Posts by rowdypanther

36 posts shown.

Dear unknown, you were way too harsh on me in the diaspora forum in Feedback & Suggestions · Oct 29, 2014

Thanks, but God isn't some stray cat that's going to scratch you the second you look at him.🎉

Both of you are lying.

Dear unknown, you were way too harsh on me in the diaspora forum in Feedback & Suggestions · Oct 28, 2014

Dear Grace Diaz76, I am appealing because you were far too harsh with my ban on the diaspora forum. Let me be clear: I have nothing against you personally, but I have to protest. This ban is hard to accept.
We’ve spoken via private message before, but I feel awkward doing that again because you might misinterpret my intentions, so I’m opening this thread to explain myself properly.
My posts were vague because I didn't want to overshare personal details.

Let me clarify things so you understand better. In some of my posts, I was actually right; I just wasn't being detailed. That’s just how I write—I try to protect my privacy by saying less.

I am not ashamed of my status in the United States. I arrived here as a refugee during wartime. When I was first walking around the US, some people didn't even know my situation existed because they were so sheltered, yet now they judge me and lecture me on the law.

To give you some context, we were a plane full of refugees from the US and Canada. When we landed in San Francisco, while at the US Embassy, we were all handed white envelopes😉 that we weren't allowed to open until we reached our first US destination. We had to hand those envelopes over to an official at the airport because millions of refugees arrive from all over the world.
Once the official takes the envelope, they issue us a white card called an I-94. They enter all my data there, including my green card number, which hasn't even been issued yet.
That I-94 card is valid for three years, and only then do we apply for the actual green card. With that card, you can do everything in the US—get a job, get an SSN, the whole works.
The same happened to two hundred other refugees because the plane was packed.
It is all highly organized. The airport knows a refugee flight is coming, they direct us to the next transport, and back in my home country, a sponsor agency—which I don't even know or recognize—is waiting for us. Everything is secured and paid for: six months of housing, food, etc. You might find this all foreign because, thank God, you didn't arrive this way, but I am neither ashamed nor afraid of it. My family and I arrived in the United States with only $800 in our pockets. I am not embarrassed by that. Thank God you didn't have to endure such a crisis. But please, do not accuse people of lying or making things up just because they describe how they arrived. I’m telling you this to say I wasn't lying, though I admit I wasn't 100% right about everything either. I learned something from that argument. I had no idea it would end like this.

Because you didn't understand what I was writing, you accused me of trolling, lying, and spreading falsehoods. You hit me like a tornado, wiped out all my posts, and handed down a harsh punishment. I didn't respect your warning because it made no sense to me. I was left feeling unknown and thought, "I can't believe this," but fine.

I am asking you to reflect on all of this. Don't play around with people's lived experiences and destinies. Don't be angry; I'm just speaking plainly.

I was reaching out to Nicki because she has helped forum members so many times. I turned to Nicki because she's a woman who knows what she's doing and has heart and soul—I'm not saying you don't. But you gave the impression that you lack both. Again, don't get mad, I'm just being honest.

I don't intend to post on the diaspora forum much, but I want that sub-forum to remain accessible in case I ever need help from you all. So, there it is.

Please reconsider this. I may have left a bad impression, but that's just how it played out. I am a sensitive person and I am not who you imagine me to be. I don't hold grudges, and I hope you don't either.
Everyone makes mistakes; it's human to be wrong, and it's human to forgive.

Look, I would like you to lift this ban if possible. I know you are angry and strict, and that you don't tolerate nonsense, but I've explained everything. If anything is unclear, just ask.

Goodnight.