Wazu
New Member
So anyways, like 5 years ago I was thumbing through a DirtRag Magazine and I was reading an editorial written by Maurice Tierney. Long story short, it had to do with the war at the time and nothing at all to do with bikes. Lets just say that he took an extreme left hand stance. That's fine and all, but I figured that he would be alienating approximately 50 percent of his readers with his political opinions whether they be left or right. I felt like it was a bad business move on his part so I wrote him an email because I cared (and still do) about his magazine. Instead of seeing my letter as trying to help him, he replied with an arrogant email. I was surprised. I then went to the DirtRagMag web forums and Maurice and I went back and forth a little bit. In short, he didn't believe that politics could bring down his magazine so I started a Politics Thread and left his forum for the last five years. This is the last post I left. A prediction:
01-04-2004, 10:19 AM
Wazu
At One With The Mountain Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Budd Lake, New Jersey
Posts: 98
This is getting to be funny now, cause Maurice will soon be seeing what Politics can do to people. It can make enemies out of anyone. People are passionate about thier beliefs. Name calling is inevitable. Politics is a cancer that can ruin everything good. Wait till you guys see how bad it will get in the politics posts, here, and in the "Feedback" Politics Thread. I will not be contributing any more to these threads, personally or politically, but I will however, stop by to write something like this note so that Maurice can see it, and be reminded of how BAD a business decision it is to include PERSONAL political views in a biking magazine. Politics reguarding bicycles only, is a whole different thing, and we need to stand up for our trails, and land and such. From this point on, I am gonna just sit back and watch everyone devour each other, other than the occasional post to say "hey" and remind Mauriceman about good business. Enjoy. Of course, If someone put a Politics thread in the HANG OUT, the FEEDBACK, the EXTRA CURRICULAR, and all the other general areas, this forum would self destruct. The point still is, and will always be, don't mix politics with mountainbiking, unless it DIRECTLY impacts specific biking issues. All the rest is just self serving, and does nothing but alienate readers, as we can all see by what this thread turns people into. That being learned, all the other threads NOT including politics will never, ever be this cancerous and seperative. Watch and see.
__________________
Worry about what you can control. Let the rest roll off.
That was five years ago. I haven't been to their website or read their mag in five years and yesterday they emailed me! In short, they said that they removed the Politics thread and they are sending me swag including a paid subscription! Politics had devoured the entire forum like a cancer. I'm sure they realize now that politics has probably brought down their Magazine numbers too. My hat goes off to DirtRag; not so much for removing the Politics thread but rather for having the guts to admit that it was a huge mistake and to try and make it right. Kudos DirtRag.
01-04-2004, 10:19 AM
Wazu
At One With The Mountain Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Budd Lake, New Jersey
Posts: 98
This is getting to be funny now, cause Maurice will soon be seeing what Politics can do to people. It can make enemies out of anyone. People are passionate about thier beliefs. Name calling is inevitable. Politics is a cancer that can ruin everything good. Wait till you guys see how bad it will get in the politics posts, here, and in the "Feedback" Politics Thread. I will not be contributing any more to these threads, personally or politically, but I will however, stop by to write something like this note so that Maurice can see it, and be reminded of how BAD a business decision it is to include PERSONAL political views in a biking magazine. Politics reguarding bicycles only, is a whole different thing, and we need to stand up for our trails, and land and such. From this point on, I am gonna just sit back and watch everyone devour each other, other than the occasional post to say "hey" and remind Mauriceman about good business. Enjoy. Of course, If someone put a Politics thread in the HANG OUT, the FEEDBACK, the EXTRA CURRICULAR, and all the other general areas, this forum would self destruct. The point still is, and will always be, don't mix politics with mountainbiking, unless it DIRECTLY impacts specific biking issues. All the rest is just self serving, and does nothing but alienate readers, as we can all see by what this thread turns people into. That being learned, all the other threads NOT including politics will never, ever be this cancerous and seperative. Watch and see.
__________________
Worry about what you can control. Let the rest roll off.
That was five years ago. I haven't been to their website or read their mag in five years and yesterday they emailed me! In short, they said that they removed the Politics thread and they are sending me swag including a paid subscription! Politics had devoured the entire forum like a cancer. I'm sure they realize now that politics has probably brought down their Magazine numbers too. My hat goes off to DirtRag; not so much for removing the Politics thread but rather for having the guts to admit that it was a huge mistake and to try and make it right. Kudos DirtRag.
