I'm not involved in this, but I am. I'm not involved because I don't read the politics board. I just mark it read and move on. I didn't post on either side. I think for the most part, I have tried to be mid-ground on most things. I can see both sides of this, in truth.
As people go, I like them on the banned side, on the admin side, and on the unbanned/unadmin side. I tend to just like people as people for the most part. I am old. I get that we react out of haste. I get we say things out of haste.
My issues (not that anyone cares) are three main ones.
All the bans. Not just one, but all of them. I log in one day to a list of people not just a few, but a list of them that are now banned because they would not listen. --- This should not have gone down this way. I'm not saying I agree with what they were saying or I disagree. What I am saying is it should not have come down this way. Here is why I think that --- Most of us have a MU* history of games that had admins that should not have been admins. A LOT in this hobby have been hurt by this -- It read as a we are admin and what we say must at all times be obeyed or we will silence you. --- If there was a game and the admin did this exact thing and just banned everyone who didn't listen, we'd have a topic dedicated to them. It was handled incorrectly. It's done. No one can go back, but it is done and we just move forwards to what happens.
Concerns may only be addressed in PM. Nope. I cannot in clear conscience think this was a good tactic when admin integrity was the issue being debated. Now, I UNDERSTAND the reason. The reason was to my assumption, funnel it in one area and to try to regain control of a forest fire by offering a controlled burn of some sort. I get that. I understand that one wants it directed to them not to everyone. The perception was that it became cloak and dagger. Part of the reason the forum is here is to do away with that in the community. We are good and bad supposed to be able to air it all out. We should use the right boards in the right places, but that's part of the community. When it starts saying that 'receipts' should not be posted and comments need to be through only these private means - it comes across as it's going to be media'ed -- which by that I mean censored and offered up in justification of the 'winning' party.
The name calling of the banned or the what they did wrong continuation saga. We have opinions and they are ours to have. I don't actually appreciate it being pointed out that they could read it if they wanted, but couldn't respond. In truth, that seems worse. However, this is just my opinion, it doesn't make it right. The ones that are banned for whatever reason are now being talked about here and their intentions talked about when what we are really talking about is our perceptions of what they did. Which got them banned, but it's okay because we are still here?
Anyways, this isn't my leaving post. This isn't my staying post. This is just my opinion post. I think a lot of damage has been done on all sides to this board. It will repair. It will move on no matter what happens. Just don't forget there are people involved. They have feelings on the other side of these screens. Some are in the community here still and watching to see what happens. Some are banned and coming back to read because they are also invested at some level. We have all fucked up. It's just what we do when it happens. Hard decisions have been made and will continue to be made. We can just try to do best as we can for all and to show empathy where it allows.