BizRodian

My birthday is in two weeks, and I can't show my family members my list because there's so stupid political message on my list. I have no problems with the american flag and "we support our troops" thing but the "The Time For Protesting is Over! Support Our Troops!" banner is waaaaay too political in my mind. The fact most of my family would be offended by my DVD list saying the right to protest is over is also bad, but seriously, if it said "No Blood For Oil!" I'd be equally offended. I don't want those types of messages on my list.

I don't care if that's what the people who run DVDAficanado think, that's their right, and I'd still continue to use them... but having these messages plastered all over like this is annoying. Dominos Pizza has been known to help give money to anti-abortion agencys, I'm not anti-aportion, but I still buy Dominos pizza. If they put a "Choose Life" logo on the pizza box, I wouldn't.

So basically, I wish dvdaficionado wouldn't do this, and I'll be moving my list to one of the new places to avoid confusion with my relatives.

It's well within their rights to do it, I just think it's a bad idea.

What do the rest of you think?

milo bloom

Since we're not paying them for the use of the site, we don't have a lot of say in what they put on their. Besides, they do have the right to free speech too you know.

I am more concerned with what I saw on the listing for Inside Islam, apparently a documentary. DVDAF says "DVDAF Note: We consider this program a religious infomercial and we strongly disagree on the use of public funds to produce it."

That's a little extreme and I meant to email the webmaster about it, thanks for reminding me.

Also, you could save the webpage onto your harddrive, then edit out the banners and send the file by email to your relatives.

Corleone

Use Guzzlefish.

BizRodian

Milo, that's rather stupid they did that.

I never ever ever ever said I expect them not to do it. They're welcome to do it. They're welcome to their ideas.

I have no problem with them even putting that banner up, even if I disagree with it, but I'm just saying it's a bad idea, and I won't be using the service anymore because I don't want my list to push their ideas.

Just as any anti-war banners would be a bad idea. Any political messages that strong are way too much for me. I'd be switching if it said "No Blood for Oil!" as well.

What gave you the impression I don't think they should be able to have free speech? I was simply saying how it annoyed me, and asked what others think.

Static Cling

I just visited the site and didn't see the banner. Refreshed it a bunch of times, still nothing. One .gif I see is an American flag, a Brit flag, and "DVD Aficionado Supports Our Troops in the Gulf."

milo bloom

That's not what I meant really, just a gentle reminder that they can say it, even if does annoy us. It's that old "I don't believe in what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" cliche
(and I probably butchered that quote)

I have emailed the webmaster, saying I basically agree that the protestors are spitting in the wind, but DVD listing site is not exactly the place for political messages. I'll wait to see if they do anything before I leave DVDAF. I've put too much time into my wish lists and folders, and I just like the layout better than most others.

imp66

Let them have their banner, and show your disapproval with an email to the webmaster and by switching services. They most likely use banner ads as one way to pay for their site, so when you leave, that cuts into their cash flow.

My feeling is that even though we have the right to free speech, there is a time and place for certain things. I didn't feel that I needed to hear about actors/actresses views on the war while I'm trying to watch an awards show, for example. With Dvdaficionado, why wouldn't they post their support on the main site, but not force people who may not share their views to have the slogans on their dvd lists? I guess it's a matter of comon sense and courtesy, which are sorely lacking in today's society.

Buck Turgidson

Is the guy on the right from the German or the British side from WWI? I know the vintage of the image, just not it's origin.

It's pretty extreme, IMHO. It's point is, effectively, "Shut up, you!"

illennium

I saw this banner last week and it infuriated me. I waited a bit to calm down, emailed a polite non-descript request to the webmaster to cancel my account, and received an equally polite, prompt reply that my account had been successfully terminated.

The point is, whatever your beliefs, there's something you can do. In this case, you can cancel your account. They can say whatever they want as long as it is Constitutional, and you can decide whether or not to continue patronizing them.

On a side note, Guzzlefish rocks.

Rammsteinfan

Hooray for DVDProfiler

jough

I'd use Guzzlefish if I could import my titles into it. But there's no way I'm entering hundreds of UPCs into ANYTHING again.

And Guzzlefish has a LOT more ads for consumerism than DVDAF, which I find far more offensive than political messages.

-- Jough

gutwrencher

they can say whatever they like and people can be as pissed as they like. really, I tune banners and babble out...just like here on this site. and if my mother-in-law said something about it while looking at my list...I'd say jesus mum....relax, it's just my collection that matters..so dont look. and then it's of course easier to deal with when it represents personal feelings. with a stepson in Iraq fighting.....I say the same and would love to say more.



btw, list of what? wants? so print out a list....

BizRodian

I thought I made it clear I knew that... oh well, we're all on the same page here.

Sorry, It's just such a strong statement, basically teling protestors they should shut up, which goes against my belives that people should always oppose something they don't belive in.

If the banner said "Stop murdering Iraqi civilians!" and had a picture of an american soilder crossed out, would you still tell your mother in law to ignore it? I sure wouldn't. I'd never send it to her and go to another site. I don't want any political message that out there.

adamblast

My personal reaction to the banner is that it's well-meaning, but misguided--like many of the protesters, in fact... The site owner may have friends or family overseas or in the military... Rightly or wrongly, it is natural for people who are emotionally tied to the safety of our troops to feel that the protesters are showing tremendous disrespect. While the sentiment in the banner isn't one I share, it's one I hear every day (and see every day in the forum) and understand... It doesn't infuriate me, it just saddens me a little to see us so polarized...

Grimmyhk

Use DVD Profiler - it's WAY better than DVD aficionado.

I saw those political messages, but I think I was more irked at how their banners are so aesthetically displeasing. So I switched to DVD Profiler, and I'm much happier now that I did. Better information on each disk, better layout, and even nice, clear cover/back cover scans!

BizRodian

adamblast, let me say again... I don't like the protestors either. I don't like them at all, but I think a banner telling protestors to stop is just wrong because it's an incredibly dictator-like view, IMHO. I don't care WHAT the message is, just that I find it to be so out there. I wouldn't like one about how it supports pro choice, or is pro-life, or even if it's right wing or left wing. I don't care, and I don't want it on my list.

I'm not american (BTW, I was going to become one, but have decided against it recently) so I don't hear people saying protestors should stop very often. Maybe that's why I decided I didn't want to be one, I have problems with others telling people what to do...

gutwrencher

without turning this into another "...Vs. the other" session, I just wanted to note that none of these profiler features kept me glued to the site. I dont need that much info and detail. if I want to scan the back cover...I'll pull the dvd out and look. dvdaf is nice and simple with titles and purchases counted just the way I like.

but thats whats great...there are plenty of choices if one site pisses you off.

well America is full of people like this so get used to it.

BizRodian

I'm not in the US now, I'm up in Canada. Planned on moving, but not anymore.

I agree with you on DVDprofiler. I don't need all that extra stuff, it's totally useless to me and I got sick of downloading the program and having it cause me errors. I just wanted a little list with a title picture and small bit about the movie, so that's why up until today I used DV.

costanza187

I like the banner because I agree with them!

lesterlong

I think you guys need to remove the stick from your @$$. There could be a banner that says 'KILL ALL AMERICANS' and I'd still show my list to my family. But hey, you guys want to drool over your own list of purchasing accomplishments without someone reminding you of the real world then so be it.

jarsim

No matter my war views, DVDAF is a FREE site, it's THEIR site, they can do what they want. It's a FREE country, although recently I am starting to doubt it as both sides of the political spectrum have been trying to censor the other. Yes, DVDAF appear to be part of this attempt at censorship of freedom of speech which I am disgusted with, but again, I respect the freedoms of our country and DVDAF has the right to do what they want. The closed-mindedness of some of the people on this thread is just as bad as the closed-mindedness of DVDAF's banner.

Dr. Dean

My stupid hosting site (2mhost.com) did the same thing but on the other end...they changed their whole start page...Something along the lines of "we strongly oppose the war on Iraq...blah blah blah...we support the peaceful countries that oppesed this unofficial war..."

Now I DO pay them and will not any more...I will be taking my 3 domains elsewhere...

NickAdonidus

I would just like to go on the record and say, I am a huge advocate of "I dont perscribe to your way of thinking, but I will defend your right to speak." any day of the week.
As so much as I find myself apposed to protestors, I still feel they have every right to share there opinion... after all.... the whole point of this freeking war is to arradicate a DICTATOR, and if we try and abolish the idea of freedom of speech, and the right to free thought, then we become a dictator nation ourselves.

uteotw

Exactly. Although...I must admit I get irritated with a certain DVD site (dvdshrine) that posts long ranting liberal "tolerance" columns that have NOTHING to do with DVDs. If I wanted political commentary, I'd go elsewhere. That said, I just don't read columns there anymore. If you don't like the banners (which I DO), don't use the free site.

BizRodian

lesterlong - Why such totally hostility?

I never use the list to brag about my purchases... I use it as a list to show my family what I want on DVD. If you can find one instance of me posting my list anywhere, I'd be very surprised, because I don't belive I ever have done that.

The fact you don't care if there was a banner saying anything is just what you think. I know I certianly wouldn't want that on my list... espically showing it to relatives. It's shown above the list at could be mistaken for how I feel. A "Kill all americans" banner would not be something I'd want. I think most people here would agree with me.

We're different, no need to be such an ass about it, ok?

Were there banners on your page though? I certianly might give it pause, but unless the banners were on my page, I'd probably stay with them, just IMHO. Same if DVDAV had that protestor thing just on their start page.