Please add a separate gun control forum

I've decided that this needs to be posted again, as the other thread requesting a guns/second amendment forum has been closed without resolution after people decided to focus on the alleged hypocrisy of the poster. Gun threads really are overrunning many forums on this site, and while I don't necessarily see a problem with the number of threads itself, it certainly would be better for everyone if there was a separate forum those who are interested could use and those who are not could ignore. I don't think this issue is going to die down anytime soon, especially if we keep having shootings, and this is only going to become more frustrating for everyone.

A separate gun control forum would not only allow those who want nothing to do with the subject to steer clear of it, but it would allow more visibility to topics for those who are interested by letting them see everything in one place as opposed to looking through many separate forums. Also, I'm sure there are at least a few others like myself who have had something to add to the discussion but have refrained from doing so because they didn't want to inconvenience uninterested users by adding to the flood of gun threads in other forums. A dedicated forum would solve many problems.

Before locking this thread, could someone please issue an official response? If you're not willing to open a separate forum, even temporarily, I think a lot of people would appreciate at least an explanation of why you are opposed to doing this.
Thank you.

Maybe just don't participate in gun control threads if you don't like them? Don't star them and don't flag them. Nobody is forcing you to read them.
Its just one of those things that is popular right now and it will go away. Don't you notice ever since the Aurora shooting racism has stopped being a problem in America?
Before all this gun control stuff, everything was about "racism" and yet no racism forum was started. Just log off for a few weeks, everything will be back to normal.

reply to post by Superhans


the issue is, on thread lineups (like recent posts) the gun control threads overwhelm the forum content listing, and drown out non gun control issues.

We had the same problem with BP's oil spill, Fukushima, so on and so forth. It is a logical request, and within the ability of the forum to help with. In other words, If there is a will, there is a way.

ETA: with gun control being a hot issue (like 9-11), giving it such a big stage may only stoke the fires of divisiveness on this forum. It has nothing to do with censorship, but rather just turning down a volume a little so that all voices of content get an equal share of the stage.

Under The Gun

reply to post by Nanocyte

Sorry, that was admittedly somewhat dismissive of me. We know there are definitely quite a few members who are sick of the whole thing (add me to that list), and that was not the first nor last BB&Q thread on the matter.

Ultimately, though suggestions from members and staff alike are welcome, decisions regarding new forums are made by the Site Owners, and while I would not presume to speak on their behalf, I know they are well aware of both the popularity of the subject and the desire on the part of more than a few of us to be able to dump all the gun control threads into a dedicated forum.

Tossing in my opinion (and it's just my opinion), the hue and cry related to gun control in the U.S. is at a fever pitch for fairly obvious reasons, and that's probably going to go on for a while no matter what. I think there's enough traffic on gun control to sustain a forum now and probably for many moons to come, so I think there's a pretty good case for a dedicated forum on that basis.

On the other hand, it's also one of the hottest political topics right now, and even many of our non-U.S. members can't resist sharing their opinions on the subject. Though gun control can indeed be considered a specific category of political discussion, it also plays heavily on several other themes and often finds mention in non-political threads, notably in our conspiracy and survival forums.

Considering that, designating a "gun control ghetto" may not only interfere with forums where there is some degree of topical overlap, but may require enough moderator supervision and intervention that it could potentially cause problems in other forums by narrowing what is considered "acceptable" in them. Would we "shush" members who brought up the issue in "non-gun-control" threads, simply because we have a forum for that? I'm not sure that would be as good as it sounds.

Gosh, I'm just all kinds of helpful, aren't I?

Probably the best way to summarize things for now is that opinions do vary, the owners know what's going on, and if they do decide a separate forum is best, I imagine we'll know soon enough.

If not, nobody has to read gun control threads if they don't want to, regardless of where they may appear.

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


I don't think another forum would really fix the issue. The real issue is with the topic, so for the next few weeks you can count on pretty much any thread turning into a gun control thread.
So even with a forum dedicated to gun control the thread about "the price of tea in china" is still going to end up turning into a discussion about gun control. Just got to deal with it for a few weeks. Do you even lift?

reply to post by Superhans


Do I even lift what?


Magic: it may have been dismissive...but it was sure funny.

I don’t think there is need for yet another forum; we already have a “weaponry” forum.

Now ok this forum is more about discussing weapons technology but I really don’t see why the mod’s can’t just put out a statement saying that any threads relating to the second amendment go into the “weaponry forum”.

Problem solved.... anyone not interested can just “-“ it.

The mods done the same with Ron Paul threads when ATS was turning into a Ron Paul fan-site, they just started putting them all into the 2012 election forum.

I for one am really annoyed at the volume of these posts, I have written 3 threads not related to guns in as many days, two where well researched threads and they have not even got a page of responses. Why, because ATS is way too busy arguing with each other about guns.

It is very annoying.

Another forum won't make a difference, people will still post the threads about gun control all over the board depending on what their particular post matches up with best. Also, it'll last about a month or two longer and die off again for a while before popping back up again.
It's the biggest thing in present current events so it's going to monopolize topics for now anyway no matter where it is.
They can't make new forums for every single topic that may rear it's head or its just going to be a site of 10,000,000 forums. Having separate forums for wide, general topics is good, but if they start specializing in everything that comes down the line, it'll defeat the purpose of having forums at all.

It's foremost in current topics, use current topics to discuss it. When there's a political battle, put it in the political forum. When there are other issues concerning it that arise, put it in the forum it matches. In a few months when something else takes the forefront, people will be asking for a separate forum for it too, as well as the next one, and the next one, and the next one...

Originally posted by OtherSideOfTheCoin
I don’t think there is need for yet another forum; we already have a “weaponry” forum.

Now ok this forum is more about discussing weapons technology but I really don’t see why the mod’s can’t just put out a statement saying that any threads relating to the second amendment go into the “weaponry forum”.

Problem solved.... anyone not interested can just “-“ it.

The mods done the same with Ron Paul threads when ATS was turning into a Ron Paul fan-site, they just started putting them all into the 2012 election forum.

I for one am really annoyed at the volume of these posts, I have written 3 threads not related to guns in as many days, two where well researched threads and they have not even got a page of responses. Why, because ATS is way too busy arguing with each other about guns.

It is very annoying.

I agree with this post. If people want to talk about guns, there should be a designated place. Hijacking every thread to spout off about it has become an annoyance. They need a place.

I agree. I was hoping for it to just die out eventually. BUT, it is not.

The question is though, with its own separate forum, will it then NEVER die? Even when it gets old?

reply to post by Majic


Thanks for the response, Majic. I realize that creating another forum might not necessarily be the best solution in the end, but it's good to know that the site owners are aware that this is an issue for some members. Others have brought up legitimate points against the idea of a separate forum, and I can appreciate some of those objections now.

Also, to quickly respond to those who say, "just don't read them", I want to clarify that my original intent in bringing this suggestion back up was not solely for the benefit of those who don't want avoid threads about guns, but also for the benefit of those who are interested, since it would allow all relevant threads to be found in one place instead of scattered among several forums.

Anyway, I appreciate the response and the discussion, and I'm sure whatever decision is ultimately made will be appropriate.

Yes, it would be very nice if all gun threads are in one forum which can be hidden. ATS has bocome gun control forum lately and I don´t want to come here very much anymore. I loved how ATS was the place where I could find very different interesting events, phenomenons, experiences and news all around the world and I´d apprechiate to have this kind of ATS back.

I actually just came here to the Board Business forum to request this exact thing. Maybe even expand it a bit further and call it "Constitutional Issues" or something like that.

That way, when I want to read about Obama using HAARP to disrupt by guaranteed right to forge weapons, I know where to look.

Thanks for any consideration

My question is, how hard is it for the site to make a new forum? I'd it painstaking work? And they don't want to waste their time over a fad? Understandable if it is indeed a fad, and difficult to do.

Unfortunately creating a separate forum won't solve the issue of all the gun threads bumping non-gun threads out of the recent posts.

If I could have one wish granted, it would be to have the ability to not only have a separate forum, but to also be able to hide/ignore/block that forum if one chooses to do so. This way when you surf the recent posts, you won't be bombarded with garbage forums you don't want any part of.

That would be my utopia.



On a side note, I too have stopped popping around as often... it's become too overwhelming with all the bickering and regurgitation of the exact same gun crap day in and day out. I eventually got fed up because I realized I was missing a lot of good threads on various topics and didn't know it until someone would bump the thread back into recent posts.

It's become a hit and miss type of scenario now.

Meh, this gun stuff is going to keep going for many more months yet.
So I guess we're all just going to have to learn to work around it somehow.

But dammit, if I can't stop myself from reading some of them... like a friggin' car accident that you don't want to look at but can't help yourself from not doing so.

Originally posted by CranialSponge
If I could have one wish granted, it would be to have the ability to not only have a separate forum, but to also be able to hide/ignore/block that forum if one chooses to do so. This way when you surf the recent posts, you won't be bombarded with garbage forums you don't want any part of.
back into recent posts.

If the whole gun mess was put into the weapons forum and old threads moved as they popped up, we could indeed hide that forum by using the little red (-) next to the forum. That would also be my paradise. I visit every day (for years) and rode out every trendy swell, but this even beats the elections in being annoying as hell. I would volunteer all my visit time dedicated to solely moving every gun thread to a new home. What a happy place it would be having all those mass-debaters in one tidy place (to be ignored).
sighs.....

What? This isn't the N.R.A. website?? Ha look it's ATS

I agree it is getting a little overwhelming

Originally posted by CranialSponge
If I could have one wish granted, it would be to have the ability to not only have a separate forum, but to also be able to hide/ignore/block that forum if one chooses to do so. This way when you surf the recent posts, you won't be bombarded with garbage forums you don't want any part of.

It would be absolutely great.
ATS has very many different forums and many diverse groups who are interested in different topics. Here are some forums / topics I never visit. To hide forums would be nice. Why is it utopia? I think it´s reasonable idea.

I also think it would be nice if the mods were all on the same page regarding gun threads...have had 2 threads moved...both mods saying gun threads belonged in a certain forum....and they were not the same place...would be nice to know where they belong across the board

Makes no sense to make a seperate gun forum. The gun issue is unique to the USA . And there will be another issue as serious next year. Dont you get it yet? Your brain, values, morals are being challenged by the NWO elite.