Some have suggested we start a political forum to keep this much needed discussion from overwhelming our horse topics on BHW.  Conservative positions have been increasingly under attack and banned every where else and we don't want to censure anyone on BHW just because they have a right leaning position and an opinion.

  Your thoughts?

I do not want to see a separate forum. No one forces anyone to read posts on political posts. If you start separate forms for each subject where do you stop. Do we start separte forms for health, relationships, or anything else that does not talk about horses? If it does not interest you just skip over it. And Thank You for a free and open forum.

Keep it the way that it is.

YES .... at one time a couple of weeks ago, there were NINETEEN political threads on the first page ...... It works BOTH ways......IF you want to post or read "poitical" threads, then you could go to a Politics Forum ..... All you have to do is look at the list (that I posted last week) of over 1350+ BHW members who "may" no longer post here to realize that "perhaps" it has become less of a horse, social, or friendly forum. JMO!

edited to add: Of course, you are going to get the responses from those who post most on political threads ..... LOL .... why ask?

99% of the time, I don't go to the actual forums to look up threads.   I look at the front page and see what's new.  

So to start a political forum for me would be a waste, because whatever is being talked about is at the top of the front page anyways, doesn't matter which forum it's in.   

Only time I hit the forums page is when I'm making a post. 

That's been tried a couple times before and failed.  Also, there's always been people complaining about political posts and how they have nothing to do with our way of life, or horses, or barrel racing, etc....  My feeling is nothing is more relevant or impactful to our way of life than how our ever changing laws and the politicians who make them.  This cold spell and storm is very timely, in terms of illustrating that perfectly.  The war against fossil fuels has pressured us into depending on more Green New Deal energy sources like wind turbines and solar panels.  If we move political topics over to a separate place under the guise of "protecting free speech" and "protecting conservatism" nobody will look at it that way.....quite the opposite, in fact, in my opinion.  It's a not-so-subtle way of actual squelching free speech, rather than protecting it.  Obviously, we know that those who complain about too many political threads are predominately liberal.  They are conditioned to controlling or silencing conservatism, just like they do on social media.  It is understandably tempting to prohibit political threads, especially if sponsors happen to dislike conservatism, but like I said, we've done that before and it failed.  No matter how it is re-packaged, my prediction is it would fail again.  As we have been saying for years, even decades, the beauty of threads is you don't have to read them or respond to them.....problem solved.

We already have a political Forum, but no body ever gos there. But the spam has taken it over..

Edited""" I see I got into a big hurry and spelled forum wrong

But I'm always in a hurry.... 

We used to use that forum ALL the time ....because the "mods" moved the political threads to that forum. I post on political threads but they have become increasingly nasty, with personal attacks on BOTH sides, and beyond just discussing the issues .... and NO, Scott ...... that is NOT the way that those threads should go. 

Gail has tried several times to tone down the rhetoric but no one listens or pays attention. And for a group of conservatives who denounce ANY kind of censorship .... where was your outrage when Mecon (or was it meepmeep?) was suspended???? I agree with his/her suspension ....but THEN ..... there are MANY others that should get the same fate! 

You can't even discuss this issue without pointing fingers ...... good example !!!! Where was your outrage when Mecon (or meepmeep ..... I forget) was CENSORED and suspended???? 

You're the one pointing fingers with this post.  You have b!tched and complained about political threads ever since I joined this forum, yet you frequently participate in political threads yourself.  

This shouldn't bother you......it's the way of the democrats - cancel what they don't agree with. 

But, facetiousness aside - Mecon was suspended for hateful, threatening speach.  I would expect this same standard be applied to everyone on this forum. 

No, if you don't like the topic, you should be adult enough to go on to a topic that interests you.  

You are correct ... I DO participate in political threads of ISSUES .... HOWEVER, I am intelligent enough to be able to FIND the Political Forum if I want to read or participate ...... and NO ..... I have NOT b*tched and complained about political discussions. I have complained about the downright NASTY crap that you and others (BOTH SIDES) put out towards each other instead of discussing an ISSUE!!!! NOTE .... I said BOTH sides ..... Over and OUT ...... 

Oh I see.  And of course Norma is never nasty.  Norma never lashes out at anyone.  You have always bellyached about political threads while you were among the most active participants.  You are just mad because you know everyone can see your hypocrisy.

Now shut up and go bake me some cookies.  

No 

Children, Children Children.

My, we are all up in a hissy fit already, food flying thru the room.

I need everyone right now to go to a corner of the room and stand for  . . . . a day.  

Or I will tape your mouth shut.

Bear, you have yet to post a single . . . "I don't agree" . . . as a reponse without adding insult or generalizations about all liberals.  

Liberals, you are welcome here just don't run away when you feel the heat.  

Bystanders, this is what I am talking about.  Do you want to read these heated posts or see them delegated to a dedicated political forum.  

Here's an idea.  We can post leading political posts from a seperate "Policital Forum", with their own "Hot Topics" list on the BHW home page! 

Everyone gets what they want.  Your thoughts?

Guilty as charged.  Political threads are never civil.  One side or the other gets angry or offended.  That's the nature of politics.  There is no such thing as a nice political forum, unless it's an echo chamber.  It's your business and obviously you can change it as you see fit.  It's never worked before.  Maybe it will this time.  Certainly if you want to eliminate political discussions and political speech, that's one way of doing it.  People are used to it and it definitely is a trend.

Not trying to be a smart -as*, Butttt what happen to Entry At your own Risk on a Political Thread? I knew that this would not go over to well.. But when you go onto a Political thread you know whats going to happen, Especially when someone starts talking SMACK about us or Trump. 

This sums it up quite well.  If people on either side don't want their undies to go up their butt, the best way is to just avoid reading threads that might upset them.

I for one have given up on news and do very little social media.  I appreciate seeing threads on here that keep me informed without the overwhelm of other social platforms.

I like the idea of having headers on the front page for each forum with the top 5 or so in each forum. Maybe just the popular ones, like Barrel Talk, Politics, etc.   Don't know how much traffic some of others get daily.