Political opinions of fencers

[PeterGustafsson]

Hi!

In the numerous political threads here in Water Cooler, I generally see the same people ending up in the same camp - only rarely do I see one pair of posters agreeing on one topic, while disagreeing on another.

This makes for a bit predictable posting, so I thoght that I would post a topic which I hope does not end up being split up along the usual lines.

Do fencers have significantly different political opinions than other people in their surroundings? Or are we just another set of voters?

So far, I can think of at least 3 cases here where this is not the case - a Bush criticizer from a state which usually votes democrat in presidential votes, a Bush-backer living in a mountain state (IIRC), and a Bush-backer whose family works in the military.

Have a nice time!

Peter Gustafsson

[civiltech]

Interesting Idea, but i don't know how involvement in a sport can sway your political stance one way or another. Maybe if you feel strongly about sport funding, and a party that has a similar policy?

AS for that, I dunno. My last fencing salles was filled with card carrying members of the Liberals, the Canadian Alliance, one Progressive Conservative, and one Marijuana Party of Canada

[counter riposte]

Have to agree with civiltech,

There is very little to connect the art of fencing with a political stance. Stances such as voting rights, states rights, or economic policy are simply not a consideration when it comes to fencing. Except of course when it comes to the Federation International del Escrime, which has blatently decided to eliminate two of our sports from the Olympic Games, at the behest of the IOC. In which case, the fencer becomes incredibly political in nature, demanding the funds, airtime and credit due us as our inalienable right to fence at the olympic games.

No one doubts that the olympics can be political, take for instance Munich of the 1970s, US of 1980's or even today. but the political considerations of whether or not sports teams should be federally funded, or privately funded are total misnomers of grave miscalculation.

But I always have the consideration of saying that you have to remember in the beginning of the olympics, war was stopped for the games. Today, the games are stopped for war. It says alot about what priorities have changed, and what should be done about it.

[MyrddinsPrecint]

i think it's much more likely that individual clubs will be like minded than the entire sport--

from what i've experienced, fencers are no less diverse than any other large group of people...

however- following the same vein of thought that was involved in the "new england" thread--

If people have several fencing clubs to choose from, and they're all good clubs, and they're all fairly close-- they're going to pick one based on how the coaching style and personality of the club fits them--

Thus, a club dominated by liberals is likely to continue to be dominated by liberals.

(my club is a slight exception to this, however, so i'm starting to doubt my own theory. i tend to do that a lot. anyway, since our club is based in two catholic high schools, while i see our club to have a liberal majority, we absolutely have people who would NOT consider themselves 'liberal' by 99% of definitions of the word 'liberal')

[dreadfoil]

two things, no wait three things:

first: Martha Stewart is in trouble again, it's politcal so I'm throwing it in the cooler. Q for you on Martha Stewart: why is she being rail-roaded? Is another American Corporation being targeted by the CIA for destruction because of her wealth? Why is Roman Polansky alive and well and living in Paris of all places after raping a 13 year old girl?

second: Fencers are just another group but worse because we waffle depending on the politics.

third: Peter posts the most interesting threads, bizarrely european and sublimely subversive.

[Catlady]

Most people in my state (Utah) lean conservative to some degree and most people in my club are conservative too.

[jeff]

I'd like to see the minutes from a meeting of the Marijuana Party of Canada. Who caters the parties when the Party meets?

[civiltech]

Dont know.


http://www.marijuanAparty.com



Have fun finding out though! (Would you believe there not as much of a fringe party as some of us would hope! )

[jeff]

I still haven't fully figured out the francophone vs. anglophone thing in Canada yet (ooh boy, do some people take that seriously), so I better not get into doper politics...

[civiltech]

As much as I like to poke fun at American Politics, it is fun and quite humbling to have a refreshing look at our own by others! I'm going to steal your "doper politics" line! Hope you don't mind!

[jeff]

By all means! Plagiarism is the sincerest form of flattery I think it's great if we can enjoy each other's loonies!

If they're really successful, maybe they'll want to change the maple leaf to the cannabis leaf. Oh boy, I feel a Cheech and Chong movie (or flashback) coming on!

[magma]

yes, Peter, I too have noticed that there are Camp followers on the board. [chuckles mysteriously], well, I have had my friends on the board, and then have had my fallings out with on the the board. Then maybe for a few months someone won't speak to me. But then if we eventually see one another's point, usually through an intermediary's further discussion, we become more friends again, basically it's because we all share similar likes and dislikes.

[civiltech]

Originally posted by magma
yes, Peter, I too have noticed that there are Camp followers on the board. [chuckles mysteriously], well, I have had my friends on the board, and then have had my fallings out with on the the board. Then maybe for a few months someone won't speak to me. But then if we eventually see one another's point, usually through an intermediary's further discussion, we become more friends again, basically it's because we all share similar likes and dislikes.

?????

You would make a great poster boy for the LSD Party of Canada...........

[Marcos]

Originally posted by PeterGustafsson
Hi!

Do fencers have significantly different political opinions than other people in their surroundings? Or are we just another set of voters?

Do political opinions split along weapon lines?

As a sabrer I get a bit impatient, reactionary, bit mroe right wing than my counterparts

are epeeists thoughtful conservative types

a foilist in my salle is an open minded, left wing, philosopher...but then he's french