I thought UFOs was one of the topics excluded from GD

[edhopper]

I understand that the recent News stories make some post relevant enough to be in General Discussion.
But all these, "I saw a UFO" posts should be moved to the appropriate forums.

[TwilightZone]

1. It doesn't appear to be specifically excluded.

I was under a similar impression, but I don't see anything in the GD rules that prohibit it.

https://democraticunderground.com/10025307978

I thought they might fit better under "Creative Speculation" though there are others that might fit, as well.

[True Dough]

2. Let me tell you something, edhopper

Your complaint will likely result in a very uncomfortable probing by some tiny cyclops-like beings with very long foreheads. Sleep with one eye open!

[edhopper]

4. LOL

[Glorfindel]

3. Here's the Statement of Purpose for General Discussion.

General Discussion (Forum): About This Forum
Statement of Purpose
Discuss politics, issues, and current events. Posts about Israel/Palestine, religion, guns, showbiz, or sports are restricted in this forum. For more information, click here.

No mention of UFO's.

[edhopper]

5. Thanks

I seem to remember they were considered a Conspiracy Theory. But I appreciate the info.

[FBaggins]

6. Not when they're actually in the news

Are I understand it, such rules were out in place to avoid the woo (ahem... “speculation”) on things like 9/11 conspiracies from gumming up GD and LBN.

But there are times when the subjects get covered by mainstream reports and the kid comes off.

[edhopper]

7. I addressed that

I said I see where the current News reports would be in GD. But do you think all the "My UFO story" posts should be there as well?

[dalton99a]

8. Shit. They're coming. We're done for

[edhopper]

14. Obama scared all the UFOs away

[dalton99a]

17. And Truman didn't!

[edhopper]

18. Is this from

E.C. comics?

[dalton99a]

21. Yep

The incident was widely publicized and later debunked as due to thermal inversions

[edhopper]

25. I think they based the whole issue

on Argosy Magazine.

[SWBTATTReg]

9. And you alone, despite the tens of thousands of pilots and other qualified personnel that have

seen these objects, can say that these objects are fantasy etc. and thus, don't belong in GD? I thought DU was a discussion panel, free to all, on most topics. I didn't realize that we had the 'thought police' making judgments on what topics are acceptable or not on their own...kind of scary really.

[Dream Girl]

10. DU thought police hate anything that they deem to be "woo"

In other words, anything that conflicts with their own world view.

[edhopper]

13. Please note

the Forum I posted this in.

[edhopper]

12. Did I say fantasy

or did I say that their reports could be inaccurate.
Hmmm?

[qazplm135]

16. Inaccurate

Doesn't equal conspiracy theory.

I don't believe they are aliens, or that they break any laws of physics or that they come from a secret advanced civ or time travelers.

But I also don't believe they are all Venus or weather balloons either.

I suspect they are secret US tech, just advanced enough to confuse. But I think saying hey i saw something weird in the sky is conspiracy theory.

Especially when Obama says hey there's stuff flying around we can't explain.

[edhopper]

19. I was asking a question

which people have told me I was mistaken. If DU allows UFO posts in GD, then so be it.
When I said Conspiracy Theories, I thought that was the reasoning for DU.
So I don't have an argument about what you say here.

[Passenger]

11. I myself have seen and *heard* flying objects I could not identify.

It's true I lived near a general aviation airport at the time. Who can be bothered to identify everything that flies over?

THAT MEANS THEY WERE UFOs!

Spooky.

[Kali]

15. you could try to alert for kooky conspiracy content

but it is related to current news so...

[edhopper]

20. I wouldn't

I was asking if it is allowed. If DU allows UFO post not related to these News articles in GD, then that is the way it is.

[Kali]

22. DU relies on something called community standards

that are partly set by what we all determine are acceptable behaviors. alerting on objectionable material is one way to determine the standards.

[qazplm135]

23. What makes it questionable?

It's just people talking about seeing things they couldn't identify.

If they are talking about abductions or aliens infiltrating the government, that's one thing. I once saw something in the sky I can't explain is another.

[Kali]

27. exactly

it is a judgement call and there is a range of ways that the discussion can go.

[qazplm135]

28. Ok so what makes it questionable?

What judgment says it's off limits?

[Kali]

29. read the ToS and my other comments here

decided primarily by those two things - ToS and community standards. so if everybody thinks UFO posts are ok, they are ok. if most think they are a topic best relegated to the woo forum, that is where they are limited to.

[qazplm135]

30. so your response is

it depends on what everyone else thinks?

I mean, that's a very general response for anything. The community could decide posts about animals don't belong there.

[Kali]

33. if you don't like it or have other questions you can take it up with admins

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=ata

[qazplm135]

34. the admins

haven't said these posts are wrong...you are suggesting they might be, and when I ask why, you deflect.

[Kali]

36. no, I answered

you seem to want to argue.

[qazplm135]

37. No

I want to understand, but you keep moving in circles so I give up

[edhopper]

39. What could make it questionable is

it doesn't end with "Hey I saw something I can't explain" but devolves in the arguments between UFO believers and UFO skeptics.
I see it as similar to guns or smoking in how the threads usually end up. So that is where my question came from. (I am not comparing the subjects, just how the threads go).

[edhopper]

24. I know

but there are subject like guns and religions that are specifically forbidden. So I was asking if UFOs are including. Not trying to start a new category.

[Kali]

26. I would say it is generally frowned on

as it easily gets into woo territory, but as with guns and religion, if it is part of current news there is more tolerance for it during the cycle of that current news.

[edhopper]

31. Sounds reasonable

But I want to point out I was not saying the posts about the current Pentagon UFO stories shouldn't be in GD.
I was seeing some "I saw a UFO" post that are out of place to me.

[Kali]

32. I understand

I was just giving options for you or anybody who thinks something has crossed a line. I think we tend to feel the same way about the matter.

[Warpy]

35. I think claiming we know what they are and the government's lying to us

is what isn't allowed. The point is they're unidentified.

The subject's coming up now because a lot of military stuff is being declassified.

Putting them into the category of "gee, that's interesting, wonder what the hell it is" might be tolerable. "It wuz aliens, I seen 'em" or wild speculation are not.

It'll all fade back to the Offbeat/Creative Speculation area soon enough,

[edhopper]

38. Again,

I am not talking about post on the Navy UFO reports.
I am seeing random, "My UFO story" post that do not reference this story. Just a member telling about his UFO sighting.
But I have been told there is nothing in the rules about these.

[progressoid]

40. I believe this belongs here:

Fun related info, alien meme guy guest starred on Resident Alien