"Gould 0738" wrote in message
...

The more unrestricted rec.boats can be, the closer it resembles the real
world.

Not even close.

The world where arguments are more often impassioned than logical. A world
where insult, slander, gossip and personal attack are common currency.

In the real world 99% of these people don't have the intestinal
fortitude to face
the possible physical ramifications of insulting personal attacks on a
complete
stranger. I have never been in a Marina or at a Drop Zone or in a
hunting camp
where a political conversation broke down into name calling and did not
result in
1 or more of the participants paying with blood or real personal
embarrasment
by slinking out with their tail between their legs. I know the left does
not agree
with having to back what you say but that is the world that I know. As
John Wayne
said in the shootist " I will not be insulted, I will not be stolen from
and I will not
be laid a hand upon. I don't do these things to other men and I require
the same
from them."

Should there be places in such a world where everybody agrees to behave in
a
civil manner and exchange ideas restricted to subjects agreed upon in
advance?
Yes, that would be nice.....but is it realistic?


I lurk and post on a couple of other newsgroups that are moderated to
ensure all
posts are "On-Topic" and I love them. I had some luck earlier this year
when
people were using the OT in front of these posts and with the use of the
killfile I
was able to make it look almost like a boating newsgroup, but it seems
even that
little piece of etiquette has gone by the wayside. As others have said
there are so
many places meant for those posts that there is no need for them to be
here. I have
also been drawn in here a couple of times myself and really try not to.
There would
be no temptation to get drawn in if those posts were in the group they
belong in.

Terry