# Is it possible to retrieve my Charter Member Tag? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 31, 2007, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-retrieve-my-charter-member-tag/417608 "2007-08-31T13:05:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Yesterdog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/d07c76/32.png) [@Yesterdog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yesterdog)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2007, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-retrieve-my-charter-member-tag/417608/1 "2007-08-31T13:05:44Z")
I’ve been a constant fan of these boards forever, and made an account one day. Shortly thereafter, I became a charter member. I’m in the military and was deployed\* when I noticed my subscription had expired. When I re-subscribed, I noticed my charter member tag was gone. Is it possible to still remain a charter member? Thanks. \*To South America - not the sand box _this time_. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2007, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-retrieve-my-charter-member-tag/417608/2 "2007-08-31T14:16:43Z")
Nope. Charter Membership is like virginity. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. ---
**Author:** ![Yesterdog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/d07c76/32.png) [@Yesterdog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yesterdog)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2007, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-retrieve-my-charter-member-tag/417608/3 "2007-08-31T14:51:35Z")
Damn… Can’t I be a _born-again_ charter member? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2007, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-retrieve-my-charter-member-tag/417608/4 "2007-08-31T16:25:33Z")
Normally, the answer is no, as it should be. However, I wonder if an exception couldn’t be made in the case of someone like the OP, who is unable to renew on time due to putting his life on the line so that we have the freedom to even have this board at all. My two cents, FWIW. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2007, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-retrieve-my-charter-member-tag/417608/5 "2007-08-31T17:00:15Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] Normally, the answer is no, as it should be. However, I wonder if an exception couldn’t be made in the case of someone like the OP, who is unable to renew on time due to putting his life on the line so that we have the freedom to even have this board at all. My two cents, FWIW. [/QUOTE] Not to turn this into a debate, but it’s debatable that any current American military deployment is protecting our internet freedoms. I doubt that the mods will make an exception, they have been pretty hardline after the first year, but they may have a “support the troops” moment. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2007, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-retrieve-my-charter-member-tag/417608/6 "2007-08-31T18:57:37Z")
[QUOTE=CarnalK] Not to turn this into a debate, but it’s debatable that any current American military deployment is protecting our internet freedoms. [/QUOTE] Probably not specifically, no, I’ll give you that. But without a military and people willing to serve in it, we certainly would likely not have the freedoms we often take for granted today. ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-retrieve-my-charter-member-tag/417608/7 "2007-08-31T21:03:53Z")
We got us an AWAL Charter Member. Don’t know what the Mods will do, but there remains [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=434459) possibility. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2007, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-retrieve-my-charter-member-tag/417608/8 "2007-08-31T22:23:24Z")
I’ll kick this over to Ed and Jerry. I’m all for reinstatement but I’m not the one who has to do the actual work and in fact I have zero control over any of this. However, if ever there was a case for reinstatement I think this is it. This is also NOT an inducement for everyone else who messed up to get in line, so please don’t even try. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa\_Ann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bc79bd/32.png) [@Lisa\_Ann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa_Ann)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2007, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-retrieve-my-charter-member-tag/417608/9 "2007-08-31T22:31:15Z")
Not even for GODIVA?! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Yesterdog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/d07c76/32.png) [@Yesterdog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yesterdog)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2007, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-retrieve-my-charter-member-tag/417608/10 "2007-08-31T22:58:53Z")
Not to derail the thread, but TubaDiva posted here! 🆒😃 If it’s a big deal, don’t worry about it. The simple fact that SDMB participates in the GWOI (Global War on Ignorance) is consolation enough. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2007, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-retrieve-my-charter-member-tag/417608/11 "2007-09-01T00:42:29Z")
[QUOTE=Yesterdog] Not to derail the thread, but TubaDiva posted here! 🆒😃 If it’s a big deal, don’t worry about it. The simple fact that SDMB participates in the GWOI (Global War on Ignorance) is consolation enough. [/QUOTE] She must have had a heavy chocolate bribe. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kneepants_Erasmus_the_Humanist)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2007, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-retrieve-my-charter-member-tag/417608/12 "2007-09-01T02:58:51Z")
[QUOTE=TubaDiva] I’m all for reinstatement but I’m not the one who has to do the actual work and in fact I have zero control over any of this. [/QUOTE] OOOOOOOOOO 🙂 Does this mean… [QUOTE=TubaDiva] This is also NOT an inducement for everyone else who messed up to get in line, so please don’t even try. [/QUOTE] Aw, damn. ☹ Not my fault my stupid computer broke a few weeks before my subscription was up. Boooo!!! stupid computer. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2007, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-retrieve-my-charter-member-tag/417608/13 "2007-09-01T10:40:18Z")
Buck up people. You’re not a pariah if it says only Member, that honor is for BANNED. What’s the purpose of distinguishing something as special, if you don’t allow that designation to mean what it is meant to? Every time you allow an exception, the title means less for everybody that still has it and played by the rules. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2007, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-retrieve-my-charter-member-tag/417608/14 "2007-09-02T15:36:21Z")
[QUOTE=Yesterdog] Not to derail the thread, but TubaDiva posted here! 🆒😃 If it’s a big deal, don’t worry about it. The simple fact that SDMB participates in the GWOI (Global War on Ignorance) is consolation enough. [/QUOTE] ?? I’m confused. (I’ve also been out of town and have had sporadic internet access, still do. See you later.) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2007, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-retrieve-my-charter-member-tag/417608/15 "2007-09-02T18:01:51Z")
As I understand it, any administrator can change the words under a poster’s name, but the continued discount status is burried in a different part of the database, editable only by someone with direct access to the files. Which I think pretty much restricts it to Jerry, and it’s probably a lot of work even for him. ---
**Author:** ![Yesterdog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/d07c76/32.png) [@Yesterdog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yesterdog)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2007, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-retrieve-my-charter-member-tag/417608/16 "2007-09-02T23:28:43Z")
[QUOTE=TubaDiva] ?? I’m confused. (I’ve also been out of town and have had sporadic internet access, still do. See you later.) [/QUOTE] Lol. That was my attempt at ass-kissery. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kneepants_Erasmus_the_Humanist)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2007, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-retrieve-my-charter-member-tag/417608/17 "2007-09-03T03:34:56Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] As I understand it, any administrator can change the words under a poster’s name, but the continued discount status is burried in a different part of the database, editable only by someone with direct access to the files. Which I think pretty much restricts it to Jerry, and it’s probably a lot of work even for him. [/QUOTE] Shit, I couldn’t care less about the discount. I would just want to appear to be special again. Wah. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2007, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-retrieve-my-charter-member-tag/417608/18 "2007-09-03T08:23:14Z")
[QUOTE=Kneepants Erasmus, the Humanist] Shit, I couldn’t care less about the discount. I would just want to appear to be special again. Wah. 🙂 [/QUOTE] [This](http://www.gurman.co.uk/stuff/special.png) might help. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2007, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-retrieve-my-charter-member-tag/417608/19 "2007-09-03T16:03:59Z")
[QUOTE=Kneepants Erasmus, the Humanist] Shit, I couldn’t care less about the discount. I would just want to appear to be special again. Wah. 🙂 [/QUOTE] ALL of our members are special. The titles don’t really matter. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2007, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-retrieve-my-charter-member-tag/417608/20 "2007-09-03T23:06:16Z")
But if _everyone_ is special… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-retrieve-my-charter-member-tag/417608.md?page=2)