Tell us something, Tom Cofield: Why are we all amazingly stupid? I just reviewed the now locked thread (a slap in the face to the American members, who I dare say make up most of your membership) and all I see is a thread that started out by being very quiet until the anti-American trolls showed up and started fishing for trouble. Sure, there were some hyperlinks, but so what? Why don't you check to see who came in and started the initial provocative remarks, and who continued to fan the flames, and do something about it? But do it intelligently. Don't punish the innocent folks who responded with strong emotion to the insensitive, ill-timed, and pre-destined remarks of the trolls who got the ball rolling. You don't punish victims for being upset with the offenders. And every one of those trolls who got it started knew damn well what the result of their remarks would be! The American members were simply and quietly commemorating a national tragedy until the trolls showed up with their provocation. As for the content of the hyperlinks, a think a reasonably intelligent troll should have known they'd be very patriotic at the least. That content is off site, and the trolls didn't have to click the links. They ne2 what would be there. But they wanted to intrude on our grief and start a fight, and I'm sure they're gleeful that they manipulated you into locking the thread down. How long will it be until we can't say anything in here without the trolls beginning their manipulations? The individuals in question are people who always seem to take great delight in making remarks that they know will start something. When are you going to deal with them? Or would you rather that all American members who love their country and would be offended by the troll remarks leave this forum? Or maybe we should just never, ever make mention of anything that happens in the real world so that we don't infringe on the rights of the people who will start trolling the moment the real world is mentioned.

This is a day that will live in infamy for Americans who give a damn about their country. If SimHQ can't understand that, then they probably can't understand anything. Do you feel that punishing everyone by locking the thread and issuing an immature blanket insult to the members was the correct course of action here? How about banning the trolls? I'd also like to know what your credentials are in terms of judging us all to be "amazingly stupid when it comes to the reality of the situation". Are you an acknowledged expert on foreign affairs, terrorism and international relations? Are you somehow vastly more intelligent and more capable of understanding the situation than the people you so aggregiously insulted? Do you feel you have some cosmic understanding of the issue because you went to Kuwait and worked in a military hospital? I'm going to guess that I might be far less than amazingly stupid when it comes to the reality of the situation, considering my education, life background AND military experience. I'd even wager that I'm far more knowledgable than you when it comes to the reality of the situation. You don't know most of us personally, or our histories, nor do you have any basis whatsoever in judging us all to be "amazingly stupid". There could well be people here who are far more qualified than you to speak on the subject. Hell, the senior career diplomat in the State Department could be a flight simmer who hangs around in here, would you know? I don't think you have a list of the world's acknowledged experts in this area, detailing their hobbies, do you?

So the bottom line is this: I think you owe everyone whom you called "amazingly stupid" an apology. I think you need to take action against the people who deliberately started that debacle. I don't think it's reasonable, regardless of the forum rules, to think that an occasion like this will not be commemorated by your members. You can expect it. And you should show some respect and leave it alone if it's quiet, as this one was until the trolls arrived. And I think you need to grow up and exercise your authority in this forum in a bit less hysterical manner. Or doesn't your boss care how you treat the members, without whom SimHQ would fold?

I eagerly await your response and the explanation for why you feel your remarks were justified.

Cheers!

Rick...

Why don't you try e-mail. I dare say that would be more productive.

In before the lock.


And I think that they should slap the trolls. Ten dollars says we will make a tribute thread to the Columbia incident. It is just natural for everyone to do that.


Sucks when you have moral vacuums attacking Americans based on "morality". Especially when you know that the trolls are going to get the reaction.

I have to wonder if someone from the South called the NCAAP, Al or Je$$e ******s if they would be treated more harshly than those slamming the actions of the US.

You're still here?

Tom's email is easily found on this website too, btw.

Why do people always think its such an amazing accomplishment to get in before a thread gets locked?

lol @ ajax...

Seriously, dude, if you have a problem, I suggest that you use the email addy to take it up with him. Doing it here is not going to help.


What you need to understand is this:

a) I am a Canadian
b) I support America in the war against terror.
c) I support the US in its war with Iraq.
d) I am no fan of either Saddam or Osama
e) I think the dead should be remembered.

That said, you have to understand that to the rest of the world, the US is acting a bit like a bear with a thorn in its paw. Its running around, breaking some things, and in the process, all the other animals in the forests, even the one's which ordinarily like the bear (like us beavers) are getting a little afraid about what the bear might do when it's pissed off. Sure, it has every reason to be pissed off, and some of the forest animals might be well served by having the crap scared out of 'em, but the other animals, the one's who generally like the bear... they are not to happy.

So, when those of us who are NOT americans, and some who are, see lots of nationalistic stuff about needing to kick the world's ass we get a little paranoid about what the US is liable to do while blinded by its pain.

So... now back your regularly scheduled thread.

Oh yeah, btw:

In before the LOCK BABY!

(Hi mom!)

Yes, I'm still here. Why? Because I'm not one of the people who showed up and started deliberately trolling for Americans in the face of their memories of a national tragedy. I've got more sense and decency than that.

As for the e-mail suggestion, how I respond is my business. But even though I don't owe anyone an explanation, nor is anyone qualified to advise me on anything despite them thinking they know it all with their sheltered little lives and total lack of experience commensurate with my own, I will give you an explanation. I was not the only person to whom that unnecessary, blanket insult was directed. Since I'm not willing to forward that much e-mail, the place for the apology is right here.

I could write a list of troublemaking know-it-alls who make it a practice to always know more than everyone in here and who take great pleasure in castigating other members if the other members fail to fall to their knees at their every pronouncement. I have more life experience in one of my nail trimmings than these know-it-alls would accumulate in one hundred lifetimes, and I'm very tired of them hijacking every thread and starting to argue. I think the moderators know who they are. I think everyone knows who they are. I'm a pretty happy-go-lucky guy who's usually being silly and joking in here. But I sure wish the moderators would ban the consistent arguers. They put a serious damper on the lighthearted fun that normally prevails here nearly every time they show up, regardless of the subject. They like to analyze every thread down to a gnat's as* and start crying like babies and yelling "WCE! WCE!" every chance they get. But it is them and their habit of sorting the pepper from the fly sh*t that is the real problem here. For the sake of the majority of the members and their comfort, these fight pickers should be banned immediately. And make no mistake, I do not include in that group the people who expressed perfectly understandable anger for the actions of these people today. Our resident know it alls aren't so smart afterall. What kind of cretin begins making controversial remarks to EXACTLY the wrong people on a day like today? May you all experience heartbreaking tragedy in your lives and be treated with the same disgraceful insensitivity so that you'll know exactly how you make others feel. That is my wish for the troublemaking trolls who stood and threw feces at our memorial fraternity on this infamous anniversary. I can only wonder why the moderators do not act to rid us of these fleas.

Rick...

Paul Morrison:

I don't make the rules:

"Topics in this forum should not reflect items that would have been posted in World and Current Events forum, for instance politics of any kind, war related items, anti-anything and things of the like. Any topic started will be deleted and the topic starter will be banned."

Paul Morrison again:

"...you have to understand that to the rest of the world, the US is acting a bit like a bear with a thorn in its paw. Its running around, breaking some things, and in the process, all the other animals in the forests, even the one's which ordinarily like the bear (like us beavers) are getting a little afraid about what the bear might do when it's pissed off. Sure, it has every reason to be pissed off, and some of the forest animals might be well served by having the crap scared out of 'em, but the other animals, the one's who generally like the bear... they are not to happy.

So, when those of us who are NOT americans, and some who are, see lots of nationalistic stuff about needing to kick the world's ass we get a little paranoid about what the US is liable to do while blinded by its pain."

Does anyone else see a conflict between these two posts?

You're right, Paul. You don't make the rules. And you don't follow them, either. Yous just post them verbatim if you think it will cause trouble. Thanks so much for dramatically illustrating the troll behavior that I'm talking about!

Cheers!

Rick...