What happened...

[Jonas]

 I have to strongly disagree with you on this.
Moderators have to be above the fray. If you can't keep from getting stupid on here, then you shouldn't be a moderator. As a non-invloved poster, you're allowed to have opinions as strong as any others, but when you have the moderator position, you have to be better than that, and not post at all.  Cut and dried.

A moderator has the right to post his/her opinion just as much as anyone else. The only thing we don't tolerate is when a moderator lowers him/herself to name calling or abuse of powers, which after reading that pathetic thread I've not seen either from Jason.

Whatever happens off this board or privately, we can't control and honestly the rest of the moderators just don't care.

That being said, Jason is a very passionate person when it comes to his favorite band. You may disagree with him, and dislike his opinions but if you continue to egg him on (or anyone, really) about his opinion there's no doubt he is going to get fired up. I see this on this board all the time with everyone.

I'm sorry to see some people leave, its the last thing we want to happen. However, I think its unfair to say they are leaving because someone is a moderator, as oppose to admitting the truth for them leaving is because they just dislike the person and their opinion. Jason may be many things, but he does a fine job as a moderator.

[MBE]

I have no idea what happened but it's a shame that a common interest can cause so much angst between people. It's also a shame that the many considered posts on the subject have to be lost due to the actions of a few. If anything good can come of this it's that maybe we can have a better perspective on how to treat each other. I for one don't want anybody to feel that they can't speak their minds as long as some repect can be given while doing so.

[Jonas]

The thread will be cleaned up and brought out back to public.

[Cam Mott]

Wow, it did get out of line. I had no idea. Still, I am glad to hear sprucing up the thread and de-offending it is under consideration. I don't know why this topic always ends up ugly.

I had my wife insulted back in the day associated with a like topic and it was not pleasant but I knew the poster had never met my wife so I didn't take it personally. I hope an apology to Mrs. Rob and Rob are forthcoming.

[Custom Machine]

The thread will be cleaned up and brought out back to public.

Good to hear.  The various opinions expressed concerning the changing history of Mike's reputation made for one of the most interesting discussions I have read concerning the BBs.

[MBE]

The thread will be cleaned up and brought out back to public.

I'm very happy to hear this.

[Chris Brown]

The thread will be cleaned up and brought out back to public.

I'm very happy to hear this.

As am I.

[Nicko]

You have a point Surfer Girl. But said moderator made 2 posts in this whole 20+ page long topic. Maybe a pretty direct and strong response, but certainly not personally offending another member of this board… the responses were way more extreme for that matter because someone else chose to take it personal.

Agreed. What said moderator wrote in no way deserved the OTT response that it got...or is still getting.

[Irwin M. Fletcher]

As "said moderator" in this whole exchange, I would like to make a few things known. And it will be my final word on the topic unless someone wants to take me to task in PMs.

I do not make any bones about my opinions. I don't make them known because I'm just waiting for reactions. I make them known for any other reason another member on here would - for the point of discussion. As far as the same comments I made yesterday, if another member on this board made the same comments, there would never have been the same response as what happened last night.

I did not personally insult anyone on the forum in that thread. Those who took offense to my comments were quick to throw insults at me, however. That's fine. I can take the heat as much as I can dish it out. But to dish out the heat and then get all in a tizzy, saying you're leaving the board because I'm the moderator, you don't like what I have to say, and I have no right to speak my mind because I'm "above all of that", then there's a problem.

And now we're at the point where members are starting to make demands and guidelines as to how they expect others to post and who should or shouldn't be on the board. And I'm left with the same viewpoint - if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen. This is the internet. It's expected. I'm the one, who, apparently, is making all the comments that are freaking people out, yet not once have I denied anyone their right to speak their mind nor their ability to hang out on here. Discussions are fine. If they get heated, oh well. But to go to the extent that was reached last night, that's too far. My comments should have been glanced over, received one or two jabs, and been forgotten, as has happened in the past.

It's merely a personal bias. But I will be steadfast and say I did nothing wrong in that thread, and that those who were so quick to point the finger at me should turn their razor sharp judgments and stares on themselves. I did not make anyone leave the forum. I did not once say anyone was unwelcome. Everyone who said they were leaving left of their own free will. I will not, however, sit back and let other people tell me where to take myself. No one has been exiled from this board and no one was made to leave. They can all come back.

But I will never, ever compromise on this issue because I did nothing wrong.

[Luther]

I don't remember what any particular people said (honestly I can almost never tell any of you apart ... one screen name blends into another and another), but I remember some name-calling, insults to wives, and whatever else. Also plenty of heated--but on topic--discussion. Seems to me the former is horribly out of line, the latter isn't. There are rules to this message board. As long as everyone (moderators and members) follows them and the moderators are even-handed in enforcing them, there is no issue, right? As for the quitting, well, that happens every few months. Has happened before. Will again. Most people who leave, often with much drama, return. Some don't. Sometimes it's a shame they leave. Sometimes it isn't. Either way, the world keeps spinning.

[Dancing Bear]

Yeah, McCabe sent me a PM with some really unpleasant things thrown at my direction and I upped it a notch. Ooohhh boowooo. What did he expect? An official apology? LOL. If you're sending PM's with profanity, uh, be prepared to stand up the heat. This is my final word on the subject.

[rogerlancelot]

I recently left Doug Sulpy's Beatles board because everybody seemed to be bashing everything (in particular Paul, Beatles Rock Band and Ringo's new album). At this point I will never ever buy another Sulpy book again.

This message board on the other hand is very fun. I have learned so much information thanks to the great contributors here (way too many to mention) and I have no plans of leaving. We all have different opinions but for the most part are able to discuss them with some sort of dignity and respect for others. I was a bit taken back by Nobody (for instance) but on the other hand have made some "friends" on here (like Jay, Surfer Joe and Heartical Don).

I chose to stay out of the Mike Love thread because I accept the BB as the entire package. Every member, every album and every story told is completely fascinating to me. Even though I have only been a fan since 1999 this group has become one of my all time favorites.

And the moderators are doing a fantastic job by the way!

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Wow! I haven't been on this message board for week. I didn't realise that a thread that I started would cause such a stir. I knew that people differed on their opinions on this subject but not that it was such an emotionally heated one. But I got a lot of info I was looking for, which had little to do with current emotional opinions.

[Fear 2 Stop®]

I recently left Doug Sulpy's Beatles board because everybody seemed to be bashing everything (in particular Paul, Beatles Rock Band and Ringo's new album). At this point I will never ever buy another Sulpy book again.

This message board on the other hand is very fun. I have learned so much information thanks to the great contributors here (way too many to mention) and I have no plans of leaving. We all have different opinions but for the most part are able to discuss them with some sort of dignity and respect for others. I was a bit taken back by Nobody (for instance) but on the other hand have made some "friends" on here (like Jay, Surfer Joe and Heartical Don).

I chose to stay out of the Mike Love thread because I accept the BB as the entire package. Every member, every album and every story told is completely fascinating to me. Even though I have only been a fan since 1999 this group has become one of my all time favorites.

And the moderators are doing a fantastic job by the way!

Thanks!

Also, very well put.

[astroray]

I tend to like what that guy with Harvey Levin's picture has to say!

[rogerlancelot]

I tend to like what that guy with Harvey Levin's picture has to say!

I had to "wiki" Harvey Levin to see who you were talking about. I have to admit that my avatar is actually an older picture of me from 1999 (same time I got into BB's and met my wife).

[Wilsonista]

I just got home and saw this thread which my wife posted in and this will be my last word on this topic and then I will deactivate my account.

Yeah, McCabe sent me a PM with some really unpleasant things thrown at my direction and I upped it a notch. Ooohhh boowooo. What did he expect? An official apology? LOL. If you're sending PM's with profanity, uh, be prepared to stand up the heat. This is my final word on the subject.

Here is the post I sent you:

"I am sick and tired of buttholes like you and Jason bashing a mentally ill man like he chose to be that or is faking. Mike Love might not have been a cause of his merda, but he sire as foda did not help his lot in life. That is a friggin' fact and anyone wh0 denies that is a friggin' idiot.

saying that my posts make you want to physically hurt me is friggin' offensive too."

This isn't even in the same league!

This is the offending PM I sent you, right?  It's rather mild in comparison to the response you gave me.  Like Cam's situation you've never met myself or my wife and yet you chose to insult her.  And I'm the unreasonable one?  I will admit my private message was a full blown body check.  Your response was a cross check delivered from behind with a few rabbit punches thrown in for good measure. 

This is my take on the moderator roll.  Chris Wood is correct.  A board moderator should be above the fray, including his little passive agressive brianista buttfucking reference in his name.  I never once suggested that Jason's or anyone else's right to post what they want be taken away, but the honorable thing to do would be to step down.  Admittedly, Jason did not sink to the depths that dancing bear did in this thread, but I have seen plenty of passive-agressive tinged pissiness and pettiness in past discussions that make me question whether he should be a moderator.  My recollection of the deleted thread is that Clay was the first one who said he was leaving the board specifically because of Jason.  Jason is only one of a few reasons why I'm leaving. 

It is a shame that it came to this.  The thread up to that point was a good one.  The thing that I found disturbing about their responses to the dysfunctions in Brian's and Dennis' lives is the failure on Jason's and dancingbear's part to at least acknowledge that not all of their problems (meaning Brian and Dennis) were entirely of their own making.  I don't mind debating this stuff with people who have differences of opinions, but I don't like having my own opinion dismissed.  Having said that, I could live with that and suck it up, but when you personally insult my family, dismiss the insult with "you were asking for it", and petulantly refuse to apologize to her (not necessarily to me) then you have crossed a line.  You don't get to explain away your physical threat with "we live on different continents and it should have been obvious that I was joking".  And you don't get to blame me for the insults you made. 

With that, I say good night.

[Jay]

For what it's worth(probably not much, sadly) I always liked RobMac's posts on this board.

[Wilsonista]

On the menu bar, where it says Home, Help, Search...etc., click "Profile". At the left of that screen is a link that says "Delete This Account". Click, follow the instructions, and you will no longer be a member.

Yeah, I tried that.  Only problem is there's no such link!  Great job moderating!   

What now, genius? 
Just ban me, for crying out loud!

[Dancing Bear]

Bye bye Rob. 

I'll quote you with your catch phrase, the one you've been gracing, for years, everyone who happen to not agree with you:

"You just don't get it, do you?"