Can somebody help me out here? I’m completely lost. Can I get a brief history of what went down here? This seems to be the forum with the most Melin-related activity, so I thought I’d post this question here.
But just to qualify it for the Pit: Fuckin’ A, man.
“History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it.” -Winston Churchill
Melin was a long time regular on the old AOL board. When The Chicago Reader started up this board she was one of the people who was chosen to be a moderator. A few months later, Melin and another moderator got into a large argument over a topic that was being discussed on this board. Shortly after this, Melin either resigned or was dismissed as a moderator. This whole situation created a lot of ill will among everyone involved. Recently there was another situation in which a moderator on this board said something about Melin which she felt insulted her professional capabilities (Melin’s a lawyer). Melin responded to the post on the board and by email. During the course of this discussion, Melin raised the possibility that she might file a lawsuit. While this particular issue was resolved without any law suits being filed, the management of The Chicago Reader banned Melin from the board because they feel a future disagreement might lead to a law suit.
Lil Nemo got a couple of the details wrong. Rather than rehash the entire sordid affair, I’ll direct you here:
http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum5/HTML/000820.html
This thread has more than you care to know about the subject.
Questions:
“History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it.” -Winston Churchill
She wasn’t banned the first time, just dismissed from her moderator position. I don’t quite understand why she was cut and other person involved, Jillgat or something like that, continued on as a mod. If I recall correctly, Jillgat started arguing with Melin in the first place and the whole gist of Melin being let go was that two mods are not supposed to argue or something like that.
If you really want to know, go look at the old posts and find out for yourself. It’s like everything else in life, you want to know something, go to the source, educate yourself about it, don’t just blindly accept other people’s word for it.
When you ask other people, you get their version of what happened. Which may or may not be accurate and at the least is colored by their perceptions.
Whoever wrote “there’s your side and my side and the truth lies somewhere in the middle,” must have had this message board in mind.
If you weren’t directly involved in any of this, what the hell do you care anyway? Your passing opinion on past events isn’t going to change anything or make it different or even make it better; it’s just your opinion, someone who wasn’t involved and doesn’t know. So what does it matter anyway?
your humble TubaDiva
Forgive me, TubaDiva. Sometimes people just seek knowledge for knowledge’s sake. They might want to know just because they believe that knowledge is better than ignorance.
But you’re right. What Rousseau really should do is read up on it. That’s what Edlyn and I did over the course of several days. We had pursued a juicy and suspenseful mystery. What we found was something else.
I agree Lib -
Just seems to me that it’s just a bunch of sniping between two people that blew up into something where the reaction to the original event outweighed the original event itself. Seen it a million times.
I really don’t know who to believe. But if anyone’s looking for a better understanding of this thing, I would advise you to not just read the stuff posted here, but to also go and read Melin’s response (the link is in Opal’s thread) so you can see both sides - it does at least summarize the issues a little bit.
All in all, it just seems like a big fucking mess that would just as well go away. Whether or not Melin or SDMB is right, I don’t know, but I do agree that SDMB had every right to do whatever it desires with its own property. If we don’t like we can leave.
I’m assuming if Rousseau wanted to read the four or five hundred individual posts that were written about various aspects of this situation, he would have done so. Undoubtedly, I missed many of the details and I’m sure everyone involved feels I misstated their positions. But I was attempting to briefly summarize everything in as impartial a manner as possible.
I haven’t said anything about this Melin crap. Mainly because I don’t care if she is banned or not. But with all this talk about moderators and how they should act why is it that TUBADIVA can jump down a person’s throat for no fucking reason? He may not be directly involved in this but he is just curious. Big whoop. I think we should start a new trend BAN all the moderators from doing anything but reading and pulling post. That may haved saved Melin from all the trouble that got her fired in the first place. Oh yeah, I am in no way involved in this either, SO WHAT!!!
Little Nemo
The only disagreement with your post that I would have (and it’s possible that I missed something along the way), is that I’m pretty sure Melin was dismissed, and the threatened lawsuit did not arise because of another moderator’s comments, but because of comments in misc.facts.straight-dope by someone not related to the SDMB.
Chief Crunch
Apparently, the two mods argued, and were told to stop. The other did, Melin didn’t, and Melin was dismissed.
Lib
There ya go
rocks
Another question.
By banning Melin after she threatened to sue, didn’t Ed run an even bigger risk of lawsuit? Not that the SDMB wouldn’t have won (the exact phrsing in the rules is “Please remember that you are our guest here, and that we must reserve the right to exclude you at our whim, for any or no reason whatsoever”), but if she was mad enough to sue over being “defamed” in front of the 5000 some odd people here (also known as about 2 thousandths of a percent of the population of the US), she might have been mad enough to challenge your ability to ban her for arguing. Just a thought.
“History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it.” -Winston Churchill
Addressed to RM Mentock
I have removed this post because Melin is no longer allowed to post here – even by proxy.
Any other communications from Melin will be removed as found.
your humble TubaDiva
What part of “banned from this board” don’t you understand?
[Note: This message has been edited by TubaDiva]
RM, I believe the question of whether Melin resigned or was dismissed from her moderator position was one of the issues being argued. Wanting to present an impartial account (and not really knowing enough to pronounce a judgement) I included both sides. And the communications prior to the lawsuit threat apparently occurred in several different areas; email, posts on the mfsd message board, and posts here on The Straight Dope Message Board.
Rousseau, to answer your question which I missed before, this board started up approximately in March 1999. I say “approximately” because I believe it was being tested with limited access (by Melin, among others) somewhat earlier. Maybe we need a new motto: “So Much Controversy in So Little Time”.
I made the enemies list! Woo hoo!
rocks
Lemmon2000, TubaDiva is a she, I think.
Her post correctly pointed out that the best way to learn about the controversy is to read all the pertinent posts.
As for any snideness in the rest of her comments, this is the Pit for Chrissakes. Get a fuckin’ clue.
C’mon, RM, there is no “enemies list”. The rumors that an extensive database is maintained of the schedules of posters who bother us in any way so we moderators can break into their homes and dip their toothbrushes in their toilets, drink their beer, shave our entire bodies (well, not our heads) with their razors and blow our noses on their draperies are obviously completely and utterly without merit.
P.S.–You might want to pick up some Guinness before this weekend. Um, no reason, I just thought you might like some Guinness. You might enjoy some scotch, too. Hey, how big’s your TV? Do you have DVD? Jus’ curious.
If those rumors are false, Gaudere, how come my toothbrush tasted like shit this morning and there was snot on my curtains?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Um, because you have incredibly poor personal hygiene? (Just a leetle friendly advice–you might not want to talk so much about your little “habits”. Turns off the ladyfriends, ifyaknowwhatImean. nudge nudge)
Excuse me, Father?