Should Gransnet be used as a political platform?

PS and how do you tell if someone is feigning it?

This and the previous one are genuine questions.

Eloethan - would you say the same to a teenager who was being bullied on line? I think not.

Now of course we're not talking about actual bullying, but several GNetters have said why they don't post any more on political threads. Your response is dismissive of their feelings and concerns. And then there are those, like myself, who CBA anymore, but is nothing to do with 'political neutrality'.

Can I just make it clear. to Nelliemoser and others who have totally missed the point. I am not talking about the GNrs who use these forums. It goes out to a much wider audience.

If you can't get yer 'ead round that, then so be it. #Gransnet

Some people think one thing, some another. That is how we finish up with a ruling party and an opposition, which is how democracy works.

If someone posts their view, and you do not agree with it, you have the option to (politely) put your view, setting out the facts as to why you hold that view. If someone is encouraging you to go down one route, then you can explore the other routes, learn from that and come to a conclusion.

It is not surprising that this subject causes strong feelings - we all want our dear children and grandchildren to live in a peaceful world; we all want to avoid innocent people being killed.

And we are all in the difficult position of trying to get our heads round an extraordinarily complex situation that is playing out a long way from our shores; and not knowing whether some actions will lead to a solution or inflame an already tragic situation; and we do not know which set of information (or who) to trust (having been led down the garden path in a similar situation previously). Is DC telling us the whole story? How do we know?

A post with a link to someone's analysis of the situation can be very helpful; indeed the more links the better on all sides to help us to get a rounded view.

I think that posting a link to one means of contacting your MP is a helpful thing; and the fact that the OP encourages us to express a particular view is also fine. Anyone is free to post a link to the same site that encourages us to express the opposite view to our MP. Both are fine.

I find that links and discussions are very helpful in getting my head round it all and encouraging me to explore further and learn more.

Aren't some posters trying again and again to intimidate those who make posts 'on the left' though. Or those who sometimes try to put another slant on things, or look at things from a different angle, to counter a majority view ? And you know very little about posters in real life- how do you know they are 'on the left' always. Some like DJ have been very open about it- and I do see what she means, totally, about those who say 'oh me, I don't understand/am interested in politics at all.... but ....'.

I may amuse you to know I am an elected Councillor for a centre right party- in order to counter the extreme right ... (there is no left option in my sepcific area)... granted I am very much at the left of that... so having to encourage people to stop and think, rather than jump on the bandwagon- is very much part of my life- and not an easy one at times.

As for Syria- I agree that I can see both sides, and that I am struggling with the whole thing- but on balance, believe, just as Ken Livingstone said on Question Time the other day- just bombing out of revenge- without knowing who or what- without troops on the ground, is likely to a/not work but cause so much destruction and civilian deaths, and possibly make things worse. I am very glad I do not have to make that decision- and hope those who do will do it for the right reasons, not like for Irak.

Jings - why does it matter that it goes to a wider audience? We know that. These discussions and all the links and other commentaries are out there on the net.

lg I simply put a question. See title. You obviously think 'yes'. Fine.

Bored now.

Feign political neutrality? Or like to think for themselves and not follow a particular party's or other person's ideals?

I don't think there was anything wrong with JessM posting a helpful link to enable people to email their MP to express an opinion one way or the other on the issue; rather it was the assumption that only people who would agree with her, or could be persuaded to agree by her OP, would use the link - and were being urged to do so.
There was no balance whatsoever in the OP, saying that 'of course you may not agree with me, but the link is there for all to use, of whatever opinion'.

Perhaps that is what upset the OP on this thread?

I too, have read articles by other people, one of whom I was surprised to read was against the bombing of Syria.
If I was an MP I would be in a quandary on this issue. I am not sure that endless pleas from constituents would help me if I was in that difficult position, although of course everyone is entitled to express their opinion in that link (or by email!).

I do think it is important to let our representatives know our opinions on important issues.

MP's are elected to represent their constituents , to be a voice in parliament for their constituents , how can they if they don't listen

With a thread labelled "News and politics" there are bound to be political views expressed. Is this using Gransnet as a political platform???

Do we think that MPs actually just go along with what they themselves want, because they were the person actually elected, and the representative of their area?

Anyone who looks at www.theyworkforyou.com can have an alert to any subject they want.
I have one to anything mentioning the NHS, believe it or not.
This morning I was sent a link to a debate which happened yesterday about the Housing Bill which is going through at the moment, and having line by line clauses being added. It was about rogue landlords who overcrowd their houses and cause problems for the NHS.
I have now asked for an alert when the housing bill is mentioned, so I can follow it.
You can ask for an alert whenever your MP is mentioned, when giving a speech, asking a question, getting a written reply or in committee, or any other MP you want to follow.
What I am saying is that the site can be used, nothing to be worried about. It can be used by right wingers and left wingers or anyone in between.

Agreed, Annie.
Even Osborne said he was listening and had listened! Not hard enough, but never mind.
Now all we want are Hunt and Cameron and IDS to listen more.

On the radio this morning they were interviewing people in Corbyn's constituency. Every single one in that interview agreed with him. He is being a true constituency MP, which is what he has been throughout his parliamentary career.
I am sure that if they had found someone who disagreed with him, they would have had to put the comment on for the sake of balance.

I think we vote for MPs to run the country for us because they are a bloody sight more intelligent than 'Joe Public'. Yes, they should listen to us, but they have to make the decisions. Quite rightly.

Imagine the gov listening to and acting upon all the views put forward on GN. Mayhem!

I do not subscribe to the view that MPs are "more intelligent than Joe Public." There is no evidence for that. They are simply people who want to be politicians and put themselves up for election. I have met some pretty dim ones frankly.

In any event, being "intelligent" does not necessarily go hand in hand with wisdom and good judgement; or indeed with integrity. They are just folk like us.

I think you have to be pretty bright to actually be in the Cabinet. And an Eton and Oxbridge education probably helps a lot too.

Should Gransnet be used as a political platform.

No but it is.

It will continue to be so and just as much as I can decide to throw a political party propaganda leaflet in the bin I can do the same on Gransnet and bin threads and posts I consider to be blatantly politically motivated/attached to activism or what I consider to be using Gransnet as a platform for activism.

So I understand the OP as there has been, obviously in my opinion, over a period of time a ' propensity ' for links to political parties in the manner of activism. When I joined Gransnet I felt politics was debated in a more personal way but it is an open forum and any poster has a right to post as they deem fit , just as much as I in return can choose to simply ignore it.

Each to his own I suppose .One person sees activism another sees beliefs , neither is wrong it is merely down to our personal thought and way of doing things, nothing more, nothing less.

I do not subscribe to the view that MPs are "more intelligent than Joe Public."

I would be alarmed if they were not!

In any event, being "intelligent" does not necessarily go hand in hand with wisdom and good judgement; or indeed with integrity.

True.

They are just folk like us.
Definitely not. They have a lot more go-get characteristics, more interest in politics, interest in talking, interest in debating, than the average Joe or Jane. Else we would all know people who want to be MPs. Personally I only know 1[who is one].

Some MPs actively seek to know what their constituents think on major issues. jeremy Corbyn has written to all Labour supporters asking for their views- so he can consider them with care.

Who is going to read all of these different statements of opinion and how is the data to be collated? JC isn't going to be considering each response personally...

Good post POGS.

I think they will probably get sorted into yes and no piles Ana.

I sent my response to his question this afternoon.