[wal66]

Interesting. No idea he was at the bash, my mistake.

The Miami Mini Bash not the SBR August main Bash.

[DrStale]

The Miami Mini Bash not the SBR August main Bash.

Ah, that makes sense then.

[keyboarding]

Therefore being that it is a special place to some it is understandable why when things get rocky some try to fight to keep it what it represents to them.

I might be mistaken, but if not being allowed to use a racial slur is what SBR represented to some people, then good riddance to stupidity.

I don't think you understand how Wikipedia works.

It's open source, but there are staff editors.

[wal66]

That was how it was presented Keyboarding. That is NOT what the differences were about. It was the DOUBLE STANDARD that was being turned a blind eye too that got people so upset. Trust me the word in question was NEVER the issue it was merely the source that fueled the flames.

[SBR_John]

That was how it was presented Keyboarding. That is NOT what the differences were about. It was the DOUBLE STANDARD that was being turned a blind eye too that got people so upset. Trust me the word in question was NEVER the issue it was merely the source that fueled the flames.

The word was the issue. But they claimed it wasn't when they looked like fools. Then they said its not right you can say \*\*\*\*\*\* but we cant say the N word. Whatever. Weak.

And did you notice not a single guy who left went to a major forum?? Not one. We all have that little anti hate rule. Now they found a micro message board that allows the N word, great for them. Oh....but its not about the N word...

[yisman]

It's open source, but there are staff editors.

No, there are not. Trust me, I know all about the workings of Wikipedia.

A Wikipedia administrator may be considered staff to you, but they are unpaid volunteers just like everyone else.

Wikipedia does not pay anyone for editing it. How would it have the money? There is no advertising. It's a free website. It is run by the Wikimedia Foundation, which does have a paid staff, but those people are not involved with the day to day operations of Wikipedia.

[JohnAnthony]

No, there are not. Trust me, I know all about the workings of Wikipedia. A Wikipedia administrator may be considered staff to you, but they are unpaid volunteers just like everyone else. Wikipedia does not pay anyone for editing it. How would it have the money? There is no advertising. It's a free website. It is run by the Wikimedia Foundation, which does have a paid staff, but those people are not involved with the day to day operations of Wikipedia.

yisman, I am pretty sure there ARE editors and people volunteering as staff at Wikipedia.

[yisman]

yisman, I am pretty sure there ARE editors and people volunteering as staff at Wikipedia.

Please read my post again and the post to which I was replying.

The original post that started this discussion was here.

[JohnAnthony]

Please read my post again and the post to which I was replying. The original post that started this discussion was here.

I understand now. I wasn't implying they're paid, only they're there. Cheers yisman.

[yisman]

Just to clarify further, Wikipedia is comprised of a large pool of volunteers. Some of them are given additional user rights to help maintain the encyclopedia, but they are not paid or compensated by Wikipedia, they don't work from a "Wikipedia office", they are not referred to as staff members, etc.

[keyboarding]

No, there are not. Trust me, I know all about the workings of Wikipedia.

A Wikipedia administrator may be considered staff to you, but they are unpaid volunteers just like everyone else.

Wikipedia does not pay anyone for editing it. How would it have the money? There is no advertising. It's a free website. It is run by the Wikimedia Foundation, which does have a paid staff, but those people are not involved with the day to day operations of Wikipedia.

Fair enough. My point still stands, with or without the paid aspect.

[yisman]

The truth is, a lot of editors have left Wikipedia.

There used to be a lot more people involved, but it's been declining for the last two years.

Editors come and go all the time, just like posters on this website.

There's even a list at Wikipedia of significant contributors who left.

Not to derail this thread too much, but there are often misconceptions spread about Wikipedia, and I wanted to clear at least one up.

[wal66]

The word was the issue. But they claimed it wasn't when they looked like fools. Then they said its not right you can say \*\*\*\*\*\* but we cant say the N word. Whatever. Weak.

And did you notice not a single guy who left went to a major forum?? Not one. We all have that little anti hate rule. Now they found a micro message board that allows the N word, great for them. Oh....but its not about the N word...

John, I thought after having time to reflect on things you might finally understand what the disagreement really was all about. Sure the issue of the word was front and center but the word was merely a metaphore for a much larger issue. the fact that after all this time you still either don't actually get it or choose to continue to spin it differently is truly remarkable.

What the posters that left were up in arms about was how you handled the situation at the time and how you initially asked one thing then after not hearing what you wanted to hear you changed how you asked the question. More issues arose when you misinterpreted a word that Jello used and used properly but he was instantly and wrongly banned because it was a word that you, myself and many others had no clue to the meaning of but sounded like a spinoff word of a banned word. Sure the ban was lifted after you or someone discovered that it was in fact a proper and acceptable word but the fly off the handle action had already happened. Further issues arose when the word \*\*\*\*\*\* was so openly made fun of by you as if being black you had rights to sensativity but if you were gay you were merely an abomination.

Now you own this puppy and you can do whatever you like with it but you can't discredit good people with half truths or out and out lies.

[pavyracer]

SBR John committed 3 strikes that day:

Strike 1: He didn't like the results of the poll he started which was open for everyone to vote so he threw a fit at the umpire arguing balls and strikes.

Strike 2: He banned a poster too quickly for using a word that was not offensive because he didn't study his literature class in college.

Strike 3: He banned more posters in a clearly labeled unmoderated part of the forum.

[SBR_John]

Wal you dont leave a forum you like over that non sense. And did you notice not 1 guy went to a SBR competitor?? Know why? Because no major forum is going to allow them to act like that. And they knew it.

It reminds me when Mo left and some guys let with him and they hired our most active posters. It happens. Had zero effect and was soon forgotten exactly as this will be.

There is no need to spin anything. They did not like the way I handled it?? Kind of thin skinned but I accept that and wish them well. Sometimes in life things will not be handled perfectly in ones opinion. Meanwhile, we rock on around here...

[tltaylor89]

Remarkable how many people have left this forum imagine the traffic if they would have retained them

[wal66]

John as I have said repeatedly it is your forum and you have and will continue to run it as you see fit but these are our friends and when you or JJ or anyone else dicredits, slings mud on or trashes them we are compelled to defend them since they aren't here to defend themselves. We jump in to defend our friends that are still here. We also defend SBR as a whole as well. Loyalties run strong whether it be a product or a person.

[pavyracer]

Remarkable how many people have left this forum imagine the traffic if they would have retained them

Don't worry. JJ and Fishhead will bring hordes of new members with their intellectuality and cutting edge posting.

[odusmykal]

It reminds me when Mo left and some guys let with him and they hired our most active posters. It happens. Had zero effect and was soon forgotten exactly as this will be.

Very true..

[Capybara]

Wal -- very solid posting in this thread.

I'm still slightly confused as to the details and chronology of what went down, but I agree with the sentiment that you've posted througout this thread. Good show!

Maybe I'll PM you for the further explanation.

[DrStale]

Don't worry. JJ and Fishhead will bring hordes of new members with their intellectuality and cutting edge posting.

That's the thing. John talks about how those other posters will be forgotten because we have so many to replace them, but so many of those replacements are just filler. Guy's who actually think JJ is someone to be looked up to. Yeah it might seem back to normal for a while, but the overall quality of the forum is slipping, and that'll get noticed in time.

[Lost Angel]

Further issues arose when the word \*\*\*\*\*\* was so openly made fun of by you as if being black you had rights to sensativity but if you were gay you were merely an abomination

John is BLACK??!!??

Nawww....I refuse to believe it.

[yisman]

John is BLACK??!!??

Nawww....I refuse to believe it.

Take it as the general you rather than the specific you.

[Lost Angel]

Wal you dont leave a forum you like over that non sense.

You do if you're drunk on Revolutionary Zeal like a modern-day Che Guevara, like I felt when I organized that Sit-Out in 8th grade to protest having to be in school when it was 105 degrees outside.

Oh what a glorious day that was. Despite the fact that myself and my generals were Stoners so successful was our protest that we were joined by Sandy Beckmann, Blonde Busty arguably the hottest girl at the school and even a few Jockswho, while likely there mainly because Sandy was, empowered our cause, brought us validity because Jocks were risking their sports playing status and Jocks NEVER associated with social groups other than JOCKS.

Oh what a glorious day that was, the protest broke out at the end of lunch period. I organized the whole thing in about 22 minutes, inception of the idea to fruition at which point I was standing upon a blue lunch table rallying those present with fine words of revolution. When ordered to leave the Quad and get to our 5th period class we chanted.....together......"Hell No, we won't GO!!"

Oh what a fine and glorious day that was, revolution filled the air, one could sense change upon the wind.

Wait, there was no wind. It was 105 degrees outside. And truth be told I was just trying to get school dismissed so I and my buddies could go smoke some Hash.

Because thats what we did.

We were the Stoners.


Is it possible that sometimes protests are started for reasons other than what their organizers say that they are about, would have followers believe their motivation to be??? "Hidden Agendas", I don't know...does this happen?

Happened to me.



You're not Black right huh John? Wouldn't make a difference to me just asking because Wal implied that you are. If you're not Black, are you Brown? Are you in Costa Rica? If so you might get tanned (or have gotten tanned) and be Brown or maybe even Dark Brown/Black....

would depend upon your ability to tan of course...pigment.

[reno cool]

The word was the issue. But they claimed it wasn't when they looked like fools. Then they said its not right you can say \*\*\*\*\*\* but we cant say the N word. Whatever. Weak.

And did you notice not a single guy who left went to a major forum?? Not one. We all have that little anti hate rule. Now they found a micro message board that allows the N word, great for them. Oh....but its not about the N word...

Come on John. You really believe these guys are bigots?

You yourself said that what you liked most about the forum is the people, the posters. And that's how I feel too. But it seems that someone at sbr decided that quality posters are expendable, while clueless posters and misinformation is encouraged. And that simply deteriorates the quality of the forum.

[ZBOIZ]

never noticed

[BadNina]

Anyone may feel free to check every post I have ever made and count the number of times I have ever used a specific word that was already banned before any of this started.


*hint* you will only need one hand and will have all fingers left over.

Yet, I am repeated called racist.

[Lost Angel]

Anyone may feel free to check every post I have ever made and count the number of times I have ever used a specific word that was already banned before any of this started.


*hint* you will only need one hand and will have all fingers left over.

Yet, I am repeated called racist.

I wouldn't need to check, were you racist this would have come across in posts of yours I've seen thus far and I'm surprised, stunned really that you've been labeled a "racist", I never saw anything that would suggest this. Who has called you this?

[pavyracer]

Come on John. You really believe these guys are bigots?

You yourself said that what you liked most about the forum is the people, the posters. And that's how I feel too. But it seems that someone at sbr decided that quality posters are expendable, while clueless posters and misinformation is encouraged. And that simply deteriorates the quality of the forum.

Walmart is thriving in this economy and it's not because of the quality of their products.

[Mudcat]

Thank you for the kind words from a few people in this thread.


The reason my presence is reduced is simply because my main purpose for forums is to laugh, and many of the people who appeal most to my sense of humor moved on. I followed.


The issue of racism/homophobia on the forum is always an interesting one. While the reasons for the exodus are not as simple as some people wish, there is no denying racism/homophobia played a role. I will make these general comments on the subject FWIW:

I was an original mod here at SBRforum and racism was part of the reason I quit. The SBR powers-that-be would not let me do much about the old-boy, back-slapping, if-they-don't-use-the-n-word-it's-not-racism (wink-wink-nudge-nudge) culture that was being built from the start. I have strong principles and did not feel right being an official part of what I saw.

But as a regular poster, I keep my expectations low and, sad to say, probably let my principles slide. I post here knowing stuff like this goes on all the time:

I'd say Haitians. Not to put them down or because they are black mind you. But hey, they speak a fvcked up french, they smell like ass juice and you know when they look at you they are imagining you with a fvcking apple in your mouth. Top that you clowns.

On public forums, you have to deal with the public. Once upon a time I tried to fight the good fight like wal66. But the years have worn me down and now I tend to just put people who spout hate speech on ignore (when possible).



As it turns out, my new main posting home not only gives me the laughs I like but also happens to be much more in keeping with my principles of tolerance and humanity. Bonus.



As for the question of my skin color; if I may play off the famous line from Seinfeld:

I'm white and I'm spectacular

[wal66]

Muddy thats a mug only a mother could love.

[Lost Angel]

I'm white

I knew it!!

[hhsilver]

......and Jocks NEVER associated with social groups other than JOCKS......


.

I hope you are talking about only the jocks in your 8th grade class and not making an unfair and untrue stereotypical remark about jocks in general.... We need to be careful about undue jock bashing.

[Lost Angel]

We need to be careful about undue jock bashing.

We do?!!?

Why?

But yes, Junior High School....Jocks. All of the social classes were very separate and distinct from one another. Beaners, Surfers, Jocks, Nerds, Stoners, Metalheads, Punks. Only real blending was Stoners/Metalheads....for the most part. On rare occasion Surfer/Stoner then later Surfer/Punk....which bred Surfpunks (short-lived aberation really).

Jocks were very regimented, stayed within their own group.