When I was first asked to moderate /r/surfing we had 500 members, we now have 36,000.

I liked it better in the beginning. It was a smaller community, there was better discourse. Most regular commenters got to know each other a little, on a personal basis.

But, c'est la vie, things change. That's okay.

I still love this sub very much. I've made true friends on here. In actual honest-to-god real life, not just through a screen. People I've come to trust and depend upon. People who have helped me through very hard times.

In the beginning, some of you may remember, we took a wild west approach to speech. You could say whatever you wanted, no matter how foul or hateful. Because it was a small community, and because I believed it was the right thing to do. I thought it was important to allow people to spew whatever hateful vitriol is in their hearts, if for no other reason than to demonstrate that those people are disliked by most and that kindness has true value.

And, I will admit, I thought some of it was funny. I am not a perfect man. Ask my wife, she'll vouch for that.

But things have changed, as they do.

As the sub has grown larger we've begun attracting some of the less savory elements of the online world. Truly hateful people who want nothing more than to spread their disgusting mentality to others.

Now, I'm not referring to dickheads. Most surfers are dickheads. I am no exception. This is a strange sport that prides itself on individualism and does not take kindly to the idea of sharing. I'm no saint. I've internalized the flaws that come with it as much as, if not more than, anyone else.

But, man, there's a line. There's a difference between being someone I don't like and perpetuating beliefs that are truly disgusting.

Furthermore, certain groups have decided that strength-in-numbers online harassment is an effective way to get their point across. Which means that I, a person who does not attempt to hide his identity, have enjoyed a fair amount of off-reddit communication from individuals expressing their contempt for my being.

I can handle it, but I don't appreciate it. Rather than bend, I am pushing back.

Henceforth (how often do you get to use that word?) /r/surfing will be banning any members who participate in what we consider racism, sexism, xenophobia, or homophobia. This includes speech in spaces outside of /r/surfing.

Sorry, nothing we do or say takes place in a vacuum.

This does not mean that a simple rude remark, maybe misinterpreted, will earn a perma-ban. Everyone says mean things sometimes. I called my dog a fag yesterday. I don't even know why. I love the little guy. And I paid someone to cut his balls off. If anything, he's asexual.

We will not be giving warnings, we will be handing out bans.

I understand that some innocent people will be caught in the cross-hairs.

If that is the case, please send us a mod message. Please be polite about it. Spamming me PMs and making posts in the_donald will not help your case. I don't understand why anyone would think that it would, but it keeps happening so I figure I should point it out.

Finally, I'd like to reinforce that this does not mean we all have to agree. Dissent, discussion, arguments; they have true value. I do not assume that how I feel is right, only that it feels that way.

If this makes you want to scream censorship, or persecution, or anything involving the acronym SJW, /r/surfing is no longer the place for you.