I definitely think the name calling and "baby jesus" rant in the linked thread should not be allowed, but to ban politics completely, that is also not a good idea.
To ban politics would mean that politics has no place in FIRST, which is completely wrong. FIRST has become a huge program, and government funding of FIRST teams could help continue growth of the program and allow the less-affluent teams to go to competitions. This all has to do with politics. I think discussing politics on ChiefDelphi is great, as long as
it is FIRST related. Bush policies on FIRST and science and engineering should be discussed, as it would create more intelligent discussions on ChiefDelphi. In addition, discussing the relation of the political world to the scientific world could come in handy in the future, whether you are applying for a job at NASA, applying for a research grant, or working for the defense, telecommunication, or energy industry.
I do, however, think that religious fundamentalism (the baby jesus quote
was fundamentalism) has no place on the forums. The quote showed contempt and utter disdain for the other cultures that make up this wonderful country.
If you must digress to express your political views, here are some forums to express your views:
Liberal Forums:
Move On PAC
George Bush, the Officious Website
Conservative Forums: (I don't know too many of these, though)
The Free Republic
To sum it up, I think political discussion should take place, as long as it is FIRST-Related (or science and engineering related).