# "On Fighting Ignorance" and Melin **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 20, 2000, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-fighting-ignorance-and-melin/15051 "2000-03-20T09:03:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2000, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-fighting-ignorance-and-melin/15051/21 "2000-03-20T17:41:00Z")
As much as I try to avoid the soap opera / clique / high school bullshit that floods this board, I have to make a comment. Why is everybody saying “oh, she shouldn’t be banned, her posts were so great”? SHE WAS NOT BANNED BECAUSE OF THE QUALITY OF HER POSTS! Read Zotti’s message, dammit! ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2000, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-fighting-ignorance-and-melin/15051/22 "2000-03-21T06:00:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Why is everybody saying “oh, she shouldn’t be banned, her posts were so great”? SHE WAS NOT BANNED BECAUSE OF THE QUALITY OF HER POSTS! Read Zotti’s message, dammit! With all due respect, we _did_ read what Ed had to say. The reason we kept on referring to her posts was that the Melin that the admins experienced was different from the Melin _we_ experienced - through her posts. When you feel you’ve gotten to know someone, you have a hard time seeing them act in a way that seems antithetical with your experience of them. That’s human nature. Notwithstanding that, Ed’s clarification made me understand his position a bit better. Unlike Falcon, I haven’t been here since ‘Melingate’, and had only recently encountered hints of such a fiasco. (‘Hints’ are still all I have; don’t ask me for any details.) I respect the board admins’ decision, but it doesn’t mean I like or respect Melin any less. We all have our dark recesses; different things bring them to the fore. Whatever went on between her and the admins doesn’t negate the person I saw in Melin’s posts. It just means that that’s not the entire story of who she is. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2000, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-fighting-ignorance-and-melin/15051/23 "2000-03-21T06:20:00Z")
I don’t really want to comment on Melin’s banning, since I don’t know all the facts behind it. I will however say that the Melin I have known was a valuable presence on this board, and I for one will be sorry to see her go. ---
**Author:** ![Diane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2acd7d/32.png) [@Diane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diane)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2000, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-fighting-ignorance-and-melin/15051/24 "2000-03-21T06:20:00Z")
If you’re lurking Melin, know that I will miss you. You have my e-mail address. Hijack - > [@](#): > > As much as I try to avoid the soap opera / clique / high school bullshit that floods this board ## This is the second poster I have read today that referred to a “clique”. Either my past observation was not my imagination as implied or we are having mutual hallucinations. You turn me on. But maybe it’s because I just spent 20 years in the jungle, getting it on with anything I could attract with a piece of fruit. ---
**Author:** ![Ursa\_Major](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a88e57/32.png) [@Ursa\_Major](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ursa_Major)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2000, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-fighting-ignorance-and-melin/15051/25 "2000-03-21T06:22:00Z")
Let’s face it. We’re talking about a conflict between two very stuborn people here. When all else fails in such a conflict people look for ways to hurt the other side. Ed hurt Melin in the only way he could. He banned her. Under the new rules he has the power to use his position as an administrator for vengence. Melin did nothing “as a poster” to warrent banning, but as a person IRL she pissed off someone who has the power to take away something she truely values. If Ed wants to use his power that way, he has every right to do so. I just wish he was smarter in the way he goes about it. Posting a thread in the Pit about being “fed up” does nothing to garner my sympathy and only serves to drive away good posters like Bricker. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2000, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-fighting-ignorance-and-melin/15051/26 "2000-03-21T06:49:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Don’t you think that if they had wanted to inform us about their actions and have no feedback or comments, they could have posted the “explanation” and then locked the thread? True, someone would just open one but then it is out of their hands. Ed even posted the thread in the Pit! Was he just saving people the trouble of opening new threads to discuss the matter? I read the post last night immediately upon it’s arrival in the pit. To be honest, at first, I expected the thread to be locked, then I realized that that would indeed be futile, Someone would just start another to throw around the arguments. I think the admin and mods have seen enough of this to wise up to it and just go head-on into the shit they were bound to hear for the decision. I’m not taking sides at all, I simply can not, and my statement reflected that. I know alot of us posters know each other personally and meet and converse off of this board, but I find it hard to believe that so many know enough of the details of this situation to say what was right or what was wrong. Falc- I know Bricker will not be posting here as things are standing now, and that deeply saddens me. I thought he was a very valuable asset to this board. Hopefully he’ll be back soon. * * * I like it here-can I stay? And do you have a vacancy for a Back-scrubber? ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2000, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-fighting-ignorance-and-melin/15051/27 "2000-03-21T06:59:00Z")
I liked Melin as a poster. Her fall from Mod grace was before my time, but I gathered what had happened. From what Ed has said, I can understand his decision. I would like to hear Melin’s side of the story. One thing sticks in my mind, though. A few days ago, Melin posted in a GQ thread that MajorMD was on vacation until this coming Tuesday. I am assuming that Sue would have advocated for Melin, and hope that the timing of this ban is purely coincedental. I hope we don’t lose Sue over this. That would be a shame. ---
**Author:** ![Demo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demo/32/8472_2.png) [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2000, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-fighting-ignorance-and-melin/15051/28 "2000-03-20T19:40:00Z")
Spoke, Bravo. My sentiments exactly. > [@](#): > > The perplexing thing is the latitude given the obvious trolls, while Melin is banned. There seems to be a serious lack of perspective here. If they’re going to ban nonsense, then ban all of it. This comparison between the trolls and Melin being kicked holds no water. The troll situation has been handled pretty well considering the current mass influx of them. They are normally resolved within a few weeks. Melin seems to have been having conflicts with the Admin/Mods for quite a while now. Diane said: > [@](#): > > Hijack - > > This is the second poster I have read today that referred to a “clique”. Either my past observation was not my imagination as implied or we are having mutual hallucinations. Oh lord, not _this_ again… * * * “Can’t this lousy rotten useless fucking lump of cosmic shit planet make up it’s fucking mind? It just makes me sick.” –Dr. Watson ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2000, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-fighting-ignorance-and-melin/15051/29 "2000-03-20T20:00:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Hijack - > This is the second poster I have read today that referred to a “clique”. Either my past observation was not my imagination as implied or we are having mutual hallucinations. I think Arnie was referring to, hmmmmmm, how shall I word this, **LIFE**. This board obviously has become several entities in and of itself, not the least of which is several people interacting on very personal, very real, very NON-board related levels. If having and making friends is to be considered ‘cliquish’, well then I am certainly guilty, not only here, but at work, at parties and other social functions, at my children’s school, hell, just about everywhere. I think I’ll call a few tonight, “Guess what guys, we’re a clique! Yea!” :rolleyes: * * * I like it here-can I stay? And do you have a vacancy for a Back-scrubber? ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2000, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-fighting-ignorance-and-melin/15051/30 "2000-03-20T20:07:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by psycat90: > I think Arnie was referring to, hmmmmmm, how shall I word this, **LIFE**. Was I? I thought I was referring to the fact that I’m sorry Melin is gone. (Unless there’s another Arnie here I don’t know about.) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2000, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-fighting-ignorance-and-melin/15051/31 "2000-03-20T20:13:00Z")
Hey Arnie, when I put words in your mouth, just say ‘Please, Sir, may I have another?’ M’kay? 🙂 j/k Sorry hon. And FTR- I am sad that Melin is gone as well. Actually, I think the whole situation is rather grim. * * * I like it here-can I stay? And do you have a vacancy for a Back-scrubber? ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2000, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-fighting-ignorance-and-melin/15051/32 "2000-03-20T21:03:00Z")
OK, well my foot tastes great if you all were wondering. Sorry Arnold. I was referring to Revtim’s remark concerning cliques, etc. I’ll just, ummm, work now, since that’s what they pay me for anyway. * * * I like it here-can I stay? And do you have a vacancy for a Back-scrubber? ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2000, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-fighting-ignorance-and-melin/15051/33 "2000-03-20T22:33:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by psycat90: > Hey Arnie, when I put words in your mouth, just say ‘Please, Sir, may I have another?’ M’kay As long as they’re not big words. Anything under 20 letters is OK. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2000, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-fighting-ignorance-and-melin/15051/34 "2000-03-20T22:49:00Z")
> [@](#): > > I’ve lurked at this message board since the summer and there have only been a handful of people who truly add light as well as substance to their posts and **Melin has ALWAYS been counted among those.** Um, according to who? Nothing more than a high brow troll, though occasionally the bi-polar personality swung in a constructive direction on innocuous topics. ---
**Author:** ![Poto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ab992/32.png) [@Poto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poto)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2000, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-fighting-ignorance-and-melin/15051/35 "2000-03-20T23:31:00Z")
Yeah, when can we have a board with total anarchy and no moderators? Let’s not pretend the board is anything more than the Chicago Reader’s property. ---
**Author:** ![Durno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@Durno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Durno)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2000, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-fighting-ignorance-and-melin/15051/36 "2000-03-20T23:33:00Z")
Well nevertheless, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry to see her go. She was pretty much the only one who could give David B a run for his money, and I wish her well, whatver the ins and outs of the behind-the-scenes stuff. * * * …because Durnovarianus had too many letters ---
**Author:** ![evilbeth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/evilbeth/32/2268_2.png) [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2000, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-fighting-ignorance-and-melin/15051/37 "2000-03-21T05:13:00Z")
Well, I am not as irritated now as I was before. I understand that this is something we do not have the details about and therefore, cannot make completely informed statements about. I am not questioning the right of the admins to ban Melin. It _is_ their game. I am also not denying that Melin may have deserved to be banned. I understand that Ed did what he felt was right for the board. (I am still not too comfortable with the wording of Ed’s original post but I guess we’ll just have to live with it.) * * * I always try to do things in chronological order. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2000, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-fighting-ignorance-and-melin/15051/38 "2000-03-21T11:56:00Z")
This post duplicates the one I just made in the Pit: > [@](#): > > Originally posted by Bricker: > \*\*So deal fairly, Ed, and lay out your case. Details. Equity. Reasonable reasons. I’m not being stubbornly partisan. I can be convinced that Melin needed to be banned. But you’ve got to provide more than conclusory allegations. \*\* Yesterday, in the wee hours of the morning, this is what I said. I was, during the day yesterday, in repeated contact with both the parties by e-mail. And it’s fair to say I now understand the decision to ban Melin. It still saddens me no end. But the situation at the time I first posted was that the banning appeared with virtually no supporting rationale. That has changed. I don’t think that I would have done the same in Ed’s shoes. But I do understand why he did it, and I don’t think he abused his discretion in doing it. My comment about leaving was not intended to be dramatic flair; it was simply a recognition that I wouldn’t want to play in the sandbox if the kid who owned it wouldn’t play fair. I hated to do it, because I really like this place. And I am glad to now be back. - Rick ---
**Author:** ![ultress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7c8e57/32.png) [@ultress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultress)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2000, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-fighting-ignorance-and-melin/15051/39 "2000-03-21T12:05:00Z")
And we are glad that you are back Bricker. Please stick around, we enjoy your company. * * * _I’ve learned that if someone says something unkind about me, I must live so that no one will believe it._ ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2000, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-fighting-ignorance-and-melin/15051/40 "2000-03-21T12:11:00Z")
Thanks, ultress – and to everybody for your kind words by e-mail and the board during my short absence. In other circumstances, this post number would have had a thread of its own… but I can’t quite say I’m in celebratory spirits, so perhaps I can have a big celebration when I hit 2000. 🙂 - Rick [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-fighting-ignorance-and-melin/15051.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-fighting-ignorance-and-melin/15051.md?page=3)