Even though I'm fully vaccinated, my health, age, and common sense tells me to mostly stay home for now.

To each his own I guess.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Holidays everyone

"Covid" is not the problem here. I think most of us here know that. My ORIGINAL POST was motivated by my questioning of MYSELF if perhaps I was being a little TOO cautious about holiday family gatherings. Two or three people actually responded to that. The fact is, since the early days of this forum, there have been many posts of a 'social' nature with absolutely no relevance to arranger keyboards. Stories about personal adventures and special events in our lives with no relevance other than we wanted to share them with the internet friends we had cultivated over the years. I don't recall anyone railing about them being 'moved to the BAR' (although they probably should have been) or 'migrating to Facebook' because of them. My point is, this has nothing to do with Covid being an inappropriate subject (especially since it was clearly marked 'OT') and everything to do with politicizing the post (with the inevitable results).

We all know, whether we admit it or not, that there is a strong political divide on this forum clearly deliniated by the people who left the forum for Facebook and those who chose to stay and post. This is not so surprising given the extreme cultural/social/political divide that has infected (yes, INFECTED) the country at this time. Sadly, this includes ordinary citizens, the Congress, and even the Supreme Court. So why would we think that an internet forum would be immune from it. Sure, it would be nice if we could keep this forum 'pure' and free from the intrusions of our everyday lives, but as we can see, that can be difficult (the Keyboard Corner does a pretty good job of it but it's heavily populated by professional musicians).

So I'm saying, you can move this post and posts like it, to the Bar or to the Moon and it won't make a difference to the people that will insist on making it about where you stand on the political spectrum. The last 'Big Migration' has proven that 'The Bar', despite it's good intentions, is still no safe place to post if the 'influencers' decide to react to it negatively.

I sure hope all this bitterness ad division leaves along with the pandemic. Probably won't but we can hope.

chas

Chas, thank you for your commenting on my nice post. As being the loyal opposition, it really bothers me when the elitist display total distain for any opposing attitudes. I don't try to make a big deal of it usually but I find the lies spead by such to be beyond the pale as much as they feel I'm in the wrong. Most disturbing is the constant hype about the Jan insurrection. I watched the peaceful demonstration on my tv. I saw what happened in real time. Like so much of this left right s**t who should I believe? Those that tell me a lie over and over till I finally believe it? Or do I believe what I know is the truth because I saw it or heard it? Dr Fauci has proven to me to be totally wrong about everything he says or does. I have heard the "EXPERT" claim with great authority and the say something different on a following statement. I wonder how do you excuse the blind acceptance of his findings when such is the case?

Well, I hope we can become a model for peaceful and respectful debate. I don't change many minds because I'm pretty firm in my beliefs and the people I find myself debating are usually equally firm in theirs. So I consider it a win to walk away from the debate, still friends, with perhaps a new perspective on a situation.

My first area of disagreement is your characterization of the Jan. 6 insurrection as a "peaceful demonstration". I don't think people show up for a 'peaceful demonstration' with zip ties, hand-held weapons, and body armor calling for the murder of the VP of the United States while defecating on walls and desks. And in fact, 5 people DID die that day as a direct result of that 'peaceful demonstration'. So I'm asking, do you think YOU would have felt safe that day if you were a congressperson (or their staff) in the Capitol that day?

Next, you ask how can I believe Dr. Fauci? As opposed to who, Tucker Carlson? Data and new information on the virus was coming in every day and it was only fitting that instructions on how to cope with the disease would change with each new assessment. Scientific knowledge is constantly being updated. We no longer 'bleed' patients or subject them to electroshock therapy. So far, I have not heard even ONE legitimate medical authority, foreign or domestic, say anything negative about Dr. Fauci. AND, if you look at his detractors, you will notice that they are all of one political stripe. Coincidence?

I am now willing to concede that this post is no longer about how to handle family visits during the holidays, especially in light of this new uptick in the Omnicron variant of the virus.

chas

I fully agree with that chas.
I have never posted on anything other than keyboard / music related subjects but things are getting ridiculous now.
I never thought that political divisions would spill over into SZ like this and it doesn't speak highly of any of us if we allow it to carry on.
I am from the UK and things are very divisive over here but the situation in the USA is even worse than ours.

We should all bear in mind that, whilst we are dividing our countries like this,
the Russians, North Koreans and the Chinese will be having a good laugh at our stupidity and making sure that they are ready to take advantage of it in every way they can.
We already lost respect by the way we left Afghanistan but now,
we need to close ranks and pull together.
If we keyboard players and music lovers can't do that, then there is not much hope of our nations uniting again.

Anthony, I certainly agree with you that the artistic community has historically led the way in terms of positive social change. By all means, let's strive to continue that tradition.

chas