Post by Louvain on Dec 3, 2009 7:22:23 GMT -8
I hope the evening with Bite in Maintenance Mode has given everyone the opportunity to calm and to reflect on some things, while it’s given me some time to think about my priorities with Bite as well as the direction it’s gone at the behest of a few people.
To start, Randy’s avatar has been removed. Proboards has not responded with a definitive answer and the general consensus in regards to Bite is that if it raises legitimate complaint, it needs to be removed in regard to your fellow player. If he should choose to put his avatar back up, he will more than likely be faced with a temporary ban until he can understand why the swastika is not appropriate. I realize the masses have been split on my decision to ask that it be removed but at the end of the day it is my job to administrate Bite to the best of my ability, and not to the best of yours. Please respect that.
Zach has yet again been banned for his actions and while I anticipate that he will be back under a different alias, with a changed IP and a new email, as he has done many times before, this is the case for now. I apologize to those of you who had lodged complaints and were greeted with inaction; I tried to explain my reasoning as carefully as possible. Zach does not acknowledge bans nor punishments despite his deserving both, and the people around him both enable and encourage it. All I can do is keep banning and keep reinforcing the rules, so I hope you have the understanding that he will inevitably pop back up with another childish ploy to gain attention and at that time I will repeat my disciplinary action.
At this time I would like to say two things regarding the use of the rune for the Yggdrasil symbol.
I have looked extensively to discover this supposed racist group using the rune as its symbol and have yet to find it. So I would like to request that those of you who seem to be aware of this, please present me with some proof of your claim.
The second thing is that I would like to request that anyone using the rune as their avatar please remove it until I am able to clear up the matter. As with Randy’s avatar, if it lodges complaint, and it has, then I need to take regard to those who have complained and ask that the offending symbol be removed.
Lastly, in regards to the rules of TOS and Zach’s claim that Bite is not “freedom of speech”. Bite is freedom of speech for the VAMPIRES, and as players we need to play ball with Proboards and follow their rules regardless of our beliefs on the matter. Without Proboards, we would not have freedom of speech, in fact, our vampires would have nowhere to speak. I had thought that the understanding was that Bite’s freedom of speech clause was IC and IC only, however some do not seem to have a grasp of that and I apologize. In order to keep the forum running smoothly, we need to accommodate the Proboards terms of service and act in a manner that is respectful of them. If you do not like that, then I would suggest that perhaps you start saving up to help me create a domain of my own to host Bite on, where you would not have those restrictions. Otherwise, I need you to act in an adult manner and acknowledge that Bite cannot be entirely freedom of speech for the players when it comes to what they write for RP, and work with me to make sure that we can keep the forum. This includes Cynthia when writing Boomer's RPs involving discussion about drugs. While I realize that many things which border on breaking ToS may be a large part of the character, such blatant things can run a risk for the forum and the goal is to have fun -- something that cannot be done if the forum no longer exists.
I don’t like banning people and I never will. In fact, I prefer to try and reach a medium ground where people are happy with the moderation they’ve received and can understand both why the rules are created and why they are being enforced. It bothers me to think that with this recent situation and the one a few weeks ago, that I am forced to create an addendum to the rules that will create a punishment for people who cannot understand them and act accordingly. However, I feel that at this point it is entirely necessary and should Bite members calm and perhaps quit breaking the Terms of Service and rules so rampantly, I would be willing to repeal the addendum.
Adjustment to the Rules: Persons breaking Terms of Service will be banned temporarily at first, then permanently for repeated infractions. As this is OOC, a person’s IP is liable to be banned and not simply their character name. If something you post does not CLEARLY break ToS but borders on impropriety as something that could be perceived as breaking ToS, you will be warned and asked to remove the post. If you decline or remove and re-post the offending item, you run the risk of being temporarily banned as well. Interpretation about what breaks the Terms is the sole discretion of the administrator with the input of the staff, but will be kept as basic as possible to avoid infringing on anything other than that which Proboards objects to.
Now, there is one thing I would like to address. Those throwing OOC insults in the “Racist Symbols” thread (and I hope you know who you are lest I have to call you out publicly on your poor behavior):
Your names have been written down and you are currently under observation for further OOC insult. Should you insult quite as badly as you have in that thread once more, you will receive a temporary “cooling off “period where you can think about your choice of words in regards to other players and calm down, and reach a better frame of mind in which to interact with others. Essentially, you’re on thin ice to be put in a time out.
I am not a perfect administrator and while it is no excuse I am under a bit of stress due to the end of the semester work that I need to complete, as well as my home situation. I don’t want to give up on Bite simply because it adds to that stress, and I don’t intend to. Nor do I like having to put the board into Maintenance Mode simply to allow myself time to reflect on a course of action in regards to the forum. However, I think in this case it was helpful to reach some sort of decision in order to hopefully bring some peace back to something that was supposed to be fun, not a hostile environment full of arguments and petty comeuppances.
I know many won’t agree with my course of action here and I can only extend my heartfelt apologies that you don’t like what was done. I cannot please everyone and I don’t intend to keep trying provided the community does not give back by behaving as adults.
Thank you,
Sirena
To start, Randy’s avatar has been removed. Proboards has not responded with a definitive answer and the general consensus in regards to Bite is that if it raises legitimate complaint, it needs to be removed in regard to your fellow player. If he should choose to put his avatar back up, he will more than likely be faced with a temporary ban until he can understand why the swastika is not appropriate. I realize the masses have been split on my decision to ask that it be removed but at the end of the day it is my job to administrate Bite to the best of my ability, and not to the best of yours. Please respect that.
Zach has yet again been banned for his actions and while I anticipate that he will be back under a different alias, with a changed IP and a new email, as he has done many times before, this is the case for now. I apologize to those of you who had lodged complaints and were greeted with inaction; I tried to explain my reasoning as carefully as possible. Zach does not acknowledge bans nor punishments despite his deserving both, and the people around him both enable and encourage it. All I can do is keep banning and keep reinforcing the rules, so I hope you have the understanding that he will inevitably pop back up with another childish ploy to gain attention and at that time I will repeat my disciplinary action.
At this time I would like to say two things regarding the use of the rune for the Yggdrasil symbol.
I have looked extensively to discover this supposed racist group using the rune as its symbol and have yet to find it. So I would like to request that those of you who seem to be aware of this, please present me with some proof of your claim.
The second thing is that I would like to request that anyone using the rune as their avatar please remove it until I am able to clear up the matter. As with Randy’s avatar, if it lodges complaint, and it has, then I need to take regard to those who have complained and ask that the offending symbol be removed.
Lastly, in regards to the rules of TOS and Zach’s claim that Bite is not “freedom of speech”. Bite is freedom of speech for the VAMPIRES, and as players we need to play ball with Proboards and follow their rules regardless of our beliefs on the matter. Without Proboards, we would not have freedom of speech, in fact, our vampires would have nowhere to speak. I had thought that the understanding was that Bite’s freedom of speech clause was IC and IC only, however some do not seem to have a grasp of that and I apologize. In order to keep the forum running smoothly, we need to accommodate the Proboards terms of service and act in a manner that is respectful of them. If you do not like that, then I would suggest that perhaps you start saving up to help me create a domain of my own to host Bite on, where you would not have those restrictions. Otherwise, I need you to act in an adult manner and acknowledge that Bite cannot be entirely freedom of speech for the players when it comes to what they write for RP, and work with me to make sure that we can keep the forum. This includes Cynthia when writing Boomer's RPs involving discussion about drugs. While I realize that many things which border on breaking ToS may be a large part of the character, such blatant things can run a risk for the forum and the goal is to have fun -- something that cannot be done if the forum no longer exists.
I don’t like banning people and I never will. In fact, I prefer to try and reach a medium ground where people are happy with the moderation they’ve received and can understand both why the rules are created and why they are being enforced. It bothers me to think that with this recent situation and the one a few weeks ago, that I am forced to create an addendum to the rules that will create a punishment for people who cannot understand them and act accordingly. However, I feel that at this point it is entirely necessary and should Bite members calm and perhaps quit breaking the Terms of Service and rules so rampantly, I would be willing to repeal the addendum.
Adjustment to the Rules: Persons breaking Terms of Service will be banned temporarily at first, then permanently for repeated infractions. As this is OOC, a person’s IP is liable to be banned and not simply their character name. If something you post does not CLEARLY break ToS but borders on impropriety as something that could be perceived as breaking ToS, you will be warned and asked to remove the post. If you decline or remove and re-post the offending item, you run the risk of being temporarily banned as well. Interpretation about what breaks the Terms is the sole discretion of the administrator with the input of the staff, but will be kept as basic as possible to avoid infringing on anything other than that which Proboards objects to.
Now, there is one thing I would like to address. Those throwing OOC insults in the “Racist Symbols” thread (and I hope you know who you are lest I have to call you out publicly on your poor behavior):
Your names have been written down and you are currently under observation for further OOC insult. Should you insult quite as badly as you have in that thread once more, you will receive a temporary “cooling off “period where you can think about your choice of words in regards to other players and calm down, and reach a better frame of mind in which to interact with others. Essentially, you’re on thin ice to be put in a time out.
I am not a perfect administrator and while it is no excuse I am under a bit of stress due to the end of the semester work that I need to complete, as well as my home situation. I don’t want to give up on Bite simply because it adds to that stress, and I don’t intend to. Nor do I like having to put the board into Maintenance Mode simply to allow myself time to reflect on a course of action in regards to the forum. However, I think in this case it was helpful to reach some sort of decision in order to hopefully bring some peace back to something that was supposed to be fun, not a hostile environment full of arguments and petty comeuppances.
I know many won’t agree with my course of action here and I can only extend my heartfelt apologies that you don’t like what was done. I cannot please everyone and I don’t intend to keep trying provided the community does not give back by behaving as adults.
Thank you,
Sirena