I have recently wanted the ability to ignore threads. A quick search of the website didn't find it; a quick search of simple machines forum support however, did.
http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=1193Please install this.
I have cousins and nieces and nephews with whom I was once close, whom I have lost to identity politics, nationalism, religious intolerance, etc, and they now consider me, with sadness, to be everything from "outlander" to "hellbound" just as I sadly consider them to be everything from "bigoted" to "well-meaning but mistaken" to "believing big fat lies." We still love and respect one another on a personal level. But trust in one another is gone, and we cannot remain in contact because none of us wants to bring the others into contact with friends whom those others will offend and disrespect. And it hurts.
I process these issues enough in 3d with people who are part of my own family. I do not want to read nationalist, religious, or racist debate here, especially where personal love and respect for those with whom we disagree is not strongly in evidence. Seeing such a topic come up, I want to hit an "Ignore this thread" button and forget that it exists.
Please allow me to do that.