allnurses has Become so Politicized

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Has anybody else been pretty shocked by how polarized many of the forums have gotten lately? 'Back in the good ole' days,' people would occasionally have differing view points and get into little spats, but on the whole we were all on the same page and working toward the same common goal (patient and nurse well-being).

These days it feels like at least 1/3 of the trending forums eventually devolve into tirades and personal attacks. Even when the discussions start out fairly civil, they sour pretty quickly.

I realize that highly-polarized, highly-sensationalized news is the nature of our political system these days. I'm also guessing that the polarization is felt more deeply on AN because the two most prominent, polarizing topics right now (covid and 'black lives' protests) are both interrelated with public health. Usually AN members are at least somewhat united on the aims and goals for public health, even if they don't agree with the means. Now, there's just so much bickering.

It's really disheartening. AN is usually my escape from the outside world, where I can commiserate with other nurses on topics that only we understand. Lately, it feels like the lighthearted, feel-good nature of AN has been poisoned by all of this hatred. I hope we get back to the way things were sooner rather than later. ?

35 minutes ago, Susie2310 said:

I miss some of the diverse topics. I mostly enjoyed the posters (not all of them) who started threads that were very original; often asking intriguing questions and challenging the status quo.

I also would like to add, and I fully understand that many people won't agree with this, that I personally found it more enjoyable during the time before we were able to use badges/letters to indicate our training/credentials/expertise and before we were able to be awarded a badge. I understand that many people like this feature and find it valuable, and I respect that; it's just not something that is important to me - the presence or absence of badges/letters doesn't really affect how credible I find a poster as there are many other things I pay far more attention to in discerning how credible I find a poster or a post.

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Specializes in NICU/Mother-Baby/Peds/Mgmt.

Most times you can tell if something is going to be political by the title, and if not by the title then by the post itself. Just don't read those posts. There are MANY posts I don't read. It's not nursing school, you won't be tested on it.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
6 hours ago, toomuchbaloney said:

I would counter that suggesting that those protesting for change in policing practice and funding hold "hatred for all policemen" is a dangerous generalization.

That is not what I said nor suggested. That is your interpretation of what I said.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
On 6/15/2020 at 9:04 AM, adventure_rn said:

It's really disheartening. AN is usually my escape from the outside world, where I can commiserate with other nurses on topics that only we understand. Lately, it feels like the lighthearted, feel-good nature of AN has been poisoned by all of this hatred. I hope we get back to the way things were sooner rather than later. ?

You’re right! My comments were meant to reflect on one’s own responsibility and self-awareness for safety and staying out of harm’s way. Yet they have fueled a fire that some refuse to let die out for the purpose of this thread.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
20 minutes ago, BSNbeDONE said:

That is not what I said nor suggested. That is your interpretation of what I said.

BSNbeDONE said:

I agree that the system as a whole needs to be addressed. I agree that there are sooooo many people with authority who are abusing that authority. But to hold hatred for all policemen is equivalent to those who hold hatred towards a specific race or culture. My former friend was not even wanting to allow me to voice my opinion. He was OK with sending the elderly and children to fight a battle which he himself would not fight. I, for one, could never allow someone weaker than me to stand between me and an aggressor.

I would welcome a clarification if my interpretation is in error. Who holds hatred for all policemen?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
4 minutes ago, toomuchbaloney said:

BSNbeDONE said:

I agree that the system as a whole needs to be addressed. I agree that there are sooooo many people with authority who are abusing that authority. But to hold hatred for all policemen is equivalent to those who hold hatred towards a specific race or culture. My former friend was not even wanting to allow me to voice my opinion. He was OK with sending the elderly and children to fight a battle which he himself would not fight. I, for one, could never allow someone weaker than me to stand between me and an aggressor.

I would welcome a clarification if my interpretation is in error. Who holds hatred for all policemen?

My former friend.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
7 minutes ago, BSNbeDONE said:

My former friend.

Thank you. I see my error now.

I hope that your former friend doesn't have a lot of like minded friends.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

I merely posted my conversation with a former friend on this particular thread to reveal my ‘nursing’ take on things. We are all well aware of the stance of the vast majority of these events. But I’m purely saying basically let’s not ignore the man bleeding just so that we can stand toe to toe with the aggressor. After all, this is a nursing forum. I’ll share my political debates elsewhere.

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Specializes in Oncology, ID, Hepatology, Occy Health.
On 6/15/2020 at 9:04 AM, adventure_rn said:

Has anybody else been pretty shocked by how polarized many of the forums have gotten lately? 'Back in the good ole' days,' people would occasionally have differing view points and get into little spats, but on the whole we were all on the same page and working toward the same common goal (patient and nurse well-being).

I believe everything in life is political, nothing more so than health, health care and the way we manage it. I thought the whole point of a forum was for debate and an exchange of ideas, so if we are seeing disagreements debated out, political or otherwise, that's a good thing.

I do agree with you however that where that's done with disrespect, name calling etc. then no, that's totally undesirable and surely that's what the mods are here to sort out. I've been a mod on another forum and it isn't always an easy task. Sometimes we are a bit too quick to scream foul play if we have a post edited or whatever. I think in general the mods here do their job effectively.

I would disagree with you on the "good 'ole days" having posted on here sporadically since 2004. Like all other forums, there have always been the spats, the trolls, the threads that get out of hand etc. and I'm sure no forum ever escapes this. I don't believe it was any better back then. In the "good 'ole days" I received both xenophobic and homophobic comments from certain posters. I once started a thread asking people their views on sexual assistance for paralysed patients, which is legal in some countries, and the vitriol I received was unbelievable, to the point of being accused of having sex with my patients (I was in occupational health at the time, so a highly unlikely scenario). I hadn't even stated if I was for, against or neutral yet simply raising the subject for debate made me the devil incarnate. So no, I don't believe we should look back with rose coloured glasses!

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Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
12 hours ago, ICUman said:

Joined in 2013. Site and topics were much more enjoyable back then. Fun contributors and interesting topics galore. Those posters have been driven off now. I avoid most threads here due to many already stated reasons. Wish the old AN would come back. Not likely.

The whole world was more enjoyable then; less enjoyable than 2011 but, nevertheless, better than now.

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Sigh... I left policing to start my RN journey partly due to the overwhelmingly political nature of being an officer. I hope that AN is not reflective of the field.

Also, I have to say this... To generalize all police is just as ignorant as generalizing any one race, religion, ect.

I have been on this board for 3 weeks and have already picked out a few incredibly divisive "if you don't agree with me I am going to attack you" posters. Pretty disappointing.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.

https://www.businessinsider.com/pence-governors-misleading-claim-coronavirus-outbreaks-nyt-2020-6

This type of activity and talk certainly adds to the political nature of this particular public health emergency. Very little about this American experience with COVID has seemed immune from politicization, from the top down. IMV

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