There was recently a thread that started with an incendiary defense of Israel against Palestine.  

I made a comment that I would watch it carefully. After several members of the pub, the owner included, agreed that this isn't the place for such a discussion, I locked the thread.  

The chess pub is a world-wide forum with a great reputation for its chess content.  I will, in consultation with Tony and others, continue to allow political speech in the chit chat section.  But whenever such speech crosses some invisible boundary from partisan to inflammatory, I will not hesitate to end the thread.

Please use this thread to discuss the merits of allowing such discussions in the future.  

We have all participated in political discussions here and elsewhere.  I think it would be impossible and counterproductive to say we end all political speech.  But let's keep the chess pub a chess pub!