Freepers. It is Time to Heal Our Wounds

Badjoe | 8-27-02 | Joe Phillips

[Pippin]

YES! SIR!

[Fred Mertz]

I'm going to resign as soon as Alamo-Girl does;^)

[wimpycat]

You're right. We live in the real world, not an ideological vacuum. Talking about what's wrong with the country is one thing. Doing something about it is quite another. Some of us are going to actually be doing something now, not waiting for the perfect conditions, not creating false obstacles, not coming up with excuses for inaction.

[jellybean]

...regress to being a bulletin board for endless rants by keyboard bound, politically irrelevant fringe voters (with an occasional tinfoil bent).

So, that's your view of FR and freepers in general. What's your interest in seeing the turmoil continue?

[Corin Stormhands]

This is good news as we're hearing about Bush 41 and his advisors disagreeing with Bush 43 about attacking Saddam. The media lives for the hopes of showing us to be divided.

We're on the same side in a fight against the forces of evil. And those forces include Iraq, Osama, Hillary, Daschle, Gore and company (there's more, we know).

We need to realize that's where our fight is. Not with each other.

Think about how effective we were during the Florida re-count fight. Think about how we were on top of the news and some of our people were right on the front line.

That's out battlefield folks.

Never give up! Never surrender!

[Admin Moderator]

And how about reinstating those who broke no rules except stating an opinion on a criminal law case that disagreed with the moderator and/or the moderator's friends?

I think that part of the problem lately has been not correcting the record when false allegations are made.

"To: ~Kim4VRWC's~

Thank's for tipping us off to these disruptive types.  Let them have their stupid little Refugee site...ha. Whatever! We don't need their soiled money.

192 posted on 5/17/02 10:48 AM Central by Admin Moderator

---

We don't need their soiled money.

Oh really?  Well don't worry, you won't.

FresnoDA/frr

That "quote" of Admin Moderator by FresnoDA was completely fabricated. He won't be reinstated. Sorry, AM

[dubyagee]

Looks as if the tides are turning...

[Alamo-Girl]

I'm going to resign as soon as Alamo-Girl does

LOL!!! You're going to be here for a looooong time! Hugs!

[bvw]

The black population in America has demonstrated quite well the type of "leaders" one gets when one mariginalizes to non-existance the "fringe voters" for the sake of supporting one party. In fact it is the fringe parties that introduce many ideas, and serve as checks to such complete amorality.

[MizSterious]

Reinstated or not, it was parody. The man loves to do satire, parody, and anything that's funny. And you left the post up, didn't you? If it's so harmful, why on earth would the AMs leave it there? Wouldn't it continue to cause harm?

[AppyPappy]

That is what someone of real grace and integrity would have said. I didn't hear that.

uhhh....."grace" is when you don't put conditions on forgiveness. I'm not sure what word you wanted to use but that wasn't the right one.

[eureka!]

Nicely done and thanks for all you've done. Let's hope a seed has been planted. The attacks really are tiresome...

[bvw]

That's taking a satire obvious to most -- and certainly so in the ebullient style of FresnoDA combined with the locale of the smokey backroom -- and making a mountain out of a molehill. Can any org sustain crossing big ranges when we stub our toes and breakdown over every molehill?

[hellinahandcart]

You got put in the cooler? YOU??

Someday you're gonna have to tell me what you did, girl...

[skeeter]

Was there a fight I missed?

Judging by the amount of contrition here it musta been a real blood letting. Lotsa gnashing teeth, insults & hurt feelings.

Why do I miss all the good stuff?

[Taliesan]

I have no idea who was right about the moderators and it is the least important issue in this whole thing.

Don't let the love-in obscure the fact that you've now set a terrible precedent from a managerial point of view. There are probably a dozen people around you who now know you can be held hostage in a public ruckus and will eventually grant concessions for the sake of peace.

Of course, peace is better than an all-out shooting war. Whoever negotiated the deal did a good thing given the low level things had fallen to. But the larger effect of how it was conducted will be bad, and that is just plain poor management.

To a thousand small complaints you answer "the board is mine, I'll manage it however I want." And that is just fine. So you appoint moderators and you tell them how to act. Good. But then it comes out that when somebody is important they will be placated by "observing" the moderators. (That sure must make the moderators feel you are behind them.)

Then, the argument breaks out into the open. At first, you are unmoving -- then, you are announcing a "compromise" in the most public and cheery way, as if it all was just an amusing disagreement over where to eat dinner.

One minute you're a benovelent despot (which is fine); the next, you're tossing concessions to those with power, or you are conceding to keep the donations up (it isn't clear exactly why you conceded; there is no indication you actually were persuaded by argument that some of the moderation is bad.)

Those who hate the moderators may feel they "won" this; they didn't. Those who like them may think they "won"; they didn't. The watchers who just want everyone to get along so we all can "freep" together may think it ended well; it didn't. The Bush-lovers may think "good, we still have moderators to kick out the loons"; no, you have castrated moderators. The libertarians may think "good, the worst moderators are going to be out"; no, soon you will have the moderators liked by whoever collars JR next week.

JR, you give the impression you are susceptible to manipulation. It is the INCONSISTENCY that is the mark of bad parenting, and bad management.

[BADJOE]

The basic issue was.

My job to to keep FR afloat was being made more difficult by Jim' and the moderators job to keep the forum civil.

It was a conflict that was bound to happen.

In order to alieve the situation I wanted more communication about mod action and they wanted secrecy to rule the day.

Another conflict that was bound to happen.

Thankfully through the negotiating skills of Bob J we reached the point where we all got some of what we needed.

[1Old Pro]

I'm here every day, and sometimes, I still don't know what's going on. Did I miss something?

Me too. But then again it took me weeks to figure out the "All your base are belong to us" discussions.