Political/COVID-19 talk on the main board

[SDS 3,213]

Hey everyone... Enjoying 2020 to its fullest? 😀

 

It's different time for everyone and that includes our community. A lot has transpired this year and with the lack of many activities over the past few months, many have used our community as a pressure release. A good portion has been helpful, other portions not so much. Regardless of the last few crazy months we have endured, I'd like to reiterate that we run a Buffalo Bills community here. This is not a politics-based community, a health-based community, nor a social-awareness community. We are here to talk football, with some light-hearted chatter on the side. 

 

The internet is filled with places to have serious discussions (or not so serious) regarding all aspects of life. Please use them to scratch those itches. Please come here to talk about the Bills (or SabreSpace to talk about the Sabres!). 

 

I know the Venn diagram of social-awareness and the NFL has overlapped significantly this season. I have always considered topics where those two intersect to be reasonable discussion points, but the discussions themselves have not. Moving forward posts regarding NFL social-awareness issues will need to be TIGHTLY FOCUSED on the topic, if even posted at all. Comments need to be self-moderated to address whatever policy is being discussed (general awareness, procedure, etc...). Discussing personal viewpoints (sufficiently supported or not) whether something like racism is everywhere or nowhere belongs on a more appropriate platform. If you are posting something to battle... to "own the other side"... don't. The season is here and it is time to move on.

 

It is impossible to layout precisely what actions may take place on any given comment - but post removal, warnings and suspensions are tools we have to keep the train on the track. Please self-moderate. Please be considerate. Keep societal hot takes to yourself or post on Twitter. Community first.

 

Although I am happy many felt comfortable to turn here to discuss life's crazy events, our community really needs to return to our main mission. Go Bills!

[SDS 3,213]

Please take a moment and report posts that fall outside the spirit of this announcement (the only appropriate response is a simple link to this topic).

 

Thanks.

[Hapless Bills Fan 25,836]

 

I've been getting a lot of "oops, srry!" PMs in response to warnings about covid-19 or political talk.  Thank you.  They are appreciated!!!

 

I've also been getting a regular dose of spluttering motorboat indignation: "Butbutbutbut I only gave these facts...."  "Butbutbutbut I only responded to...." followed up by various forms of colorfully insulting indignation.  (Just kidding on the colorful bit: most of you need to "level up" your insult game, it's Dullsville.  Better yet, just abstain). 

 

I hope this helps illuminate how we see it:

 

1) "But I only responded to...."  See @SDS comment above "Please take a moment and report posts that fall outside the spirit of this announcement (the only appropriate response is a simple link to this topic)" https://www.twobillsdrive.com/community/topic/226733-politicalcovid-19-talk-on-the-main-board/

 

Read the above again.  The only appropriate response is a report and a simple link to this topic, thoughtfully provided above for your copy-paste convenience.

 

2) "But I only gave these facts...." The problem is current lack of agreement on what facts are, much less what those facts mean in terms of sensible public policy.  Stating something that looks factual to you inevitably invites response and rebuttal from someone who does not agree AND WE'RE OFF! with the Camel's Head carrying the Tent far away from tight focus on NFL and NFL relevance.  Then @Simon (or another of us) has to spend his lunch break cleaning up and he loses his hat  and it makes him (or another of us) cranky then you lose your hat, too. Remember: any plan where you lose your hat is a bad plan.

 

3) "But so-and-so said (or posted)...did HE get a warning?"  Please see point 1) above.  Then Mind Your Own Store.  I'm not freakin' Paul Revere.  I don't go around informing the world you were warned ...I'm not gonna inform you about everyone else I warned, why would you even expect that?  But we do, every one of us mods, honestly try to be fair and take out every covid comment that is general in scope and every comment that is political.  That doesn't mean we hit every post that deserves it - we don't see every post, we can't.  Lighting into one of us that we only hit posts that disagree with our personal opinions is a) dip ***** behavior, frankly b) incorrect. 

 

What we're trying to do here, plain and simple, is keep this a constructive place for quality FOOTBALL discussion in a very challenging and contentious time.  Please take a moment, before you power up your rebuttal, to reflect upon how what you posted or how the message you're about to send is constructive and contributes to that goal of good FOOTBALL discussion, or does not. 

 

Fans at football stadia is currently the toughest issue.  OK: which stadia have fans, how they are handling ingress/egress, # fans, NFL policy on fans, contact to write and say "please let us have fans".    Not OK: swipe at the politicians, general commentary on # covid cases, covid contact tracing results, covid death rate, # deaths etc. 

 

Somewhere Else, Not Here for that, please. (see point 1)

 

 

 

[Hapless Bills Fan 25,836]

And let's put this here too:

 

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-bursts-possibility-of-a-postseason-bubble-for-teams-makes-immediate-changes-to-covid-19-protocol/

 

"There will be no league-wide or team-issued bubbles for the 2020 postseason, the NFL told its teams in a memo sent around the league on Tuesday. Specifically, teams may not require players and staff members to stay at a hotel during the postseason except for the night before a game, via the NFL Network's Tom Pelissero."

 

So let's please stop with the threads demanding that the Bills do something the league has specifically said that they can not do.  If that situation changes, then we can discuss the change.  If you don't like the league and NFLPA's decision, I'm sure they'll be happy to hear from you.