QUOTE(Warlord @ Aug 1 2008, 10:03 PM) [snapback]398468[/snapback]
I think we should give some sort of one-time amnesty to all of our old posters who are no longer here. Lefty, Hawkins, Reg_dumb, Jermaine, Suckapunch, Hawkins, Jerry fucking Drake, all those cats. Especially Jerry Drake, man, I feel bad about that shit. I think I pushed him way over the edge with that "punching a moose in the face" shit.
We should bring those guys back just to spice up the boards a little. And we should allow the boards to be perused by non-members too, I think that is fucking key. I would never join a forum I couldn't lurk on beforehand, cause you never know what you're getting in to. I don't think I've ever joined any forum except for the fact I found some post I didn't agree with, decided to join just because I needed to debate it, and stuck around after it was finished.
Warlord,
The problem is that most of these guy's behaviors were SOOO bad that they were brining the forum down to such a low level, and we were losing posters because of them. Jermaine's racist threats to posters and their families got so extreme that after 4 years of his shit, we had to get outside security help to get him out for good. In my experience as a moderator than as an administrator, he was the worst poster we had. Hawkins and Reg One were given 50 chances and warnings. The same with Suckapunch, who started out ok, but when complaints and post screenings showed that he became more problematic over time, he needed to go as well.
The ONLY, posters, I mean the ONLY posters that I might take into consideration for a return would be Lefthook, because at the time he left, he did so on his own accord and I believe also had some family problems. But he didn't like the "Officer Hook" stuff. The point is he left on his own. Maybe Jerry Drake, because he wasn't nearly as bad as the others. BUT, Jerry Drake would have to prove in coming back that he has learned from his mistakes and could be a positive role for the community.
Outside of Lefthook and maybe Jerry Drake (still unsure about Jerry Drake, but not as bad as the others mentioned,) the other posters discussed were vicious vindictive trolls and/or board flamers who would either troll or not listen to repeated warnings to chill. Those others will not be brought back under any circumstances. It is extremely rare to impossible that the others mentioned will ever change. Right now, Lefthook would be the only person I would consider back on a probation basis, but we couldn't call him "Officer Hook." He didn't like that. If we get Lefthook back, we need to make him feel a welcome part of our community. My reasoning is also based on the fact that Lefthook was never banned, he left on his own.
Ben and I do not have the time or tolerance to bring back the banned troublemakers who had to go because they tore this place apart. Anyone who hurts this community with racist, threatening, or trolling shit is not welcomed back once they are gone, no matter what. The bans, (other than immediate bans of trolls) are always based on community input over long periods of time, unless we believe that emergency intervention is required.
We are having enough trouble and time constraints keeping trolls and spam URL's out of the non-boxing General section. That is stressful enough as it is. We will not open the flood gates to give proven trouble makers, second chances, (or in the case of many of them 20-50 chances.) They are gone, will remain gone, and it is time to move ahead.
Jack
Administrator
PS. It is my understanding that guests can browse the forum but cannot post unless registered. Registration for posting is required for security reasons.