Also think out this. Think about which is worse. The offensive stuff that trolls post, or links to that "other website"? Do you not see the inconsistency of allowing trolls like awk, Stinky-Dinkins and the rest, to get away with all they get away with but then banning any references to this "other website"? If you really beleve in an open free forum, I suggest you change that policy.
I have watched how Jay has dealt with trolls. It is ineffective. I have seen that whenever anyone has complained to Jay. He has told people to ignore the troll(and he has been rude in the way he says it). That would only work if every member agreed to the same thing and agreed to do it long term, and it would take awhile. If you just ban a troll, the problem is gone in a matter of seconds. Think about how much trouble could have been avoided if Awk had been banned permanently when he first started to make trouble. Think about how much trouble and disgrace this forum could have avoided if Stinky-Dinkins were dealth with in a similar manner. Jay is right when says if we were to ignore trolls, they would go away. But let us live in the world and realize that humans are humans and are not going to ignore people that insult them. Ignoring trolls simply won't happen. Therefor it will not work.
Now, let us talk about the mods Zion and Moth3r. For a long time, Jay said he didn't want mods, then in the preservation section he allowed Zion to be a mod. To me this was major shift in the policies of this fourm. Yet it no annoucement of it was made in the Important Announcement Section nor was reason giving for the major change in policy or the need for a mod the preservation section and not in the rest of the forum. Think about how this might offend longtime loyal members who thought they deserved to be made mods and were turned turned down because Jay said he didn't want mods. Then, also without major announcement and reason giving(a apologize if I missed these somewhere), Moth3r was made a mod and Zions and Moth3r powers became retroactive throughout the forum. Making Moth3r a mod doesn't seem to make sense. Moth3r doesn't seem to agree with Jay on how to take care of trolls. He has banned trolls rather than tell people to ignore them. He has also bee rather rude with long time loyal members. To me, he does not seem to have the credentials to make a good mod. A mod must be patient, fair, and believe the value of freed of expression. None of these seem to apply to Moth3r. I humbly suggest that Moth3r should no long be a mod here and a replacement be found. Doing so would should a commitment to freedom of expression, and respect of forum members. I believe many forum members believe that Jay does not respect them or care about them. Removing such a controversial mod would, I think, change that perception. The fact that I fear I may be banned or my post edited/deleted for this criticism of Moth3r, demonstrates the need to replace him.
Jay, you have said that those who don't like this forum can leave. Is that what you really want? Do you want to keep forum members or lose them? Do you want fourm full of intellegent thoughtfull posters or a forum full of trolls? Instead of taking the stubborn stance that all those who are unhappy with forum should leave, why not ask yourself why they are unhappy with forum? Is it not possible that they are right? Are there any reasonable steps you could take to cure the problem? Could you give justification for the things done that have upset the forum members? Just because people are unhappy with the forum, doesn't make them undesirable as forum members or in the wrong.
I have not said these things to upset or offend anyone or to draw attention to myself. If I have offended anyone with what I have said, I apologize. I am just trying to give my opinion on the issues. It is my hope that you think about what I have said and take steps to restore this forum to its former glory and maybe some of the members that left will return.
I thank you for your time.