Let's be real - 2020 has been absolute crap for everyone.
From layoffs to losing a loved one, to dealing with the virus yourself to natural disasters, etc, etc. It's been high stress since March; and with such a stressful year, I get that a lot of you are using this forum as a form of escapism. Whether we like it or not, this year has also turned extremely political with a lot of different viewpoints on all sorts of matters and it's finding their way to the boards. Lately, the moderating team has noticed an uptick in confrontational posts, goading users into arguments by either dismissing them or insulting them just because they are on the "Other Side". This forum is not the place for unnecessary and antagonistic political arguments that, for better or worse, are not likely to change anyone's mind.
We are going to mod a little bit harder, as I'm sure tensions will rise as we get closer to the Election. Going forward, we are asking that, while discourse is welcomed and disagreements are bound to happen; we encourage you, the users, to please do so respectfully and without the need for any belittlement. If you feel someone has crossed that line, we ask to please use the Report feature instead. We want to nip these conflicts in the bud, not exacerbate them with a back and forth argument. Excessive and consistent conflict creates a toxic atmosphere that can negatively impact the forum experience for other users.
We hope you understand.