I've been giving this matter a fair bit of thought and while it would be repugnant to shut the forum down there are certain considerations worthy of discussion in light of the most recent atrocity by that right wing extremist in Oslo.
HC is by its very nature as a stock market, capitalist based group of traders, populated by people largely with rightist sympathies. That's omly to be expected and because of that no one should be surprised or even negative towards that sort of world view so long as other points of view are tolerated. The political forum is the right and proper place for these views to be aired.
There is a difference however between expression of a view and the repeated attempts by individual posters to proselytize and demonise political operatives and other posters. This often includes incitement, mostly veiled but nevertheless quite clear and obvious to "take action".
There are aren't many posters involved but you will know them by the words they use: watermelon, commie stooges, traitors, juliar. They shout in capital letters but most of all, they post the same vitriol day after day with barely a change of content. This material is designed for one purpose and one purpose only and that is to inflame passions.
Now, I don't for a single minute believe that the right has a mortgage on nutters prepared to pick up a gun and blast away but I do feel that HC has a responsibility to curb this type of posting. debono has been doing some of it and more power to him but I think not enough. There are a handful of posters who need to be removed and allow the rest to post in a sensible and adult manner.
It has nothing to do with censorship. it has to do with having a say in an adult manner and then moving on. If this can't be done then I see no option but to remove the political thread.
