I had this idea that with the US election coming up I'd have a post a week where everyone can talk Obama/McCain, but there's a feeling that you want this to be a politics-free zone.
I'm a great believer in democracy so I'll go with the popular vote. Punch your hanging chad in the comments below. One comment, one vote.
But if you're in New Orleans, just get in the car and go NOW.
Sunday, 31 August 2008
Politics or not? YOU decide
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25 comments:
By dealing with style (including dress ethics) and literature, your blog does approach political issues, at least "transverally" to use a bit of trendy sociologese. I'll certainly try to avoid comment on the US elections on this type of blog where there are participants from the world over, including some with whom I could never see eye to eye, for the same reason I did not comment on your "murderer" post about a pro-Palestinian militant who killed innocent Israeli civilians, as I think state terror is just as bad as the freelance kind.
It is your blog and your intellectual property, so of course the final decision is up to you. I think it would be wiser to approach partisan political issues ... laterally, given the subject matter your bloc centres on.
You might find yourself looking for a flattering, neatly-seamed referee shirt.....!
Luckily, I've got 'The Daily Show' for all my political news and analysis.
This blog is the only fashion magazine I'll ever read so I agree with Lagatta's last paragraph.
As someone who reads a few political blogs daily, I vote for keeping a "U.S. Presidential Election Free Zone." I think you'll find that emotions are running pretty high on this election, and people who can normally be quite gracious and civilized when disagreeing about pegged trousers will start flinging feces like primates at the zoo when confronted with political opposition.
BTW, the "flinging" comment wasn't referring to anyone who normally posts here. :-) I've found that politics tends to bring commenters out of the woodwork.
As a Brit I am deeply interested in this election but there are other places I can go for that kind of discussion. Contributions on this blog are intelligent and good natured and disagreemtns handled with civility and humour.I'd like to keep it that way so vote for keeping it an election-free zone. Happy to comment on the clothes of politicians and their supporters though.
Er... I rather love New Orleans and could care less about who takes that job, so...
Anyway, today I heard a radio fight between a Jooish Rep and a Jooish Dem. You could have collected poison in oodles. Whatever oodles are.
... On an unrelated point, a lot of the people stranded in New Orleans didn't have cars, and the evacuation plans assumed they did.
Sure, some of that is due to deep poverty; people who wouldn't have a computer or internet access either, but New Orleans, like Montréal - or NYC, is an old and densely-populated city by North American standards and many of its residents simply didn't need cars to get to work or run errands.
I deeply hope nobody is hurt or killed there, and that this is not a further obstacle to rebuilding that historic city.
I vote no, simply because no matter what anyone says, there are bound to be others who get upset/offended/offensive. Sometimes I just want to read about fashion. Not debate the merits of some policy or politician.
But, as others have said, it's up to you, it's your blog.
Unless it's directly related to fashion or the garment industry in some way, I vote for no politics. It's a devisive issue and not, I think, what anyone comes to your blog for.
I vote for U.S. politics free zone.
Except political dressing.
No presidential race coverage, please. Ta.
It is your blog and so whatever inspires you. To follow on from lagatta in montreal, I am sure that we can all cope all with the 'transfer' of ideas. That is why we keep visiting your blog.
Personally I would quite like a once a week dip into the US election from your perspective. I think the first time I read your blog you were talking about the Thatcher style.
I like reading comments from your US participants. It's the main reason I log on so early in the morning. And I see no reason why we can't extend our civilized debating to politics or any other subject. Your blog has always been a forum for intelligent discussion.
My vote is give it a go. You are the editor after all.
The people have spoken.
The Thoughtful Dresser will be a politics-free zone. However I am not crazy about the bitchy critiques of women politicians' clothes and hair. (even though I thought, as soon as I saw Sarah Palin - what's with the 50s hairdo and glasses)
I would never presume to comment on British politics to British citizens. You can superimpose your social agenda on the U.S., it's your blog, as others have said. You've already let us know your opinions, loud and clear however--further elaboration is unnecessary.
We are already awash in political commentary here. Please stick to fashion!
Carolyn Johnson
As am American I will be overwhelmed with election coverage as it. I feel that the way that clothing and image are covered particularly where the women are concerned is a fascinating topic regardless of ones personal political leanings. For example i liked this piece in the washington post on Condoleeza Rice http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51640-2005Feb24.html
That said i understand not wanting to referee the fight. Some of the discussion lists iam on took so long to recover from the bitterness of the last two elections.
Here is another vote for a US election free zone, unless you talk about the fashion tastes of the candidates.
I couldn't care less about Sarah Palin's bouffant, but I do care about her life-long membership of the NRA and her questionable environmental policies for the state of Alaska.
Sorry, late to the table, but I'm weighing in on side-stepping politics, unless it relates directly to fashion, in which case, bring it on.
As many of your other readers have observed, it tends to taint even the most civilized discourse.
Hmm. Well that's a shame. I'm sure there must be some way that a civilized intelligent slant can be brought to this subject. Otherwise you'll just end up with nicey nicey corny comments like you see on the strand above (ie. on men in political navy blue). What have we learned from that strand?
It seems to be the US contingent of your bloggers who are against this, whereas rosaria and I, in the UK, are more in favour of more meat on our politics. I remember on your strand on Thatcher earlier this year there were several comments from US bloggers that were very hard to swallow.
I think it should be noted that whilst it is a US election, the outcome is of extreme importance to the rest of the world. Although we have no influence, we wait with bated breath. The colour of Mrs Obama's dress pales into insignificance - please excuse the pun!
As you say in your abstract on your forthcoming book, clothes are with us from the day we are born. How can we then separate them from any aspect of life?
Have you noticed that talking politics is akin to discussing sex, money and religion at the dinner table...it's just not kosher?
Yes, Michelle looks wonderful in purple, she's going to be a style icon whatever she wears. I've sniped about Hillary in orange pantsuits, which was just bitchy bitchy. Sarah Palin, I've already commented on.
I care deeply about what these women bring to politics, because while I might not live in the US, the outcome of the election will still have a Hurricane Gustav-sized impact on where I live.
Perhaps Linda will see fit for an occasional post in which we can vent our spleen.
Linda, how about once a fortnight?
I've decided I'm going to write something just before the election about what it means to be voting for the president of your country who is also the leader of the world's only super power. I think here in Europe we have an understanding that the election is bigger than the US alone.
Linda, that is an important point.
The European Union is also a huge power in economic terms (though not in military terms) and although you do vote for MEPs, you don't vote directly for a European PM.
Canadians are next to the US and the direction they take has a huge impact on us; for historical and cultural reasons we also follow UK and French elections closely (the latter of course above all here in Québec - the French elections were front-page news here during the entire campaign and people are familiar with Ségo and Sarko).
nonononono. There are plenty of other places on the Internet that will have too much political talk as it is.
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