Changes at EvC Forum

I fully expect that everyone who replies on this thread will get indefinite suspensions - the Announcements forum is not and never has been a debate forum. However, I feel compelled to respond to this beautifully articulated cri de coeur. I have been a member here since shortly after the site's inception (six months?). You touched on three of the things that I have found inescapably attractive: the level of intellect exhibited by many (most?) long-term members, the quality of the administration, and the incredible wealth of information available at the touch of a keyboard. No other discussion forum related to this topic - even including the grandfather of them all iidb - has ever risen close to the quality of this site. I've laughed with members, cried with members, argued with members, gotten completely angry with members, and even made some long-term (virtual) friendships with members - something that has made very-often-lonely assignments in remote places a bit more tolerable.After this long association, I am very inclined to give Percy the benefit of the doubt. However, I fear - as you apparently do - that the sense of community that made this site so special is a thing of the past. So be it - it is Percy's site, and the rest of us are merely guests. Our idea of what the site should be is immaterial if the "father" of the site disagrees.If I should be banned for this post... Well, it's been a wonderful experience, and one I'll treasure. We've had a good run. Thank you Percy for allowing me to play in your sandbox for so long.

Hi Percy,Let me state up front: I have absolutely NO issues with, nor do I take exception to, the changes in board administration and moderation. There were clearly problems with the extant system that needed to be addressed, as epitomized by that horrible homosexuality thread and subsequent moderator-bashing. With the re-instatement of Moose and Nosy to the administration team, coupled with your explanations of what it is you are trying to accomplish with the changes, I think I can see (dimly) what you intend. I can also see the potential good, assuming things work out.However, what upset me greatly, and continues to upset me, were the pogrom-level mass banishments and subsequent self-immolation (by some) in reaction. I find it incredibly difficult to believe that many of those requesting suspension would have suicided if you had merely announced your intention (for the moderation changes) in advance. An explanation, similar to what you later posted, would likely have done the trick. Brenna and jar are the two that come to mind as examples of apparently random suspensions. Brenna, especially, merely had the temerity to offer help and sympathy. I have no idea what jar did - I assume there was something "behind the scenes" to which the rest of us were not privy. In short, I find myself uncomfortably close to where arach sits (see his post #36). Call me a wimp if you wish, but I literally felt significant trepidation about posting anything, to any thread following this extinction sweep. I still do.For what it's worth, then, I echo arach's (and Granny's) request that you reconsider the decision on any indefinite suspensions that followed in the immediate wake of the changes you instituted. Including, obviously, an amnesty for those whose knee-jerk reaction to the initial suspensions was to request their own. Many of these were by long-term, exceptional members of this forum. Future suspensions, of course, are fully justified in any case where the individual attempts to obstruct or undermine the board direction.