In my previous incarnation as Bertram3, I had predicted that ‘most likely this post will also vanish, this poster will be banned, this poster’s IP address will be blocked’.
Unfortunately, I was right.
But this fact only serves to reinforce the impression that the RFF ‘administration’ seems to be afraid, or at least nervous of something. Otherwise why BAN, BLOCK?
Or not?
An enforced disappearance means what to you, RFF members? Does it relate to the owner of a site doing as he pleases, as FrankS claims, or is it rather reminiscent of Latin American Governments a few decades ago?
Anyway: this is not the main topic of this new post, which I shall simply upload and go away (let us see if you can resist the urge to not only ‘ban’ but also ‘block’, since ‘banning is actually enough and blocking reinforces the impression that you are insecure for some reason).
The fact that Magus opted out himself is not new. It was clearly stated in post number one:
‘Magus immediately posted Mr. Gandy’s private message on the thread and to it a reply to the effect that Magus isn’t going to be intimidated and wouldn’t stay on under the circumstances (personal insults intended to intimidate and posted to the private box).’
That is why the publicisation of Mr. Gandy’s private message was not tolerated by him, the ‘owner’. Because it exposed his awkward attempt at blackmail and insulting language. He called a member of RFF a ‘jerk’ (amazing for a super-merchant and owner of a site) and tried to corner him in the same message, saying either you continue to be a jerk or you become an ex RFF member.
He didn’t do it on-thread for reasons of tact? RFF members, come on!
(Note that no poster has addressed the issue of double standards regarding Bill58’s post saying that Arsenal can shove their stuff… you ALL know where.)
Even a schoolboy would know how to proceed. Magus proceeded in exactly the same way. Secret police, etc., have used the same methods for centuries.
Why was this foul threat sent to the private inbox and not posted publicly?
Why was the publicisation of the ‘veiled’ threat airbrushed – WITHIN SECONDS?
I think RFF members can understand the reason very well. I hope so.
Additionally, Back Alley’s offer of reconsideration worked in one direction only. ‘Reconsider, and you won’t be banned’, rather than: ‘O.K., I’ll ban you, but if you change your mind in 24 hrs I’ll lift it’. Since Mr. Gandy and Back Alley have the keyboard power anyway, that would have been the elegant risposte.
The fact is that they were delighted at being hand-fed with a perfect motive.
Ideally, there should be a post by Mr. Gandy on this thread. Actually, ideally Mr. Gandy should have apologised to Magus for literally ‘sending him a coercive letter’ in his supposedly private inbox on RFF using foul language to insult him and ‘impress’ him with the fact that the King speaks to him and calls him to order.
Now knowing Magus’ character, from so many posts since March 2006, they knew he wouldn’t cow-tow. Call this man a jerk in his private inbox and expect him to say sorry. Sorry, that doesn’t happen.
And just to dispel any illusions that may be lurking on, Magus does not wish to ‘return’. You (even his ‘friends’ who claimed their support privately) sentenced him to exile, so exile it is . If virtual demonstrations of protest are too much for you, imagine how you would feel with rubber bullets, tear gas and all. Particularly directed at Messrs FrankS and TomA, who wield more power on ‘the forum’ than they care to candidly admit.
As for Ferider, a lady who doth indeed protest too much, yes he did say in his post that Magus was banned more than once from ‘other forums’. PLURAL, no??
I only hope he has the decency not to either delete or edit that statement.
Don’t bother banning me, or blocking my IP address.
And as for those who offer their support to Magus, a note from the political minefields which the ‘virtual’ Magus has tread: support is not lip service, support is having the guts to revolt against tyranny, actual or virtual.
To conclude, repeating a statement from my original post,
‘Had there been a polite warning, as is I think the custom, there wouldn’t have been a problem.’
As for flunking exams regarding defamation and libel, RFF isn’t a compilation of written, published statements. It is a disjointed discussion. But that is irrelevant in the extreme, because I for one said neither that I am counsel to Magus nor that I intend to take action.
And enough time I have wasted and, unfortunately, so has Magus himself. His insistence has been labelled as ‘bullying’, others’ insistence is just defence of objective truths. No two ‘insistences’ are equal, after all.
Ah, well.
Bye.
Nice forum administration!
By the way, Magus’ three sh*tty photographs are still in the Galleries. And he has no control over them.
Food for thought?
Probably not.
