A Simple Resquest

[Il Terra Di Agea]

The Problem

To begin my condensed bloc of verbose, non-specific rage, I must tell a story describing my motivation.

Just over a year ago, on October 5, 2008, I joined CNRP. I had never done an RP before. My knowledge of politics did not exceed what I had been taught in History class, and as I spent most of that doodling, my knowledge was limited even further. I knew little of weapons and combat save for my morbid fascination with the [uS] Civil War. I was, in layman's terms, in over my head. Over the coming days and weeks, I expanded my simple nation through escapades of questionable tactics, general tomfoolery, and the kindness of strangers (Mostly Mergerberger). As a result of a war that I have come to be greatly ashamed of, and hence will not elaborate on, I began to get angry. Needless to say, on December 17th, I rage quit, planning never to return.

On December 25th, I returned. This new nation was short lived, but gave me important insight into my RP, and the RP of others (And that RP in the Americas is boring).

Not long after, I was ADI, and had come up with a personal code of sorts. Among my self-made rules was "Don't be a !@#$%^&. It'll suck later." I later re-tooled that into "On the other side of the internet, that is a person. Don't say anything to them that I wouldn't say to someone I am face to face with." You see, I had realized that I was bad at RP with Agea. Damn bad. Really !@#$@#$ bad. I godmodded, I whined, I never thought my action through, and in the end, I received my just deserts, and I dealt with it... poorly, to say the least. I feel that I have become a better RPer as a whole, have improved my priorities, and have kept up my aforementioned rule. It was simple to follow. Honestly, if I thought about my posts for more than a few seconds before hitting "Post" I could greatly improve my ability to be civil in conversation.

As many know, I recently became Neutral in RP. No more wars, No more Treaties, No more nothing. Recently, as only a few know, I began to rethink this. My initial reasons to do it had all but vanished, and more people were offering treaties to me (When I had the ability to sign them, it was a ghost town). But I began to ponder: Is it worthwhile? Do I want to RP wars? Most people have shown little to no ability to follow my golden rule. Godmodding is abundant, and if pretentiousness were worth its weight in gold, we would all be billionaires. I was almost set on the idea of coming out. The Finn-Molakian War went smoothly for the RPers, even though both were in a situation they did not want to be in, they at least remained civil. I was planning my return to battle, to treaties, to be a more normal nation again...

WHEN THIS LOAD OF !@#$CAME AND HIT MY OPTIMISTIC PIE-HOLE. And this, this is bad too.

[Caps-lock for cruise control, shut up]

Really now?

Really?

We can't be civil?

I get it, we can't all be friends (I'm a dirty liberal, and even I recognize that), but can we really not treat each other with enough respect to stay calm and explain the problem? Did any of that need to be so confrontational, or all around insulting to anyone? The answer may surprise you...

And someone removed that web-page with only the word "NO" and nothing else on it, so... yes, the answer is no. Nevermind to that

Come one, I'm trying not to peg any individuals because we're all to blame (Well, not a lot at least), the only reason I use these examples is that they are fresh in our heads. We've all done it. We've all got into an argument, too deep over our heads, or to hot under the collar to stay calm and wonderful 100% of the time, but really now, we aren't children. There is NO reason to act like little toddlers on the playground. There is no reason to resort to insults. The problem with all of this is not that it happens occasionally, but that it happens so often.

There is no reason for us to treat each other like dirt.

I know I'm beating a dead horse here, [Not a Dead Horse, Forum link] but really now, we've been warned about it before, and people still refuse to listen. We're all adults here (There are some high-schoolers around, but that's close enough), we shouldn't act like children. It's uncalled for, and frankly, a bit saddening. Why do so many of you feel the need to do this? Whining, cursing and insulting is not, by any means, going to get your point across any better. In fact, contrary to that belief, it will make you looks childish, unable to deal with stress, running to the closet with your blankie and curling up into a little ball to cry after yelling a handful of ad homien insults you barely understand.

What could possibly make you think that it is a good idea to treat people around you like dirt?

I get the whole "Psychology of the Computer" thing, that you won't treat someone like a person unless you see them face to face. That you have nothing to fear under the cloak of the internet. That you can finally get back at the world for all the bulling you got in school, for all the names you got called, by throwing pointless hate at those around you.

It won't make you cool. It won't make you feel good. It makes you sound like a !@#$%, and me sound like an After School Special about Bullying.

It's a load crap, and you all know it.

The Solution

Unlike my usual rage (Ageanger Classic, if you will) I have prepared a simple, weirdly easy solution to this problem that even most apes, or hell, even small fish can understand and follow. One rule. One, easy to follow rule. You know where I'm headed?

On the other side of the internet, that thing that's making words come up, that is a person. Do not say anything to them that you would not say to someone you are face to face with.

Crazy, I know, but hear me out. Whenever you type something, stop, and think: On the other side of the internet, that thing that's making words come up, that is a person. Do not say anything to them that you would not say to someone you are face to face with.

Alternatively, go up to a random person on the street, and say it to them. Go and do it. It's easy. I'll wait.

You do it?

Alright, go get an icepack on that eye, and sit back down.

It's not like anyone is asking for everyone to be a saint. No one can be nice all of the time, and that's okay. Everyone has bad days. What the difference is, is that there is no service done by being generally assish. All it will do is alienate new RPers, make the CNRP community all the more hostile, and make people a lot less likely to keep up with you. We do not need to act like children, and the act everyone seems to need reminding is really getting under my skin.

In Short (For those to lazy to read):

1. Stop acting like children.

2. On the other side of the internet, that thing that's making words come up, that is a person. Do not say anything to them that you would not say to someone you are face to face with.

3. Don't treat other RPers like dirt, when you do it, you're the only one who deserves it

4. As always when peeved, I asked lots of questions. Deal with it.

5. You people are all insane (Myself included)

Can we do that? Can we at least expect that of each other? Not even undying love, rainbows and lollipops, just civility. The expectation that we can treat each other like humans. It's not hard, or at least, it should not be hard.

So, can we at least agree that we need to bloody calm down and get off each others throats? Please. Because all this !@#$ flying isn't helping the quickly degrading quality of RP. So long as we can't go two posts without someone throwing around insults, we can't get anything good done.

So really, I am making one request. Can people at least consider it.

Thank you for dealing with my wall of angry text. Hopefully, I won't feel the need expose you all to another for a while. That is all. [For now]

-Agea out

Edited December 9, 2009 by Il Terra Di Agea

[Comrade]

Woo, Something was done right in my war! Lost ze nation, gained some points! It wasnt as civil OOC behind the scenes as you think, but i tried to keep the stuff hidden.

[Bundeskanzler]

I don't expect things to be civil.

[Uberstein]

I try to be civil, but sometimes I have a short fuse, lol.

That and I pretty much treat people IRL the same way, you should know that.

[Michael McBride]

Sweet, I got mentioned three times. Can I have a cookie now?

Seriously, though, grow up. It's the internet. Nothing that I said was out of line. And yes, I do say all that stuff, and worse, in real life to people. I'm an !@#$%^&, what can I say.

I'm in the middle of two weeks of finals (I'm a college student). I am on an exceptionally short fuse and have no time for immature teenagers (or immature adults acting like immature teenagers) who thinks the world revolves around them while acting like petulant (favorite word of the moment) children (favorite phrase of the moment) or a fat kid who doesn't have enough cake. You want respect? Act worthy of it.

As my signature says, nut up or shut up. This is teh interwebz. This is srs bsns. If you get offended easily by text on a page or because things don't go your way, then get out. Seriously. That kind of immaturity and asshattery is not needed here.

[king of cochin]

Sweet, I got mentioned three times. Can I have a cookie now?

Seriously, though, grow up. It's the internet. Nothing that I said was out of line. And yes, I do say all that stuff, and worse, in real life to people. I'm an !@#$%^&, what can I say.

I'm in the middle of two weeks of finals (I'm a college student). I am on an exceptionally short fuse and have no time for immature teenagers (or immature adults acting like immature teenagers) who thinks the world revolves around them while acting like petulant (favorite word of the moment) children (favorite phrase of the moment) or a fat kid who doesn't have enough cake. You want respect? Act worthy of it.

As my signature says, nut up or shut up. This is teh interwebz. This is srs bsns. If you get offended easily by text on a page or because things don't go your way, then get out. Seriously. That kind of immaturity and asshattery is not needed here.

And you think your whole stream of venality is mature? Do you think that you become cool by acting such crassly? What right do you have to call others immature, when you yourself are acting in such an immature manner? Do you think your crass statements make you worthy of respect?

If you have a short fuse, learn to control it, or channel it into productive avenues, not vent it out in internet - that just shows the world how immature you are. In RL bullies are usually the most insecure and pathetic people around. Confident people do not have a need to assert their supremacy or so-called maturity, they exhibit by the very way they are.

If you were being honest of acting like this in RL, kid, you are in for a world of hurt. If you vent out your anger everytime, I wonder how you would work for a difficult client or in a tense meeting!!

[Michael McBride]

And you think your whole stream of venality is mature? Do you think that you become cool by acting such crassly? What right do you have to call others immature, when you yourself are acting in such an immature manner? Do you think your crass statements make you worthy of respect?

If you have a short fuse, learn to control it, or channel it into productive avenues, not vent it out in internet - that just shows the world how immature you are. In RL bullies are usually the most insecure and pathetic people around. Confident people do not have a need to assert their supremacy or so-called maturity, they exhibit by the very way they are.

If you were being honest of acting like this in RL, kid, you are in for a world of hurt. If you vent out your anger everytime, I wonder how you would work for a difficult client or in a tense meeting!!

Hey chief, do you know a thing about me or my life? No? Didn't think so. So, shutting the $%&@ up about it would be the smart thing to do right now in regards to my life.

I'm telling people to stop moaning and whining about how things have always been. One, because they've always been that way and they always will be and two because, as I said, it's the middle of finals week and I frankly don't want to deal with it.

Did I say I have a short fuse all the time? No. Lern2read. I said I have a short fuse NOW because this is the second to last semester of college for me and I have a number of exceptionally important finals and projects that are being worked on. Because of that stuff, other things in real life, and people on here, my fuse is very much shorter than it is normally. Do I take real life things out on people here? No. I take out things that happen here on people here. I keep my RL separate from my online life. Works out better that way.

Finally, for your information, I'm the best at what I do in RL. I just sold $95,000 worth of advertising to a client as a college student. Guess how many students had ever been able to do that before? Zero. They only choose to buy one campaign a year, and they have never bought a campaign for this much. I also work in high pressure situations constantly, both in News and sales. So, don't talk to me about tense situations. I'm sure I've been in more than most will be in a lifetime.

[Il Terra Di Agea]

Sweet, I got mentioned three times. Can I have a cookie now?

No, I cannot either. No one is allowed cookies. Cake, on the other hand, is available to people who think they are more important than they are. I hope yours is good, mine is a bit stale.

Seriously, though, grow up. It's the internet. Nothing that I said was out of line. And yes, I do say all that stuff, and worse, in real life to people. I'm an !@#$%^&, what can I say.

Sorry?

I'm in the middle of two weeks of finals (I'm a college student).

Then get the hell off these forums, study or sleep. That'll probably solve your "Short fuse" problem also.

I am on an exceptionally short fuse and have no time for immature teenagers (or immature adults acting like immature teenagers) who thinks the world revolves around them while acting like petulant (favorite word of the moment) children (favorite phrase of the moment) or a fat kid who doesn't have enough cake. You want respect? Act worthy of it.

And why do you think calling people immature (While peppering in some other insults) takes you from "immature teenagers who thinks the world revolves around them while acting like petulant" to "Glorious manly man, a true adult, authority figure, one to be looked upon with awe."

Because frankly, you may well be the definition of petulant (–adjective: moved to or showing sudden, impatient irritation, Contemptuous in speech or behavior).

And no, I don't think the world revolves around me. If I did, I would be directly insulting people while saying that they are foolish and childish and that I am so much more mature than them for some reason because of it. What I am, is peeved about a situation, and want it to go away. People get loud, and angry and whiny when people say "Calm down." What I am, is someone who sticks my nose in things (where it oft does not belong) and tell people what to do, or keep my mouth shut. I am whiny and I am, as you so humorously put it, a bit overweight (Though, I have plenty of cake, which my be the problem now that you mention it).

If you want respect, cut the number of insults in half, or get murdering (If you subscribe to the "Fear is equal to respect" theory of... well, respect.)

As my signature says, nut up or shut up. This is teh interwebz. This is srs bsns. If you get offended easily by text on a page or because things don't go your way, then get out. Seriously. That kind of immaturity and asshattery is not needed here.

So glad you agree that immaturity and asshattery is not needed here. Hopefully you'll be able to take it upon yourself to remove yours.

(My poorly written "Nut" pun will not be used)

[Manetheren]

Nut up or shut up. That said if you are a dick to often other people will nut up and make you shut up.

[Michael McBride]

No, I cannot either. No one is allowed cookies. Cake, on the other hand, is available to people who think they are more important than they are. I hope yours is good, mine is a bit stale.

Ah, and we see the true colors. That was all too easy. "Be respectful, don't insult others, blah blah blah." As soon as someone insults what you are trying to do, you bring yourself down of your moral pedestal. B-e-a-utiful.

Sorry?

Did I ask for an apology?

Then get the hell off these forums, study or sleep. That'll probably solve your "Short fuse" problem also.

Actually, the forums are being used in one of my finals... a case study on how teenagers would act if they ruled things. I am getting an exceptional number of very humorous results, so I thank you all.

And why do you think calling people immature (While peppering in some other insults) takes you from "immature teenagers who thinks the world revolves around them while acting like petulant" to "Glorious manly man, a true adult, authority figure, one to be looked upon with awe."

I'm sorry, didn't realize saying someone was immature was an insult. More of an observation, really. And did I ever say I thought that? Nope, I didn't. I really wish people would tell me where all these extra words were coming from in my posts, because I sure as hell cannot find them.

Oh, and the stuff in ( ) was just addendums, not insults. If you actually read what I wrote, you would have noticed that.

Because frankly, you may well be the definition of petulant (–adjective: moved to or showing sudden, impatient irritation, Contemptuous in speech or behavior).

See above part about getting off your moral pedestal as soon as someone disagrees with you.

And no, I don't think the world revolves around me. If I did, I would be directly insulting people while saying that they are foolish and childish and that I am so much more mature than them for some reason because of it. What I am, is peeved about a situation, and want it to go away. People get loud, and angry and whiny when people say "Calm down." What I am, is someone who sticks my nose in things (where it oft does not belong) and tell people what to do, or keep my mouth shut. I am whiny and I am, as you so humorously put it, a bit overweight (Though, I have plenty of cake, which my be the problem now that you mention it).

If you want respect, cut the number of insults in half, or get murdering (If you subscribe to the "Fear is equal to respect" theory of... well, respect.)

I don't believe I ever said that I was, as you put it, "so much more mature than everyone else." If you can point me to where I did, I would appreciate it. Otherwise, you can stop putting words into my mouth. And where the hell did I ever say I wanted respect? You really think my life revolves around the fact of whether or not I am respected on some internet forum? Puh-leeze. I'm sorry if this offends most of you, but aside from a very, very select few, and they know who they are, I couldn't give two !@#$% as to what you think.

So glad you agree that immaturity and asshattery is not needed here. Hopefully you'll be able to take it upon yourself to remove yours.

(My poorly written "Nut" pun will not be used)

I love it when you take my words out of context. The "asshattery and immaturity" I was referring to was to people ragequitting when things don't go their way, or constantly whining and complaining when things don't go their way. THAT is the asshattery and immaturity that is not needed here.

Protip: When things are written down for everyone to see, it is really, REALLY hard to take them out of context. Good try though.

NIJAEDIT: @Mudd: If people want to start an IC war with me over OOC comments, they are more than welcome to. I haven't had a good war in a while.

Edited December 9, 2009 by Pravus Ingruo

[Tahsir]

Honestly I only have one issue with all of this. If you're concerned that other RPers will disrupt your RP, why did you join a interactive RP community? Write your RP in your own separate Canon.

Otherwise expect friendship from some, and extreme hostility from others. Drama = Interesting. Some people like to make things more interesting more than others.

[Michael McBride]

Honestly I only have one issue with all of this. If you're concerned that other RPers will disrupt your RP, why did you join a interactive RP community? Write your RP in your own separate Canon.

Otherwise expect friendship from some, and extreme hostility from others. Drama = Interesting. Some people like to make things more interesting more than others.

This is a man I agree with. Good show.

[SpacingOutMan]

Oh, I got an honorable mention twice for speaking the truth. Suck it up. The truth hurts. But apparently some people "can't handle the truth", and it makes me wonder if people realize that life isn't a bunch of roses and posies. CNRP is an interactive RP. It's not mandatory to RP in CNRP; one can create their own canon and do whatever they please, or even start up a spin off. If you can't act mature when caught in a debilitating situation, then it's a good thing that people such as that are gone. It sucks to see people quit, but if you can't stand the heat, get the $%&@ out of the kitchen.

[Michael McBride]

Oh, I got an honorable mention twice for speaking the truth. Suck it up. The truth hurts. But apparently some people "can't handle the truth", and it makes me wonder if people realize that life isn't a bunch of roses and posies. CNRP is an interactive RP. It's not mandatory to RP in CNRP; one can create their own canon and do whatever they please, or even start up a spin off. If you can't act mature when caught in a debilitating situation, then it's a good thing that people such as that are gone. It sucks to see people quit, but if you can't stand the heat, get the $%&@ out of the kitchen.

From the only man mentioned more than you, I completely agree.

[Executive Minister]

Woot. Got mentioned under 'OPTIMISTIC'.

Its funny. Arathog never acted like a petulant child when he voiced his objections to that RP. Each and everytime he posted, it was in a clear and concise manner. Not once did he flame or become petulant in his words. He just sounded like someone who calmly disagreed with what was happening to him. Someone told him that he had to go to the GM's court, and he did. There, he laid out his reasons (for better or worse, they resulted in more !@#hattery from others, which I addressed) in point form! Point form! He was clear, and not once did he react to those who were acting immature in kind. For that, I applaud him.

Comments like, "Suck it up, the truth hurts" or basically anything Pravus had said to him up to this point are unwarranted. Everything you are trying to convey could be said a lot more civil and with a softer tone. Like what Tahsir just said and how he said it just now. Thats all you needed to do. Anything else is just dumping on him like my quoted post said and provoking a spat like this thread is having right now.

Edited December 9, 2009 by Executive Minister

[Michael McBride]

Woot. Got mentioned under 'OPTIMISTIC'.

Its funny. Arathog never acted like a petulant child when he voiced his objections to that RP. Each and everytime he posted, it was in a clear and concise manner. Not once did he flame or become petulant in his words. He just sounded like someone who calmly disagreed with what was happening to him. Someone told him that he had to go to the GM's court, and he did. There, he laid out his reasons (for better or worse, they resulted in more asshattery from others, which I addressed) in point form! Point form! He was clear, and not once did he react to those who were acting immature in kind. For that, I applaud him.

Comments like, "Suck it up, the truth hurts" or basically anything Pravus had said to him up to this point are unwarranted. Everything you are trying to convey could be said a lot more civil and with a softer tone. Like what Tahsir just said and how he said it just now. Thats all you needed to do. Anything else is just dumping on him like my quoted post said and provoking a spat like this thread is having right now.

Where he acted like a child was where he said that if things couldn't be his way, he was going to quit. That is where he was acting like a child. Because things aren't my way, I'm going to take my ball and go home. I hope that tactic works for him in real life.

[Executive Minister]

Where he acted like a child was where he said that if things couldn't be his way, he was going to quit. That is where he was acting like a child. Because things aren't my way, I'm going to take my ball and go home. I hope that tactic works for him in real life.

And that justifies the !@#hattery that ensued from people such as yourself? Hardly.

In real life, if you are a server and your customer is being terrible, you have the right to say "ok, I don't need to take this. I'm not serving you." At least, in my country, trust me i've done it.

Besides, didn't he do what you people wanted? The kitchen was too hot for him, so he left. Not before politely asking someone turn down the heat.

I just don't understand what else you guys want from him, in order to keep talking to him and about him like the way you guys are.

Edited December 9, 2009 by Executive Minister

[Voodoo Nova]

I fail to see the issue. The two people at war with him, Lavo and I, were completely polite and truthful to him OOC when he had any questions about what was going on in that thread. As far as I am concerned, OOCly, both sides (Arathog & Myself/Lavo) were polite to one another, even if others chose to call us (Lavo and I) moronic and other names OOCly.

[Michael McBride]

And that justifies the !@#hattery that ensued from people such as yourself? Hardly.

In real life, if you are a server and your customer is being terrible, you have the right to say "ok, I don't need to take this. I'm not serving you." At least, in my country, trust me i've done it.

Besides, didn't he do what you people wanted? The kitchen was too hot for him, so he left. Not before politely asking someone turn down the heat.

I just don't understand what else you guys want from him, in order to keep talking to him and about him like the way you guys are.

The first is your opinion. You have people that support your side, I have people that support mine. Neither side will change their opinion, so talking about it gets us nowhere.

Servers and customers? Who would be the server and customer in this case? Because I don't see anyone as "buying" anything here or anyone else as "providing a service"... so your analogy does not make sense.

It wasn't so much to me that he left. Frankly, I could care less. I would have preferred him to stay, honestly. Notice I said nothing until he decided to ragequit because things weren't going his way. I don't enjoy losing RPers from the community, but when someone decides to quit and go home because things aren't going exactly the way they want them, and are acting like a child, I am going to call them out on it. And when someone calls me out for calling them out, well, then we have a problem.

[Executive Minister]

The first is your opinion. You have people that support your side, I have people that support mine. Neither side will change their opinion, so talking about it gets us nowhere.

Servers and customers? Who would be the server and customer in this case? Because I don't see anyone as "buying" anything here or anyone else as "providing a service"... so your analogy does not make sense.

It wasn't so much to me that he left. Frankly, I could care less. I would have preferred him to stay, honestly. Notice I said nothing until he decided to ragequit because things weren't going his way. I don't enjoy losing RPers from the community, but when someone decides to quit and go home because things aren't going exactly the way they want them, and are acting like a child, I am going to call them out on it. And when someone calls me out for calling them out, well, then we have a problem.

Ok, look. I was not implying that Arathog was soliciting services or was being solicited by anyone.

My point was, If something is happening to you that you do not want to take, in RL there are ways to say, "Ok, that's enough, I am not taking this" and then leave the situation. There is nothing wrong with that. Arathog did just that. Implying that he is lesser of a human being for that by saying he is 'Bawing' and acting like a child has no merit.

Again, no one has any problems with the message you are trying to send, they just have a problem with your tone and the way you condescend it to him. If that is 'my side' then so be it.

Edited December 9, 2009 by Executive Minister

[Michael McBride]

Ok, look. I was not implying that Arathog was soliciting services or was being solicited by anyone.

My point was, If something is happening to you that you do not want to take, in RL there are ways to say, "Ok, that's enough, I am not taking this" and then leave the situation. There is nothing wrong with that. Arathog did just that. Implying that he is lesser of a human being for that by saying he is 'Bawing' and acting like a child has no merit.

Again, no one has any problems with the message you are trying to send, they just have a problem with your tone and the way you condescend it to him. If that is 'my side' then so be it.

We have a difference of opinion. I never implied that he was lesser of a human being for doing what he did. RP is an interactive community. Things will happen that you do not want. Did I like not getting New York back when I first started? No, I didn't. Did I like being attacked by Ardoria on his way out? No, I didn't. But I didn't ragequit because things weren't going my way. I didn't take my ball and go home. I stayed tough and moved on. If someone else chooses not to do the same, I lose a lot of respect for them and will express my thoughts as such.

[Executive Minister]

We have a difference of opinion. I never implied that he was lesser of a human being for doing what he did. RP is an interactive community. Things will happen that you do not want. Did I like not getting New York back when I first started? No, I didn't. Did I like being attacked by Ardoria on his way out? No, I didn't. But I didn't ragequit because things weren't going my way. I didn't take my ball and go home. I stayed tough and moved on. If someone else chooses not to do the same, I lose a lot of respect for them and will express my thoughts as such.

Listen, by disrespecting him, you imply that he is not entitled to the respect every human being deserves.

OOC: "Wah wah wah... I cannot have exactly the land I want, I cannot RP exactly the way I want, so I am going to quit like a petulant child." You know what I say to that? Good. Your kind of immaturity is not needed here in CNRP. Many people have seen their nations destroyed and have come back from it. I hope your RL goes exactly the way you want it to, because there are very few ways to ragequit RL.

The part in bold was you point. Had you and like minded others said just that, no one would complain. We would not be having this discussion or even have his thread, for that matter. But no, you chose to wrap your statement with condescension and such pretensiousness that your noble point is lost and people are instead attracted to the !@#hattery.

Again, having a difference of opinion is fine. Wrapping that opinion in this kind of !@#$ is not. Oh, and please don't bring the whole "This is the internet" argument into this. This is a policed and contained part of it. The same people come on here day after day and are supposed to be safe from all the crap that is out there. The mods ensure it.

Edited December 9, 2009 by Executive Minister

[Michael McBride]

Listen, by disrespecting him, you imply that he is not entitled to the respect every human being deserves.

Or not. By expressing my opinions in the way I did, you feel I was disrespecting him. That in no way implies that he is not entitled to the respect that everyone deserves.

The part in bold was you point. Had you and like minded others said just that, no one would complain. We would not be having this discussion or even have his thread, for that matter. But no, you chose to wrap your statement with condescension and such pretensiousness that your noble point is lost and people are instead attracted to the !@#hattery.

Again, having a difference of opinion is fine. Wrapping that opinion in this kind of !@#$ is not. Oh, and please don't bring the whole "This is the internet" argument into this. This is a policed and contained part of it. The same people come on here day after day and are supposed to be safe from all the crap that is out there. The mods ensure it.

Way to paint it as I'm the only one this thread is about. I wasn't even half of the examples, but thanks for playing. And why is it that everyone keeps missing the point that I am an !@#$%^&... I've explained this multiple times over the time I've been here, and yet people still seem to miss that.

Also, with the internet, and in America, there is the freedom of speech. Which basically means I can wrap my opinion in whatever, or, as you say, !@#$, I want. And I never brought in the whole "this is the internet" argument, so I really don't know what point you're trying to make with that.

[Executive Minister]

Or not. By expressing my opinions in the way I did, you feel I was disrespecting him. That in no way implies that he is not entitled to the respect that everyone deserves.

And here we are at a crossroads. If you do not understand that by treating Arathog the way you did was wrong, if it is your opinion that by not giving respect to a person when respect should be given and maintained, there cannot be anymore left to say.

Way to paint it as I'm the only one this thread is about. I wasn't even half of the examples, but thanks for playing. And why is it that everyone keeps missing the point that I am an !@#$%^&... I've explained this multiple times over the time I've been here, and yet people still seem to miss that.

Also, with the internet, and in America, there is the freedom of speech. Which basically means I can wrap my opinion in whatever, or, as you say, !@#$, I want. And I never brought in the whole "this is the internet" argument, so I really don't know what point you're trying to make with that.

Sorry to make it seem like you are the only one, but as of right now, you are a good example of what IDTA made this thread for and are the only one that is here to defend yourself.

As for you being an !@#$%^&, thats fine, but that doesn't mean everyone has to put up with it.

This is not America, this is a forum. A forum with rules. You do not have freedom of speech. That is why people get banned for saying things against the rules.

The 'This is the internet' argument was a pre-emptive strike on my part. Call me a Commie or Internet hippy for suppressing your freedoms.

Edited December 9, 2009 by Executive Minister

[Michael McBride]

And here we are at a crossroads. If you do not understand that by treating Arathog the way you did was wrong, if it is your opinion that by not giving respect to a person when respect should be given and maintained, there cannot be anymore left to say.

You people must love putting words into my mouth, because you do it constantly. You are operating under the assumption that the way Arathog acted was worthy of respect. I am operating under the assumption that quitters do not deserve that respect. Every human being deserves respect, however the level of respect they deserve is dictated by their actions. With Arathog's actions, he receives less respect in my book than, say, JED, because of his actions.

Sorry to make it seem like you are the only one, but as of right now, you are a good example of what IDTA made this thread for and are the only one that is here to defend yourself.

As for you being an !@#$%^&, thats fine, but that doesn't mean everyone has to put up with it.

This is not America, this is a forum. A forum with rules. You do not have freedom of speech. That is why people get banned for saying things against the rules.

The 'This is the internet' argument was a pre-emptive strike on my part. Call me a Commie or Internet hippy for suppressing your freedoms.

Then you need to read the thread, because I'm not the only one who has been mentioned who has come here to state our case. I've just been the most vocal and the only one online now.

I never said you have to put up with it. Again, you must love putting words into my mouth, because you do it constantly. You don't like it? Put me on ignore. My self-worth is not wrapped up in how some random people on some online forum see me. You all are not that important. You need to get over yourselves.

I haven't said anything against the rules. I haven't received any warns. So, nothing that I have said has been out of line. It may be in your opinion, but that is your opinion. According to the forum rules, I have been within my bounds. So unless you have something to prove the contrary, you should stop talking about how my speech is "wrong" and "against the rules".