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TRANSPARENCY: A Message Calling For Freedom of Speech
If you don't know about the most recent 'event' in TOT, here it is in a nutshell:
On April 22, 2015, I posted a new thread of the following message (see below), 'TRANSPARENCY IN TOT'.
Then, I sent it as a PM to around 140 people on TOT (I could only do it in batches of 5 and had to wait 60 seconds between 'sending'! I was worried the whole time I'd be stopped, but I managed to get them all out!).
The thread was killed quickly. But, some people saw it. Then, they started receiving my message.
I asked those who would to REPOST my message so it wouldn't die a quick death (either as a new thread or hidden in another thread).
That Guy started up a new thread called 'Freedom' that got to around the 3rd page with people showing overwhelming support for me (and the message) before it got deleted.
Church sent out a horrific message to all who participated in that thread (around 30 responses I'm guessing already on it, everyone partying and having a great time) that he'd gladly unsubscribe those who didn't want to be part of TOT.
A few other people tried reposting 'the message'.
Meantime, support kept growing. I received many replies and what I got while I was still online was only one who disagreed with my message and one who was 'on the fence'. Everyone else agreed and thanked me for sharing it.
Later, in the evening of April 22nd, Malcolm banned me for 'spamming'. I guess that was the best excuse he could come up with.
He turned me into a martyr. Thanks, Malcolm.
Here is the PM'd message that did it all (first posted as a public thread entitled, 'TRANSPARENCY IN TOT', which was quickly deleted):
____________________
Hello Everyone!
Please Note: Anyone who has made 20 or more posts is included in this mail out.
TRANSPARENCY IN TOT
A healthy community needs to be publicly transparent. There have been many issues brought to the table which are mostly being ignored by 'management'. Heavy censorship is being used to stifle free speech. Those who raise serious questions about any subject are often labeled as 'trolls', 'pot-stirrers', and even unsubscribed or banned. Often, threads are 'sanitized' to remove any and all traces of such questioning. Most criticism is frowned upon and regarded as an attack against members -- regardless of who they are. Perhaps, not all members are as ideally respectful of others as they ought to be or communicate as eloquently as others. Still, they need to be heard without being labeled, ridiculed, and/or attacked.
We are all adults here. We are self-governing. Let's leave our egos at the door and approach this in an open, honest, respectful dialog. Rules are not written in stone and are meant to be flexible to help maintain a healthy, happy, safe community. Rules become laws when they only serve the few. We are many. We are equals. All our voices need to be heard.
This may be a private forum, but there is a public aspect to it. The public have access to many threads, and it is the public that are 'enticed' to join under the premise that TOT is a fair, safe place for all. If this is an entirely private forum and the 'management' is comfortable with how it is run, then run it as such, but do not invite the public in under a false premise.
Thank you.
Speaking on behalf of those who can no longer speak, those who are afraid to speak, and those who wish to speak but are afraid they will not be heard,
sincerely and respectfully,
Pris
________________________
After people started responding positively to me, this is what I sent them with my message, 'TRANSPARENCY IN TOT', attached:
Right now, I'm asking for everyone's help to keep the ball rolling.
If you agree with me and are... daring... how would you like to repost this as a thread (mine has been 'removed')? I'm asking for everyone's help here. I'm asking for people to post this as often as possible. The more it is posted, the more people will see it.
(You can also 'hide' it inside another thread.)
If you create a new thread, you may have to put it in under a new title.
------------------------------------------
Meantime, I joined a new forum, Mental Floss 2, where we are able to freely discuss this ongoing event. Many members from TOT (and former members), have joined me there because of what happened.
Here is a post I shared with the members of MF2 on the 'TOT refugees' thread:
Just to let everyone know, I'm certain my all my PMs were read on TOT since I've been banned -- that means EVERYTHING from what happened after I put up my 'TRANSPARENCY IN TOT' thread and PM'd message (I'd deleted everything prior).
I'm sorry, I should have deleted them because I knew it was just a matter of time before they'd ban me.
So, if you talked to me, they'll know about you, too.
There are already things they've said that suggest they have (they've put up a new bulletin for everyone to read).
As you may know, I was banned for 'spamming' which I didn't do. There was nothing commercial about what I sent out.
And, they say I mass PM'd people to join the Mental Floss 2 forum IN MY 'TRANSPARENCY' MESSAGE, which I did not. They're getting their facts mixed up. That was separate and I only told about 9 people -- towards the end -- about the other forum (where I was going). The only way they'd know anything about that forum (yes, this one) is if they read my PMs.
I also started telling a few people that the main message was about 'freedom of speech' -- which it was. It was ALSO about TRANSPARENCY. In their 'must read' bulletin they claim my message was not about 'transparency' at all. The only way they'd come up with something so ludicrous is if they read my PMs.
Soon after my ban, the trolls began to arrive, so Mental Floss 2 has had to ask people to register in order to enter. At the moment, we've allowed one troll to remain, as an example, of what we're dealing with (there were two trolls initially). These 'trolls' are real trolls and have done nothing but insult us venomously -- often swearing -- and using vulgar, degrading language. We do not wish to label anyone unjustly because we know how that feels and have left their comments up for all to see.
In the meantime, I found out that the TOT 'management team' had actually gone into forum member's PMs and deleted my message. People would open up the email and find a blank page. Regardless, anyone with 'email notification' switched on would still get the message sent to them.
I am here, sharing this story and the 'message', demanding freedom of speech for all of us, regardless of the situation, in the hopes that it continues to spread.
So, that's it in a nutshell. I hope you've enjoyed reading this as much as I've enjoyed living it -- and continue to do so.
Pris
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Please feel free to copy the above message in its entirety and share it with others.
I give my gratitude to The Mists of Avalon for having this space available for me to share this message.
Thank you.
TRANSPARENCY: A Message Calling For Freedom of Speech
If you don't know about the most recent 'event' in TOT, here it is in a nutshell:
On April 22, 2015, I posted a new thread of the following message (see below), 'TRANSPARENCY IN TOT'.
Then, I sent it as a PM to around 140 people on TOT (I could only do it in batches of 5 and had to wait 60 seconds between 'sending'! I was worried the whole time I'd be stopped, but I managed to get them all out!).
The thread was killed quickly. But, some people saw it. Then, they started receiving my message.
I asked those who would to REPOST my message so it wouldn't die a quick death (either as a new thread or hidden in another thread).
That Guy started up a new thread called 'Freedom' that got to around the 3rd page with people showing overwhelming support for me (and the message) before it got deleted.
Church sent out a horrific message to all who participated in that thread (around 30 responses I'm guessing already on it, everyone partying and having a great time) that he'd gladly unsubscribe those who didn't want to be part of TOT.
A few other people tried reposting 'the message'.
Meantime, support kept growing. I received many replies and what I got while I was still online was only one who disagreed with my message and one who was 'on the fence'. Everyone else agreed and thanked me for sharing it.
Later, in the evening of April 22nd, Malcolm banned me for 'spamming'. I guess that was the best excuse he could come up with.
He turned me into a martyr. Thanks, Malcolm.
Here is the PM'd message that did it all (first posted as a public thread entitled, 'TRANSPARENCY IN TOT', which was quickly deleted):
____________________
Hello Everyone!
Please Note: Anyone who has made 20 or more posts is included in this mail out.
TRANSPARENCY IN TOT
A healthy community needs to be publicly transparent. There have been many issues brought to the table which are mostly being ignored by 'management'. Heavy censorship is being used to stifle free speech. Those who raise serious questions about any subject are often labeled as 'trolls', 'pot-stirrers', and even unsubscribed or banned. Often, threads are 'sanitized' to remove any and all traces of such questioning. Most criticism is frowned upon and regarded as an attack against members -- regardless of who they are. Perhaps, not all members are as ideally respectful of others as they ought to be or communicate as eloquently as others. Still, they need to be heard without being labeled, ridiculed, and/or attacked.
We are all adults here. We are self-governing. Let's leave our egos at the door and approach this in an open, honest, respectful dialog. Rules are not written in stone and are meant to be flexible to help maintain a healthy, happy, safe community. Rules become laws when they only serve the few. We are many. We are equals. All our voices need to be heard.
This may be a private forum, but there is a public aspect to it. The public have access to many threads, and it is the public that are 'enticed' to join under the premise that TOT is a fair, safe place for all. If this is an entirely private forum and the 'management' is comfortable with how it is run, then run it as such, but do not invite the public in under a false premise.
Thank you.
Speaking on behalf of those who can no longer speak, those who are afraid to speak, and those who wish to speak but are afraid they will not be heard,
sincerely and respectfully,
Pris
________________________
After people started responding positively to me, this is what I sent them with my message, 'TRANSPARENCY IN TOT', attached:
Right now, I'm asking for everyone's help to keep the ball rolling.
If you agree with me and are... daring... how would you like to repost this as a thread (mine has been 'removed')? I'm asking for everyone's help here. I'm asking for people to post this as often as possible. The more it is posted, the more people will see it.
(You can also 'hide' it inside another thread.)
If you create a new thread, you may have to put it in under a new title.
------------------------------------------
Meantime, I joined a new forum, Mental Floss 2, where we are able to freely discuss this ongoing event. Many members from TOT (and former members), have joined me there because of what happened.
Here is a post I shared with the members of MF2 on the 'TOT refugees' thread:
Just to let everyone know, I'm certain my all my PMs were read on TOT since I've been banned -- that means EVERYTHING from what happened after I put up my 'TRANSPARENCY IN TOT' thread and PM'd message (I'd deleted everything prior).
I'm sorry, I should have deleted them because I knew it was just a matter of time before they'd ban me.
So, if you talked to me, they'll know about you, too.
There are already things they've said that suggest they have (they've put up a new bulletin for everyone to read).
As you may know, I was banned for 'spamming' which I didn't do. There was nothing commercial about what I sent out.
And, they say I mass PM'd people to join the Mental Floss 2 forum IN MY 'TRANSPARENCY' MESSAGE, which I did not. They're getting their facts mixed up. That was separate and I only told about 9 people -- towards the end -- about the other forum (where I was going). The only way they'd know anything about that forum (yes, this one) is if they read my PMs.
I also started telling a few people that the main message was about 'freedom of speech' -- which it was. It was ALSO about TRANSPARENCY. In their 'must read' bulletin they claim my message was not about 'transparency' at all. The only way they'd come up with something so ludicrous is if they read my PMs.
Soon after my ban, the trolls began to arrive, so Mental Floss 2 has had to ask people to register in order to enter. At the moment, we've allowed one troll to remain, as an example, of what we're dealing with (there were two trolls initially). These 'trolls' are real trolls and have done nothing but insult us venomously -- often swearing -- and using vulgar, degrading language. We do not wish to label anyone unjustly because we know how that feels and have left their comments up for all to see.
In the meantime, I found out that the TOT 'management team' had actually gone into forum member's PMs and deleted my message. People would open up the email and find a blank page. Regardless, anyone with 'email notification' switched on would still get the message sent to them.
I am here, sharing this story and the 'message', demanding freedom of speech for all of us, regardless of the situation, in the hopes that it continues to spread.
So, that's it in a nutshell. I hope you've enjoyed reading this as much as I've enjoyed living it -- and continue to do so.
Pris
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Please feel free to copy the above message in its entirety and share it with others.
I give my gratitude to The Mists of Avalon for having this space available for me to share this message.
Thank you.
Last edited by Pris on Sat Apr 25, 2015 12:02 pm; edited 12 times in total (Reason for editing : Amendment: adding how the TOT 'management' team' deleted my message out of member's PMs.)
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