New trend of politics in moto media that's bugging me (For Matthes, Anton, Ping, Cox, DBo, JT and whoever else...)

Zycki11
Posts
7738
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Edwardsville, IL US
7/9/2020 8:17am
Anton_514 wrote:
Okay, point-counterpoint. I totally understand what some of you are saying, and agree to an extent, but there are a couple things to discuss. I signed...
Okay, point-counterpoint.

I totally understand what some of you are saying, and agree to an extent, but there are a couple things to discuss.

I signed up for Twitter long before I had a full-time MX career. That people started to follow it now because of what I do for a paycheck is nice, but it's never been a purely MX page. Might be music that I'm listening to, videos or posts that my brother and I send to each other, what I see as a super fan of sprint cars/MotoGP/F1, shoes and clothes, and so on. It's a 29-year-old's weird inspiration board.

At the same time, politics and social issues are something I've been into my entire life, in school I took every history and social class that they'd let me. To say that I have to completely mute one whole part of my personal interest, despite never causing any sort of harm through it, because someone thinks it's annoying is absurd.

I could understand that if I was straight-up attacking people of different beliefs and calling them every name in the book like some do, but I don't. Have never gone to someone's page had a full meltdown on them, but have had plenty of people come at me and tell me shit like my dad should have busted on the curtains instead of in my mom. Hell, there are a handful of "mystery" accounts that have made me the center of their shit-talking, but it's part of it, so whatever. Says more about them than me, really.

I'll admit, I have been very openly anti-Trump, but on multiple occasions, I've explained that I think any and all politicians are the scum of the earth (Obama's "good' acts don't override all the shit he did in the Middle East and the way Cheney got Bush to sell the War on Terror was criminal), but because that was before anyone "followed" me, no one remembers seeing it. They just see me going after their guy now and think I'm some liberal that's trying to get on Soros' payroll. I'm of the belief that no person of power cares about the common man and think anyone who feels they "are the chosen one to lead the public to prosperity" is a fucking power-tripping lunatic that can't be trusted. But that's just me.

This is where the double standards in MX are on full display. Multiple riders and others in the industry have said pro-Republican things, follow very active-decisive political pundits, or worn Trump merch to the races, and they get celebrated for it. Why are they allowed to do so, but the media guys can't voice our opinion on something similar online? Are we not fast enough? Or is it because it's not the same message people want to hear?

None of you really know me and it's a bit fucked up. I really, really appreciate the fact that people want to read or hear what I see when I'm at the races, it's an honor for a guy that literally made MX the center focus of his life. I know that there are racers who have different viewpoints on life than I do, but I don't hold it against them when I'm talking to them, and never, ever have I brought a topic up like that in my coverage (a write-up on Malcolm winning his Heat Race in SLC with the shot I had of Big James celebrating in the stands amid massive civil unrest would have been great, but I never typed a word about it because I know the firestorm it'd start). Sadly, a lot of everyday people don't give us the same chance and freak out any time we bring up something that didn't happen at the track. We all see the crackpot theories some of you in here come up about MX with and just let it go because tearing someone apart isn't the fix, it just leads to more tension.
Edwardsville
Zycki11
Posts
7738
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Edwardsville, IL US
7/9/2020 8:18am
EngIceDave wrote:
I know the Stewart's never really wanted it to be about race.

At times they couldn't avoid it, but they never went into it headlong
“When I put my helmet on, we all look the same”
2
Falcon
Posts
12261
Joined
11/16/2011
Location
Menifee, CA US
7/9/2020 8:25am
I'm with Anton. I'm not a liberal, but I feel the same - that anybody who rises to an important political office is most likely a scumbag. They all seem to have forgotten that they are supposed to work for us. This goes for both sides of the aisle.
17
2
7/9/2020 8:28am
I guess Steve hasn't been online yet today. lol

For the record...I too am sick and tired of politics permeating every segment of our lives. ...but I'm more sick of the "shout down", "echo chamber", "group-think", "tolerance (as long as you agree with us)" bullshit.

What should worry people the most, is the outright censorship happening in the US. But no...the useful idiots are lapping it up and cheering it on. Hitler would be proud.

One thing is for certain. These divisions are getting worse by the day. We will not survive that.


13
9

The Shop

EngIceDave
Posts
2432
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Merritt Island, FL US
7/9/2020 8:35am
AH387 wrote:
True but the OP is about mainly being on social media, which those guys are going to do what they are going to do. It's their...
True but the OP is about mainly being on social media, which those guys are going to do what they are going to do. It's their account. Sucks as a fan, but it's their right, so we just have to keep scrolling or unfollow.
I have separate business social media accounts, I do no politics on those.
Matter of fact, I usually don't post on them, Scott does
1
1
GuyB
Posts
35722
Joined
7/10/2006
Location
Aliso Viejo, CA US
7/9/2020 8:38am
People are entitled to their own opinions, but I don’t necessarily need to know what they are.

I think that where it becomes an issue is that it tends to taint how I look at what they post on the moto side. You look at it with a different filter.

Even something fairly benign can go in a wrong direction these days. I saw an opinion post on IG the other day that was relatively mild by itself, but I was appalled by the ignorance and vitriol in some of the comments that it generated.

Social media has become a cesspool, and I’ve really retooled what I post on my personal accounts to try and minimize what I control on that side.

As for here? I try to stick with the “More of what unites us, less of what divides us” mantra, and edit accordingly.
33
huutnanny
Posts
83
Joined
4/21/2019
Location
San Francisco, CA US
7/9/2020 9:34am
Generally I like to hear about other subject than just moto from moto media. Steve does music segments. Ping talks about being a firefighter and paramedic. Politics seems to be fair game.

And in general, people tend to look for confirming political stances. So while I may not want to hear political commentary it does spur some thought process to consider another point of view.
1
1
Sierra Ranger
Posts
841
Joined
12/30/2018
Location
Sacramento, CA US
7/9/2020 9:42am
Welp- not trying to censor anybody, I guess it's a tricky balance. What I have noticed, with the shitshow we have going on nationally, is it's becoming a bigger and bigger focus on the social media sites of industry people. At this point the political posts are starting to dominate, and people in the industry getting uglier and uglier with each other, and the fans, on social media. People are of course free to say whatever they want- I guess I miss the days when not everything under the sun, including my favorite sport, was saturated with racial/political ugliness and animosity.
2
EngIceDave
Posts
2432
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Merritt Island, FL US
7/9/2020 9:44am
Welp- not trying to censor anybody, I guess it's a tricky balance. What I have noticed, with the shitshow we have going on nationally, is it's...
Welp- not trying to censor anybody, I guess it's a tricky balance. What I have noticed, with the shitshow we have going on nationally, is it's becoming a bigger and bigger focus on the social media sites of industry people. At this point the political posts are starting to dominate, and people in the industry getting uglier and uglier with each other, and the fans, on social media. People are of course free to say whatever they want- I guess I miss the days when not everything under the sun, including my favorite sport, was saturated with racial/political ugliness and animosity.
No racing to talk about
No real news either

3
2
Motoxdoc
Posts
2705
Joined
11/8/2009
Location
Steamboat Springs, CO US
7/9/2020 10:00am
That’s life. You can try to live in a bubble without politics but not everyone lives that way. Lots of people force their opposite opinions of religion on the public as well as politics. If I let that bother me I would be a wreck My guess is, you are in the minority of the political landscape these days and that’s not sitting well with you. Now you just started a thread for people to give their different opinions than you....are you gonna get pissed when they do so?
1
6
omalley
Posts
1528
Joined
7/27/2016
Location
Snohomish, WA US
7/9/2020 10:02am
I can remember a time when political views were a private matter, spoken only between close friends and family, if at all. I wish we’d return to that premise.
20
hamncheeze
Posts
2427
Joined
1/13/2018
Location
British Columbia CA
7/9/2020 10:13am
Vital did a wise thing when it banned the endless toilet of political debate from a board about motocross. Now everywhere I go on Insta or...
Vital did a wise thing when it banned the endless toilet of political debate from a board about motocross. Now everywhere I go on Insta or Twitter I seem to find one another political argument going on with people in the moto industry and/or fans. I think I can speak for many when I say this sucks, it's just a downer and leads nowhere good. For one, nobody's mind is getting changed. It just creates division when someone whose moto commentary and knowledge you really enjoy turns out to be the polar opposite about politics.
To put in bluntly "I just wanna hear the motocross stuff," not because I don't respect your point of view-- I go to moto media to escape all the blather of the social media/political landscape. (I'm in a media job myself in a space far from moto and I leave my politics out of my social media, because it's my own business and nobody else's). Why not unleash on each other in group texts and keep the social media stuff social? That's how it used to be.

Just unfollow or mute. It's really not that difficult. Sometimes you don't get the perfect world you think you deserve.
1
3
Motoxdoc
Posts
2705
Joined
11/8/2009
Location
Steamboat Springs, CO US
7/9/2020 10:20am
Welp- not trying to censor anybody, I guess it's a tricky balance. What I have noticed, with the shitshow we have going on nationally, is it's...
Welp- not trying to censor anybody, I guess it's a tricky balance. What I have noticed, with the shitshow we have going on nationally, is it's becoming a bigger and bigger focus on the social media sites of industry people. At this point the political posts are starting to dominate, and people in the industry getting uglier and uglier with each other, and the fans, on social media. People are of course free to say whatever they want- I guess I miss the days when not everything under the sun, including my favorite sport, was saturated with racial/political ugliness and animosity.
“I miss the days when not everything under the sun, including my favorite sport, was saturated with racial ugliness and animosity.”

You mean like 10 years ago? 1990s? 1980’s? The 70’s? Or are you NOT talking about a specific era, but rather referring to “days” when minorities kept their oppression to themselves and didn’t speak up so loudly?...The good oll days when, as far as you sound concerned, the current problems didn’t exist.

This is going great!... Let’s see how long Vital members can read different opinions and keep it civil. Dry
7
13
hamncheeze
Posts
2427
Joined
1/13/2018
Location
British Columbia CA
7/9/2020 10:33am
Last night I watched Spike Lee's "Do The Right Thing" again. Take out the pandemic and it's amazing how relevant that movie is 31 years later.
1
2
Ted722
Posts
4575
Joined
9/21/2011
Location
Sacramento, CA US
7/9/2020 10:33am Edited Date/Time 7/9/2020 6:09pm
Steve Matthes? I think PulpMX, RacerX, Fly and BluCru
Ping? Whiskey Throttle, TLD, Vital and Fire Dept. / Coffee
JT$? PulpMX, Fly
Cox? CycleNews
etc.

Fly, TLD, Yamaha, etc. don't seem to mind, but does it (politics) affect moto-related purchasing decisions? Doubt it.
7/9/2020 10:35am
Wow fellow Vitards I am impressed. After reading the original post I thought I would scroll down and see back and forth fighting and finger pointing. But that doesn't look to be the case at all. Some decent and respectful discussion on viewpoints. Well done.
8
7/9/2020 10:37am
It's nearly a 50/50 divide and there's a lot of hate building on both sides. Each side is getting very annoyed by the opposing side and the hate increases every day. I know friends who've ended 10 year relationships over the recent political shit storm.

As for you guys who own businesses like Anton and Engine Ice Dave and are publishing your political views publicly, you are ballsy. You are potentially alienating 50% of your customer base with one little comment.

Thank god I was taught to never speak politics in any business environment. When it comes up at a business lunch I just zip it or deflect because nothing good can come of it.

One of my liberal friends owns a retail business and has been spouting off on social media like we do here under alias names. His business is now taking a hit and he's learned his lesson.

Note to business owners - 50% of our population is a lot of people to alienate.
12
7/9/2020 10:39am
WoodsRacer wrote:
Wow fellow Vitards I am impressed. After reading the original post I thought I would scroll down and see back and forth fighting and finger pointing...
Wow fellow Vitards I am impressed. After reading the original post I thought I would scroll down and see back and forth fighting and finger pointing. But that doesn't look to be the case at all. Some decent and respectful discussion on viewpoints. Well done.
You are reading a censored version of this thread. Those posts have already been deleted.
toroP
Posts
4463
Joined
4/6/2009
Location
Cincinnati, OH US
7/9/2020 10:43am
toroP wrote:
I’ve got an idea, let’s argue about political arguing in moto media.

Is this really a moto thread?Dry
EngIceDave wrote:
It's about moto people?
Okee doke
7/9/2020 10:45am
It's nearly a 50/50 divide and there's a lot of hate building on both sides. Each side is getting very annoyed by the opposing side and...
It's nearly a 50/50 divide and there's a lot of hate building on both sides. Each side is getting very annoyed by the opposing side and the hate increases every day. I know friends who've ended 10 year relationships over the recent political shit storm.

As for you guys who own businesses like Anton and Engine Ice Dave and are publishing your political views publicly, you are ballsy. You are potentially alienating 50% of your customer base with one little comment.

Thank god I was taught to never speak politics in any business environment. When it comes up at a business lunch I just zip it or deflect because nothing good can come of it.

One of my liberal friends owns a retail business and has been spouting off on social media like we do here under alias names. His business is now taking a hit and he's learned his lesson.

Note to business owners - 50% of our population is a lot of people to alienate.
Well said.


For that matter, It's shocking to me to see the amount of political hate on LinkedIN. It's getting to be just like Farcebook. What idiot thinks it's a good idea to profess their politics and hatred of the other side on a professional career site? Your stupid words may affect your ability to get that next job. It may be "illegal" to discriminate based on political views....but you can be DAMN SURE it still happens....quietly.
3
6
7/9/2020 11:14am
I follow your guys (USA) politics as I spend a lot if time there and honestly, It's embarrassing....like a bunch of kindergartners. Fox News vs CNN....that confuses me old noggin. They contradict each other.

BUT, South Africa takes the cake. You guys want to see a real political balls up just Google SA politics...its rough this side and one is always at risk of losing your ol turnip.

I try my best to ignore it but will discuss politics with mates if we all up for it. As for SA, I could randomly pick 20 Vitards here and they'll do a better job at running our country than our current bunch.



New Zealanders are a bunch of lucky buggers. They probably have the finest PM to ever exist - Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern is a New Zealand politician who has served as the 40th Prime Minister of New Zealand and Leader of the Labour Party since 2017. She has been the Member of Parliament for Mount Albert since March 2017, having first been elected to the House of Representatives as a list MP in 2008. 

Born: 26 July 1980 (age 39 years), Hamilton, New Zealand




4
3
7/9/2020 11:31am Edited Date/Time 7/9/2020 1:21pm
Boomslang wrote:
I follow your guys (USA) politics as I spend a lot if time there and honestly, It's embarrassing....like a bunch of kindergartners. Fox News vs CNN....that...
I follow your guys (USA) politics as I spend a lot if time there and honestly, It's embarrassing....like a bunch of kindergartners. Fox News vs CNN....that confuses me old noggin. They contradict each other.

BUT, South Africa takes the cake. You guys want to see a real political balls up just Google SA politics...its rough this side and one is always at risk of losing your ol turnip.

I try my best to ignore it but will discuss politics with mates if we all up for it. As for SA, I could randomly pick 20 Vitards here and they'll do a better job at running our country than our current bunch.



New Zealanders are a bunch of lucky buggers. They probably have the finest PM to ever exist - Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern is a New Zealand politician who has served as the 40th Prime Minister of New Zealand and Leader of the Labour Party since 2017. She has been the Member of Parliament for Mount Albert since March 2017, having first been elected to the House of Representatives as a list MP in 2008. 

Born: 26 July 1980 (age 39 years), Hamilton, New Zealand




yeah. naaa, there is a bit of fairy dust in there, mate. (i have a ex pat south african employee who tells me how bad it is there, feel for you guys) Ardern has done a good job fronting it, but the sparkle is starting to fade a bit,

, but we have some very big advantages, mainly that we are a low population on small islands in the middle of the pacific, with very limited access, one level of government (no states to argue with each other) also, we have been well governed for at least the last generation with a low debt so we are in a better position to handle it, what worked here would not work in many bigger countries,

but we are still very early in this, i think the fall out is going to huge as out tourism industry is dead, and it was our biggest foreign money earner,

but I agree with your point, we are dam lucky to be on this island in the middle of the south pacific when stuff like this happens,
3
hamncheeze
Posts
2427
Joined
1/13/2018
Location
British Columbia CA
7/9/2020 11:58am
scott_nz wrote:
yeah. naaa, there is a bit of fairy dust in there, mate. (i have a ex pat south african employee who tells me how bad it...
yeah. naaa, there is a bit of fairy dust in there, mate. (i have a ex pat south african employee who tells me how bad it is there, feel for you guys) Ardern has done a good job fronting it, but the sparkle is starting to fade a bit,

, but we have some very big advantages, mainly that we are a low population on small islands in the middle of the pacific, with very limited access, one level of government (no states to argue with each other) also, we have been well governed for at least the last generation with a low debt so we are in a better position to handle it, what worked here would not work in many bigger countries,

but we are still very early in this, i think the fall out is going to huge as out tourism industry is dead, and it was our biggest foreign money earner,

but I agree with your point, we are dam lucky to be on this island in the middle of the south pacific when stuff like this happens,
When we are on the backside of this I'll happily come back to NZ and spend my money. I love it there! We were looking a longer (4-6 weeks) stay in January 2021 but that is on hold now.
1
1
APLMAN99
Posts
12316
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Tualatin, OR US
Fantasy
7/9/2020 12:07pm
Vital did a wise thing when it banned the endless toilet of political debate from a board about motocross. Now everywhere I go on Insta or...
Vital did a wise thing when it banned the endless toilet of political debate from a board about motocross. Now everywhere I go on Insta or Twitter I seem to find one another political argument going on with people in the moto industry and/or fans. I think I can speak for many when I say this sucks, it's just a downer and leads nowhere good. For one, nobody's mind is getting changed. It just creates division when someone whose moto commentary and knowledge you really enjoy turns out to be the polar opposite about politics.
To put in bluntly "I just wanna hear the motocross stuff," not because I don't respect your point of view-- I go to moto media to escape all the blather of the social media/political landscape. (I'm in a media job myself in a space far from moto and I leave my politics out of my social media, because it's my own business and nobody else's). Why not unleash on each other in group texts and keep the social media stuff social? That's how it used to be.

You’ve always seemed to put everything into a left/right perspective, so I’m not sure why you are so fragile when someone else expouses their political views. I think that you do sort of touch on it, though. You have a hard time with people who don’t share your political viewpoints, and when someone you want to be a fan of shares a differing view, you can’t reconcile that difference and allow yourself to accept that other viewpoints may be just as valid.

1
5
7/9/2020 12:16pm
scott_nz wrote:
yeah. naaa, there is a bit of fairy dust in there, mate. (i have a ex pat south african employee who tells me how bad it...
yeah. naaa, there is a bit of fairy dust in there, mate. (i have a ex pat south african employee who tells me how bad it is there, feel for you guys) Ardern has done a good job fronting it, but the sparkle is starting to fade a bit,

, but we have some very big advantages, mainly that we are a low population on small islands in the middle of the pacific, with very limited access, one level of government (no states to argue with each other) also, we have been well governed for at least the last generation with a low debt so we are in a better position to handle it, what worked here would not work in many bigger countries,

but we are still very early in this, i think the fall out is going to huge as out tourism industry is dead, and it was our biggest foreign money earner,

but I agree with your point, we are dam lucky to be on this island in the middle of the south pacific when stuff like this happens,
I have family in NZ, they immigrated from SA about 10 yrs ago and say the place is amazing. As I get older a place like NZ looks appealing. I'm so over travelling back n forth across the US and with all the shite thats going on there I'm not so sure about the "American Dream" anymore.

My only concern I have is to ensure that my two daughters can live their lives in a safe country.
3
7/9/2020 12:20pm
hamncheeze wrote:
When we are on the backside of this I'll happily come back to NZ and spend my money. I love it there! We were looking a...
When we are on the backside of this I'll happily come back to NZ and spend my money. I love it there! We were looking a longer (4-6 weeks) stay in January 2021 but that is on hold now.
Your not alone. I know a motorcycle tour company that has had not had one person ask for their money back and they are expecting to open up and have people as soon as the borders are open
7/9/2020 12:20pm
Boomslang wrote:
I have family in NZ, they immigrated from SA about 10 yrs ago and say the place is amazing. As I get older a place like...
I have family in NZ, they immigrated from SA about 10 yrs ago and say the place is amazing. As I get older a place like NZ looks appealing. I'm so over travelling back n forth across the US and with all the shite thats going on there I'm not so sure about the "American Dream" anymore.

My only concern I have is to ensure that my two daughters can live their lives in a safe country.
There are plenty of saffas here , we are lucky that we are a pretty safe peaceful country for sure , it’s a good place to bring up kids ,
2
1
Motodave15
Posts
4252
Joined
8/7/2010
Location
Temple City, CA US
7/9/2020 12:21pm
i had to unfollow pingree for a couple of post and the other commenters.
6
14

Post a reply to: New trend of politics in moto media that's bugging me (For Matthes, Anton, Ping, Cox, DBo, JT and whoever else...)

The Latest