Contestant #3 Offers Gracious Apology -- Let's Give Him Another Chance

Hold on to your hats, folks, because it's possible that hell is freezing over! (Satan? Give us a report!)

Contestant #3, using the name "Krispy Original," has offered the following apology over in a thread in the Pit that you can find at this link: http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum5/HTML/000362.html

I'm going to quote relevant portions of it here:

While I'm at it, I'd like to offer a couple of public apologies:

Administrators and moderators:

I apologize for being a jerk and for being disruptive. I was also at times mean and insulting in my remarks to you. I questioned your decisions and authority and for that I was wrong. This is your message board and I am a guest. Posting to this board is not a right, rather a privledge. I lost those privledges after failing to heed warnings from you. In short, I'm really sorry for all the trouble and frustration that I caused you.

Members of the SDMB:

I apologize for being a jerk. There have been times that I have trolled. There have been times that I've written mean and/or insulting things about you. I have probably made this board at times, less enjoyable for you and for that I apologize. I'm sorry if I hurt any of you.

Although I have no right whatsoever to expect it, I'd like a response to this post from the administration of this board. Is the earlier offer of rejoining a good one or have I forfeited the privledge of posting on this fine board for the rest of my life?

This apology came after C#3's most recent SN, Fantastic User, was banned. In his post in the Pit, Connie/Fantastic sets forth his case that he has been behaving as Fantastic; he has posted no vulgarity or profanity, he has refused to be drawn into flame wars, and that he is making a good faith effort to abide by "the expected decorum" of this Board. If you go to the thread in the Pit, you will see several other posters, including the well-respected Tom of Tomndebb, offering the same evidence and urging that he be given another chance.

I had an email from C#3 wherein he stated that it is indeed his intention to rehabilitate himself and play nicely in the sandbox from now on. I'm no fan of C#3's; you all know that. I think that "butch" was one of the kinder things that he said to me when we had a bit of a scrap when I was a moderator. But fair is fair.

TubaDiva and Dex have posted elsewhere that if someone is banned, and they come back and play nicely, that creates a win-win situation all around. Fantastic User was playing nicely, certainly there are manny, manny posters to this board who have posted in more confrontational, rude and insulting manners and are still among us.

I think we should allow Krispy Original the opportunity to prove himself. At this point, I think even he would agree that he should, at least for some probationary period, be held to a higher standard than some other poster with no track record would be, so that if he slips up, he's gone (although I think he, like everyone else, is entitled to some warning if the situation is not obvious). But I think he deserves a chance. It won't take much -- obviously -- to delete Krispy Original if he doesn't follow through.

C#3 was certainly our role model in jerkiness; why not let Krispy Original be our role model in gracious and humble apologies?

-Melin

[omni-not]

Melin, deep down, you're such a softie :) Hope I wasn't being naive when I told Krispie he was O.K. in my book. Apology seems genuine enough. Time will tell, I guess.

Krispy, please stay krispy, otherwise things could become soggy pretty quickly.

[WallyM7]

I'm with you, Melin. Connie and I have gotten into some scuffles in the past, but his post as Krispy clearly shows that he belongs here.

[mikan]

All we are sayin'
Is give Krispy a chance . . .

(sing it with me, everyone!)

[The LION]

My first post on SDMB was a flame to C#3 in the pit.
Having read Krispy Original's apology,I say he has earned another chance.
The moderators stated that if he was willing clean up his act he could return. ( Contestant #3 Has Been ...)
Play by the rules,stay in the playground.

Peace
t lion

[JBENZ]

Hmmmmmmm...jerks come in and hang around the SDMB and get better? Who woulda expected that? Maybe it won't take as long as we thought. :)



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JB
Lex Non Favet Delicatorum Votis

Since I read selectively, and, until recently, avoided the Pit, I probably have missed out on the worst C#3 offenses from the past. Some of the threads he started certainly generated some of the most lively discussions on the board - isn't that the point? But I saw nothing from Fantastic User that warranted banning; now, as Krispy Original, he is behaving more honorably than certain moderators.

I'm with ya on this one, Krispy. Good luck!

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Sue from El Paso
members.aol.com/majormd/index.html (http://members.aol.com/majormd/index.html)

[tomndebb]

the well-respected Tom of Tomndebb

WTF?

Geeze, mom, now none of the regular guys'll play with me!

Tom, dear heart, don't worry. We're talking "well-respected" for THIS bunch!

-Melin

You know, I'm a "free speech" sort of guy. I'm not disagreeing with the OP, I'm just wondering why C#3 should be held to a "higher standard" due to his (alleged? Alright, demonstrated) past transgressions. You are either over the line, or not, even though the line is subjective and gray. Are you suggesting that I, as a relatively new poster with no history of antagonizing "The Man", should be allowed to say things that C#3 cannot? I'm no lover of Connie, trust me, but does the man have to walk on eggshells? Love him or hate him, how does this serve the fight against ignorance? I say let everyone, even Connie and Louis Farrakahn (sp?) have their say, and let the marketplace of ideas sort it all out. My $.02.

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Reality is for people who can't handle drugs.

-Tom Waits

WeimarDog, I don't necessarily disagree with you in principle, but my business is trying to negotiate compromises. There's a saying in my business that the best settlement is the one where both parties go away equally satisfied and equally unhappy. I'm trying to find that spot in this mess to allow C#3 to be able to come back as a kinder, gentler poster (and acknowledge that this will be egg in my face if he reverts to old ways), and at the same time allay the concerns that management has expressed about his demeanor. I wouldn't think it would be something to be held over his head for the duration, as it were, but it's not unreasonable to expect extra nice behavior for a while as a show of good faith.

-Melin

[Sealemon88]

I still don't see why Fantastic User was banned.

I say let Krispy stay.

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You say "cheesy" like that's a BAD thing.

[Polycarp]

Guess what, guys...'taint a democracy. We're using their service, by their rules. That's not a slam, just a recognition of the status. I very much enjoy the freedom to post my point of view, argue for it, get challenged if I make an error of fact or logic, etc. It's a great group, with usually great moderators.

Now, down to brass tacks. By the rules they've set forth, Krispy Original has made it clear he intends to conform, and has a right to stay until and unless, just like the rest of us. I dunno about you, but having a wife with a possibly-terminal disease could make me more than a bit testy, and I consider myself as usually one of the most sanguine of posters. C#3 was not; if you use the "humors" analogy, he was downright choleric in disposition. If he's resolving to do his best to "play by the rules," give a little leeway and tolerance and let him do so, would be my vote. (Although, as I pointed out, I don't have a vote, and neither do any of you.

I respectfully request that Jenny or another moderator (Jenny because this is her board) cite the post and circumstances that caused Fantastic User's deletion as a user. (Unless it was obnoxious e-mail, then only with K.O.'s consent.) I do this not to make waves, but for two reasons: (1) to learn better what's across the line, and (2) because my experience with moderators has been that they're moderate, and it might be useful to them to show us that they were not being arbitrary in this case.

Ed has accepted C#3's apology, and will allow Krispy the opportunity to redeem himself. In Ed's words:

Apology accepted, Krispy. Cecil says welcome back (although not the the C#3 screen name - that still gives us the shudders). Just a few things in the interest of putting this all behind us:

. . . We are taking Krispy at his word about having turned over a new leaf and hope all SDMB users will do the same. That means no goading, no bringing up some argument he made three months ago as C#3, etc. . . .

Not meaning Krispy in particular, but if God forbid some banned-and-then-forgiven party should return to his or her sinful ways, it would be a cold day in hell before we'd un-ban her/him twice.

Read it for yourself at http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum5/HTML/000362.html

This seems eminently fair. Krispy, I hope you live up to this, for I won't speak up on your behalf again if you blow it. There're limits even for us softies! ;) Good luck.

C#3 is dead; long live Krispy Original!

-Melin