Is the MINI a Gay "Icon" ?

[Garry]

Gee wizzz

I had better warn all those mature folk who I have seen in the showroom thinking fondly of their yooof in classic Minis...

hang on.... no-one told me???

[BrianMini]

Dogger, there is a Gay only Mini Club! its listed if you care to be offended enought to look! It certainly offended me anyway! As i'm sure i've never ever seen a Straight only mini club, so why is there the need for a gay only club, other than of course that these gay club organisers are sexist!


CarCrazy, don't say everyone on here is a car enthusiast, as it is clearly not the case, there is a large contingent of this board who like no cars, other than their new aquisition MINI. Proven in all the Mini vs MINI debates where they say the mini is crap and that they would never have one, these people are not enthusiats!

[Yurinaut]

I'm somewhat amazed at this thread. Most of the people posting are clearly in four groups. Pro-Straight, Pro-Gay, Pro-Mini and Pro-MINI. We all seem so worried that our words/opinion won't be accounted for we are failing to see the one unifying interest. The reason for the existence of this board and I'd bet the common thread between us all is that we appreciate the MINI.

If I posted a topic entitled "Is the MINI a tennis players car" (I love the game) it would probably spiral into something akin to this thread with different camps (Pro-Tennis, Pro-Football, Pro-MINI and Pro-Mini.) The tennis football/soccer argument is obvious. The MINI camp would worry that one group of athletes wouldn't buy the car and the Mini camp would point out that the Mini never had these issues. Does anyone but me see this or are we too worried about not getting the last word on subjects near and dear to our hearts?

I like the Mini. I like the MINI. I could care less what your sexual preference is or what you think of mine. I'm buying a MINI becasue of the heritage of the Mini (Original, Rover and whatever!). My only (and I do mean ONLY) worry about the MINI is wheter or not I can get my 3 year old daughter in the back seat comfortably becasue otherwise, it fits my life perfectly.

Anyway....I'm sure this did no good and I'm certain I somehow offended someone but, that was truly not my goal. I mean, this is not a tabloid. It's a site dedicated to a great car. The MINI.

Cheers,
Mike

[Dogger]

[quote]Originally posted by Yurinaut
The reason for the existence of this board and I'd bet the common thread between us all is that we appreciate the MINI.

Hear, Hear..

[quote][i]If I posted a topic entitled "Is the MINI a tennis players car" (I love the game) it would probably spiral into something akin to this thread with different camps (Pro-Tennis, Pro-Football, Pro-MINI and Pro-Mini.) The tennis football/soccer argument is obvious. The MINI camp would worry that one group of athletes wouldn't buy the car and the Mini camp would point out that the Mini never had these issues. Does anyone but me see this or are we too worried about not getting the last word on subjects near and dear to our hearts?

Dodgy use of the word 'camp' there.. One thing is for certain, the MINI isn't a golf players car - you can't fit the clubs in the boot..

[quote][i]Anyway....I'm sure this did no good and I'm certain I somehow offended someone but, that was truly not my goal. I mean, this is not a tabloid. It's a site dedicated to a great car. The MINI.

This is probably one of these least offensive and most valuable posts on this thread Mike - thanks for taking the time to calm the waters!..

...and BrianMini - I'm with you in thinking that a Gay Mini owners club is taking things just that bit too far, but we're here to debate MINI's and not the history of Gay Lib so the less said about that the better I reckon..

[Yurinaut]

Thanks Dogger.

-M

[Jakx]

Quote:

Originally posted by Dogger


Jakx, I have to ask..which part of this statement didn't you understand?

So the Gays are taking over the world are they?..jeez, welcome to the new Millenium!

I think it's a crying shame that a thread like this CAN'T exist without it turning into a free for all..

Either keep responses relevant or don't bother!

I understood all of it - I didn`t realise I had to obey it!!

Ok! Dogger, being as you`re the Boss around here perhaps I better not bother.

I said what I said because that`s how I felt about the so called "Gay Movement" and it`s habit of latching (read `attaching`) itself en-masse to anything that happens to take it`s fancy - and also, like you I`m free to express my views!

Now it seems, it`s the MINI`s turn!

As far as I`m concerned, the MINI doesn`t belong to any particular group of individuals . . . is that statement clear enough for you ?

[tsipple]

I'm not wild about removing "offensive" messages from the MINI2 forums. After all, I find all these glowing new MINI reports from Europe "offensive," since I do not yet own one of these cars. (I'm also offended that my post was evidently found "offensive," since it was specifically designed to offend the person who posed the original silly question. I suggested a variety of vanity license plates he could get for his new MINI, to deal with his insecurity. )

I think BMW's marketing is terrific, by the way. But that's vastly overshadowed by the terrific product. Speaking of which, the new MINI really is perfect for kids. Big kids like *me*.

[Dogger]

Quote:

Originally posted by Jakx
As far as I`m concerned, the MINI doesn`t belong to any particular group of individuals . . . is that statement clear enough for you ?

Clear as a bell Jakx - my point was that the thread was started as a genuine question as to the market positioning of the MINI as a product/fashion accessory (or whatever the media you loath so much may want to call it).

I'm not trying to use my influence as a Moderator (if indeed I have any) to stop you from debating the subject, but it was sweeping statements like yours that killed the thread off last time. I agree that certain sections of the Gay comunity may seem to 'adopt' trends, fashions etc, but that doesn't warrant your implication that just because someone happens to be Gay, they would automatically worship Madonna, wear Versace and drive a MINI.

Gay people have brains too - and are quite capable of making decisions based on aesthetics, driving pleasure and economics just as much as you are.

Clear enough for you?????

[Jakx]

Dogger!

Please . . . . ?

A couple of points . . first off, who are you to tell me that I "loathe" the media, what utter rubbish - and secondly, excuse me but I thought that the original thread was about the MINI possibly being adopted by the "Gay community"?

And this thread was related to the original.

Further, I had no input into that original "Gay MINI thread" - what I did post early on, I almost immediately deleted along with any sweeping statements I may or may not have made - you already know why I was persuaded to do that!

So why don`t you have "a go" at the "guilty" one`s who "killed" that one off - you must know who they are, it certainly wasn`t me?

As usual any thread that gets posted under the "Gay banner" especially when relating to the MINI meets with resistance for all sorts of reasons.

It would receive a similar reaction if it was posted under a particular "Religious banner" too.

On MINI2 !

I`d be grateful, in this instance, if the MODERATOR would allow me the freedom to express that opinion here without being roundly harangued by him??!!

[ricardo]

This whole censorship thing has totally spooked me.

I was one of those who posted a flippant, jokey reply in the original thread which I am now concerned was considered offensive by some readers. Of course, I still can't be certain that mine was one of the problem messages 'cos no-one has identified the offending posts - perhaps we are all supposed to feel guilty by association? In addition, there may have been other posts, which I did not see, which were truly offensive. It would be nice to know, even if only via a private message.

I don't consider myself in the least bit anti-gay and yet I now feel that that's the impression I may somehow have given. My comments were intended to be light-hearted and I thought they might deflate some of the rank pomposity. To me, the whole question is answered by the response "Who cares?" But a bit of levity seemed appropriate at the time.

My experience with political correctness is that it is often those complaining of non-PC behaviour/language/views who reveal their prejudices. Those that have offended frequently have no idea why their comments are non-PC. This doesn't necessarily mean that they are ignorant or insensitive.

Most gay people I've met have had a good sense of humour and can laugh at themselves. My guess would be that most complaints came from over-compensating, politically-correct straight men.

I don't support a free-for-all where offensive remarks are posted but it would be a shame if members feel unduly inhibited about expressing controversial opinions or simply making a joke.

[coopercrazy]

OK, I have had it with this thread.
The original gets nixed just to have this one replace it.
BORING!
I want to read more about the CAR!
Not coming back to this thread again.

[Basil]

Hey guys, please.

I left this site because of this kind of crap. Can you sort it out between yourselves with pm's.

come on guys kiss and make up ok.

your both buddies to me here, let's try and keep it that way.

Come on, kiss and cuddles..........









(Can't even be accused of this post being off subject either......ha ha ha........ no offence ment to anyone who sees offence in the above comments)


Come on you buggers........... laugh !!!!. Oh geez, I've said "buggers".....

(or the one above).

Maybe i've said enough.

If i've offended i'll remove the post ok.......just trying to lighten up Dogger and Jakx.

(PS. I didn't start this thread ok.......don't blame me)


PPS. Did someone mention Type-R ??

[Basil]

Quote:

Originally posted by ricardo
This whole censorship thing has totally spooked me.

I was one of those who posted a flippant, jokey reply in the original thread which I am now concerned was considered offensive by some readers. Of course, I still can't be certain that mine was one of the problem messages 'cos no-one has identified the offending posts - perhaps we are all supposed to feel guilty by association? In addition, there may have been other posts, which I did not see, which were truly offensive. It would be nice to know, even if only via a private message.

I don't consider myself in the least bit anti-gay and yet I now feel that that's the impression I may somehow have given. My comments were intended to be light-hearted and I thought they might deflate some of the rank pomposity. To me, the whole question is answered by the response "Who cares?" But a bit of levity seemed appropriate at the time.

My experience with political correctness is that it is often those complaining of non-PC behaviour/language/views who reveal their prejudices. Those that have offended frequently have no idea why their comments are non-PC. This doesn't necessarily mean that they are ignorant or insensitive.

Most gay people I've met have had a good sense of humour and can laugh at themselves. My guess would be that most complaints came from over-compensating, politically-correct straight men.

I don't support a free-for-all where offensive remarks are posted but it would be a shame if members feel unduly inhibited about expressing controversial opinions or simply making a joke.

Wow, what a great post. I must be an old fart, because in my day when "political correctness" didn't exist, I could have shortened your comments to "sticks and stones......etc etc "






Basil. ( A dead dog, so political correctness doesn't apply).

[Mini Chopo "S"]

Hey amigos the word in the English dictionary has two meanings ne Happy person, or a person that loves or is in desire for the same sex. Personally I dont care "cause I have two cousins that are gay and I still love them, dont misjudge me I am STRAIGHT. But if indeed it has been publisized in gay mags then it has been BETTER publisized than they have to us the regular folks. Aint that some ****!! OOPS!!

[Basil]

Quote:

Originally posted by BrianMini
CarCrazy, don't say everyone on here is a car enthusiast, as it is clearly not the case, there is a large contingent of this board who like no cars, other than their new aquisition MINI. Proven in all the Mini vs MINI debates where they say the mini is crap and that they would never have one, these people are not enthusiats!

Brian, sweety.

I do agree with you on the "Gay's only" issue. Like saying "men only" or "Tall people only" is it not ?.

The world IS changing but not fast enough for some. This debate will be neither won or lost.

Debates are just that, open to all who have their own opinions. It would be boring having a debate only with people that agreed with the question would it not. Again I understand your point, but there is no answer. We will ALL have to learn to agree to disagree, and have a bottle of chill pills handy for when steam starts rising from our respective collars.

Another 2 cents worth. Perhaps this thread has some merit after all !

cheers