This 'off topic' thread (in the correct 'Off Topic' section) has been running for quite a while now with no complaints. Modern and classic aeronautical subjects are certainly something that interest many Corvette enthusiasts and we've seen many pictures of Vettes and jets together - to many of us there is a commonality between Vettes and jets. Can't see any glorification or political overtones relating to recent overseas events in any of the posts on this thread so far .............
The initial posts were fairly harmless - indeed it's a subject that I am interested in myself. But there are two key points here:
1) It digresses into political waters on a number of occasions. Criticism of UK capabilities in terms of military readiness, and a slightly odd post on the problems with the Ajax tank which have been, according to the post, caused by the bad decision of basing the UK project on a joint Austrian/Spanish design whereas it is actually based on the US General Dynamics Ajax product - hence the same name. A little bit of misinformation and misdirection. There are further posts about the Public Accounts Committee reports on UK F35 readiness. These posts have a political element as they criticise government policy and effectiveness. The non-Uk origin of these posts makes the politicisation more acute. These posts have no place on our Corvette club forum.
2) The world context has changed and we need to sympathetic to that. The use or misuse of military might to subdue and influence other countries is now a key part of US foreign policy. Unfortunately, these airplanes that have previous been objects of interest have now become mechanisms of subjugation and international bullying. That changes the perception that people have of them and how we as a club are judged if we continue to post 'admiring' comments about them.
If you would like me to reference inappropriate posts here's one.....
Check out the post from the 1st November: This is clearly related to recent events in South America. I'm not going to reproduce here - it's offensive to many. It depicts the illegal killing of people in. international waters (allegedly drug runners but unproven) on a boat with the quote.... '
US Navy says .....No illegal drugs delivery today !'
Drug runners or not, this is not appropriate material for this forum.
Is this funny? Is this who we are as a club? Should this type of material be posted on our club forum?
Here's another example of a politically edged post....
It's from the "Are we still convinced electric cars are the best way forward..." thread posted on the 7th November.
'In the U.K., the socialist ruling class is pushing ahead with a scheme to tax mileage, which will make driving cars prohibitively expensive for people.
And no, it's not gas-cars. This is electric vehicles, too.
So it's not entirely a green environmental scam. It's a full-blow socialist power grab.'
I am mindful that there's viewpoint and there's politics, and sometimes it's difficult to separate the two. From my perspective this post is more than just viewpoint - this has a political edge to it. There's an element of misinformation in it too.
I have requested that the committee provides some clarity/guidance for the forum users on appropriateness and how posts that venture into politics should be handled.
