Well folks, I must admit I have been missing a lot once again. With all the newer forums to read and post on, I have not been to the BOI all that much as of late. I figured the good old BOI would become what it was, I think, originally meant to be: a BOARD OF INQUIRY, where people sought out info on others good or bad. In fact, as I see it now, it has apparently been doing the job it was meant to do, for the most part. That goes for this particular issue, as much as it does for any other.
I don't know exactly what it is that started this whole new mess, but I did read what is alleged to be the email that Neil sent out to a select group, and to one whom he did not realize he had mistakenly selected. My hat goes off to the person who received that email and made Rich aware of it. Sorry I cannot remember you name right now after reading through 8 pages of posts. I think you did the right thing especially in light of the fact that Neil was, I believe, a moderator on this site. Yet, despite being a moderator, he chose to tell others, if I recall correctly, to use the site to post sarcastically, and then, among other things, called some of the users of this site a less than complimentary things.
Rich, I think you are using a lot of restraint in not banning Neil. I remember the first time around that there was a big problem with Neil. I had some mixed feelings on the issue. If I recall correctly, I felt he should have been banned temporarily as he was at that time, but was also kind of happy to see him come back later. There were a few things he did that I was rather upset with, especially his repeatedly asking for money to support shop owners whose for shops that had been burglarized. I remember feeling bamboozled, or swindled out of some money I had donated to someone like that, but that was just my feeling. I also had thought he would have had lots of good herp info and business smarts to share with us.
I also remember, that when Neil was banned back then, and whenever Neil was given bad press on the BOI (or in other forums) there suddenly appeared, as I recall, a wealth of users who defended him and sang his praises. I believe this has already started again, and am pretty sure it will continue. I am also willing to bet (a small wager only, like a dollar to a doughnut) that: some of those who post his praises will be those who have rarely posted here before even though they have been registered users for quite some time. I also would bet the same, that most of those who sing his praises will fall among a certain small group. I seem to recall that happening the last time; so I wonder if a pattern will emerge. It also makes me wonder just exactly who it is that post these praises. I am not saying that there are not things for which to praise Neil, but I guess I am wondering if he has a clique of his own that he has united via email and PMs! I am sure there are some satisfied customers of his out there; but from what I have seen here at these forums, holy cow there are also lots of people who are sick of him too.
One thing I am pretty certain of is that there is no internal conspiracy to form a clique to deride others, as some have already suggested, among the majority of users on this site. (Although certain people may try to form cliques as I described above, most of us try to post our own independent opinions or so I believe). Heck, I was part of the Jerry Tubbs thing. Those here longer than others will remember that one. I posted in favor of Mr. Tubbs many times because I had done a deal with him that went wonderfully – great service, great shipping, great animals, and even greater service after the deal had been completed. That was certainly not a popular position for someone to take if for no other reason than most people seemed pretty pissed off at Jerry back then. In this thread some seem to think that if you post an unpopular viewpoint you will be ostracized by the so-called ‘clique’. I beg to differ. Sure I had a lot of people disagree with me, but so what? I am still a member of this web site. I still post at these forums. From what I can see, even if people disagree with me, they respect my opinions or at least my privilege to state them. I do likewise regarding everyone else’s opinions and viewpoints. That is what FORUMS are all about – open discussion whether or not your opinion agrees with the opinion of others.
Yet, I must admit, that there is a line that we should not cross. This line is a line drawn in the sand by Rich the administrator of this site. Every now and then the wind or the waves reach the line and obscure it a bit. At that time Rich has got to draw it again, or at least point it out again so that we do not cross it. I think that in the case of Neil, Neil tried to sneak around it, or jump over it, under cover of darkness by use of private messages. I don’t like that very much. I had someone try to do what, in my opinion, was basically the same thing in a thread that involved me. I received the email or PM and I then posted it for all to see. The other guy was upset, but it was something that should not have been addressed, in my belief, privately when it was in essence already being discussed on the forums. Yes, I realize that Neil can send private emails and PMs to anyone he wishes, and can say what he likes as long as it is within the law. I also realize that this is a private site and Rich has to run it how he sees fit so long as the rules apply to all. I also think Rich tries to run this site as fairly as can be done. Right now I think Rich is doing the right thing, albeit if, in my opinion, a bit too reserved.
We all have to remember that Neil was entrusted to be a moderator on this site (if I recall correctly). If that recollection is correct, then it has some pretty strong connotations. One of these, and not the least, would be that Neil was there to make sure that people did not cross that line in the sand, and to make sure that people saw it when it became obscured. He was given the trust of the webslave to do a job, and in my opinion based on my recollection that he was a moderator, he defiled that trust. Then after dragging that trust through the dirt so to speak (as I see it), I believe, he did what he is known for, I think, he tried to turn it around to make it look as if someone else had wronged him. Heck even if he was not a moderator, I believe, he should not have written what he did in that PM. I do not think what he said was right despite his right to say it. I believe that because Rich has a right to run his site his way. I also think, if Neil was a moderator, it made it much worse. I think: it may be time, to just stop, what I see as: all the behind the back name calling, the forming of alliances via PMs and emails, the fanning of flames of mistrust, sarcasm and nastiness. I am sorry to say that, in my opinion, maybe the best way to do that is to get rid of Neil by removing his privileges at this site permanently.
Neil, you have made your bed, sleep in it if the bedbugs are not biting too badly; but if they are remember you, as I see it, invited them to bed with you. I kind of wish you could have kept, what seemed to me to be, the contempt for others out of it. You sometimes had some truly interesting opinions; but I would certainly understand and support Rich if he decides to ban you.
Sincerely,
Glenn Bartley
