My ESS Swan Song

My Farewell Post at the ESS message board:

Mac McFadden post March 12, 05:54 PM Post #78

applying McFadden's razor*
Group: Members
Posts: 6,516
Joined: 7-October 05
From: Eugene, Oregon
Member No.: 4,387


I grow weary of "the dance".

I was asked where is my usual insight. This is what my insight tells me:
Senihele was not banned because of anything she posted on this board. Or any other board for that matter. She was banned because she chose not to accept being harassed over the telephone and filed a report with her phone company. For this she was punished (by the harasser I asume since the other people with the power to ban appear innocent) by being banned untill 2034. Senihele is not the only poster at this board who received harassing calls, but she is the only one who filed a report.

LeeB was not deleted because she requested it, nor was she deleted because she posted a "vicious personal attack" nor because she attempted to "organized a boycott" of the Ed Schultz Show.
I find it curious that WE are being asked to provide PROOF of "wrong doing", when that is exactly what WE are asking in regards to LeeB's post or posts being "over the top" and "the straw".
Shouldn't the burden of proof be on whoever deleted her account ? (By their own words this was NOT the work of Matt, nor Plunderer. Anyone care to guess who that leaves?)
No warning was sent that her posts were too viscious. No admonition to back away from the edge. No DEMAND for an apology.
Just POOF! and she's gone into the cyber ether.

And of course, one result of her complete deletion is that any possible evidence of her guilt (or innocence) is likewise gone, vanished, disappeared.

Sorry, but I NEVER buy a pig in a poke.

My insight tells me that LeeB was actually removed from the board for the grevious act of posting some of her opinions about the ANS/AAR debacles elsewhere on the internet (particularly at DailyKos) where her posts were read by a certain radio show producer.
Matt has suggested to Doc Morbius that he either forgive or move on. Like the good Doctor, I cannot give forgiveness that has not been ASKED for. (It's called "an apology".)

Apparently apologies only seem important when they are owed TO people in high places. I guess that's why they are the "ruling class" and we are all just peons.

In any event, I hope you all have a good life.
And I'll see some of you in the funny papers.
Fare thee well.

Mac


"But when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future Security."
- The Declaration of Independence


The "dance" that I grew weary of was "the Issue That Must Not Be Named" (or talked about)
In a free society, such a beast cannot be accepted.
Only in a fear-riddled society can it flourish.
I chose not to abide in a fear-riddled society.
I chose not to fear "what MIGHT happen" in the future.
I suppose that's why al-Queda doesn't frighten me.

The tragedy of the departure of so many of the best writers from ESS, is that it need not have happened. A simple (non-apology) apology such as "I'm sorry so many people were offended by my choice of words." (without even an admission that the choice was wrong) could have healed the rift. At this point in time even such an apology and the reinstatement of banned members would be "too little, too late". Some of us require at least the appearance of sincerity.
How ironic that the "Poster of the Year for 2006", author of the "Individual Post of the Year for 2006" has left the building.

So life moves on.
The one true constant in the universe remains: change.
I settle in at other message boards like AirAmericaPlace.
And begin anew.
Making new friends, earning new respect, retelling old jokes they haven't heard yet.
"When one door closes, another one opens."

Backpack slung, walking stick in hand, I trudge down the road towards the horizon to an unknown destination. Remembering that life is not a destination, but a journey taken.
I wonder what tomorrow will bring.


Mac


* the principle of "McFadden's razor" is to use a sharp instrument to slice through the bullsh*t and get to the gist of an issue.