Well, I go away for a few hours and here you all are tearing each others' throats out. Joy. Well, I hope to change that.

Context

• Catalyst thread

1. Members of the community feel that a new rule is too oppressive

2. Members of the community voice concerns centering around /u/Pinkerbelle's handling of the new rule

3. Mods did not approve of the manner in which those concerns were voice

4. Mods deemed [Catalyst Thread] a call for a witch hunt

5. Mods revise rule 5 ("No Witchhunts" to not only protect the community and assorted people of interest, but also to protect themselves.)

6. Members of the community deem that revision a blanket ban on criticism against the mods

7. Chaos ensues.

Part 1

Both sides of this issue have valid points, but both sides are handling it atrociously.

To clarify and validate those concerns and points, I will delineate them here. If I missed something, POLITELY tell me and I will gladly add it.

Community concerns

• Feels that content is being stifled

• Feels that mods are being too heavy handed

• Feels that rule 3 is poorly implemented

• Feels that the mods are preparing for an SJW-Style coup

• Feels that the mods are serving themselves, and not the community

Mod concerns

• Feels that the community is unfocused

• Feels that individual mods are being targeted.

• Feels that they're not adequately protected by the rules that protect the community.

• Feels that the community is rising for an SJW-style coup.

On both sides, these are understandable, believable concerns.

Part 2

Criticisms of the community

• The [Catalyst Post] was framed and presented as focusing primarily on /u/Pinkerbelle, with its (valid) criticisms on Rule 3 being given considerably and significantly less emphasis than the calls for their deposition.

• The members of the community are aiming their discontent with rule 3 at the mods themselves, rather than at rule 3.

• Wildly and extravagantly misinterpreted the mod's revision to rule 5.

• Acting completely free of blame or fault or flaw.

Criticisms of the Mods

• When announcing their revision to rule 5, emphasized their apathy to community concerns instead of emphasizing the changes to rule 5.

• Very poorly explained their revision to rule 5.

• Behaved very unprofessionally

• Acting completely free of blame or fault or flaw

Part 3

Where we come together

Everyone, please understand that the mods have taken up their position because they believe in what this community stands for, and they genuinely want what the rest of us want---So much so that they're willing to paint a target on their backs by being moderators. With SJWs the way they are, being a moderator is much more risky than being a mere user. Beyond that, there's much more hassle, much more stress, much more crap to deal with----Every day they put up with crap from all sides... From genuine community members, from concern trolls, from genuine SJWs. It's only natural and expected that they would not respond well to direct attacks on members of their team.

But mods, please understand that the community is very nervous of power grabs, very suspicious of anything that looks like a hostile takeover. They've seen community after community they once loved be twisted, warped, and ravaged by over-bearing moderators with personal agendas. Please be aware of that, and please be more tactful in your revisions to rules.

Part 4

My own sentiments

For the love of vivian, guys, relax.

We of all people should know that shouting our opponents down is not conducive to attaining our goals.

No matter who you are---Whether you're me, you, you, or anyone else---there's always some way to improve your ability to convey your message.

There are definitely many ways that my own message can be improved, cut down, clarified, and refined.

Please, don't just stick your feet down and refuse to take stock of your own situation, and don't ignore criticism.

Please, don't assume the worst intent. When in doubt, ask for clarification.

Don't be like those dumb shits in anime where half the god damned plot could have been prevented by not jumping to conclusions.

I swear, the trainwreck of drama I came back to after work reminds me of those cheesy anime where Cindy the Cinder-Brained Tsundere runs off and joins Satan in his destruction of the universe because she saw Osmo the Osmium Brained Protagonist talking to his sister and she thought he was cheating on her and they both spend 9 episodes studiously avoiding the issue because they're both too fucking dense and socially awkward to sit down like fucking adults and actually talk to each other and hear each other out.