I would like to make a point about the forum.

Recently I had a post removed. I asked why this had happened since in my opinion it broke no rule. As of yet I have received no satisfactory reply.

However, more disturbing was the fact that a "Staff" member here used the opportunity to make an offensive remark to me that was completly unacceptable. I asked him to apologise and not surprisingly he has refused. This raises the question: does having staff status here mean you can do as you choose? Is this site (like last time) the domain af a small close knit group who want to control anything, will act how they want, insult who they want and do as they want with the constant threat that if anyone complains their account will be deleted?

This is exactly how it was last time. At that time the forum mod, Kat?, seemed to have a personal campaign against me. Nothing I posted at that time was inappropriate. I have years of experience of posting on the main ITF forums (I was a leading contributor at both itf-information adn itf-online) so I know what's in and what is out. It was all okay stuff. Yet, for whatever reason, the deletions and warnings started. To this end she was joined by a few cohorts. Most notable of these was Kick Chick, a fellow member here who actually went on to one of my threads to tell me what I could and could not post and where I should post it. Even though she was just a normal member her like myself. She had absolulty no authority to do this yet she was allowed to do so. She is now staff. Obviously, this does not give me any great confidence.

The harrassment got so bad that over time I basically could not post anything so I simply stopped, as did many other people and the forum came to a standtill more or less. Kat ( I can't tremeber her exact name) told me that she was extending her forum powers to include the content of profiles, including blogs, pictures, etc. For a while my account was frozen and I could not access it. It was all completely bizarre. She also continued to make rude and offensive personal comments to me; anything from petty name calling to personal remarks about my character (I didn't think we'd actually met).

More importantly it clearly showed a bullying/harrassing mentality of those who were running the show and their hangers on. I see at least one of these hangers on has not gotten a "staff" position here so my future here looks in doubt. It's quite clear that this climate of bullying still exists: the petty, unwarranted "warnings", the blatant insults, and the supportative flaming by other members keen to become part of the "in-crowd" (see Splifokeen's post on my Censorship thread).

I have recently received a short welcoming message from another member here (I won't name him for obvious reasons). It ends with "now if only the mods would leave you alone". So that's an indication of what, at least some, impartial, unbiassed observers are thinking.

So I would like to end with the following suggestions:

1. The forum is moderated fairly, without personal grudges or any other form of biased moderating.

2. Those given staff positions should not abuse these powers and should be accountable if they do so.

3. Staff member TKD_Hortkid offers an immediate public apology for his unproved rudeness to myself.

I think this post raises important issues that need to be addressed. However, I am not holding my breath. I expect, as is the norm, that this post will quickly be deleted before too many people see it.

I'd like to make a counterpoint.

When you are consistantly rude and argumentative then you will not be received well. That is why it seems like only one person has sided with you. As far as I see things, you have presented yourself in an arrogant manner. The only thing I've seen from you in the way of contributing is complaining and sewing dissent. (Other than your deleted topic.)

If your original post which was deleted was nothing more than what you said, then I would tend to agree that it seemed harmless enough. Before posting about censorship did you take the time to message admin and ask about it just in case there was some valid reasoning or in case he was in agreement with you? Prehaps you did, but I did not infer that you had. I think it would have been a good topic for those more interested in the politics of the art. It's not my cup of tea, but I certainly uderstand that it is of interest to other people.

Hortkid did not call you any names and the only thing he said that was not directly related to your question of why anyone would want to delete the post was his comment about remembering and not caring for your previous debates. His statement was to the point and did make it clear that he was not a fan of yours, but it was not done in an aggressive or hateful manner. I think the fact that you would want an apology for that is laughable.

I don't understand how you can call other people petty while you write things like this. Is there any reason for harping on this subject other than your pride?

You complain about Kat putting down your character even though she never met you. How is it that she cannot judge your character by your actions on here, yet you can claim to judge the motive of my statement (which you called flaming for some odd reason) as being an attempt to be part of the in crowd. I'm not worried about being popular or I would be much more active on here than I am. Hortkid was also one of my first friends on tkd.net long before he was a staff member of anything. That makes me more likely to stand by him as a friend, but there's a matter of right and wrong as well. It was not a matter of him being offensive as much as it was a matter of you choosing to take offense. I think that your attacks against him were unwarranted.

You asked a question and I gave the appropriate answer. You asked who you were arguing with. I'm not going to treat it like a rhetorical question when you really don't see or at least act as though don't see the answer that was plainly truthful.

I agree with you about your first suggestion. Perhaps you were being judged by the content of your messages more than by a begrudging attitude, but when you are acting in an appropriate manner then I think that you should be allowed to do so freely. If you post on a topic of interest then I would have no problem adding what I can to the conversation in a respectful manner so long as you are doing the same.

I completely agree with point number two as well.

I would be disgusted, however if Hortkid acted as though there was anything wrong with the statement that you are so upset about. He should have no need to apologize at all. The fact that you want it public seems like you are less interested in an apology and more interested in publicly humiliating him.

So if you do indeed have so much to offer in the matter of good conversation of TKD then I ask you, please just drop this matter and lets be on with good topics and good conversation.

All of that being said... none of us have the right to use this site. We are not paying for or maintaining it. It is a privilege that we should be respectful of. Obviously there is some appeal that this site holds for you or you would delete your account and move on with your life. (I'm not implying that you should do that, to be clear.)

Can we just agree to be civil even if we don't like one another?

Well I have received a notice from Admin which answers my questions.

No further debate is therefore necessary on this thread.

For the record:

Staff are chosen for a reason and no one should say anything about them. Well that's clear then. 

Nice policy. Staff can say what they like with no come back.

I was also accused of "instigating"  trouble with staff member. I did not instigate anything. 

Looks like the other "side" have full admin backing.

That's a little disappoiining really. But not unexpected.

I was on the old site and there were times when it seemed that Ozy was being singled out . While I may not always agree with him ( and don't always disagree either ! ) on every point I do believe he should be allowed to say his peace just like everyone else on here. It's part of that whole "courtesy " thing we all talk about in class. Besides, Ozy makes some very good points about a lot of things.

To Ozy..........Sir, thank you for protecting me on the board by not saying it was me who sent you the message, but I'm not gonna hide behind an anonymous post while you take heat for someone supporting you. While i did not see the post that got deleted I can say from other post I have read of yours I would not have killed it. Honestly, I've not seen one yet that should have been deleted.

Now, can't we have a smooth running forum here where anyone can ask questions and discuss topics in a respectful manner ?

My thoughts

To comprehend our Ozymandias, fallen king of kings

Look not to Egypt's sandy silence full of lifeless things

Cast your mind forward to a place where his stony shadow lies

A time when ITV and Warren’s Alf were undisputed Kings.

Now Garnett was a reactionary, mean-spirited, selfish bigot

But he was of the working class and remembered well their cry

Of snouts in troughs and money laundered by those who govern our lives.

Against the tide of indifference Alf would constantly rail

Pointing out to all those who'd listen that something was awry.

As the audience laughed and ridiculed the bloke

Many missed the point that it was for all of us he spoke.

Now Alf and Ozymandias both reside on the scrapheap of time

As one the clown and king can be heard shouting of the crime.

Does anybody listen when he shoots his poison dart;

Or do we wear him badly until death us do part?