[exp1orer]

I actually hesitated before posting for exactly this reason, and I don't think you're wrong to be sensitive to this. But you'll notice that there's actually no real political content in the link, nor was there any political discussion in the thread, so I think your response is a little bit of an overreaction.

[nonethewiser]

The project itself is political

[cinntaile]

You don't get any roads without politics in the first place. Everything is "politics".

I don't see the issue with the comment, he didn't assign any judgement to the map. Which is where the politics problem usually arises.

[nonethewiser]

What roads? It has nothing to do with roads - it's purely a map of contiguous democrat counties. Besides, that's moving the goalpast from "its not political" to "well yeah it is political but its ok". It's also a bad example precisely for the same reason you (presumably) think it's a good example people can relate to - everyone agrees we need roads.

Furthermore, clearly some things are too political to bring up in some places. This is not controversial. We can all agree we shouldn't let schools preach political propaganda to our children "because everything is political anyways." Or that churches shouldn't preach political propoganda "because everything is political anyways." This is one such case - it's a divisive partisan viewpoint that is only loosely related to the original topic and has nothing to do with hacker news. I assume the original poster meant no harm but it's still a negative contribution.

[kashunstva]

> it's purely a map of contiguous democrat counties

“Democratic counties”, right? I understand that it’s a common epithet used to deride an opposing party; but if one wishes to remain apolitical isn’t it better to apply the neutrality of using the party’s actual name and conventions of capitalization?

[nonethewiser]

I don’t understand your “gotcha.” Its the Democrat party. Thats what the map is of.

[cinntaile]

> What roads?

The original post is about roads, those roads exist (or don't exist) due to political processes.

> Furthermore, clearly some things are too political to bring up in some places.

Can you please explain what is too political about that post? I don't really get what you take offense at? It's just the result of a vote?

[jaegerpicker]

Every single thing is political. What you eat? political Religious? political What TV show you watch? political What job you do? political. Welcome to modern America where every single thing is a political us vs them shit show. This is the county we as citizens have let be forced on us.

Simple fact most Red's don't want to associate with Blue's and it's the same on the other side. Sure individuals won't agree but they are a minority. If you don't like the project, then just move on it has NOTHING to do with you.

[nonethewiser]

It's a negative contribution. Do you feel the same way about someone preaching political propoganda in a church, business, school, etc. that you aren't a member of simply because "every single thing is political?" And can't we agree that OP's post is not political? Or if it is, the degree is orders of magnitude less than the map of contiguous counties belonging to one party?

It seems to me that "everything is political" is just a way to provide cover for pushing partisan viewpoints places.