SFI's immoderate moderation.

For context, this is a thread questioning the decision to ban someone and commenting, in general on the lack of friendliness in the forum.

This is a comment by a moderator on SFI- Gregory Mele. I have no problem mentioning his name, since he made the comment in the public domain. However, I have concealed other names since they were making the comments in private, and on another forum.

Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2008 3:29 pm
Mr B wrote:
Somebody stir up some trouble on SFI so they can rant about it.
MR A wrote:
I'm working on it.
)
This sort of nonsense helps no-one. If A really *wants* to be reinstated here, then as his friend, maybe you should let A, C and I try and work this out rather than looking to "stir up some trouble" here?

This was from a thread entitled "Are Hemaboy, Hemaman, Hemagirl and Hemadog finished?" I have secretly harboured a wish to be personally insulted by Richard O'Brien, but failing that, I suppose a second rate lookalike will do. Yes, I realise this comment may end up with my skin becoming as black as a graveyard at midnight and as blue as my soul.

The full original quote was said with the irreverent sense of humour which is an integral part of the forum and is one of the reasons I enjoy reading it. And hopefully why I will only hunted down and get beaten up a smidgen.

So- the SFI Mods have banned people for alleged trolling, then made public a comment on a private forum (on a different site, with a different attitude and out of context) in a blatent attempt to troll and justify their general rubbishness. If this is not against the word of the rules, it is certainly against the spirit of them.

This sort of nonsense helps no-one. If Gregory really *wants* to increase the respectibility of SFI and HES (Historical European Swordsmanship- it's like HEMA, except they only use swords) then maybe he should be impartial and transparent. He also edited the site owner's post, for innocent reasons and in good faith. (You've got to be naieve to fail to see how suspicious that looks)

And the irony is: I wouldn't have had my mild antipathy against SFI reinforced if it wasn't for the despicable actions of a moderator on that site.

The phrase- again, I reiterate, in a private area of a different website- "Somebody stir up some trouble on SFI so they can rant about it." Was all that was needed to show that SFI is not a good place to go. It wasn't meant with any malice and I seriously doubt anyone was going to do that.

Even if it was in context (which it wasn't) in a public area (which it wasn't) there would be no need to bring it up as a means to disgrace your opponent.

I feel sorry for those newbies who find that as their first experience for seeking information. There are better places out there, ones that are more welcoming and have more information than a newbie would need with people who take pleasure in sharing it.

Mr Gregory Mele, I question your ethics, your methodology, your impartiality and your desire to make HEMA/HES a thriving and interesting community.

[edit- the offending comments have now been removed. I'm not one for revisionism]