Summarize what happened to AGN TA?

[traveler]

Y'all I wasn't exactly a TA regular, and just discovered you refugees the other day.

I missed out on the drama at the old AGN TA forum. I just checked in one day and it was gone. Is there a thread here that summarizes WHAT HAPPENED? I searched and came up with some hints of the story, but nothing comprehensive.

If there isn't an existing thread, then this one ought to do... So what happened?

[sj]

It imploded...

[mopnglo]

Okay, I'll bite. Mind you this is just my prospective of the way things happened. I think the majority will agree that the final straw, so to speak, was the posting of a picture that was completely inappropriate. I'm not too sure where the picture came from, but I've read that it was a hot linked picture that was changed so as to show up in several different threads. But honestly I think the demise of TA went a little deeper than that. I had quit posting after all the drama started to unfold. However, I did lurk, with the hopes that it would get better, obviously it did not.
So my perspective is this...In a forum you will find different people with different opinions, everyone has a right to share those opinions whether you agree or not. This is what diversity is all about. I have read things that I have totally not agreed with to the point that it has angered me, however, I still respected that persons right to express their feelings, without being judged or bantered for it. If it continued and progressed to a different vane, that I myself, could not tolerate, I chose not to respond, nor read it. In real life, I tend to chose friends that have like opinions and/or beliefs as myself, or in general, I will surround myself with people I like, those that I do not like, I don't associate myself with. On the internet that is not an option, to a certain extent. If I run across someone on the internet that has views that I do not care for, my option is not to respond to them, or to distance myself from their posts. You can only control the world around you in real life, you have to accept the diversity on the internet, specifically in forums. Some on TA seem to forget this, or chose to ignore it and demand that their ways be respected. Failing to take into consideration that demanding their rights were being violated was taking away someone else's rights. I'm sure TA was flooded with emails, the context being nothing more than, he/she said this, he/she is doing this, blah, blah, blah. If our children cannot share a toy, we take that toy away until they learn to play together and share. I'm assuming TA did the same thing.

Of course, I could be wrong, but that's my take on it.

[gitpikker58]

Instigation, that's what happened, someone would just flame the living crap outta someone regardless WHAT the post was about, THEN sit back and watch the fur fly. It was like tying the tails of two cats together to watch them fight. One person in particular came it at the last and really started a bunch of crap to the point everyone whined about admins not doing their jobs wanting this person and that person banned instead of just ignoring the idiots.
When we feel we are no longer effective in a constructive manner it's time to move on, and there was a lot of non-constructive things going on at TA and most of it was just to rile others' dander, and it worked. I'm sure anyone coming in new just turned around and decided not to visit TA again just because of the garbage posted. You'd think the whole place was full of juvenile members the way everyone acted. I'm kinda glad it got closed down but I lost a lot of great posts that I wrote myself

[princessbaybay]

Very good post mop...

Had AGN not brought TA down I probably wouldn't have been around much longer anyway....

The grade school behavior of some posters was bad enough but the last straw for me was the threats of violence... these are message boards and should never be taken that seriously.

debates.... disagreements...and poking one with a stick every now and then is a part of life...
People just need to keep in mind that it may be hard to convey your true attitude through words.... I am guilty of that myself.... I am a sarcastic b!tch... but usually have a smile on my face when wielding the stick... but you can't see that through a monitor....and sometimes it is worth taking the extra time to add smileys and such to posts.

There is room for everyone in the sandbox... and everyone will get sand kicked in their face every once in awhile... but if you go around kicking sand in everyones face repeatedly(troll)... you are going to get a reaction... it is admins job to yank the offender out of the sandbox and there shouldn't have to be a billion emails sent complaining.

I would almost bet my last dollar that we will see a HUGE decline of people/ regular members running multiple IDs and trolling the boards... which was also a BIG problem on TA.... and probably got more complaints than the real trolls.

I think the admin here and on CR are doing a good job and hopefully the boards will stay positive and fun.

[italianlady]

WEll..... to me it was the down right "CLICKISH" and a lot "CHILDISH".

to quote gitpikker58
"there was a lot of non-constructive things going on"

[rena]

TA did get sad there at the end. I think we all are guilty in a way for it's downfall. I admit I fed the trolls....Wont do that again..... I also think there were a few regular members set on dividing all of us and the ones who did not follow suit were and are treated like sh!t . But like BayBay I am very happy that admin here or at CR does not let that happen.....

[joe]

Anarchy is what happened. Societies need rules and enforcement. TA, as they said, had the rules but preferred to leave the members to police themselves. Hordes sacked TA other times and it just couldn't be rebuilt this time. Chaos kills.

[Writer]

Crazy, childish idiots that set out to destroy. Others who took the bait. Others who were uncompromising. Some who got tired of all the crap and left.

That's about it.

[sj]

I think most who have posted here have an understanding to the demise of TA and make excellent points...that is good. From our mistakes and successes we learn. Let's move forward.....

[amatx]

Wow.
Best thread so far on AT; well reasoned, honest, and thoughtful posts.

I hope your question satisfactorily answered, traveler.

And to substantively add to same, I'll include:
mopnglo is one of my most admired posters here, just as she was at Talk Amarillo; a genuine smalltown gal with a true grasp on reality. Yet unto her I wish to say:
Diversity is merely divisiveness disquised as something desirable. Unity is preferrable, as one may find in the the motto of the United States of America: E Pluribus Unum (Of Many One)
In that unification of differences is the positive consequence that best describes the great "melting pot" America is cherished for, as opposed to the highlighting of differences that diversity begets as disharmony. Proponents of "diversity" have the EXACT same goals as neo-nazi skinheads, and no American should be even the reluctant supporter of same.

sj (Sports Junky) made the usual prudent and responsible remark.

Writer, Rena, and Joe accurately and succinctly desribed the situation, and of course (as expected) BayBay absolutely nailed it.

My personal perpective and assumption has always been that the whiners killed TA, not the troll(s)

[amatx]

And if that doesn't elicit at least a few exalts to move my Karma off of "0", then I'll just give up on trying to be nice.

[horribilis]

I posted over on TA as Old Rip. I think my last post was how childish some of the posts were getting- name calling like a bunch of 6 year olds. In fact I recall my comment was how odd (but commonplace) it was that adults in their normal walks of life could sink to the level of children in their off time. It reminds me of some clubs and organizations I used to belong to.

[rena]

amatx said:

And if that doesn't elicit at least a few exalts to move my Karma off of "0", then I'll just give up on trying to be nice.

I gave you a Karma.............

[princessbaybay]

I don't have anything to add other than to agree that mop is an exceptional person and I am glad she found her way here!

amatx I think you are just kissing her butt because you are afraid of her power tools!