There is no need for a title to this post for it is more of a citation than an update on life happenings. This has absolutely nothing to do with the topic of the post, it has to do with foundations of this Blog and the original rules of participation. If you look to the second post on this Blog you can find the original three rules that were written at the beginning to order the maintenance of the Blog by us the eleven class mates. The third and final rule says :
"Rule 3) No erasing other people's posts, it's just not nice."
It can't get much simpler than that, and this is certainly not up for debate. I was the author of the now absent post published the 18th of July 2006. I was not the person who removed said post so it stands to reason, unless the account information has been given to parties outside of the original eleven, that one of us has broken this rule. It may have been in an effort to stop "needless arguments" or it may have been because some person was too offended by opinions of others involved, the reason is entirely irrelevant. You may stay hidden if you so choose, or you may reveal yourself, at this point neither action would surprise me. What has surprised me is that one of us has decided that they know better than the other ten and they believe this gives them the right to flagrantly disregard the rules of the Blog. The point of a free debate forum is that all opinions can be stated without needing the approval of the majority much less one or two individuals. This isn't Communist China, it is not for others to decide what one person thinks and says, no matter how misguided or incorrect one party may deem another. I'm a little disappointed that it's come to this. What is now to stop others from using profane language? It was a rule just like the others. Why couldn't I just decide that because I think I know better I can spew curse words through all my posts and comments? We are supposed to be these smart, polite, intelligent, classically trained people, what does it say about us that our Rhetoric leads us to ignoring and erasing opinions just because we don't like them? That's a rhetorical question, the point of all this is that the actions taken to erase the controversial post were completely against the rules of the Blog and if such behaviour continues it only means that the Blog as it was meant to be is dead and useless, and violaters will be removed.
-Joel Buck
posted by Joel @ 8:32 PM
25 Comments:
Oh man, this is so frustrating...as a non-confrontational person on most issues this is hard for me, don't worry, I'm not blaming anyone, or anything, but you guys! Why has it come to this? We can't stay together for more then two mounths after graduation? That is just so sad. This blog was supposed to be a fun way of keeping in touch...but it has turned into a place of, dare i say petty, arguments. and we are slowly drifting apart.
I somewhat agree with joel, and was sad to see the post that had begun with the finaly of his story go, it did have some harsh stuff but I thought everyone let it go and finished well. If we can't get through something like that then why are we still talking to each other at all? Can I leave it with the statement: everyone will consult other members in the future regarding the erasing of a post? I say leave it at that and let it go.
Joel and Sarah, I totally agree. It seems like if this goes any farther, people are going to start calling each other "doodyheads" and kicking shins.
As the opposite of Sarah--that is, a VERY confrontational person--I still find all this "open discussion" to be a little alarming. Joel's point is well made. Just because one person disliked the comments posted, they had little right to delete them without asking other people. I don't think the offender needs to be tar and feathered though--we're still all mostly friends and I doubt the deleter is some caloused ruiner and violater of blog space.
Still, what was said on the post in question (the one that was deleted) was at times embarassing, insulting, horrifying, and self-righteous (as one of the participants, I group my comments under this description). I hope it never happens again. If anything is ever posted that we all feel equally ashamed of, I think we can agree to remove it.
However, at the moment, there is nothing fun, enjoyable, or nostalgic about this blog. Period. It's original intent was to keep us connected. I know not all of us were best buddies, but that's no excuse to be uncivil.
I think that because we rarely have to see each other anymore, we also don't have to face the consequences of our writing. We don't have to go to school the next day and face angry classmates. I would suggest that we all (myself included) remember the power of words and posts that can be dashed off in a few impassioned seconds. In school, we could see each others' expressions and hear tones, we could tell how serious we were. I know that I often argue a point just for the heck of it--I really don't have a deep emotional connection to the subject being discussed. But I'd like to remind people that black print on a screen seldom conveys these nuances.
I apologize that this is so long, and I'm sorry if I'm making way too big of a deal out of this. I have enjoyed many of our posts (like Sarah's hair update--wow!) and I only hope we can all do so in the future. In my opinion (and that;s all it is), it might be best to cut off the fire now. Drop the whole issue. If that is impossble for some, well...I still think our class reunion is going to be awesome.
Here Here Laura Wilson, I have no intentions of mocking when I say that even with the absence of tone and nuance in written word, you make a very clear and valid point, especially when pointing out how our now rare face to face interaction has an effect on the flow and tone of debates. I again insist that this particular post has nothing to do with the content of the deleted one, it's the principal of the thing. Also, it seems that if the previous post had been left it might serve as a reminder of the attitudes and methods of debate we do not wish to go back to, erasing them seems like we're trying to ignore the fact that it happened. I think that makes sense, though I've been under sunlight for extended periods of time lately and heaven only knows how well my brain is functioning
We agree with Laura Will
Speaking of "Laura" ( Wil by the way, not Will! Team Gold) I don't know how many of you listen to Dr. Laura s-les-ing-jer (not actual spelling of her last name) but I recently discovered this after listening to her while driving, and remembering how much meaner she got last summer.
Watch Carefully
Dr Laura
Dr aLura ("L" & "a" switch)
Dr aLua (the second "r" goes)
Dr auLa ("u" & "L" switch)
Dra uLa ( "_" & "a" switch)
DracuLa ( "_" is filled by a "c")
How does it make you feel to know that since last summer a vampire bit one the United States' most well known guidance counslers and has been giving advice to people who actually listen to it? I'll bet it makes fear for your safety. I did, until I found a wooden stake to keep with me at all times.
Yes, the post could have served as a reminder of our less appealing debates. Or, it could have to continued to be the place of insults and petty arguments, which in fact it was up until the point of erasing, for new comments kept appearing, and not interesting ones like hydrogonilver, ones that insulted and furthered the division....people couldn't let it drop.
Had it stopped, yes, it would be a place to look back and maybe cringe. But it wouldn't stop. I agree with the eraser, as out of line as they may have been.
It's one thing to be anonymous when you're talking about doodyheads and shin kicking, but it's another when you're agreeing with something as serious as that. I think people participating in serious discussion should have the guts to say who they are. Unlike me. I am a self professed sissy.
I suppose that if one anonymous wants to post harmless comments, that's fine, but please, let's keep the "anonymous" commenters to one. It gets rather confusing...
OK, I was the anonymous after a. buck, I still don't want to identify myself because I see now why what I wrote was so improper. The more I think about it, the more I realize that the post really should have stayed up. I hadn't realized how little was still going on as far as arguments was concerned, I was thinking that fighting was still raging up until it was erased. I talked about it with a fellow class mate (please don't identify me) and the plain facts are that I made a judgement without all the information. Hopefully we'll all consider how uncomfortable it can get to feed an impassioned fight even without the words still there. It really should have been left, as awkward as it may have been.
Sorry for being so rash, I love you guys.
Dear Person who claims to be the anonymous after A. Buck,
Our class is having a hard enough time as it is without you impersonating others and lying.
I am the true anonymous after A. Buck, and I will swear it on the Bible.
The post should NOT have stayed up, and I would expect you to be mature enough not to claim to be me and put words in my mouth. In case none of you have noticed, one of our friends has left the blog for good and removed themselves from blogging completely. Because of the argument. That was not dying. When it was erased, a flagrently argumentative and completely unneccessary comment had been put up, one that was more intersted in attacking our class (For the commentor was not one of us) than in providing any sort of help.)
More than anything else since I joined this class, this blog, and specifically this argument, has done more to cause strife and division. Tell me, why should that post have stayed up if all it was doing was fostering animosity? I WANT this blog to stay up and remain a place of happy posts. So just drop the argument, and realize it is not only dead, but gone from the records (so that there are no recurring quotes in the future, and no "Remember what you said?") preferably before more freinds leave.
2 more thinngs.
Um, Joel, if you would be so kind as to erase 1 of the 2 comments? Thank you.
And finally. I know that was harsh. I know the person who impersonated me was trying to calm things down, and I am grateful for that. I would rather they do it under their own anonymous than mine. For while deleting someone elses post is rude, impersonating someone else is a crime.
I do love you all, and I hope you can all see that the deleter and myself only want things to go back to their happy way. (As much as our actions may seem at times to deny that.) Forgive how harsh at times I can be, but realize it is from the fear of losing more friends, and not from any sort of hatred. But also, try to think about what has happened since that post. Think about what it was like before and then during. And then think about which you want for the after.
The original argument that caused so much strife is no longer the point of contention: now we're arguing about the argument we had over the argument that appeared on this blog.
I'm very sorry for all the hurt feelings, wounded hearts, and damaged friendships. I hope they will quickly be mended, and for goodness' sake, somebody please post about something happy...I still can't figure out how to publish posts, so I leave it up to the rest of you.
Please let's be mature about this--and not just use mature language to convey silly arguments. I appreciate everyone's candor, but I think we could spend an eternity rationalizing, explaining, and philosophizing. I know that I'm probably the biggest offender in this area, so I will now stop blabbing until a more pleasant subject is introduced.
Oh, and I want to say that I do appreciate the attempts at reconciliation, even if I have no idea who is being reconciled.
Okay you guys, so how about this:
Why don't you all- regardless of who has done what, who has not yet apologized, who called who names, who broke the rules, and who posted anonymously- just drop it. Just stop right now and forget it. Don't write anymore poetic comments lamenting the egos wounded and the lines crossed (now I'm getting poetic aren't I?). Everyone just needs to decide to stop trying to get the last word in favor of their side and just let it go.
And please, don't slam me for trying to play the ref, (heaven help us, it's coming back!). I just think this has gotten so far out of hand, if you go any farther, you won't be able to fix it.
So all that to say; why don't you take this comment as the end. No more comments on this topic. It's all over, no more comments and people trying to placate things. Why doesn't someone put up a new post about a or a birth or a wedding (why is it always those three?), and we can all be happy, (or sad), and everything will be back to normal.
So everyone, sit back, take a deep breath, and no more comments on this post after this. Everyone let it go, even if you didn't get your apology. Don't worry, be happy! ;)
Just fyi. If you go back and check some of the previous posts and see deleted comments, that was me removing ads to poker websites. They try to hide in guise of compliments...but I'm on to them...So if you see one on one of your posts, squash them without mercy. No blog is safe...keep alert.
Victim I hope you'll find one of your identical comments gone as you'd asked. Laura Wil thanks once more for being a voice of reason, you really shouldn't consider yourself an offender of any sort, much less the worst one. AS I said before and will say again, this post is NOT a debate. You're welcome to debate, obviously, but my intentions were not to begin a whole repeat of the now erased post. It was a fact that I stated; some person broke the rules. End of discussion.
on that note tyler, do you, and all others involved, want to add one of those word verification bits to the comment page? I'm pretty much sure that it would keep those things off the blog, and they are seriously anoying as you know.
See, three posts with no anger (except at the poker people). And the two posters were the people from the original argument. Amazing!
I have no clue what that is. Explanaition? And how the heck is explainaition spelled?!
I'm pretty sure it's "explanation" and the way the word thing works is when you go to leave a comment you have to type in a few letters that are shown distorted, that way a computer can't figure it out. I'm pretty sure Nolan's blog has it, I'll put it on, if we hate it we can change it back.
Cool, sounds good. I get to try it out too. ^_^
Someone needs to stop dissin' on Team Gold. There is only one Team Gold, and the real Team Gold has only posted twice. Team Gold is an informal militia that keeps the streets clear of commies and terrorists. We've got your back, homies, so stay on our good side.
no dissing, we love our team gold hommies, however cowardly they may be.
I believe the expression is "homies", though your inadvertent misspelling is rather quaint in its own way.
Once again, you are dissing on us. Team Gold may be a lot of things, but we aren't cowards. The very idea is abhorrent to us, foo'.
Are you freaking kidding me?!? It's been weeks, I say this in the best possible way... Get a Life... please. It looks like you're not only cowards but also gluttons for insult, and worst of all you're petty. and yes, this IS dissing on you.
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