I’ve been a regular on several forums for quite some time. Recently, however, I’ve had to pull back from my activities on one forum (PDN) because of the politcal ugliness. I haven’t left it, yet, but I am no where near as active as I used to be, because a few political bullies have, essentially, taken over things.
That’s too bad–that a few guys (they are all, ostensibly, men) get so nasty that it ruins the environment for the rest of us, but that happens. The thing is, what they are doing isn’t good for them–in fact, it’s not good for business.
Being politically active is, in my opinion, a good thing. However, it belongs in its own place, and that place is not the front burner of your business. You are more likely to alienate people than to bring them in to your way of thinking, and that is bad for business.
For example, some of the aforementioned posters advocate what is, in my opinion, an extremist right-wing ideology. In the creative industries, the majority of people are centrist to leftist. It is entirely possible for a potential client to choose not to work with you if you post statements contrary to his/her worldview in a place where s/he is likely to see them. PDN is such a place. Clients go there.
So, believe what you believe and fight for what you believe in, but do it in appropriate places–political forums, for example. Leave the creative professional forums to issues facing creative professionals more directly.