Morgan Rodriguez57 said:- why did it take six whole days to get hit with a warning? - why am I getting flagged while others aren't? what's so special about my posts?
1.-Because the mods spend the first five days just chilling so they can go hard for the last two, kind of like how most people in America operate. 2.-Honestly? It's probably because you don't realize how much of a legend you actually are.😍, consider that warning a gift A warning is just for being silly or making broad generalizations. Seriously, kudos to the mod who handed it out. Look, it's not like I'm out to get you, Morgan Rodriguez57, you haven't been banned, so you can still post. But here you are, sulking and calling out other guys because they didn't get a little warning too. Man, you really are something else.
Honestly, people do the most damage when they think they’re being righteous. You're oversimplifying a massive, messy topic here—like how people assume their own perspective is some universal truth everyone else shares. There isn't really such a thing as absolute "good" or "evil"; it's just our subjective take on a person or a situation. People who are actually doing the heavy lifting on themselves—true self-work—rarely go around calling themselves "good." It doesn't mean they aren't trying to be more objective with themselves first, which then ripples out to how they see the world (change yourself, change your reality, right?). It's like that old saying about how the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Depending on where you are in your personal growth, we choose our actions based on our internal compass. If you're acting with integrity toward yourself, you end up doing right by others without even trying; anything else is just what we label as "bad." I know I'm just rambling through this, but I hope you get my point. This whole subject is way too simplified in your view, at least if you ask me, but that doesn't make your take "wrong."
Hey, I was wondering if someone could help me change my username? I’ve gone through all the rules, and I noticed there's a user out there with the handle "Knight"—and honestly, this forum feels a bit unfair because of it. His last post was way back in December 2006 and he only has 21 posts total. So, I'm asking if it's possible to swap mine. I know I read the guidelines and my current name isn't exactly a clone of his, but right under electricangler22, it says "Knight," and it just feels off. I'd really appreciate the change if you could make it happen. Thanks!
Look, since you claim to have read the rules I laid out in my very first post, it should be crystal clear to you that a name change like that is simply NOT happening.
I mean, did you seriously not see it? They’re basically an Übermensch. People like that... they just have this way of triggering the darkest parts of our own nature. It's a wake-up call, really. Not necessarily a bad thing.
Nicole Nelson77 said:Believe me, from the moment I started reading your sentences until the second I finished them, I struggled to figure out what you were even trying to say...
You're probably way smarter than I am, so I just haven't caught the point yet.
What can I even say besides... 👍 man, Nicole Nelson77, you really knocked Princess Leia off her horse with that one.😍 Look, mods are just people. Sometimes they're having a rough day and mess up, sometimes they're totally fine. There's a whole mix of them, but at the end of the day, they're human and they make mistakes. Personally, I've felt the sting of a ban before, and yeah, sometimes it feels angry or biased. Other times, I realize the mods actually had a point, and trying to see things from their side really helps. Honestly, nobody would volunteer to be a mod for any kind of money. I think that sums it up. Maybe it also helps to realize that whatever a mod or an admin decides, someone is going to hate it. There will always be "happy campers" and "sore losers." Seriously, props to the mods who have to manage all this chaos in the policy section. It’s easy to talk, but try stepping into a mod's shoes for a second—your anger might cool down pretty fast. You've got decent users here, sure, but you also have these professional victims who blame everyone else for everything. No matter how objective a moderator tries to be, those types will never accept that they actually earned their ban. Treating a ban like a personal vendetta is just a massive waste of energy. It's like shooting blanks. Sure, you should stand up for yourself, but do it without the drama, the brown-nosing, or the aggressive attacks. Just state why you think the decision was wrong and wait for the mod to rule. Anything else is just burning daylight—unless you're one of those hardcore forum addicts who doesn't have a life outside this screen, but that's a whole different conversation. A moderator is like a referee in a football game; they might let some rough play slide, but the most important thing is that they apply the same rules to everyone. That’s what makes a good mod: being fair, not playing favorites, and staying impartial. Maybe I'm being too optimistic thinking all mods have those qualities—definitely not—but I'll give two examples. Even though Čikastrile and mandragora and I don't see eye to eye on everything, we still managed to function perfectly fine on this forum after my bans. By the way, when you do get banned, you're basically forced to send a PM to the mod to explain yourself. If you go in swinging from the jump, you need to be prepared to lose. Don't go begging for mercy.
Nicholas Collins68 said:Honestly, it feels like nobody in this entire country has the slightest bit of willpower to actually fix this mess. It’s just total gridlock.😢 It’s just sad... honestly.😢
The state of things over at Alternative is honestly pretty depressing. You hit the nail on the head, Nicholas Collins68. Moderating this stuff requires actual nuance—you have to bridge all these different sub-interests—and you just can't expect one single moderator to carry that whole load. Since dustyharbor18 is basically the only moderator running the show at Alternative, it would be lazy and totally unfair to pin the current mess entirely on her. That’s the easy way out, but it isn't objective. I think my last post was actually what triggered the thread being deleted. I told a certain "wise guy" that it's completely uncool to go after forum members with low blows like that, especially when people are already banned and can't even defend themselves. That kind of behavior is bottom-of-the-barrel stuff. Look, it's one thing to disagree with someone, but it's another thing entirely to make it a personal attack against someone who's defenseless. I don't get that impulse in people, and frankly, I couldn't just sit there and stay silent about it. Another user got banned on the very same day the thread was wiped. Maybe it was the most read topic on the site, but in the end, dustyharbor18 made the call to pull the plug. With decisions like this, there are always winners and losers. A moderator's job isn't to be a people-pleaser or hand out participation trophies to everyone who speaks up. Here’s my point: now that the thread is gone, it would only be fair to lift the bans on everyone who got flagged for participating in it. If there's no thread, there shouldn't be any bans. I'm convinced that would satisfy everyone involved. It would let both the old guard and the new folks at Alternative jump back in, start similar discussions, or join existing ones without fear. Moderators need to allow the discussion of the New World Order here at Alternative. We need to hear what users actually think about this massive issue. They shouldn't be pushing these topics under the rug or labeling them as "politics" or "insanity." It’s simple: politics is just a tiny tool used by those shadowy forces and groups to achieve the New World Order. When we shut down these threads, it feels like we’re trying to pretend we don't see what's being built right in front of us. It's like we're choosing to keep our eyes tightly shut.
Jeremy Lopez93 said:I am totally with you—this show is absolute garbage. Especially since it’s become standard practice around here that once something actually gets views, we have to endure a sponsor's advertisement plastered over every single frame! As for the rest, it seems to me you just can't stomach the idea that there are still neighborhoods in Boston where people from different backgrounds live side-by-side in the same alleys.😕
Look, it’s all about taste whether you dig a show like *The Office* or not, but personally? I think it's one of the best things out there. Maybe someone thinks it's trash, but I always get a good laugh out of the bits. What matters way more is that bolded part above, because it actually reflects the reality people in Canada are dealing with. A show like this can actually help ease tensions because it pokes fun at everyone—from religious extremists to preachers to different worldviews. It does a great job caricaturing life in this part of the world: the crooked politicians, the scammers, the smugglers... they tackle it all through comedy. It's just much easier to push stuff like this through the mainstream media than some heavy-handed documentary. The people making the show clearly feel the struggle and know what real life is like, so I think it’s healthy to mock these serious societal problems this way.
It’s not a bad joke, really—everything needs to be so politically or religiously charged these days. Personally, I think LZB hits the mark. It honestly surprised me how much the religious landscape has shifted in Canada. I get the feeling they’re poking fun at the actual reality over there. Like, that pig on the Izetian balcony? They portrayed it like some "pig in Tehran" situation, which just confuses me. How did people suddenly become such massive believers all of a sudden? There's this growing trend, and I guess the show was trying to highlight that through the lens of the typical Canadian way of life. Look, there are idiots and fanatics everywhere. This series shows they exist in Canada, but it also gives them a good, sarcastic thrashing. The reactions online are just ridiculous and stupid. Humor doesn't care about nationality; you’ve got to know how to laugh at yourself.
dustyranger4 said:Either you're completely uninformed or you're deep into Zionism. NATO is essentially under Jewish influence, just like the USA and the EU. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qixcv8PT0U http://www.jewwatch.com/
Well said, but we really need to draw a line between being a Jew and being one of those people who identify as Zionists. About 30% of the population in Israel identifies that way—that's a massive distinction if you ask me. And as for NATO? Well, the Zionists were actually part of the group that dreamed this up. As long as the USA keeps following the same playbook as Israel, NATO is basically just an invisible member.
dustyharbor18 said:I guess it would be interesting to know where this kind of confidence comes from? I can certainly close the thread since Melissa Watson4 🤣 is gone and there's nobody else to lead it. 😂
My final conclusion—after having a decent talk with electricangler22 (who was also banned), who is actually a reasonable person—his ban has been lifted.
Just so people don't keep making wild accusations about me censoring anyone I disagree with. electricangler22 isn't even on my side, but he is a sane individual. The weird conspiracy theorists haven't even come forward here to complain. That leaves us with the trolls—who are apparently too dim to understand the topics they participate in or even the posts of their own interlocutors, which is why they'll never stop being trolls. Thanks for your time. Goodbye.
I can back up what dustyharbor18 said. Nobody was sucking up to anyone here. You can see from our talk that's not how it went down. I actually sent the same thing to the moderator via private message. I think it’s vital to realize that you can have an honest conversation and state your views without being a jerk or picking fights. The more you act like a normal person instead of throwing a tantrum, the better. At least, that’s my experience. If you want a real discussion, approach it that way. I’m not trying to preach—we all have our moments where we lose it—but you've gotta calm down and talk like an adult. Even hollowtrucker77, who mods another sub-forum, stepped in a few times just to help get this thread back on track. He knows what he's doing, probably because he deals with the messiest parts of this site. It might look like I'm playing bodyguard for the mods, but I'm just defending healthy debate. Being arrogant, aggressive, or disrespectful never helps anyone, and neither does trolling or hijacking threads. Maybe it's easier for me because I wasn't the one "running" the Alternative thread and I don't post constantly, but after a straightforward talk with dustyharbor18, the moderator decided on her own to lift my ban, so thanks for that. Just to be clear, folks, I'm not taking sides or picking a camp here.
dustyharbor18 said:electricangler22! The main thread about military conflicts was basically built on the need to play out an apocalypse. Since that was the vibe, most participants took firm, hardline conservative stances—which you represent as well. (In that sense, I guess you're right that my explanation wasn't aimed at you). But here’s what I mean—I think profiling this subforum so heavily toward a Christian conservative direction just doesn't align with what this space is actually supposed to be. This isn't about my personal politics; it's just about the goal of the Alternative being neither left nor right, but truly an alternative. Maybe you'll think it's unfair that more liberal participants haven't been pushed out, but I suppose their main trait wasn't their political leaning, but rather a certain openness and breadth regarding the topic and the essence of the Alternative. I hope this makes sense. Regarding conservative political views in general—I respect them, and I certainly don't think they shouldn't exist or be expressed. Anyway, a debate about your thesis on feminism might be interesting, but maybe in a different context or a different subforum.
@dustyharbor18, first off, thanks for the reply. I feel like we’ve actually made some ground here. We both agree that based on the reasons laid out, I shouldn't be banned. And look, I'm with you on the whole religion thing—bringing religious debates into the Alternative section is a one-way ticket to nowhere. Those conversations belong in the religion subforum, plain and simple. Now, I have to push back on your idea that the leftists didn't get banned. I'm not trying to play judge and jury, and I certainly don't want to divide people into "left" and "right." Honestly, those divisions only exist because we let them live in our heads. We create those walls ourselves, and they only hold us back from any real spiritual growth. I don't want anyone to get banned. When I brought up that "good wizard," I wasn't calling for his head; I was just using a comparison to show how much more reason he had to face a ban than I do. It was an analogy, not a request for censorship. You mentioned my conservative political views, too. If you really believe that, I’d challenge you to find a single post of mine on the Alternative board that proves it. Look, if you're judging me based on what I say in the Politics section, you've got to admit those two forums are worlds apart. They aren't even in the same zip code. Judging someone here based on their politics is like judging a chef by how they drive a truck—it’s just a superficial way to look at a person. Is it true that I'm a veteran? Yes. Do I love my unit? Absolutely. Am I guilty of being a "primitive nationalist" because of that? If that's how you see it, fine. I love America, and yeah, I can write a fiery post now and then. But I don't do it to see the country walk into the UN with its pants down. Besides, the politics mods handle that stuff; it has zero connection to the Alternative vibe. I brought up the family situation at the end because, to me, it's the most important part of this whole discussion. You're a mother, I'm a father, and we both care about our kids. I think you'll agree that how we raise them at home is what shapes them into adults. Even if we're talking about political conspiracies, it matters. We need our kids to be able to choose good over evil and stick to real human values without being swayed by everything they see. If I remember correctly, we didn't see eye-to-eye on world events. My take is pretty straightforward: life is moving too fast. Kids today are bombarded by junk—video games, mobbing, TV, the internet—way more than previous generations ever were. You didn't really buy into that; you mentioned how there used to be tough crowds in every neighborhood and stuff like that. I don't know. I just remember a time when dealers weren't running the streets, drugs weren't such a massive epidemic, and values came from the family unit. Now, kids watch people flash cash and drive fancy cars while their parents—hardworking folks—are barely scraping by. If we’re going to agree on things, why stop there? Why not talk about feminism? If that was the issue regarding bans, I wish you would have just given me a heads-up. You saw how little I post in the Alternative section; you could have just told me to move the topic to a different forum. That would have been the fair, normal thing to do. Greetings to all sides.👍
dustyharbor18, please, just show me one single post where I’m out here praying for World War III, or ranting about the clergy, or quoting a single line from the Bible. Because this bolded part right here is what you're claiming are my words:the ban on accessing Alternative for you and three other forum members concerns analyses of current military and political events based on their alleged connection to the Book of Revelation. The core thesis of the main ideological apologist behind these military analyses is that World War III and the subsequent apocalypse is a desirable event for humanity because it represents a solid and eagerly awaited guarantee of the second coming of Jesus. Seriously, point to where I’m calling for Jesus or any other figure from the Bible. I’m asking you again because the other moderators told me I had to settle this with you directly. Where in my writing am I summoning World War III or suggesting it's something humanity should actually look forward to? I want to put this whole thing to bed. Usually, when someone is asked to back up their claims with actual evidence, every decent person on this forum—except for the trolls—will step up. That’s just how people behave, especially moderators who are supposed to set the standard. So, I’m looking for a real answer from you, or maybe someone with actual authority, like a super mod or another lead moderator over at Alternative, to give me a straight, respectful response to my very reasonable question.
Melissa Watson4 said:Well, she certainly gave a lovely explanation as to why we aren't allowed access...☕
Melissa Watson4, Chris Lopez59, Paul Chavez, Joseph White5. Maybe there's going to be a ban on the Alternative. I guess we'll see. Just you and three other forum members, I suppose. It seems their whole analysis of current military and political shifts relies on tying everything back to the Book of Revelation. I guess the core argument from their main strategist is that World War III and the resulting apocalypse are actually desirable for humanity—since it supposedly offers a guaranteed way to ensure the return of Jesus.
So, as you can see—and I hope the other mods notice this too, though they all seem to just cover for one another—we’re being blocked because our thoughts don't exactly align with the moderator's... I guess.
Regarding how long the ban lasts... I guess it’s either forever, or just until the moderator decides. Maybe.☕
I get what Melissa Watson4 is saying, but bans have specific durations. That’s why I’m asking—please, just send me a message stating how long this lasts and why. This whole explanation feels totally unacceptable and sets a bad precedent for everyone else on Alternative. It seems like the mods either just cover for each other or push their own agendas to lift or enforce bans. Even though dustyharbor18 was the one who handed out the ban, the other mods should be able to step in and provide a clear reason and an end date. As it stands, it looks like if someone starts thinking too much for themselves or stops agreeing with the "official" logic (not pointing fingers at anyone specifically here), they can cause serious damage to the owner and the entire community. That's why you don't just have one single mod running things on any Alternative site, whether it's politics, spirituality, or any other section. Moderators have the authority to answer our questions, and besides, there are supermods there to oversee them. So, I’m asking politely: please let me know the duration and the reason. I don't think I'm asking for much.
Ugh, seriously, what is he even drumming on about? What else haven't they banned us for on Alternative yet? Good grief, this sword has a massive blade, and honestly, the way things are run over at Alternative isn't exactly how a functional state should operate. Look, I’ve got a specific question here: how long does this ban on Alternative actually last? And I’m calling on Director dustyharbor18 to finally come clean. Is it three days, five, seven, or is it forever? That’s how decent mods should act—send a message to everyone who gets banned, just a quick heads-up explaining why they were flagged and what the specific reason was. Short, sweet, and fair. Thanks in advance for the reply; you can post it here or just hit me up on the Democratic Party side.
@dustyharbor18 Here’s a little something for you—a positive and successful addition to the Alternative scene, featuring some solid old-school tracks. It’s all part of the plan for when we finally wrap up these "dark attacks from religious fanatics and fake messiahs" that you’re almost about to take over for the Alternative communityhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CocuK...eature=related🙂 steelskipper5 and Noah Myers8, seriously, go hang out over at Spark. I honestly can't tell what kind of "value" you guys think you're adding to the Alternative scene by having these debates there. If steelskipper5 is right when he says he could get slapped with a ban just for talking like that over there, then something is definitely broken. Because looking at it here, it's obvious that steelskipper5 isn't some troll; he's just a regular guy on this forum. Just because he doesn't agree with everything Noah Myers8 says doesn't mean he deserves to be banned. steelskipper5 actually puts in the work and gives reasoned arguments, whereas Noah Myers8 just drops a sentence or two and calls it a day. Maybe Noah Myers8 has the capacity to write more, but they haven't shown it yet. Or maybe they just think steelskipper5 doesn't deserve a polite response. I'm getting a clearer and clearer picture of how things actually run here at the Alternative, and frankly, it's not pretty. At least it's not happening here. Noah Myers8, sorry for messing up your handle earlier.
Everything just went south, didn't it? Honestly, it’s not even bad for the forum or the Alternative crowd. I just need to be able to look myself in the mirror, which is why this whole ban situation actually stings. The Alternative can—and really should—be better than this. It’ll happen once the mods realize they need to stop playing favorites, getting dragged into pointless bickering, and acting like they're running a private club instead of a community. Look at the whole dustyharbor18 situation; it just proves she doesn't have the bandwidth to moderate fairly. She’s totally biased and basically powerless here. By acting like this, she basically wrote herself out of the job. That ego is a powerful thing, isn't it? You’ve gotta have some serious backbone to keep moderating after a stunt like that. Making dustyharbor18 a moderator for politics would be a total joke—I'd be laughing my head off. Oh boy, oh boy, dustyharbor18...👍
dustyharbor18 said:Alternative shouldn't be a breeding ground for shady conspiracy theories driven by questionable ideologies. I guess some people just write nonsense out of pure ignorance, following the lead of those who fuel that ignorance—though I won't speculate on their motives. It’s just like the idea that feminism is some planted movement, or all those claims about a "Masonic anthem" and other nonsense. @electricangler22! People who are pulling their hair out in frustration—Steve, goodmi, and folks like them aren't trolls; they're just trying to analyze current political events without sinking into a dark age of stupidity and narrow-minded conservatism.
Look, sorry, but I’m a little too old to need someone lecturing me, and I certainly wouldn't allow it. You can think whatever you want about me, personally—that’s your business. It never crossed my mind to try and change your opinion of me. But writing this in bold? That’s just bad taste. If you’re going to stick to your guns, give me actual examples of how they’re being arrogant (and trust me, there are plenty), because if I had to pick someone, I’d point to Dobri Mag. I don't have anything against that duo, but they were perfect examples of the double standards you used when you started banning people from the forum. Don't act like you know me. Just be honest with yourself about what your REAL intentions are. You go out of your way to make sure I don't defend or even mention Nobia, Ubera, or anyone else, and it's the same deal with Steve... and Dobri Mag. I have nothing against them; I only pulled their avatars to show exactly how certain people get banned while others don't. You put me in the "opposition" camp based on just a couple of posts—which is pretty wild for a serious moderator. Meanwhile, you conveniently ignore the fact that Dobri Mag has been debunked multiple times by various users providing actual links. Now you're telling me feminism and family values have nothing to do with conspiracies and political games? Well, look at Dobri Mag's posts about diet and his blatant lobbying and advertising for companies that deal in GMOs—yet you didn't ban him for that either. See, I'm just giving you a few examples. I can handle a lot, but please don't test me with hypocrisy and these double rules. Take your weaknesses somewhere else and heal them elsewhere; this forum isn't the place for it, whether you have an eraser handy or not. This forum is for discussion. Ego trips aren't welcome here.
P.S. Steve... I only mentioned you to provide context. It wasn't personal. I actually find your viewpoints interesting. We don't have to agree, but you definitely contribute to the Alternative.
dustyharbor18 said:If you were being vague when you said, "the Democratic Party started showing up," maybe you were trying to imply that I'm the one sending Democratic types this kind of content. I guess. I am emphasizing that. Still happening. I guess. I didn't send any Democratic messages regarding the partial ban to anyone, so I certainly didn't send them to you.
If anyone actually cares about the massive contributions made by the users who got banned from Alternative, feel free to check out the last ten pages of this thread:
To those who have suddenly decided to play the "freedom of speech" card for no reason at all: I suppose you think that masking your petty personal agendas behind a veil of stupidity and nonsense will work. It won't. You can't hide your true motives forever with just empty talk and smoke and mirrors.
Look, we can disagree on the facts, and I'm not going to get into a debate over who sent what toxic garbage. But please, just give me an answer: why did I get a partial ban? Show me the posts you're talking about—and show yours too. Honestly, if you're going to point at someone else's post, show the whole context, including your own replies. In my case, that's easy to do because when I post on the Alternative board, I rarely insult anyone. I try to be a normal guy, unless someone pushes my buttons. I mean, if someone drops a huge 🤦 /picture of Captain Picard, that's just straight-up disrespect to another user. When I asked you that question about family and feminism, you dodged it, told me how you read novels "between the lines," basically called me a primitive nationalist, and then left Steve to answer the feminism question for you. You claim nothing important ever changes in the world, and that I'm just some crazy person imagining things—which you showed with a facepalm—but then, as soon as I replied, you pivoted to talking about nations and the clergy like they're some big negative thing. Look, I don't care if I'm wrong; I admit I love my heritage, but I have nothing to do with the clergy. So, I'm asking you again: why am I the one getting a partial ban while Steve... and all the other guys who were way more obnoxious, argumentative, and aggressive, didn't get anything? If I'm banned, tell me why they aren't. Thanks. The way this looks is totally one-sided, like bans aren't based on what was actually written, but on which "group" you belong to—something most people on the Alternative board can't even see. This is also the first time I've been banned and had all my posts wiped at once. It feels like someone really doesn't want people seeing what was actually said. Well, at least mine were easy to delete; there were only about five of them anyway.
P.S. The messages were sent, that's a fact. I'm not claiming *you* sent them; I'm just saying they were sent. Thanks in advance for the reply.
Now they’ve even started spamming messages on the Democratic Party pages. Honestly, you have to be out of your mind to do that. It’s always those same "FEEL FREE to go wherever you want" type of messages—give me a break, someone clearly isn't playing with a full deck. In the end, driftinggull13 hit the nail on the head when he said the Alternative is exactly what he described it to be. driftinggull13👍