Let's Be Logical

Let me give you the rundown before I post all of my arguments that I just made to a singular person. Yesterday I joined a new role playing site simply because I was bored and the two that I am already a part of have slowed down for the moment. Kind of stupid on my part, but I liked the new community and the people in it. So today I was chatting with one of the members between our posts, and then the admin comes along and bans me. Why? Because I gave a link to a helpful little site. Advertising in that cbox is against the rules, but it wasn't advertising. Just a link to helpful information. Not promoting anything, which is what advertising is. The person I was chatting with defends me after I was banned completely, and that person is banned as well because they let a swear word slip, and the admin apparently doesn't like swearing. This admin is age 30+ or, so they claim. So here's what I wrote:

Honestly, you don't take any shit, do you?

I thought that maybe I'd explain myself to you, apologize for making a mistake (as we are all humans, after all--we make mistakes), maybe we'd be able to make things straight again. I read the rules, through and through. You said that there is to be no advertising in the cbox, but you said absolutely nothing about sharing links. The link that I gave ACE was to a dead site that I admin, and I don't ever plan to run that site. It was to give him codes for the coloring, as we often do in RPing when a character is talking.

So I made a mistake. Is there no warnings at all? Any staff that would like to keep their site running would issue at least one warning before they took measures against their role players. I protect my members whenever I can, and people love me as an admin.

Forgive and forget. It's a very nice, friendly, and human thing to do.

Now when you say that I'm banned, does that mean I never get to role play on your site? I don't often join in on new sites, and I liked the members that were there. Your site kind of stretched my limits, as far as I was figuring out. I liked it there.

But if you're going to be so condescending and mean, maybe I'll leave you alone. But first I want to put in my little fight.

If I remember correctly, you said nothing about swearing in the cbox. But I can't read the rules anymore, so I don't know. But give ACE a warning as well. S/he was trying to protect someone that they might consider a friend.

I'm willing to give your site a second chance, and I'll try to adhere to your rules as much as I possibly can. I'm a suck-up, I'll admit, and I like to follow the rules, unlike my charrie. Gets me farther in life than trying to bend them.

You're an adult--or at least claim to be. Please tell me that a teenager doesn't make more sense than you. Because I can debate this until I win, if I care enough. I'm simply trying to protect myself, someone I found highly amusing and friendly, as well as future people for your site.

Please, talk to me, and let us come to an understanding. You don't want to be one of those admins that are a complete jerk, because your site will quickly die. Trust me on that one.

And then a little later:

Sorry ... I gave myself time to think over more things in favor of ACE and I over your childish accusations. Actually, I couldn't help but think over it while my message hopefully sits in your inbox. Not to think myself superior over you, but you have to admit that you did react rather illogically.

You ban the both of us over a simple (very simple, mind you) infraction of your cbox rules, of all places. I can understand if you're angry at the two of us if we blatantly broke your rules on your forum, as that is a little bit of a bigger thing than a simple cbox. Excuse me, your cbox. You are the administrator and apparent owner of everything on that site.

And I'm being a little sarcastic now. Bear with me, because underneath the sarcasm, my arguments (I'm kind of taking this as a one sided debate, simply because I can) are rather sound.

You treat the forum as if it is your baby. The Internet is full of wrong-doers. Don't tell me that you're perfect, because you're absolutely not. No one is. Which is all a part of being human.

I'm human. You're human. ACE is human.

ACE used sarcasm against you, most likely angered you, and you banned him/her. Because I still stand by the memory that swearing was not a part of the rules.

Swearing is also a part of life, if you haven't noticed. We learn at an early age from our parents' curses that swearing is a part of society. Now more than ever.

And to point out a fact, teenagers do it more than anyone else, simply because they think it's cool. I'm a high schooler yet; I know. But teenagers are also the majority of people that role play on forums. As far as I have noticed, at least. Everyone that has signed up for my site is either eighteen or nineteen, with a very few that are younger or older. As a matter of fact, I think only one person on my site is over the age of twenty. I thought she could be heartless sometimes, but at least I've always been on her good side.

Because she knows, as well as anyone who will give me a chance, that I don't mean to undermine the admin and his/her rules. But that's too personal for this argument. Or maybe not. I'm not sure if you'll listen to me no matter what I type.

You need to lighten up. But I've already told you that as well.

So I'll say my last things to you before I give you time to reply to my message. And I sincerely hope I do hear back from you, because I am really curious as to what you were thinking. Well, I know what you were thinking, but I find it bordering on the line of hilarity. Yet when I write that, I realize that I'm not helping my case against you, and I'll spark that short fuse of yours, and I'll certainly be banned for good.

Maybe I'll like that, though. Having to watch that line you scratched down with your laws (which really should be made more specific if you'll come at us members left and right like you did) with wary eyes is not something I'm much inclined to do. I like a little wiggle room, in case I do mess up.

Because we're human, right? I'll continue stating that. Humans make mistakes. We're not perfect, as a race. Unless you think yourself along the lines of a god. And I'll not assume that you don't ... because some people are nut cases. Be wary of those on the Internet, right?

I liked the community going on there, but mostly because I got some role playing in. I really enjoyed that thread that I had with Clockwork (whom you just banned as well), and ... you destroyed our hopes of finishing it.

So, if you won't listen to any of the many reasons I just gave to you, and ACE and I are still banned (although I find ACE's case more outrageous than my own, though my case is pretty out there as well), may I please have everything that I wrote on there. My bio, my thread with Marvel Girl (and some sincere apologies for being human and less than perfect), my thread with Clockwork.

And another thing that I must point out to you! Because realizing this, I find the whole situation all too rich.

Yesterday on the cbox I wrote that there won't be any room for mistakes when it comes to writing threads. Because us members can't edit threads. It's confirmed by us. Don't argue that to our faces, because you won't win that one. Unless you go behind our backs and change it, then say 'wha-laa!' Whatever. But I said that I have to be absolutely perfect because I can't edit my post. You replied by saying that's taking it a little too far. So you don't expect us to be perfect with our role playing, but you expect perfect personalities behind the character? Mmmhmm.

Also, if it's not too late, I would like to request ACE's email.

I read the rules. I know you said to not share any personal information whatsoever. I did. Ooops. Not really.
I'm sixteen years old, live in Michigan, my IM accounts are all agordonll@ whatever. I play Gambit on two other sites besides yours, my computer name is Kifu, but most people know me by Abby. I am in fact female, consider myself a rather good budding artist and role player. I'm friendly to those that are friendly to me first, but I'm harsh with my words when others scorn me. I like to think that I react to situations rationally.

But I only wish to contact ACE to see if I can role play with him/her elsewhere. I don't want to lose someone that actually liked me, that liked my Gambit, and someone that I thought was a good role player as well.

I give my word that I won't bug ACE. Even though I'm kind of doing that to you. But admit it, you deserved it.

I don't expect you to believe me, but I have a written vow that I will not lie. Sounds rather childish, but I like to abide by that as much as I possibly can. I don't like liars, I don't like those that think themselves above everyone else.

Also in your rules you state that if a member does not like how you decree everything irrationally, the member should simply leave. I want to work with you, really. But the longer I write this email, the less I think that. I just want to role play with ACE. I just 'met' the person twenty-four hours ago, but the impression was nice. Well, so was yours at first.

I actually laughed when I saw your message in the cbox. "ADMIN: Kifu YOU ARE BANNED!" *ahem* Okay. I thought it was a guest impersonating the admin, though I'm pretty sure you wrote that that was illegal in your rules as well. For one, the screen name thing was different from what you were using previously. Second, I find it childish when people write all in caps like that, and you claimed that you were 30+ years old. Third ... who the heck writes that? Besides for practical jokes.

Then you state your rather weak reasons as to why, and I have no way of arguing for myself. I stick up for myself and those I care for. But I'm sure you already realize that with this lengthy email. But I find a way to contact the administrator, and this is what I'm left with. You let it be this way. Don't forget that.

Let me sum this up for you.

You expect people to be perfect. We're human, so we're therefore not.
You expect us to read through your rules and know them like the back of our hands. Not only that, but you expect us to read through the lines and get that swearing is illegal in your little world that you created for us. You think that links heading anywhere, most likely, is some sort of advertisement. (Let's face it, you're advertising Marvel with your site. Uh-oh.)
You think that a minor "crime" in the cbox is worth eating our heads off and banning us from everything about you. Your cbox. Your forum. Your rules.
You think that you've heard the last word from us because you banned us from the cbox and your forum. What next? You send my emails to the spam folder in your email? I hope not. I want some logical comeback to my own. I expect it. You're a smart adult. You're better than me, a teenager. You can do it.

I've pi--ticked you off by now. I'm almost sure of it. I used sarcasm. You don't like sarcasm. I sucked up to you yesterday when you helped me with my bio, with my many thank-yous and grovelling, but apparently it wasn't enough to start off on the right foot. Or whatever.

I inflated your ego. Stupid me.

But all I want is to keep the buddy I just made: ACE. Got his/her email or whatever? Please help me and don't break us up. I don't even want a part of your Marvel utopia any more. I want ACE. That's all. Even if to be rejected by him/her when I offer to RP with him/her elsewhere.

Good luck with your site. It won't be running long.

So, you tell me: How would you react to me? I was a little pestering and annoying, I admit, but I was holding back some stunned anger. I could have been a lot more harsh, believe me. Would you have even banned me in the first place?

But I'll give you all the actual conversation in the cbox, since that's where all of this occurred (except I can't find what I wrote just previous to the banned note, so I'll write what's the closest I can find):

Kifu: These are the colors you can code: [link]
ADMIN: Kifu YOU HAVE BEEN BANNED!
ADMIN: Advertising in the cb is in our Rules & Guidelines that you read and agreed to prior to registration
ACE: wait what....?
ADMIN: We have Rules to follow here and we don't issue them to not be followed
ADMIN: Ace if your unhappy with the site than perhaps you should leave.
ACE: Kifu was only trying to show me what the color codes looked like....
ADMIN: Doesn't matter. You are not allowed to post any links to any sites in the cb period.
ADMIN: You should know this as well from reading the Rules.
ACE: Well damn if you're gonna be such a friendly and understanding admin about it......
ADMIN: If you were only a decent member who did not whine and actually READ and COMPREHENDED THE RULES.
ADMIN: Swearing in MY c-box gets you banned kiddo. Goodbye.

Haha ... now this will forever be in my memory. Stupid people are so funny, are they not?