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Important news regarding moderation team....

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Leaving aside the political issue, I am very sorry that this situation has led to these consequences, the moderators are precious helpers, and I remember many of them had this role even before I signed up, when I frequented the site as a lurker. A big thank you to all of them. This is a small example of how political issues can really be divisive even in a forum that does not deal with these topics.
 
It's a hard one - obviously tariffs have a huge effect on audio gear, especially with so much of it being manufactured in China these days. So I understand your position Amir and respect how hard it must have been to follow through knowing you would lose essential support.

I wish Adam, Brad and James all the best. You were nearly invisible to me, I found your style very chilled and empathetic, which is a very high compliment as some moderators are quite the opposite.
 
Tempest in a teapot. Personally I couldn't care less about Amir's approach to those posts (he's free to do as he chooses in my view), aside from the fallout it unfortunately caused amongst the mods.

No reason this great forum won't refocus on audio in a day or two and resume as it was. Hopefully.
 
Sometimes the best relationships hit a rough spot and boy did we hit one on the issue of allowing or disallowing discussions around the tariffs US has imposed on the entire world. They feel allowing this means we are violating our rule of no political discussion. I feel that the human aspect of this is so immense that it garners discussion. Heck, I think it demand discussion lest we look like we want to turn a blind eye to incredible suffering that we are causing for many people both in US and around the world. There can always be another place where people can go and discuss audio. But damaged lives can't be repaired.

@amirm I'm sorry to say that I strongly agree with the moderation staff, and believe you are currently in the wrong! For example, I believe that if members are allowed to openly discuss our points of view on only the "human aspect", nothing good will come of it. I'm sure my personal views would invoke a strong and hostile response from many users.

Imo, if you continue down this road, you will systematically undo a lot of things this site has achieved.
 
Thank you to the mods and Amir. It's a shame this has happened. But these are not normal times for your country and the effect it is having on the world.

I understand why we wouldn't usually discuss politics but I think we are now in a place where there is good and there is bad, there is freedom, and now there's fascism. To those that haven't picked a side, or think you don't have to, then I'm afraid you haven't been paying attention.
 
Normally I don't consider discussion of politics in a forum like this to make a difference. But here, I think we can influence people by bringing better understanding to the issues at hand. And with it, effectuate change. This is already working in real time with government backing off from the strong actions of a week ago.
I agree. This has been very specific case. Sometimes, it is just impossible to stay apolitical. There were good examples in the past when closing eyes almost resulted in a disaster.
 
So the »Terms and rules« (Click!) will soon be modified, accordingly? If in doubt, my already very limited understanding for this ASR »Tariff Syndrome« will be null.
 
@amirm Regarding tariffs: it might be more practical for the short run and (if it works) the long run to have a European member test devices from Europe.
Same for Asia maybe.

And organise a crowdfunding to get the test devices needed.

That way the spirit of ASR and legacy can continue on and less pressure is put on one person to take care of all.
 
I think the mod team was excellent: thanks!

I still think, given how diverse our opinions are, that banishing any "political" subject remains a good idea.

But... this is Amir's place. He's the host, we're the guests. I believe that, as the owner of this site, Amir has the right to express his opinion. If that makes the guests unhappy, they are free to leave. As far as I am concerned, I would have no problems being subject to moderation while the owner of the place is not.

See Amir's posts as editorials. As such, they are more grounded in reality than Stereophile's editorials anyway. And, on top of that, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times and many other "left wing" ;) ;) institutions agree with him.
 
I love this forum, and I appreciate the moderation decisions by the now ex moderation team. It's sad that these are the consequences, but I hope we can grow again in the future. I fully understand and respect your decision to step down.

But now, if I may soapbox to all members of the forum: It's funny to me that this is where some of us draw the line, but not when Erin was threatened with lawsuits, because both are political and off topic to the forum (this is not me picking a side; it's just pointing out the similarities). If anything, the tariffs posts are less inappropriate for ASR because it affects more of us more directly too.

@amirm since the tariff thread is locked, I just wanted to respond to one of the posts in the thread, namely the one with the picture of sweatshop labor. It's a shame that sweatshops exist at all, so it gives a bad taste when the problem is framed to show that people in the US could get sweatshops as a result instead of having white collar careers. I understand that this isn't the point, but it comes off that way to me.

To everyone else, it always reeks of privilege when I hear talk about how people go to xyz game or forum or whatever to escape from politics. Life itself is political, and those of us not immediately impacted need to just need to accept that. I agree that the tariff thread is controversial, but it directly impacts Amir's role as a reviewer. Maybe that thread could have stopped after the third post or so; the point had been made by then. But what's done is done.

I'm just one voice of many, so don't crucify me. It is frustrating (both the consequences of the tariffs themselves and the consequences of the thread), but an Internet forum is not a democracy, and never was in the first place...
 
Just an additional thought. We should not allow divisive politics divide this forum. We have it really nice and cosy over here and this is best forum I have ever used.

Allowing the politics of division to divide us is only aiding to the fire it caused. There are multiple other channels and forums dealing with that issue and not sure if we can really contribute any more than staying focused around our usual petty things that apparently make a world of difference.

SINAD in the real world has dropped to very audible levels, but our rigs are still in green. A vote to keep them that way.
 
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I fail to see how a mention of tariffs is inherently political: it's a practical taxation matter. I am not directly affected by these specific tariffs as I live in the EU, but if every imported item to be reviewed is going to be affected then a comment seems reasonable. But then I don't care much about politics, and especially don't care about politicians, who are poorly regarded everywhere AFAICS. I was disenfranchised many years ago!
 
Hi Amir,
I agree with many of your assessments from the other thread, but I also think your moderators were right.
ASR will be in big trouble if you don't largely exclude discussions of politics and religion from this forum again.
I wish you continued success and all the best to the ASR forum
 
But now, if I may soapbox to all members of the forum: It's funny to me that this is where some of us draw the line, but not when Erin was threatened with lawsuits, because both are political and off topic to the forum (this is not me picking a side; it's just pointing out the similarities). If anything, the tariffs posts are less inappropriate for ASR because it affects more of us more directly too.

IMO, Erin's issue was legal, not political.
 
What an unexpected turn of events.
Many thanks to Adam Brad and James.

Many years ago before FB existed, I was a member of a now defunct specialty automotive forum that had a sub-forum called "Fight Club". It was mostly unmoderated and any posts that broke the normal forum rules were simply moved there to languish or catch ablaze. I'm not suggesting ASR should do that but it is an option.
 
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