LR, Vet is at least the third name he has registered under, against AP rules. I will exercise ownership rights after the second falsification, and give him the more proper name of Village Idiot. He was banned as Mahal. He was banned as BunkBoy. He may have come in under the tent flap using other names.
I didn't ban him because of his political position. If I used that as a criteria, VD would still be here, and a few who have posted in Current Events would not. He was banned before I bought the site. Coming in under another name doesn't mean he isn't the same person who was banned, does it?
I didn't ban him because he can't spell or uses the wrong words at times ("Except" is not the same as "accept."), nor did I ban him because his logic was usually as faulty as some of his facts. I didn't ban him because he simply refused to answer direct questions asked of him by people trying to have a serious discussion, instead choosing to rant at his personal demons.
The Village Idiot had his privileges taken away because he was up to his old tricks; stirring up problems and insulting people. As I said in one post, and as you should know, I really don't mind being insulted myself, within reason. However, when someone, especially someone new (as I thought at the time) starts insulting valued members such as ColdFuse and NewNickName, talks insultingly to Honi (another valued member) and gives a half threat to her regarding tearing her throat out, and does at least some of this after he was warned about rule violations, I really don't feel bad about putting him out. (Note: I may have missed some other insults. If so, I apologize; I stopped checking after 2 of the 5 pages of his output.)
You said that he gave AP "a real shot in the arm" and gave "some new life to this place". A rabid skunk thrown into a retirement community (Are they called nursing homes anymore?) would do the same. But after the skunk has been removed, the smell remains, and some may have been hurt in the uproar.
Current Events is one of the forums in which spirited discussion is encouraged, and a bit more freedom is allowed there than in other forums. But his goal was not spirited discussion. As before, his goal was to insult, goad, and incite. Goading and inciting can be good, if it leads to a (relatively) civil discussion. Insulting may come as a result, but here, at least, the insults are not too venomous.
Mahal/bunkboy/Vet/VillageIdiot is not the kind of member AP seeks or wants. There are hundreds, maybe thousands of sites for people like him. But this site is not one of them.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: DorianGreyed,
Posts: 17233 | Location: Lincoln Place, Granite City, IL, USA | Registered: 06-03-02
Doriangreyeed-OK, fair enough. I wasn't aware that he had been here before. And as for the post he made to Honiluv about "tearing her throat out", that was most certainly out of line. While I could defend some positions on issues, there is no way to defend what could be considered a personal threat like that.
Posts: 2277 | Location: Martinsville, IL | Registered: 06-03-02
Originally posted by dg: I think you should change it, LR. Seriously Just my opinion...it'll look better.
( Oh wow, I dedicate this, my 2000th post to you, LR . DG, when do I get an upgrade? )
You used your 2000th post on me. I am honoured I don't recall anyone ever doing that before.
As for my AP name, I've gotten rather attached to it as it is. Besides, it would probably be quite a bit of trouble to do. The AP Administrators have better things to tend to than changing my name.
And good luck on your upgrade.
Posts: 2277 | Location: Martinsville, IL | Registered: 06-03-02
and give him the more proper name of Village Idiot.
Sorry, but I disagree with that. Following that rationale, anyone's screen name can be changed at the whim of those who have control. Honi can become Vinegar (or Vinagre), dg can become fu. Lord knows, there is no love-loss between me and mahal/bunkboy/Veteran. He has come after me everytime he has appeared. And I appreciate the fact he was allowed his say here in his latest incarnation, even though it was clear early on who he was and that he had no right, under the rules here, to post. But changing his name when he cannot react really isn't fair.
Posts: 7646 | Location: On Vacation | Registered: 06-06-02
"Following that rationale, anyone's screen name can be changed at the whim of those who have control."
Admin has always had that ability. To the best of my knowledge, it has only been used 3 times; twice to change offensive names (when the poster ignored e-mails telling him to choose another name) and in Mahal's case. But in any case, I don't see anything wrong with being unfair to someone who has been repeatedly warned, suspended, and banned, and who has repeatedly insulted, threatened, and generally been disruptive to any serious discussion.
Respect is given until it is unearned. Admin treated him much more fairly that he ever treated Admin. Frankly, being fair to someone like him is like giving germs a fighting chance when cleaning your bathroom.
Posts: 17233 | Location: Lincoln Place, Granite City, IL, USA | Registered: 06-03-02
