Dear Oppo: An Appeal

"Sweet Trav" (thespunbearing) 10/03/2014 at 16:44 • Filed to: None

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I believe in an Opposite Lock that is for everyone regardless of race, creed, gender identity, sexual preference, political affiliation or fanboy group. In my mind two things are required to be a member of this community: You need to love personal transportation and you can't be a dick.

In fact my biggest fear is that we are not inclusive enough, I love this community. Oppo has reminded me how much I love to write about things that I am passionate about: Cars, on purpose and equality, because I refuse to sit idly by. It bothers me that we may alienate some people or groups of people wish to contribute with our comments, our posts, and our lax self-enforcement to the rules which were set forth by our founders. The fact that some people don't feel that they have a place on a car forum because of who they are is sad.

Our hobby is dying slowly. Cars are slowly being commoditized and treated much the same way as a Maytag washer by many people. Many people have lost the desire to drive spiritedly, work on, or build a relationship with a car. I often wonder down the road what will become of our little cult of enthusiasts. Essentially we're at a point where we need to try to involve anyone that still "gets it". Unfortunately we are not building a group that is for everyone. We're letting a few bad apples spoil the bushel. The same people that believe life is a zero sum game are creating a self-fulfilling prophecy and bringing us down as group. This hasn't been a fun week on Oppo for anyone.

I'm very proud of the others on Oppo who are trying to shape this community for the better by rooting out those who do not want to post material in the spirit of Oppo. The events of this week will only devolve into even more of a pissing match between two parties unless the people who care stand up for what they want Oppo to be. To be fair, I fear in some instances I may have fanned some of the flames. If I have offended anyone in my pursuit making this a more inclusive place, my apologies. Nobody is perfect, but we should try to be better.

So here's my appeal to all Opponauts: Make this the place you want it to be. Make it a place that you can be proud of, make it a positive place for everyone. Lets put all of this week's drama behind us, but learn from it. Help make Oppo a place to learn, have fun, and grow.

I love this place and I'll be damned If I let others get me down.

Mods, Feel free to move this wherever you'd like, I simply had to share my thoughts.

cazzyodo > Sweet Trav 10/03/2014 at 16:47

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I've clearly missed all the aforementioned drama...but I support this.

Drama rhymes with llama, which is what I thought of, so being Oppo I had to find a car with llamas.

Behold! It's even a wagon.

Reigntastic > Sweet Trav 10/03/2014 at 16:50

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Whenever anyone asks me why I like OppositeLock so much as a community, my response is simple. We have one of the widest and most varied groups of auto fanatics, ranging from brown diesel wagons, to supercars, to EVs; and we all manage to cohabitate under one roof while pursuing rational discourse. The same is easily said of our representation of nationality, color, or creed.

I'm sorry that someone offended you, but even then they are entitled to their idiotic opinion. Hurling insults at them won't help them open their eyes in the slightest. Neither will yelling at each other until we're blue in the face.

If Oppo was able to get over stance, I don't think we'll have too much trouble moving past this and growing from it.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > cazzyodo 10/03/2014 at 16:51

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La llama is un quadrupedo, que vive en los rios grandes como... la Amazona!

thebigbossyboss > Sweet Trav 10/03/2014 at 16:52

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In general I agree. We need car enthusiasts from all walks of life. Even for our own self interest. The more of us their are, the harder it is for the govt to pass stupid laws about cars. The more likely we are to have a neighbour who appreciates our lemons racer instead of calling the cops to report an abandoned vehicle.

What happened this week was unfortunate.

Political drama doesn't need! to happen on oppo.

ttyymmnn > cazzyodo 10/03/2014 at 16:52

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The one L lama, he's a priest
The two L llama, he's a beast
And I will bet my silk pyjama
There isn't any three L lllama.

PushToStart > Sweet Trav 10/03/2014 at 16:52

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I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary this week, it seemed alright to me, so I'm not particularly sure what you're addressing, but other than that, I agree completely with what you said.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > cazzyodo 10/03/2014 at 16:53

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This is what Oppo needs to be about, car pictures with humour attached.

oldirtybootz > Sweet Trav 10/03/2014 at 16:53

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I still don't fully understand what happened, but I know Yamahog said this place isn't as inclusive as we say it is, but I've never felt that way.

As I said to Clay this morning, I don't care what color, gender, religion, sexuality, whatever you are. If I like you, I like you, it's that simple.

Roundbadge > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 10/03/2014 at 16:54

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CUIDADO!!! HAY LLAMAS!!!

djmt1 > Sweet Trav 10/03/2014 at 16:54

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Does this mean "Why your car sucks" is becoming "Why your car is great"?

ttyymmnn > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif 10/03/2014 at 16:55

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And llamas.

Bad Idea Hat > Sweet Trav 10/03/2014 at 16:56

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I'm trying to get my oldest interested in cars (by the way, I'll be at Mariemont tomorrow, Maxyenko. Not sure of the time).

It's what I can do to A) bring females into the hobby, and 2) get the next generation interested.

Sweet Trav > djmt1 10/03/2014 at 16:56

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Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, lets not get too hasty.

Sweet Trav > Bad Idea Hat 10/03/2014 at 16:57

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I regret I have but one star to give.

Tohru > Sweet Trav 10/03/2014 at 16:58

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You need to love personal transportation and you can't be a dick.

Well, shit. Guess I better leave then, and take my Photoshop'd BMW's with me.

ttyymmnn > PushToStart 10/03/2014 at 16:58

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Shit got stirred, somebody got in a huff and left, somebody else got banned for a while. Soap Opera Level 10 achieved. I never read the offending posts, but all the ancillary angst has been a bit much. Let's move on.

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > Sweet Trav 10/03/2014 at 16:58

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Thus is why I don't get into those posts.

For Sweden > Sweet Trav 10/03/2014 at 16:59

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Everyone's making race, creed, gender identity, sexual preference, political affiliation or fanboy group drama and I'm just wondering my my Volvo's automatic headlight function isn't working properly.

djmt1 > Sweet Trav 10/03/2014 at 16:59

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I was envisioning a series of post containing such greats as the Prius, the Mirage and the Camry.

Sweet Trav > djmt1 10/03/2014 at 17:00

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There's a decent chance two of those will be on the WYCS list...

PushToStart > ttyymmnn 10/03/2014 at 17:00

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Wow, I'm on Oppo quite a bit and I never noticed anything strange like that... Damn, that really sucks. But I agree, we should move on.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > ttyymmnn 10/03/2014 at 17:03

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We do need more llamas around here, like even the name llama is funny! Why is there two ll?!?!?!

Sweet Trav > Tohru 10/03/2014 at 17:04

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Some of my best friends are assholes, but they hate people for kind of people they are, not what they are. There's a big difference.

SmoresTM Has No Chill (O==[][]==O) > Reigntastic 10/03/2014 at 17:05

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Oppo is, for the most part, not over stance. Trust me.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Reigntastic 10/03/2014 at 17:05

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Their opinion wasn't even idiotic, it was just realistic. The problem is, is whenever something gets political in some way, certain people automatically turns it into P.C. fuckfest. It automatically turns from one subject, to the same subject always argued. The other person kept it civil, until some of the other unbanned started being childish and began namecalling, including insulting someones child that doesn't even exist.

ttyymmnn > PushToStart 10/03/2014 at 17:06

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I think all the BS went down in some buried conversation thread somewhere. I've not read it. Those who are directly involved need to move on, and so do we all.

Reigntastic > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 10/03/2014 at 17:09

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Freedom of speech includes the people you don't like, sometimes people forget that.

The entire post reeked of JB brigading.

crowmolly > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 10/03/2014 at 17:10

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It's been like that ever since the first bulletin board went up.

Tohru > Sweet Trav 10/03/2014 at 17:11

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I just hate people.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Reigntastic 10/03/2014 at 17:11

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It's seems people still haven't grasped that no one will be equal to one person, that's what user banned was trying to point out until the white knight got involved. Equality would be a clusterfuck, realistically. We need fairness, not equality.

ttyymmnn > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif 10/03/2014 at 17:12

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llama (n.) woolly-haired South American ruminant, c.1600, from Spanish llama (1535), from Quechua (Peru) llama .

I'm no cunning linguist, but I'd bet that it's supposed to be pronounced "YA-ma."

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > crowmolly 10/03/2014 at 17:14

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Then the white knight and their army of SJW's show up, to spread unrealism to the world.

Reigntastic > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 10/03/2014 at 17:14

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People just need to understand that opportunity and equality are totally different.

You say white knight as if there was only one.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > ttyymmnn 10/03/2014 at 17:15

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Ruminant is also a funny word! YA(-ma) I think it is.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Reigntastic 10/03/2014 at 17:16

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One white knight and his army of SJW's.

Cebu > Sweet Trav 10/03/2014 at 17:20

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Drama: missed.

mcseanerson > Tohru 10/03/2014 at 17:23

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Equal opportunity hater.

mcseanerson > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 10/03/2014 at 17:27

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Yep.

nermal > Tohru 10/03/2014 at 17:43

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I was searchinng for a pic of the guy from Team America going off on the "dicks fuck assholes" rant at the end of the movie, but found this one instead. It's not really relevant to anything, but I found it amusing anyways...

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > mcseanerson 10/03/2014 at 17:52

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It's a pretty simple concept that takes minute levels of common sense to comprehend, but I guess that is a quickly diminishing quality.

deekster_caddy > ttyymmnn 10/03/2014 at 18:02

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Hmm, I had no idea any of this was happening either. Based on other comments here I'm going to assume it's somehow related to opinions about stance, which can be quite strong at times.

deekster_caddy > For Sweden 10/03/2014 at 18:04

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I know. I'm trying to decide what to do about a hard financial situation, that may or may not involve me selling my car, which I love. Fortunately the carbuying crew has been hard at it, right up my alley this week! I have also been super busy at work, and not seen any of the drama taking place.

Bad daylight sensor?

deekster_caddy > oldirtybootz 10/03/2014 at 18:06

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There are definitely the occasional groups that feel unwelcome at times. It seems to come and go, and the core group slowly migrates. A few months back people were all worked up about NSFW posts and it got pretty heated. (not that way) Sometimes it's people getting worked up about some dickish statement that can't be let go of by somebody else... drama seems to come and go in waves.

ttyymmnn > deekster_caddy 10/03/2014 at 18:19

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If only it were about stance, that would have at least been car-related. This shitstorm was entirely off topic, at least for Oppo. From what I know about the situation, some folks need a thicker skin or a lesson in civil discourse.

King Ginger, not writing for Business Insider > Sweet Trav 10/03/2014 at 18:38

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This happens (including an appeal to the Oppo rulebook) about once every 4-6 months. Frankly, I consider that a testament to our shared personalities as car lovers.

Little Black Coupe Turned Silver > Sweet Trav 10/03/2014 at 19:50

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I missed everything that happened.

But I know how you post, so, support.

deekster_caddy > ttyymmnn 10/03/2014 at 20:36

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Wow, okay. Glad I missed it I guess!

M-Powwerr Drives a Ford > Sweet Trav 10/04/2014 at 09:41

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What am I missing, is this becoming a high school? I keep seeing pleas, but what was the ignition?