Beagle
SteveStrummerUK
Beagle
Can I be honest with you guys in here for a minute? I promise just for a minute then we can all go back to our buffoonery.
When bapu created this thread I did not like it at all. In my mind this thread was simply a way to keep some people from complaining about the numerous "buffoonery" threads in the CH; One thread to rule them all, One thread to find them, One thread to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. more or less...
it was a "cop-out" to bow to the wishes of the vocal minority...in my opinion.
Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. maybe it has become something completely different.
but I am beginning to understand a reason to post silliness in here instead of out there now. it apparently doesn't go well for people when you post something fun in the CH if you're not under the protection of the FSF...because of the vocal minority.
ok,...back to your regularly scheduled buffoonery.
To all...
Please don't feel you have to "bow to the wishes of the vocal minority".
Post what you like, wherever you like, as far as this member of the vocal minority is concerned.
I do have one small concern regarding the post I've quoted above though. It does sound a little divisive - very "them and us". I don't think that has any place in the Coffee House, especially when this perceived division is reinforced by a forum host.
None of the FSF regulars may agree with my recently espoused views regarding the 'copycat' thread titles, but all I did was express an opinion. I never once insisted, or even suggested, that such threads not be posted. I did openly pontificate as to why anyone would find them humorous, I'll concede, but even then, I hope I approached it politely and rationally.
Like I said, I consider the Coffee House regulars to be good friends and excellent company, and I'd do anything for you guys if called upon to do so - no questions asked.
I'll be honest, thread titles and subject matter are never going to be an important enough issue to dissuade me from coming to the Coffee House and participating and contributing here.
I'll be honest though, talk elsewhere of cliques does concern me, and this is why I quoted Reece's post above. If such a sentiment needed expressing, confining its intended readership to this thread's regulars does appear to bolster the 'them and us' position. If I understand what's being said in Reece's post, it's a distinct demarcation between "You guys" and "The vocal minority". What worries me to some extent is that the "You guys" group contains at least two forum hosts, who I would have thought should really be impartial in such matters at the very least, and certainly not proactive in instigating such divisions.
I'm accused of violating the CoC in the Coffee House openly and by a report ticket for posting a "copycat" thread title, now I'm accused of causing division by forming cliques with a post where I spoke my mind about not wanting to make posts openly any more for fear of persecution.
Posts like this are only telling me one thing: I'm not welcome to post here.
"Persecution"?
Get a grip man.
You're even starting to sound like John.
Whatever next, will I be accused of "harassment"?
If you want to play the victim/martyr that's fine. No doubt you'll get plenty of sympathy from your buddies. But it doesn't wash with me. If you want to openly operate as a host who doesn't play by the rules
when it suits you, and with complete impunity, that's fine too - there's absolutely nothing me or anyone else can do about it. But at least accept responsibility for your hypocrisy and understand that some of us have a right to believe that's unfair.
If it didn't mean breaking a confidence, I'd happily list all the people who have contacted me regarding this matter of double standards and other perceived host infractions. The irony being that they wish to remain anonymous and not express their views in public for fear of
persecution and retribution by those in authority over them.
Answer me this if you'd be so kind Reece - who exactly do
you consider to be the "vocal minority"? Me? Paulo? Anyone else? Maybe just for once, think about the
non-vocal majority. The one-time regulars who don't bother to speak out, but simply just don't bother to come to the Coffee House anymore. You already know the likes of whom I'm talking about, don't you? Or the friends and acquaintances that have gone
completely because of the way certain forum hosts have treated them.
None of this will change either until this self-perpetuating denial that anything is actually wrong here is allowed to continue. Don't think for a minute that just because only a "vocal minority" ever have the guts to stand up to you that we are the only people who feel aggrieved. If anything, their continued public silence should be a cause of shame that the current atmosphere around the place makes them feel like they have to keep their opinions to themselves.
Edit to add: Feel free to PM me if there's anything you'd prefer not to say in here.
Edit 2 - minor correction to make sense
post edited by SteveStrummerUK - 2015/04/30 15:45:11