Thanks Scott.
Michael, it's a fair question, here's my response.
michaelharadon wrote:
Bill Greenwood wrote many of the most interesting, provocative, and intelligent posts to appear at the WIX. It's very hard to see how letting him go improves the quality of the site.
Unfortunately he could only accept
his interesting, provocative and intelligent posts appearing on WIX.
Just to clarify:
I'm very sorry that Bill was banned; I absolutely agree that many of his posts could be and were amusing insightful and valued. However, for reasons known only to Bill, recently he was unable to accept other's views to
any degree.
He had multiple requests to pull back, but merely regarded them as another opportunity for an argument, that was, of course, 'started' by someone else.
Bill was, IMHO, confusing 'freedom of speech' with the our opportunity to listen to his views hammered home without regard or respect for
anyone else. On the internet people just walk away, ands we have lost members because of this.
Bill and Broken Wrench are welcome and free to set up their own forum(s) - they have the freedom to invest in their right to pontificate. Here, that's not acceptable, outside Scott's rules. It's not hard.
Bill's thread regarding the original 'threat' to ban him was a public response to my PM pointing out that I was no longer prepared to defend his behaviour to others, speaking as a friend - there had, at that stage been no threat to ban him. I've not had and don't want the option to ban members. Bill made it clear that winning the argument was more important than listening to or respecting
anyone. (I'd point out that I fought Bill's corner when he was banned before, I thought perhaps unfairly. But that cut no ice, either. I'd become one of 'them'.)
He was subsequently warned by Scott, and again, I and others asked him to behave differently. Several further posts featured phrases like '...if you want to start an argument' and telling posters they were welcome not to correspond with him. It's not Bill's (or my) forum; it's Scott's, for us to all play by the rules.
Bill had every chance to play nicely and chose not to. It was his call.
It's obviously not fair to talk about others who cannot respond; and I don't want to, I'm just putting my personal views and understanding on record.
Many others have recently decided not to post because of one ex-members behaviour. I look forward to seeing them back. Maybe Bill may aim to change and we'll see him again. If we desperately need his mix of politics and warbirds, a forum is easy to set up. It's a free internet.
Thank you,
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Dam shame
Hope he will remember me in good light [or spirit].
