening.
Eh. both you and jon seemed to have latched on to that, so I clearly didn't express myself well. (btw, I totally agree with you, just not what I was trying to say)

In 2010, FBG was split 50/50 between liberal/conservative. 

In 2019, FBG is split 75-25. 

tim's hypothesis is that Conservatives are no longer participating, creating that gulf. Mine is that it's not apples to apples as the definition of liberal-conservative spectrum has evolved from a total political view (fiscal, social, foreign policy) to solely a social view during that time. In the parlance of our times, it is now a scale of liberal to Trump. 

This board is highly educated and secular and it always has been. This is not Trump's base. The high level of secularism on this board correlates to a different kind of conservative. The self-identifying conservatives in 2010 were most often fiscal conservatives, the group most impacted by the evolving scale. So....same mix of people, redistributed differently. 

 
Eh. both you and jon seemed to have latched on to that, so I clearly didn't express myself well. (btw, I totally agree with you, just not what I was trying to say)

In 2010, FBG was split 50/50 between liberal/conservative. 

In 2019, FBG is split 75-25. 

tim's hypothesis is that Conservatives are no longer participating, creating that gulf. Mine is that it's not apples to apples as the definition of liberal-conservative spectrum has evolved from a total political view (fiscal, social, foreign policy) to solely a social view during that time. In the parlance of our times, it is now a scale of liberal to Trump. 

This board is highly educated and secular and it always has been. This is not Trump's base. The high level of secularism on this board correlates to a different kind of conservative. The self-identifying conservatives in 2010 were most often fiscal conservatives, the group most impacted by the evolving scale. So....same mix of people, redistributed differently. 
A very good take on the current political environment.

 
Eh. both you and jon seemed to have latched on to that, so I clearly didn't express myself well. (btw, I totally agree with you, just not what I was trying to say)

In 2010, FBG was split 50/50 between liberal/conservative. 

In 2019, FBG is split 75-25. 

tim's hypothesis is that Conservatives are no longer participating, creating that gulf. Mine is that it's not apples to apples as the definition of liberal-conservative spectrum has evolved from a total political view (fiscal, social, foreign policy) to solely a social view during that time. In the parlance of our times, it is now a scale of liberal to Trump. 

This board is highly educated and secular and it always has been. This is not Trump's base. The high level of secularism on this board correlates to a different kind of conservative. The self-identifying conservatives in 2010 were most often fiscal conservatives, the group most impacted by the evolving scale. So....same mix of people, redistributed differently. 
I seem to recall a lot of libertarians in the old days. The poll still has us at 20%.  One has to consider them whenever thinking about the conservative/liberal split and why any poll result is what it is.

 
I seem to recall a lot of libertarians in the old days. The poll still has us at 20%.  One has to consider them whenever thinking about the conservative/liberal split and why any poll result is what it is.
Yep. This IMO strongly correlates to secular conservatives as well. 

17 people claim to be Republicans. 15 called themselves conservative and 1 Alt-right. So there appears to be little to no overlap of the 31 who selected libertarian and Republican.

For my entire life there has been a "libertarian wing" of the GOP, but it appears on this forum at least, that no longer exists. 

 
Perhaps FFA progressives are simply the point of the sword. Newly eligible voters are increasingly secular,  even those few who are registering Republican. And the growth rate (of secularism) is pretty eye-opening.
Eh. both you and jon seemed to have latched on to that, so I clearly didn't express myself well. (btw, I totally agree with you, just not what I was trying to say)

In 2010, FBG was split 50/50 between liberal/conservative. 

In 2019, FBG is split 75-25. 

tim's hypothesis is that Conservatives are no longer participating, creating that gulf. Mine is that it's not apples to apples as the definition of liberal-conservative spectrum has evolved from a total political view (fiscal, social, foreign policy) to solely a social view during that time. In the parlance of our times, it is now a scale of liberal to Trump. 

This board is highly educated and secular and it always has been. This is not Trump's base. The high level of secularism on this board correlates to a different kind of conservative. The self-identifying conservatives in 2010 were most often fiscal conservatives, the group most impacted by the evolving scale. So....same mix of people, redistributed differently. 
:goodposting:

I am someone who would have identified much further to the right in 2010. I have no interest in having anything to do with the current version of the Republican party. Some of my principal conservative beliefs are not only dismissed by the current version of the Republican party, but openly mocked.

 
:goodposting:

I am someone who would have identified much further to the right in 2010. I have no interest in having anything to do with the current version of the Republican party. Some of my principal conservative beliefs are not only dismissed by the current version of the Republican party, but openly mocked.
Bingo

 

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