Wow Karl.

Whew.

I feel doubly blind and stupid for not seeing it, and not recognizing it when someone else pointed it out. I'm sorry I didn't back you up that day, Karl. I'm sorry I was lax in expecting better behavior from someone who was a self-supporting and educated adult at that time, who was acting like an adolescent brat, and worse.

I love us all, and I regret my lack of awareness and support for any of you who were hurt or offended.

Yes to the proposal. (Further on fbook).

For the record, as a stompy, I'm totally good with acting unilaterally on bullshit consensus, but since y'all want to vote to codify it, that's fine. But personally, I have no issue with acting to remove a threat to the community. Our rules are set up to serve the community, not the other way 'round. That said, there doesn't seem to be a current issue actively here, at the moment. Should that change before our voting process exhausts itself, I will be happy to act at that time, and am totally willing to accept any ensuing flack that might cause.

In the event that the current procedural, uhh, process, should run into any roadblocks, I'm formally invoking the other here at this time. Polter-Cow, since there is no relevant thread in which to resolve things in-thread, and you've been referred to this thread, please consider this your official board warning. Consistent demon-like behavior has been detected, and it will not be tolerated here in our space. Invoking this in no way is meant to derail the current voting process; it should function as a corollary to that.

Was there an icon? I feel like there was an icon. I mean, thank goodness it's so long between events that necessitate this, but man.

I am not here very often anymore but will add that in the beginning, I read him annoyingly awkward and that dragged into either obtuse or willful incompentance to gather female attention.

I had not been aware that he made members feel so uncomfortable off IRL.

I passively watched his rise in the SFF writing community but had no idea how he was clawing his way into it. But I am not surprised.

That said, I am concensed for the sake and safety of the people in this space.

I'm mostly writing here due to my experience working with communities who experienced cases of harassment/gender/sexual based violence, as I have been a lurker for far too long now. I am also writing here because as so many of you said, I still consider this community as home, and I care about you very much.

First and foremost, I'd like to thank everyone who shared their experiences and concerns and perspectives. It is never easy, but it is essential. Thank you for sharing these publicly. I believe you, and I believe the backchannel.

I am too shocked and angry. PC has never done wrong to me as far as I can remember and I liked him until reading this thread, but I always read here knowing and thinking that everyone who post here are doing so with an open heart and generosity and wishing not to cause any harm to others. It may be naive, but that is how I read the posts here, every time, without exception. This is why it's home.

I agree with warning/banning PC off the board and giving Stompies permission to act upon the wishes of the parties that are hurt by his actions and behavior. While I hope that that will be enough for Buffistas to start the healing process, I also wish to share a few things from my experience of working with communities in the present and past. I cannot emphasis the next part enough: it's never a "they said/they said" when a community is involved. It weighs in on the entire community. Healing takes place only when the community is actively involved in the process, in accordance and cooperation with wishes and needs of the parties who were subjected to the toxic behavior. If you wish to read more, I recommend INCITE!'s materials at [link]

My inbox is open to all of you. Last but not least, thank you for still trying to be a safe place and do better. I can only hope that PC will follow the lead in person, and that the board can have a fresh start.

And I love you all, very much.

[Edited: because grammar]

Karl, thank you for posting that. I was never in the Supernatural thread so I was never aware of it. I'm also sorry you felt uncomfortable being here.

Yes to the proposal, and even to unilateral banning. I am one of those who MARCIE'D years ago because of behavior on the board, and still get reports of bad off-board behavior.

Karl, good to see you. What you said is much like what I was feeling around then. I totally get it.

Karl, thank you so much for sharing that with us.