CAP joins the TEA party

[cap235629]

Frankly, I'd rather concentrate on talking about how we can make our organization better, how we can help the public, how we can better promote CAP, talk about our proud history, discuss why Vanguard is the progenitor of all evil in the world, and debate whether we need still more uniforms.

Exactly my point, and I agree that the posting of the colors was inappropriate. That was the point of the thread, not to debate politics....

[davidsinn]

There's also an ignore feature you can place me on if you find my views inappropriate. 

There isn't one. If there was I would use in for one poster in particular.

[AirAux]

Does this mean I shouldn't invite politicians, ie, Congressmen or Senators to present my cadet awards, such as the Eaker, etc.??  What would I do if they decided to break into a political statement.  If I invite a Democrat, does that suggest my squadron and CAP support Democrats??

[DakRadz]

AirAux makes a good point- what to do when there are only one party's members of Congress in your represented area?

Though I believe the regs say that certain awards should be presented by members of Congress

[davidsinn]

AirAux makes a good point- what to do when there are only one party's members of Congress in your represented area?

Though I believe the regs say that certain awards should be presented by members of Congress

By default there will always be only one party represented by your area. Think about it for a minute. You only send one rep from your district.

[DakRadz]

AirAux makes a good point- what to do when there are only one party's members of Congress in your represented area?

Though I believe the regs say that certain awards should be presented by members of Congress

By default there will always be only one party represented by your area. Think about it for a minute. You only send one rep from your district.

Senators represent the state, however.

I meant when the Rep. and both Senators (even the governor in Georgia) are all the same party. That's how it is for me- doesn't mean I would be supporting the Republican Party by having them as a guest for my Spaatz award (in the distant future), I just would love to have such a high-ranking gov. official present it to me; besides, Col. promised that would happen

[NIN]

Guys, I don't think anybody is suggesting (legitimately) that having your duly elected legislator (state, federal), county commissioner, mayor or whatever come present an award at your CAP squadron is inherently "political."  Yes, they are a part of a party (and, as I seem to recall, 98+% of the US Congress is part of one or the other of those parties, so unless you live in Vermont, Connecticut or some other place that I can't recall off the top of my head, chances are the guy/gal in your area whose name is prefaced by "The Honorable.." is either a Democrat or a Republican.. fancy that, huh?), but the presentation of awards and such is a civic rather than a political duty.

Instead of continuing to just throw about a bunch of partisan stones by using highly charged words like "Republican" or "liberal," I chose to offer up some guidance to CAP members who might, heaven forbid, legitimately come to this site seeking some guidance from the *cough* "brain trust" located here.

Instead of complaining about the Great Vanguard Conspiracy, or why Hawk Mountain sucks.... or whatever this weeks cause célèbre might be.

Last time I looked, this wasn't the Daily Kos or Free Republic.  It was CAP-Talk. 

Sooo, why don't we talk about CAP, in a way that can be constructive for people looking for information, advice, guidance and confirmation.

Sheesh.

[Big_Ed]

I wholeheartedly agree with NIN on this one.  :clap:

[Major Carrales]

Guys, I don't think anybody is suggesting (legitimately) that having your duly elected legislator (state, federal), county commissioner, mayor or whatever come present an award at your CAP squadron is inherently "political."  Yes, they are a part of a party (and, as I seem to recall, 98+% of the US Congress is part of one or the other of those parties, so unless you live in Vermont, Connecticut or some other place that I can't recall off the top of my head, chances are the guy/gal in your area whose name is prefaced by "The Honorable.." is either a Democrat or a Republican.. fancy that, huh?), but the presentation of awards and such is a civic rather than a political duty.

Instead of continuing to just throw about a bunch of partisan stones by using highly charged words like "Republican" or "liberal," I chose to offer up some guidance to CAP members who might, heaven forbid, legitimately come to this site seeking some guidance from the *cough* "brain trust" located here.

Instead of complaining about the Great Vanguard Conspiracy, or why Hawk Mountain sucks.... or whatever this weeks cause célèbre might be.

Last time I looked, this wasn't the Daily Kos or Free Republic.  It was CAP-Talk. 

Sooo, why don't we talk about CAP, in a way that can be constructive for people looking for information, advice, guidance and confirmation.

Sheesh.

NIN,
I don't know why the moderators are allowing Religious and Political threads to florish here lately and extend 5 plus pages with out a timely lock.  Look at the mess it is causing.

C'mon people, there are millions of other Political, Policy, Partisan and Religious forums...let's keep this out of CAPTALK.

[NIN]

I don't know why the moderators are allowing Religious and Political threads to florish here lately and extend 5 plus pages with out a timely lock.  Look at the mess it is causing.

C'mon people, there are millions of other Political, Policy, Partisan and Religious forums...let's keep this out of CAPTALK.

I think the thread is fine without too much moderator intervention. Could it use a little "moderator guidance?" Maybe.  If this was CS, my mod staff would have squashed this one sooner rather than later, but then at the same time, several members of the community would have offered up constructive guidance on getting the thread back on track.

Honestly, folks need to be responsible for their own content here and think hard about what constitutes "community standards" before running off at the mouth on subjects or tangents that are only marginally related to the purpose of the site.  At the same time, its the responsibility of the participants in this online community to provide guidance, direction, course corrections, etc, to other participants who may stray away from the community standards.   In a respectful and constructive way.

As I was fond of saying "BITD" on CadetStuff: "Hey, look, at the end of the day, this is the house I setup and I'm holding the party in. You're the guest here, and you just came in, spilled beer on my carpet, crapped on my coffee table and wiped your butt on my sofa.. Unacceptable.."

The mods can't be everywhere at once, and more importantly, aren't the cavalry, ready to ride in and "make it all right."   On the one hand, people complain loudly about capricious moderation or "too much" moderation, but on the other hand, there are elements here who tend to take advantage of the lack of moderation and run roughshod over others.  So which way do you go?

Honestly, we're all adults here, I think (or in the case of Cadets, young adults).  And we should endeavor to act as such.  All the time.

(Try an exercise: Pick a controversial user and read his/her posts going back, say, 10 months or a year.   Of the total number of their posts in that timeframe, how many are constructive and how many are not?  Now look at my profile and go back the same amount of time and look at the same metric.  I'm not saying I'm the perfect CAP-Talk participant, but I think after all these years on the Internet, especially doing CAP stuff on the Internet, I've figured out how to participate in a constructive way...)

[Strick]

Amen!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

no, No and NO.

CAP is supposed to be apolitical.

It does not matter who the C-in-C (POTUS) is, or what party s/he is from, does not change the fact that s/he commands all uniformed services, reserve components, Guard components in Federal service and auxiliary components.

I have a bumper sticker on my car from the '08 campaign, but that is my right as a private citizen.  In no way does it connote CAP/USAF involvement, consent or endorsement.

Frankly, I don't want to hear politics in a CAP context.  In fact, I've probably ticked a few people off when I've been the ranking officer in a CAP setting and people start getting political and I tell them to knock it off until the activity is over and they're speaking as private citizens.

There's enough (too much) political infighting in this country.  It's got no place in CAP.

[tdepp]

no, No and NO.

CAP is supposed to be apolitical.

It does not matter who the C-in-C (POTUS) is, or what party s/he is from, does not change the fact that s/he commands all uniformed services, reserve components, Guard components in Federal service and auxiliary components.

I have a bumper sticker on my car from the '08 campaign, but that is my right as a private citizen.  In no way does it connote CAP/USAF involvement, consent or endorsement.

Frankly, I don't want to hear politics in a CAP context.  In fact, I've probably ticked a few people off when I've been the ranking officer in a CAP setting and people start getting political and I tell them to knock it off until the activity is over and they're speaking as private citizens.

There's enough (too much) political infighting in this country.  It's got no place in CAP.

:clap:

[N Harmon]

Politics have no place in CAP... unless we're lobbying congress for more money.

[Major Carrales]

Political and Religious debates are not part of the basic fabric of CAP.  In fact, they must never be.  We are here to serve the UNITED community, getting into partisanship and "siding" with either side will only spell ruin for the organization.  I don't care if the local offical is a "D" or an "R...," CAP serves us all.

Fellows, these are the most trying political times in history.  There is polarization like never before.  I find the "Bush Bashing" and "Obama Hating" as well as the "DEMONIZING of DEMOCRATS" and "RADICALLIZING of REPUBLICANS" to be stupidity at its worst and being VERBOTEN in CAP discussions.

Sorry, NIN, but LIBERAL and CONSERVATIVE Agendas need to stay at home.  Our only AGENDA is the mission.  May I remind you that images of President Obama with a toothbrush moustach and photos of President Bush dressed as "THE ANTI-CHRIST" were all produced by adults.  Need I remind you all of the threats made against public officials based solely on political leanings.  Need I point to some of the posts here that deal with politics and religion where the line is "crossed" and tempers flare?

If moderators can lock STAR TREK threads, ones where people from other regions are holding sessions where they are mingling, threads that vary only slightly from topic via evolution of the discussion...then I think threads steeped in POLITICAL and RELIGIOUS bile too should be locked.

[BillB]

I love N Harmons  "No placve in CAP for politics". But what planet is he on? CAP is so full of politics, it's make Congress looks like a knitting society.

[N Harmon]

I love N Harmons  "No placve in CAP for politics". But what planet is he on? CAP is so full of politics, it's make Congress looks like a knitting society.

*ahem*

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tongue-in-cheek