[quote]Originally posted by Jan C. Still:
<strong>Fellow collectors,
I returned from a trip to find that Garfield will no longer be posting on this Forum. This is his own choice. </strong><hr></blockquote>
<img src="graemlins/yltype.gif" border="0" alt="[typing]" />
Hello Jan, ...glad you are back! I appreciate the fact that you choose not to defend his behavior...and You are absolutely correct -- If he chooses not to post anymore, I too will be disappointed by the loss of technical knowledge and experience, but this
IS HIS choice... and he can just as easily choose to return because the door wasn't locked behind him. No one has questioned Garfield's technical contributions to this forum, only the manner in which they were presented.
Garfield wasn't banned, but apparently has concluded that he isn't able to abide by the rules that are in place to protect all the forum members, and so he won't place himself in a position where he may draw fire for violations of the same membership protocol that binds us all...
That is indeed unfortunate. [img]frown.gif[/img] I hope Bill changes his mind and does more than lurk here...
but if he does, I can assure you that it won't be because the rules have changed to accomodate his unique style of abrasiveness... If we do that for him, then there are no rules worth posting or enforcing, and all we have left is anarchy... I am sorry, but that won't happen here, at least not on my watch.
When each member registers to request permission to participate in this forum, they must agree up front to be bound by the terms and conditions of service, and the forum decorum... Agreement to these terms is not an option if you want to participate in the discussions. Bill agreed, but on several occassions he didn't comply. He also didn't heed privately communicated warnings on at least two occasions that he had stepped over the line, and that should choose his words more carefully...
My (strictly volunteer) job as site moderator here is to maintain order and enforce the rules as they have been explained to me, and under which I have also personally agreed to operate... sort of a Sergeant-at-Arms here in the clubhouse...The individual forum moderators have also agreed to the same conditions.
I didn't ban Bill Garrison, but I rightly warned him for a third time that unless his behavior is going to conform with posted policy on this site, that he needed to look elsewhere for a place to discuss Lugers.
I don't apologize for my decision or actions because they were warranted...Anyone who believes that they can do a better job than I am doing as site moderator is certainly welcome to apply...
<img src="graemlins/xyxwave.gif" border="0" alt="[bigbye]" />