Read the sticky and the closing post in the two threads you mention.

These forums are for the benefit and aid of the Galactic Civilizations community. While Im very sure that many off topic subjects abound, and there are even forums designated for other things, in the end, it is all for a community of gamers, game devs etc. Overty political, and/or inflamitory posts are bound to be delt with quickly, and with good reason.

Ask yourself, does this post add anything to the community?

Does this post, and or its subject line contain inflmatory buzz words designed for little more than shock value?

Not to put too fine a point on things, but the post you are refering too was way out of line for the purpose of these forums, and no matter if you agree or disagree with the post, or its Geraldo like subject line, this just aint the place.

Kryo, I followed the link you showed us, and I am sorry to report that.. *ahem*, the kind of arguments that are talked over there are WAY, WAY below what I expect from the GalCiv2's forum. This forum is about the only one I actively read political arguments (even if it doesn'T concern GC2) because we aren't here mainly to argument about politic, but because we all love the game.

Peoples should not gather because they want to talk politics, it leads to the kind of stupidity you often see on the forum you pointed us. However, talking about politics as an off-topic discussion among a specific apolitic community can be interesting. Much, much more interesting than going in a place where deaf dialogue are shared everyday.

I have read the post about Hugo Chavez, and it's by far not the worst post I've seen on this forum. I remember this summer, there was a greatly heated argument about the Korean Test missile.. Wow, that one was spicy! Or even the one about Pluto (I have to confess that I have shamely put too much pepper meself in that one).

Political forums are boring. GalCiv2's forum is great. Talking political in GalCiv2 forum is 100x better than in any political forum I've ever seen.

I dunno, personally I'd be happy if the OT forum went away completely... I come here for GalCiv2 talk.

I concur with Cauldyth. There are, after all, dedicated forums elsewhere to handle any of a variety of non-GalCiv2 topics. OT posts just create "noise" that has to be sifted through to get game-related information.

Addendum.

A'right. I can see where political discussion in the game specific forums would be severly frowned upon. That's not the place. I'll definately give you that.

This is a games forum. Offtopic is really for other games/sci-fi stuff etc...

Politics is another ball game, there r plenty of other sites that allow u to discuss politics, go talk there.

Who cares ? Don't like it, don't read it. As long it's clear from the title what it is.

The problem is that the ill-feelings tend to spill over into other threads.

Politics and religion are pretty much the most divisive topics you can discuss. Pretty much everyone feels strongly about them one way or another, nothing can ever really be proved, logic doesn’t really apply in either topic and you’re never going to change the opinion of someone that disagrees with you. In fact the more you discuss it the more likely you start to offend people that at the beginning pretty much agreed with you.

If your goal is to cause upset and grief there’s no better topic. If your goal is to play, discuss, understand and improve a game that’s common to a community, then not so much. Just because a section of these forums is titled Off Topic doesn’t mean that posts there shouldn’t have at least some vague relationship to the game that we all love. When I surf the forums I just click on the Everything link, most people probably do the same. I’d prefer not to have to wade through a minefield of topics to find the ones that interest me. Plus what possible good can come from these types of topics, certainly the problem’s they highlight won’t be solved by discussion in these forums.

I agree with the locking posts. Especially if there just Republican propaganda.

We don't need people using GalCiv2 as a recruiting tool for the Republican party.
(But hey its ok as a recruiting tool for Libertarians or Democrats. Sorry couldn't resist.)

S1 is right, everyone should have an opinion and be allowed to live free, and anyone who disagrees can STFU AND GTFO

The above post is a TRUE REAL LIFE PHOTOGRAPHINGS of EVIL REPUBLICANAZI HATE METHODS, anything you say otherwise is BS PROPAGANDA AND HATRED

Stop hating America and do what S1 tells you to!

You. Freaking. Moron. Do us all a favour and make that your last damn post on the forums, ever.

EDIT:

ALSO You had better not use one of my threads against me again. I took personal offence to the Dark Avatar opinions post.

Boo bloody hoo. You don't like it when people argue against you? Then seriously, shut the hell up or get off these forums. People arguing with you is a part of politics, or any form of debate. If you're that thin skinned, then you have no right to ever make an inflamatory post.

See where this post is already going and understand why they get locked.

Wow touched a nerve. Never cursed at anyone and in any other forum you would be banned for such a post.

Wrong, you've been talking about nazi's here. See how long you last.

But since I see you can't talk like a mature adult... Anyways lock this last political thread and do what you want Stardock its your forum. I wonder If I should bring up the Human Factions Mod?

Let's not talk about mature adults here, shall we? Since you're certainly not one. Do I need to add hypocrisy to your faults?

Let's get this straight. I despise the Bush administration. I really, really do. But firstly, you don't get to use cartoons to prove a point after your tenth birthday. Secondly, you REALLY don't have a clue what you're talking about. I'm sorry, but I'm surprised you even know how to write without someone typing for you.

The American government do a lot of bad things, yeah. Do they kill millions of people due to race?

You sir, have no right to discuss politics.

Come on guys- I personaly thank Kyro. He made the right choice, and deserves credit. I have to check myself since talking about politics has often gotten me into fist fights, and I have yet to met a judge who understands the "So you knocked his teeth out because you disagreed about the 2000 Flordia mess?" This isn't something we should encourage here. Lets not get this post locked.