If you buy into the idea that calling the virus for its (perceived) source of origin--a model that has been in place for over 100 years, accurate or not--is "racist," then you are complicit (knowingly or not) in China's overwhelmingly successful campaign to distract and deflect "blame" for the virus (such as it is) and its spread from themselves.

Or, put another way, this is like blaming the scrappers for cutting up that car in the "back 40" while not paying any attention to the museum administration that neglected the car for three decades beforehand.

There is also an unwritten law of Internet forums at work here, which is that a deleted thread on a controversial topic will create more threads, posts and discussion than if it were simply allowed to run its course and die a natural death. Hence this thread.

So true, some times I have to let a thread burn itself out. Really try to not take sides because if a modertor or owner starts that, it only makes it worse.

Like a round table argument, if no fists are flying, eventually the combatants get winded and stop.

A moderator probe of " lets keep it on subject or cool it " is all I have ever done. Up to the owner of the house. I am only a guest here, and thanks for the forum, stuck doing a lot of my business off the internet because of travel restrictions.

Dan

.

We all make comments every single day without knowing the 100% context. That’s what a discussion board should be about. People sharing thoughts and ideas from different walks of life.

In a pre 2020 world I would tend agree with you. Then again the move away from naming a disease from it's origin location started years ago.

Unfortunately the actions of a very powerful American politician did correctly earn the racist label for that usage.

Using that phrasing will directly lead to more than half of your potential customer base shunning your organization. So for practical reasons perhaps you should self censor.

Brian

Thoughts and ideas not based on sound information are worthless for the specific instance under consideration, and 100% is impossible but "enough" will generally do fine. As a taking off point for a larger discussion, and phrased in nonspecific language without specific claims and judgements, fine...... all for it. Convicting somebody without adequate evidence to justify it, not so much.

As for the origin of the virus, Pot, meet Kettle. It was at least unintentional unlike some of the purposeful uses of germ warfare we have used. It's in China's best interest to have the rest of the world as healthy trading partners.

The thread on the narrow gauge forum has been locked too.

Just because you pretend it doesn’t exist doesn’t mean it just goes away...

I'm thinking that entities with a financial interest in continuing operations are complaining, they probably don't want it to be said that they were bucking conventional wisdom (how could we have known?) when the inevitable happens.

Like here, it got too off topic there from, you guessed it, narrow gauge discussion, and the Royal gorge railroad.

I don’t think it’s an issue of “pretending it isn’t there”. It’s moreso an issue about people who can’t control themselves during arguments and taking things further than they probably should go

Ah yes, that’s probably it. Follow the money...