Date sent: Sun, 19 Dec 2004 21:52:29 -0800
ROJ:
I've already addressed all of your significant points
several times, but I'll respond one final time.
On second thought, I will post my recent letter to you on VPFree as
soon as you see fit to lift my "suspension", and see for myself what
people think. You have no reason to object to or block this from
happening.
Your suspension will be lifted when the two week
revocation period expires.
You're assuming that I'm anxious to accomodate a
disruptive swan song from a disgruntled member?
Actually, I don't have a problem if you post my
private email to you (after removing my real name),
which includes your recent letter and my reply. You
can post this email also if you like.
For what it's worth, the private e-mails I've been getting have been
overwhelmingly supportive, which is quite a switch. This makes me
question your supposition that the "overwhelming majority" of VPFree
members would support your handling of the situation.
Your having some/many supportive members doesn't
mean they wouldn't support my actions also. The
two aren't mutually exclusive, although you seem
to think they are.
I must also ask once again (since you ignored the question the first
time I asked it): what exactly was negatively personal about my recent
"offending" post, other than to post the manifest truth that "Bruno"
has appointed himself head-ROJ-refuter? I don't think that what I said
deserves this kind of treatment.
I think you are going a bit overboard in your prosecution of this
issue. I agree that the board needed some "civilizing", but now it
resembles Singapore, where you get instantly fined $20 for dropping a
gum wrapper on the sidewalk.
I did answer your question ... several times.
You just haven't been listening.
The NPC policy doesn't analyze or consider the
degree of flame content. If anyone mentions or
refers to the messenger in a negative way during
an adversarial situation, they have broken the rules
and will be sanctioned.
Despite my public and private warnings you willingly
violated the NPC policy and earned a two week
revocation of your posting privileges on vpFREE
In any case, my post two weeks from now will be the last one I make. I
feel that I'm paying a far, far, far too heavy a price for sharing
information AND opinions. My posts have to run the gauntlet of the
flamers AND the censor. It ain't worth the trouble.
vpFREE doesn't have a censor. Members are moderated
on occasion and posts may be rejected, but they are
not censored.
I also strongly reiterate that leaving an insulting post on the board
but preventing a reply from even being posted is patently unfair. If a
post is "objectionable", then why not remove it? If it's allowed to
remain, then how "objectionable" can it be?
Unless a thread gets moved to FREEvpFREE, you're
always allowed to reply to an insulting post, but not in an
insulting manner. If it's moved to FREEvpFREE then reply
however you like on that forum.
You're confusing proactive action to prevent disruptive
situations, with Solomon type decisions on how insulting
a post is and whether it should be deleted or not. A post
would have to be way out of line before it gets deleted
for cause, and this has never happened on vpFREE.
I'm sure that all of the above falls on deaf ears, as my previous
e-mail did (judging by your canned, repetitive replies), but I feel I
had to make the attempt.
All of my responses to you have been tailor made just for you.
I'm sure that those who wanted to see me leave the VPFree message
group will be delighted by your (successful) efforts to make that
happen.
I'm pleased that you have participated on vpFREE,
and although I take most of your posts with several
grains of salt, I find them entertaining and worthwhile.
I hope you continue as a contributing vpFREE member
and certainly haven't tried to do anything that would
make you want to leave. On the contrary, I think the
NPC policy creates a more hospitable environment for
everyone, especially you. Any personal criticism aimed
at you will now result in immediate sanctions against
the perp(s).
Your critics seem to regard it as their mission in
life to "bash ROJ" and you in turn seem to think
that the only valid response is to return the favor
"in kind". This creates an ever present potentially
explosive situation that frequently turns very
disruptive. That's not going to happen on vpFREE
any more, because it's going to be nipped in the bud
by the NPC policy.
I don't care what anyone says on vpFREE as long as
it is civil (and also impersonal in adversarial situations).
NPC doesn't impair anyone's ability to disagree with
or correct hostile posts. This can be done just as effectively,
and probably more so, by keeping things impersonal and
dealing exclusively with the message at hand.
I suspect that you get some satisfaction from your
vpFREE participation, and I hope that you won't cut
off your nose to spite your face. If it's essential
that you have the ability to trade insults with your
critics, then vpFREE isn't for you. Otherwise, the
NPC policy should enhance your comfort level on
vpFREE and provide protection from personal
criticism.
Best wishes,
Tom Sims
vpFREE Administrator
···
From: vpFREE <vpFREE@Cox.net>
To: Joe Shlabotnik <rockofjello333@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: VPFree censorship/suspension