"Eisboch" wrote in message
...


I think this needs to be said.

I've been a subscriber to rec.boats since 1995. For the most part it has
been a very enjoyable experience. I've enjoyed the boating discussions,
sea stories, tall tales, humor plus the more than occasional "Off Topic"
discussions that amount to nothing but dock chat. Although I've never met
most of the participants, the names are all like old friends.

Many times the NG has provided entertainment that you just couldn't find
anywhere else. Who can forget the famous bilge pump debates between
Marcus and Mrs. B.?

Unfortunately, the political side of things invested itself during the
election of 2000.
Certain people have never let it go - and the political infection of
rec.boats took root. This, singularly, has been the primary reason for
the deterioration of the group during the past 7-8 years, IMOH.

The attempt to return to "boating" only discussions will never work,
because rec.boats was never only about boating. It was an internet based
comradely of people who shared a common root interest but enjoyed the
discussion and humor of all subjects, very much like the social
environment at the dock or marina.

Like every other social group though, you gotta leave politics and
religion out of it.
If we all simply did that - this NG would be fine.

Eisboch

Well said, Richard. I date back to early 1998 in this group, and I agree
with your observations entirely. There is no question that politics is the
poison that turned this forum into its ugly self and has caused so many
terrific regulars to quietly (and some not so quietly) disappear. It's been
very difficult in recent times for me to stick around. This place was
crazier than a bag of hammers in the late 90's, but immensely fun. But once
the politics of the 2000 general election took center stage, it's just never
been the same. Like you say, there's just certain highly charged subjects
that it's just not good common social sense to discuss in mixed company.
The outcome of such banter is 100% predictable, and rarely pretty.