A Call to End All Of This... For Now At Least
Mistakes get made all the time, and it is very, very important to make note of mistakes when they come to light so that they won't happen again or can be prevented in the future.
Some of the ongoing issues that have boiled over have only hurt this forum, not helped it in any way, mainly because there now seems to be a large disconnect that if not eventually resolved could well threaten some of the best intentions of this place.
To clairfy, there is something I feel that I must say:
In the last few years, the USA has experienced a similar amount of disconnect between those who stand on the Right and the Left. Part of the problem is that in some circles, speaking out in opposition against something is deemed wrong or just merely trying to make an issue bigger than it really is, when in reality, the very foundation of progress, hopefully for the better, is when people speak out and raise ideas about how they think changes can be made. I find it insulting when I am told for instance, that I should nto question the decision of the President because doing so is unpatriotic when the very principles that this country stands for IS in fact the need to speak out and always be trying to strive ahead.
Now, in the past few days, I have come to see that EoFF is not a democracy, nor does it really strive to be, and I've begun to make my peace with that. However, it is also of the utmost importance that there is always, always a dialogue amidst the masses of people. Failure to do so will only undermine everything that has been achieved. If we are never told what we are doing is right or wrong, we'll always just assume it's right, it's human nature. Therefore, I've always believed that people ALWAYS, ALWAYS have to hear what others think, what their perspectives on an issue are because, try as we might, we're not perfect and our perspective might blind us to an issue that someone from another perspective might see. Even if Staff ultimately have the power, which they can and will use, in my hopes, wisely and justly, I still believe that unless they can hear what the rest of the board thinks of their actions, this power will only eventually be used in a way that hurts the general well-being of this board.
That being said, the members of this board should be held equally responsible in that we must, at all costs, attempt to trust the better judgment of the Staff and not begin to question choices at every turn. We, as the members can determine the course of action taken if we try our best to abide by the rules set in motion, but that must always go hand in hand with rules being placed and enforced and if a rule changes, the general public are made aware of it.
Issues such as these are ultimately everyone's fault and responsiblity, so to try to pin the blame on one Staffer or one a few people who left their positions or a few people that speak out against a decision can only do more harm than good. Part of being in a community means taking a part of this burden to keep things in order, to try your best to be a productive regular member or Staff and to always try to do the right thing, even if it's the unpopular move.
As I close, all I ask is that as we move along, hopefully to even bigger and better things, everyone keeps in mind that no one here is perfect, that mistakes will be made, and that we must always try to correct these mistakes. If it means revisiting a policy, so be it. If it means unbanning a member who was questionably banned, perhaps start a dialogue on that. Above all else, we must continue to speak openly and keep discussions alive and when a discussion ends, we must be willing to acknowledge that it has ended, lest we let a community turn inside out.
Take care all.
