Bannings

[Maakt Droog]

Ok, I'll first apologize for bumping this thing back up; I know folks just want to get down to the gaming. But, this decision really got under my skin and while I figured I'd give it some cooling-off time (plus I was super-busy at work until yesterday and decided to put my energies there), it still bothers me, so, I'm going to toss in my two cents and leave it that. I'll not debate anything, and I'll accept all comments and criticisms without any fuss.

As I'm sure you've gathered by now, I think that banning these members was a poor decision, to say the least. It reflects badly on the club and prolongs, rather than ends, animosity.

There is only one CM community and we are all part of it. People interact on various boards, and some don't really "speak" that much with others because they only visit one or a few boards. Some of that is due to language barriers, some of it to time differences, and the rest just to habit and familiarity. Maybe some to comfort and a desire to avoid conflicts, too.

But even so, as far as I can tell, the entire CM community is populated by adult men. We ought to be able to manage our differences with something better than "banning." In almost all cases the relationships that are formed in this CM community are accomplished largely or even exclusively through written text. In such an environment, "banning" is nothing more than attempted censorship. And censorship is a lousy practice for settling differences.

To be sure, there are times when banning may be necessary. Such as when someone acts dishonestly (cheats) or where their conduct is utterly disruptive to the board. That was not the case here. As much as folks may not have condoned the behavior that led to this decision, it certainly was not taking place in this corner of our little CM world. That's not optimal -- to have none of it would be optimal -- but it was confined to somewhere else. It could be ignored.

Not that ignoring the behavior was required. I think there are a lot of things that could have been said about "Rulk TV" and its attempt at satire. Certainly by those who found themselves its target. Legitimate critique on the content of "Rulk TV" and the character of its authors would have been an appropriate response. There is no obligation to abide mutely criticism or unfavorable comments. I would have much preferred to hear about that, and I think it would have achieved a lot more good.

"Banning" doesn't accomplish anything; it just builds thicker walls.

Those now-former Blitz members are very active in the CM community. Maybe they do not amuse you or don't really like them, but they're here just as you are. Much better to settle differences (whether you do it publicly or privately doesn't matter) and come up with a way to co-exist. I think that that obligation is incumbent on both "sides" of this "issue", and it is something a community would rather expect its members to do. Especially where those who are mixed up in this conflict are such prominent members.

That doesn't mean you should become friends, but it does mean that you should come up with something you can all honor. Saying you've tried something and it didn't work and "banning" is all that you can do now is BS. Get up off the mat and try again.

I've gone on a bit now, and I'll apologize also if I have taken undue advantage with such a long-winded post. I'll aim now for something more positive.

The Blitz is an excellent site. My gaming experience here has been awesome. Steel God, RedDevil and many others have earned my gratitude for making that experience possible. Thank you. I hope that the site continues to remain a vibrant part of the gaming community and that we only continue to have the simple pleasure of whiling away our pastime with this hobby.