Why is Nick so obsessed with defending Zoran's moderation without any explanation?

Look, we don't need to push lonetrucker4 out. Sure, he’s got his flaws, but he moderates with a level of consistency and fairness that’s basically the gold standard for what a mod should be. He laid down the law from day one: he isn't going to sit there and let anyone try to play down Nazi or Fascist atrocities. If certain people can't wrap their heads around the fact that we aren't talking about "creative interpretations" but actual, documented historical horrors—even after being told a thousand times—well, that's on them. Then you've got Jonathan Wright2, who seems to think History is just some playground for endless, empty theorizing. Sadly, he’s not the only one. And John Palmer9? He’d rather scrape content from sketchy fringe websites than actually do the work of citing a real book. Neither of them is getting flagged because of some "ideological vendetta," which is how they love to spin it; they're getting flagged because they’re missing the entire point. This is a scientific subforum. The focus is on actual knowledge and verifiable facts. If people want to prioritize entertainment or political grandstanding, they really ought to find somewhere else to hang out.

bluecyclist64 said:Of course they would. Why on earth would you think otherwise?

So, what's the vibe over on the off-topic boards?

Eric Newman75 said:Look, we don't need to push lonetrucker4 out. Sure, he’s got his flaws, but he moderates with a level of consistency and fairness that’s basically the gold standard for what a mod should be. He laid down the law from day one: he isn't going to sit there and let anyone try to play down Nazi or Fascist atrocities. If certain people can't wrap their heads around the fact that we aren't talking about "creative interpretations" but actual, documented historical horrors—even after being told a thousand times—well, that's on them. Then you've got Jonathan Wright2, who seems to think History is just some playground for endless, empty theorizing. Sadly, he’s not the only one. And John Palmer9? He’d rather scrape content from sketchy fringe websites than actually do the work of citing a real book. Neither of them is getting flagged because of some "ideological vendetta," which is how they love to spin it; they're getting flagged because they’re missing the entire point. This is a scientific subforum. The focus is on actual knowledge and verifiable facts. If people want to prioritize entertainment or political grandstanding, they really ought to find somewhere else to hang out.

😲
I don't recall ever being flagged for ideological reasons.

The issue with lonetrucker4 is that his enforcement feels pretty inconsistent; for instance, he'll hand out a warning to one user saying "we aren't interested in your emotional outbursts," yet then a hundred posts go by filled with nothing but pure emotion—including several of his own emotional rants—without anyone saying a word.

If I take something from a professional historian's book—and I'd include the source too—and then I post a link to it, apparently that's a problem? For example, there's this site, maybe something like Britannica or a major university archive, that I like to use, and almost every single entry explicitly states, "this was published by this specific historian in this particular book."
It was recently the anniversary of some famous historical figure's birth, and while some historians celebrate him, others label him a criminal, listing specific names of victims, so I thought posting that here for a discussion would be fine... at least under this moderation, right?

Nicholas Watson said:Give me one or two shots straight to the solar plexus, please.
First off, I’ll say this: I am all for slapping sanctions on anyone trying to downplay the trauma this nation endured at the hands of that concentration camp, regardless of how many people actually died there—even if we're talking about a single guy who just slipped on some wet stairs at the guard tower, which, let's be honest, I don't know enough about to get into a heated debate over.

I’m genuinely curious, though—would history look at the lawyers who served Stalin’s regime in the exact same way? You know, by counting up the body count and claiming they were just exaggerating the massacres or those brutal conditions in the Gulags?

Some Stalinist fanatic took a few hits to the face and finally crawled back into his hole. But the real headache? The deniers. They’re relentless. Just waves of them hitting us every couple of months like a bad storm.

People were just going at it over the death tolls during the Stalin era. Some folks dropped links to pretty solid sources claiming the numbers are actually under a few million—which is what most historians point to. If I recall correctly, you’re looking at maybe 600-something thousand deaths from executions and camps combined. Still a massive body count, though. The numbers for forced collectivization and the crackdown on farmers probably get inflated too, but that’s just how the game is played. It's like how people go overboard with the stats on things like the Trail of Tears or the aftermath of the Civil War. As for the victims of the communist regime after the war, we're still mostly in the dark since they never released those official lists of names they promised us a decade ago.

The issue with lonetrucker4 being a mod is that he’s got zero consistency. Like, one minute he’s handing out bans because someone’s getting "too emotional," then he lets a hundred posts fly filled with nothing but pure feelings—including his own little meltdowns. Total joke.
Just drop a reality check on them when they start spiraling. It’s all just pure vibes and bad moods instead of actual facts or anything even remotely credible. They aren't arguing points; they're just venting about who they hate. Problem is when... Pure vibes, nothing else. That’s it. End of story.

So, some shady site just rips content straight from a pro historian's book—and if you drop the link here, suddenly you're the one causing trouble? Give me a break.

Sometimes, yeah. Some websites are absolute trash, and honestly, so are some writers. Take that guy Roman Leljak you mentioned once. He’s basically a career con artist with a rap sheet longer than my grocery list—the reason you got flagged back in February. The dude lies way too much for us to take anything he says seriously, even if he occasionally stumbles onto a fact. I told you then: "If there's a legit source, post it!" It was about that claim in the Diana Budisavljevic thread—that Milan Nedic in Belgrade was complaining that people weren't adopting kids from Kozara, and only 230 were taken. If I remember right, you never actually dropped a link. And frankly, the idea that those kids even made it all the way to Belgrade sounds fishy; I don't recall seeing that anywhere. Would the authorities back then have even allowed that? If there really is a Nedic quote like that, what does it actually say? Besides, Leljak only brings this up to pivot the focus toward Mexico and the Nedic regime, acting like the claim proves something even if it were true. Honestly, nimblemoose72 wrote more sense than him. )

It’s like that one site, CNN.com or whatever, where every single article is just, "Well, this historian said this thing in his specific book." It's exhausting.

Yo, did I get banned by you over one of those posts?

You’ve racked up six strikes from me in the last year alone. Last one was for an oversized image, and two were for that whole Holocaust denial nonsense—you know, that "we don't know anything, we need more digging" routine.

It was the anniversary of some historical figure's birth today. Some historians treat him like a saint, while others call him a straight-up communist war criminal with lists of victims attached. And you think bringing that to this forum for a debate is a good idea? In this moderation section!?

Look, a lot of what you write is actually solid and interesting. If you’ve got a legit source—and I mean a real source, not those trashy tabloid rags that are basically just cheap knockoffs of the big national papers, or those clearly biased political historians—then post it. There are all kinds of hacks out there. Like that guy Dr. Stephen Miller—total hack, claims nothing happened at those concentration camps until the partisans showed up to take the blame, and he even argues the Earth is flat because "true believers can see it in the Bible." Just stick to the facts.

bluecyclist64 said:Precisely.

Given the fact that you constantly drop links to tabloid rag sites—and frankly, some pretty far-right extremist pages—I find myself questioning whether you even possess the capacity to recognize substantive or constructive writing when you see it.

On these sub-forums influenced by politics, worldviews, or topics like history and religion... a moderator should act solely as a moderator. They shouldn't be jumping into the fray to argue their own points, only to then target anyone with an opposing view by policing them through selective enforcement, warnings, or—worst of all—deleting posts. It is far too easy to play the provocateur under the guise of authority.

Right...
The real issue here is that they can no longer celebrate extremists or spread disinformation quite like they did in the "good old days." That seems to be the crux of it.
As for you, lonetrucker4, you've looked the other way for him more times than I can count; you aren't being fair at all.

I'm not so sure about that. Personally, I think on the History board, it would be better if lonetrucker4 took a page out of Frogger's book.
Take the Science board, for instance. You could claim the Earth is a flat disc—but only twice. The first time, you get a heavy-handed warning; the second time, you're looking at a suspension. Then you can head over to the Conspiracy forums where your crowd hangs out in droves. Everyone wins.👍

People just lurk on the Science board, but they sure love to bark when it comes to moderation.

Emily Brown81 said:It’s in every single one of lonetrucker4's posts. The way he builds an argument? His endless patience? Pure gold. 🍿
We seriously need more mods like him on the other subforums.

Total nonsense.

Just look at this...
#9
lonetrucker4 is pointing out how he decided he shouldn't use the term "North American"...
But the whole thread started back when the word "North American" wasn't even being used...

He wiped my post and cut my sanctions because I wrote the following;

The North America is just some Turkish word for a mountain range.
And since the Turks showed up way, way later than what this topic refers to, it’s totally fair to use the original name—Illyria.

All these fears about certain ethnic groups are just baseless provocations and a massive dump of nothing but prejudice.

So, I'm suggesting we rename the thread from "Old North American" to "Old Slavic"...

So, according to you, that's "correct," and you'd actually want more mods like this guy...?!
I honestly think you have no clue what you're talking about, but hey, it's your right, I guess...

Or look here...#4 where lonetrucker4 gives the green light to keep the thread going just because he decided it was okay...

Look, if you're looking for a father figure to coddle you and follow your every move, that's your own personal issue, but why on earth do you think lonetrucker4 is a good mod when he's basically responsible for mass-exiling people from this forum?
The guy is a great forum member, seriously... I'll say it as many times as it takes, but as a moderator, he scatters people instead of bringing them together...
What's the point of having an empty forum?!
Are lonetrucker4 and bluecyclist64 supposed to just proclaim the wonders of communism or something?!
And even worse than that... it's pure stupidity.
If you aren't with them, if you don't think exactly like they do, then you gotta get kicked out...

And you're totally fine with that...??!!

Fine, have it your way..
Good to know...☕

Eric Newman75 said:Look, we don't need to push lonetrucker4 out. Sure, he’s got his flaws, but he moderates with a level of consistency and fairness that’s basically the gold standard for what a mod should be. He laid down the law from day one: he isn't going to sit there and let anyone try to play down Nazi or Fascist atrocities. If certain people can't wrap their heads around the fact that we aren't talking about "creative interpretations" but actual, documented historical horrors—even after being told a thousand times—well, that's on them. Then you've got Jonathan Wright2, who seems to think History is just some playground for endless, empty theorizing. Sadly, he’s not the only one. And John Palmer9? He’d rather scrape content from sketchy fringe websites than actually do the work of citing a real book. Neither of them is getting flagged because of some "ideological vendetta," which is how they love to spin it; they're getting flagged because they’re missing the entire point. This is a scientific subforum. The focus is on actual knowledge and verifiable facts. If people want to prioritize entertainment or political grandstanding, they really ought to find somewhere else to hang out.

lonetrucker4 is totally laying it on thick...
He's totally overreacting.
Things are seriously hitting the breaking point. It’s all going off the rails.
That’s exactly the point right there. You might be totally fine with whatever personal ideological baggage you're dragging around—and hey, that's your business—but let's be real for a second: it’s still not right. It just isn't okay.
Look, this whole "fascist vs. anti-fascist" debate is honestly just a side show at this point... it’s practically irrelevant. It’s not even a real thing here, which is a massive joke for a site like Reddit—it's a huge flaw in how this community functions. Honestly, the mods here have such massive egos that they basically turn the whole platform into their own little playground, manipulating the entire conversation just to make themselves feel important. It’s pathetic, really.

Eric Newman75 said:Look, we don't need to push lonetrucker4 out. Sure, he’s got his flaws, but he moderates with a level of consistency and fairness that’s basically the gold standard for what a mod should be. He laid down the law from day one: he isn't going to sit there and let anyone try to play down Nazi or Fascist atrocities. If certain people can't wrap their heads around the fact that we aren't talking about "creative interpretations" but actual, documented historical horrors—even after being told a thousand times—well, that's on them. Then you've got Jonathan Wright2, who seems to think History is just some playground for endless, empty theorizing. Sadly, he’s not the only one. And John Palmer9? He’d rather scrape content from sketchy fringe websites than actually do the work of citing a real book. Neither of them is getting flagged because of some "ideological vendetta," which is how they love to spin it; they're getting flagged because they’re missing the entire point. This is a scientific subforum. The focus is on actual knowledge and verifiable facts. If people want to prioritize entertainment or political grandstanding, they really ought to find somewhere else to hang out.

It’s not just me...
My coworkers are out here getting written up and handed disciplinary warnings just because lonetrucker4 thinks that’s how things should be run—it’s absolute madness, honestly.
There aren't any actual criteria here—it’s just whatever fits his mood or whatever he feels like saying at the moment. It’s totally arbitrary.
You’re putting way too much faith in lonetrucker4’s "objectivity"—honestly, it’s a little scary—so I’m calling you out here. You need to start digging deeper into the history side of things and actually start throwing some of your own damn opinions into the mix. Trust me, once you start showing some actual teeth, that’s exactly when lonetrucker4 is going to jump out from behind a bush and try to bully you for it.
Maybe try actually pulling your weight first before you start handing out life lessons to everyone else... seriously.

Eric Newman75 said:Look, we don't need to push lonetrucker4 out. Sure, he’s got his flaws, but he moderates with a level of consistency and fairness that’s basically the gold standard for what a mod should be. He laid down the law from day one: he isn't going to sit there and let anyone try to play down Nazi or Fascist atrocities. If certain people can't wrap their heads around the fact that we aren't talking about "creative interpretations" but actual, documented historical horrors—even after being told a thousand times—well, that's on them. Then you've got Jonathan Wright2, who seems to think History is just some playground for endless, empty theorizing. Sadly, he’s not the only one. And John Palmer9? He’d rather scrape content from sketchy fringe websites than actually do the work of citing a real book. Neither of them is getting flagged because of some "ideological vendetta," which is how they love to spin it; they're getting flagged because they’re missing the entire point. This is a scientific subforum. The focus is on actual knowledge and verifiable facts. If people want to prioritize entertainment or political grandstanding, they really ought to find somewhere else to hang out.

Are you kidding me right now? Seriously, what on earth are you even talking about?!
Look, let’s call this what it actually is—forced censorship. We're being told exactly who gets to speak, how they're supposed to sound, and how everything needs to be polished up until it looks all neat and tidy for the powers that be. It’s just a way to control the narrative by smoothing out any edges that don't fit their perfect little mold.
lonetrucker4 has basically turned into some kind of high-level editor-in-chief—it’s like he’s been given this absolute power to scrub through every single text and reshape them until they fit his own specific ideological mold. It's honestly ridiculous—he just tweaks everything to match that particular worldview he’s been clinging to for years, all because he’s too sentimental about his own past experiences to see anything else. Just pure, unfiltered bias at this point.

Honestly, lonetrucker4 is an absolute legend on this board—super dialed in, always around, and just constantly keeping things moving... I'm definitely backing him as a fellow member.
Look, I’m telling you, the guy went way too far with that moderator thing... like, seriously, he totally crossed the line there.

What really gets under my skin—and honestly, what keeps me up at night—is how the administration still hasn't even begun to wrap their heads around the absolute train wreck we're looking at. It’s like they’re staring right at the wreckage and still acting like everything is totally fine. You'd think after all this time, the sheer scale of the disaster would have finally clicked for them, but nope. Still zero results, zero accountability, just total denial. It’s infuriating, man.
Honestly, this whole site has just devolved into a playground for a handful of people who all think exactly the same way. It’s like a giant echo chamber at this point—just a small circle of clones repeating the same tired talking points over and over again.
The whole damn point of this forum—the entire reason we even bother showing up to debate and dig into historical research together—has been completely trashed. It used to be a place where people could actually get together, toss out their theories, and start new threads just to expand what we know about history, but now? That vibe is totally dead. Gone. Everything that made this a community for actual study and deep dives has been nuked.
lonetrucker4 basically boils all of history down to what’s "allowed" and what isn't. It’s such a narrow way to look at things.

Honestly, Reddit has been pushed to the absolute brink of being completely useless lately...

And yeah, obviously, I’m bummed about how things are going.
But look, I really want to shift the focus here—this whole platform is falling apart because of this incredibly ego-driven, selfish style of moderation... People are jumping ship left and right, and frankly, nobody seems to give a damn.

But whatever... I guess that's just how it's gonna be.
I'll take my share of the blame, though—I'm a responsible user, after all.

Either take a look at this topic like

Some guy started this thread thinking it was just going to be some chill, low-stakes debate—nothing harmful, just people talking...
But then lonetrucker4 swooped in... He shut everything down, started throwing threats around, handed out penalties, and locked the whole thing up...

The issue isn't even really about why the thread got locked—it’s about this systemic obsession where lonetrucker4 is constantly monitoring, measuring, and bending everything to his own specific whims until he goes way too far...
He’s overreaching, and that’s what I’m trying to point out here.
When you go that overboard, you just kill anyone's desire to actually participate.
And honestly? That is the last thing this forum needs.
It’s definitely not in the best interest of this site for lonetrucker4 to be the only one calling the shots.
We’re supposed to be a community here, all of us together.

Why the extreme behavior? Why the constant threats? Why the suppression?
To me, it feels like he’s just using this platform to feed his own ego, and frankly, it’s pretty depressing to watch.
And I'll say it again... This kind of thing completely undermines the value of this entire American forum.

The admins really need to figure out how to actually keep users coming back to the site...
That should be the strategic priority for this platform.

Look, I wouldn't even be typing this if lonetrucker4 hadn't gone after me and my buddies with more sanctions again. The reason?
There isn't one, other than whatever is going on in his head.

So, I was just getting ready to bring up that whole mess with Jonathan Wright2—you know, that nonstop trolling and spamming he’s been pulling lately. Well, looks like one of those obsessive complainers already jumped in.

We’ve also got this whole side show going on—this supposed "welcoming committee" vibe meant to bring in the newbies. Plus, the mods constantly breathing down everyone's necks to stay on track and keep the debate from turning into a total dumpster fire.

zarare just hopped on the forum and dropped a new thread. All that old-school heritage we’re still dragging around today. It’s heavy.Thinking about those ancient traditions that might still be hanging around our neck here in the States. Topic's solid. Some new guy popped up with a post that actually wasn't half bad, then old-timer karlo_r showed his face too—guy rarely ever posts. It’s been a decent, civil debate so far.

Then Jonathan Wright2 jumps in with his usual complaints:

Maybe we should drop that "North American" label if it’s just gonna be used to derail the thread later anyway.

Dennis Campbell4 cuts to the chase:

I'm with you on this. People forget that what they call "the region" originally just meant Ottoman subjects from the Bosphorus to the Drina who stuck around because their faith was actually respected and treated equal to Islam back then. Then those big-shot imperialists in the 19th century decided to start playing these endless geopolitical games against the West...

And there we go, straight into the gutter. One minute we're talking shop, the next it's just pure trolling and off-topic nonsense.

If I wanted to shut that down, I’d just drop a line in blue text—you know, doing my bit as a mod:

Look, everyone knows what the term "North America" means geographically—it’s that triangle tucked between the Adriatic, Tyrrhenian, Aegean, Marmara, and Black Seas. And seriously, quit the mindless panic over some old-school ethnic bogeymen. The peninsula was sitting right there long before anyone ever slapped a name on it, mountains and rivers and all. Also, stop spamming this thread with talk about pre-Slavic tribes and whatever scraps of their culture are left. Cut it out.

Screw you guys (and yeah, I’m getting emotional here, but don't mistake that for feelings—it's just cold, hard logic)! The whole damn world knows exactly what B is.The North American Peninsula... man, what a mess. It’s like trying to untangle a massive knot of old wiring in a basement that's been flooding for decades. Just endless, complicated drama. The North America? Please. Who cares if that name didn't exist two millennia ago? If we’re sitting around debating the Aztecs, are we supposed to just ignore the fact that we're in America? It's the same nonsense everywhere. You can't even mention the US without making it weird. There are endless examples like that.

Dennis Campbell4, who’d just dropped two decent—if heated—takes, immediately loses his mind:

Are you kidding me? This PDF has been getting bypassed ever since you took over moderation.
Ugh, gross. Just nasty.

Jonathan Wright2 thinks he's some kind of scholar, trying to claim "North American" just means "hill" in Turkish and that everything traces back to the "Illyrians." Total nonsense. You can't just slap an old label on a whole region like that, and calling those pre-colonial traditions "Illyrian culture" is just as wrong—it's way too narrow for what we're actually talking about.

Look, I’ve got zero choice here. Better to just wipe the slate clean and pray we can finally get back to some actual, decent discussion without all this noise.

Jonathan Wright2 knows damn well how the mods run this site, yet he still talks trash about them and then acts shocked when he gets banned. And now look, here come two more posts just so someone doesn't whine about getting silenced too.

Anyway, this whole thread started over some debate in the Military History sub-forum regarding my take on anti-vax nonsense. But of course, the professional victims here won't miss a single chance to cry about it.

lonetrucker4 said:Some Stalinist fanatic took a few hits to the face and finally crawled back into his hole. But the real headache? The deniers. They’re relentless. Just waves of them hitting us every couple of months like a bad storm.

People were just going at it over the death tolls during the Stalin era. Some folks dropped links to pretty solid sources claiming the numbers are actually under a few million—which is what most historians point to. If I recall correctly, you’re looking at maybe 600-something thousand deaths from executions and camps combined. Still a massive body count, though. The numbers for forced collectivization and the crackdown on farmers probably get inflated too, but that’s just how the game is played. It's like how people go overboard with the stats on things like the Trail of Tears or the aftermath of the Civil War. As for the victims of the communist regime after the war, we're still mostly in the dark since they never released those official lists of names they promised us a decade ago.

The issue with lonetrucker4 being a mod is that he’s got zero consistency. Like, one minute he’s handing out bans because someone’s getting "too emotional," then he lets a hundred posts fly filled with nothing but pure feelings—including his own little meltdowns. Total joke.
Just drop a reality check on them when they start spiraling. It’s all just pure vibes and bad moods instead of actual facts or anything even remotely credible. They aren't arguing points; they're just venting about who they hate. Problem is when... Pure vibes, nothing else. That’s it. End of story.

So, some shady site just rips content straight from a pro historian's book—and if you drop the link here, suddenly you're the one causing trouble? Give me a break.

Sometimes, yeah. Some websites are absolute trash, and honestly, so are some writers. Take that guy Roman Leljak you mentioned once. He’s basically a career con artist with a rap sheet longer than my grocery list—the reason you got flagged back in February. The dude lies way too much for us to take anything he says seriously, even if he occasionally stumbles onto a fact. I told you then: "If there's a legit source, post it!" It was about that claim in the Diana Budisavljevic thread—that Milan Nedic in Belgrade was complaining that people weren't adopting kids from Kozara, and only 230 were taken. If I remember right, you never actually dropped a link. And frankly, the idea that those kids even made it all the way to Belgrade sounds fishy; I don't recall seeing that anywhere. Would the authorities back then have even allowed that? If there really is a Nedic quote like that, what does it actually say? Besides, Leljak only brings this up to pivot the focus toward Mexico and the Nedic regime, acting like the claim proves something even if it were true. Honestly, nimblemoose72 wrote more sense than him. )

It’s like that one site, CNN.com or whatever, where every single article is just, "Well, this historian said this thing in his specific book." It's exhausting.

Yo, did I get banned by you over one of those posts?

You’ve racked up six strikes from me in the last year alone. Last one was for an oversized image, and two were for that whole Holocaust denial nonsense—you know, that "we don't know anything, we need more digging" routine.

It was the anniversary of some historical figure's birth today. Some historians treat him like a saint, while others call him a straight-up communist war criminal with lists of victims attached. And you think bringing that to this forum for a debate is a good idea? In this moderation section!?

Look, a lot of what you write is actually solid and interesting. If you’ve got a legit source—and I mean a real source, not those trashy tabloid rags that are basically just cheap knockoffs of the big national papers, or those clearly biased political historians—then post it. There are all kinds of hacks out there. Like that guy Dr. Stephen Miller—total hack, claims nothing happened at those concentration camps until the partisans showed up to take the blame, and he even argues the Earth is flat because "true believers can see it in the Bible." Just stick to the facts.

I’m only bringing this up because I ran into a few characters over on the off-topic boards who seem to treat this guy like some kind of saint just because he once claimed to be an anti-fascist—as if that gives him a lifetime pass to act however he wants. Then, get this, they actually turned around and called me a fascist just because I had the nerve to criticize him. It’s honestly exhausting. These people love lurking in those unmoderated corners of the forum where they can just dump their toxic sludge and throw vulgar insults at anyone who disagrees with them. Look, I’m not exactly the type of guy who enjoys grinding my gears over petty internet arguments, so after wasting a bunch of energy on debates that lead absolutely nowhere, I just had to ask myself why I was even bothering. Honestly? Life is too short. I decided to just step away from those topics entirely.

Jonathan Wright2 said:Either take a look at this topic like

Some guy started this thread thinking it was just going to be some chill, low-stakes debate—nothing harmful, just people talking...
But then lonetrucker4 swooped in... He shut everything down, started throwing threats around, handed out penalties, and locked the whole thing up...

The issue isn't even really about why the thread got locked—it’s about this systemic obsession where lonetrucker4 is constantly monitoring, measuring, and bending everything to his own specific whims until he goes way too far...
He’s overreaching, and that’s what I’m trying to point out here.
When you go that overboard, you just kill anyone's desire to actually participate.
And honestly? That is the last thing this forum needs.
It’s definitely not in the best interest of this site for lonetrucker4 to be the only one calling the shots.
We’re supposed to be a community here, all of us together.

Why the extreme behavior? Why the constant threats? Why the suppression?
To me, it feels like he’s just using this platform to feed his own ego, and frankly, it’s pretty depressing to watch.
And I'll say it again... This kind of thing completely undermines the value of this entire American forum.

The admins really need to figure out how to actually keep users coming back to the site...
That should be the strategic priority for this platform.

Look, I wouldn't even be typing this if lonetrucker4 hadn't gone after me and my buddies with more sanctions again. The reason?
There isn't one, other than whatever is going on in his head.

Dennis Campbell4 thinks the way Ime0 writes is totally harmless.

I’ve seen some trolls in my time, but this? This is a whole new level of messed up.

Forumaš Wikiceha (#7):

Absolute nightmare.

These two? Yeah, they aren't exactly my biggest fans. ☕ So, I tried telling Ime0 to chill out—you know, write like a normal human being, stop picking fights over everything, quit the trolling, and stop dumping massive walls of text everywhere. We finally reached an understanding. Look, some of his points actually made sense, but that’s just not how you hold a conversation. The thread got locked because he was spamming, but that doesn't mean we can't talk about American history under British rule or whatever; we just need a different thread for that stuff.

All that exaggeration just scares people off from even wanting to show up.

Well, looks like you're striking out. Total bust. 😁

John Palmer9 said:😲
I don't recall ever being flagged for ideological reasons.

The issue with lonetrucker4 is that his enforcement feels pretty inconsistent; for instance, he'll hand out a warning to one user saying "we aren't interested in your emotional outbursts," yet then a hundred posts go by filled with nothing but pure emotion—including several of his own emotional rants—without anyone saying a word.

If I take something from a professional historian's book—and I'd include the source too—and then I post a link to it, apparently that's a problem? For example, there's this site, maybe something like Britannica or a major university archive, that I like to use, and almost every single entry explicitly states, "this was published by this specific historian in this particular book."
It was recently the anniversary of some famous historical figure's birth, and while some historians celebrate him, others label him a criminal, listing specific names of victims, so I thought posting that here for a discussion would be fine... at least under this moderation, right?

Wait, haven't you mentioned lonetrucker4’s "Stalinism" in your appeals several times now? You keep whining about how "liberal thinking"—whatever that means—is being suppressed and how people are being chased off the forum. What is that if not an ideological clash? Or maybe just a disagreement over how to interpret the will of God?

If the fallout from events like the Lincoln Assassination era is the bone of contention—and let's be real, it is—then why do you keep spinning this same tired narrative in circles? There are historical studies, there are fairly accurate figures, and there is a clear consensus regarding the policies enacted by the regime back then. Do you honestly think your "liberal thinking" is going to make those policies any less genocidal, criminal, or shameful? Think it'll make that dark chapter any less catastrophic for Americans? What's the point of all this digging? Are you trying to argue that the death toll wasn't 130,000, but actually just 129,000? How does that change anything? Even if it were only a thousand, that regime would still have been a total disgrace, and those traitors would still be viewed as having sold out the American people and our national interests.

Jonathan Wright2 said:lonetrucker4 is totally laying it on thick...
He's totally overreacting.
Things are seriously hitting the breaking point. It’s all going off the rails.
That’s exactly the point right there. You might be totally fine with whatever personal ideological baggage you're dragging around—and hey, that's your business—but let's be real for a second: it’s still not right. It just isn't okay.
Look, this whole "fascist vs. anti-fascist" debate is honestly just a side show at this point... it’s practically irrelevant. It’s not even a real thing here, which is a massive joke for a site like Reddit—it's a huge flaw in how this community functions. Honestly, the mods here have such massive egos that they basically turn the whole platform into their own little playground, manipulating the entire conversation just to make themselves feel important. It’s pathetic, really.

It’s not just me...
My coworkers are out here getting written up and handed disciplinary warnings just because lonetrucker4 thinks that’s how things should be run—it’s absolute madness, honestly.
There aren't any actual criteria here—it’s just whatever fits his mood or whatever he feels like saying at the moment. It’s totally arbitrary.
You’re putting way too much faith in lonetrucker4’s "objectivity"—honestly, it’s a little scary—so I’m calling you out here. You need to start digging deeper into the history side of things and actually start throwing some of your own damn opinions into the mix. Trust me, once you start showing some actual teeth, that’s exactly when lonetrucker4 is going to jump out from behind a bush and try to bully you for it.
Maybe try actually pulling your weight first before you start handing out life lessons to everyone else... seriously.

Are you kidding me right now? Seriously, what on earth are you even talking about?!
Look, let’s call this what it actually is—forced censorship. We're being told exactly who gets to speak, how they're supposed to sound, and how everything needs to be polished up until it looks all neat and tidy for the powers that be. It’s just a way to control the narrative by smoothing out any edges that don't fit their perfect little mold.
lonetrucker4 has basically turned into some kind of high-level editor-in-chief—it’s like he’s been given this absolute power to scrub through every single text and reshape them until they fit his own specific ideological mold. It's honestly ridiculous—he just tweaks everything to match that particular worldview he’s been clinging to for years, all because he’s too sentimental about his own past experiences to see anything else. Just pure, unfiltered bias at this point.

Honestly, lonetrucker4 is an absolute legend on this board—super dialed in, always around, and just constantly keeping things moving... I'm definitely backing him as a fellow member.
Look, I’m telling you, the guy went way too far with that moderator thing... like, seriously, he totally crossed the line there.

What really gets under my skin—and honestly, what keeps me up at night—is how the administration still hasn't even begun to wrap their heads around the absolute train wreck we're looking at. It’s like they’re staring right at the wreckage and still acting like everything is totally fine. You'd think after all this time, the sheer scale of the disaster would have finally clicked for them, but nope. Still zero results, zero accountability, just total denial. It’s infuriating, man.
Honestly, this whole site has just devolved into a playground for a handful of people who all think exactly the same way. It’s like a giant echo chamber at this point—just a small circle of clones repeating the same tired talking points over and over again.
The whole damn point of this forum—the entire reason we even bother showing up to debate and dig into historical research together—has been completely trashed. It used to be a place where people could actually get together, toss out their theories, and start new threads just to expand what we know about history, but now? That vibe is totally dead. Gone. Everything that made this a community for actual study and deep dives has been nuked.
lonetrucker4 basically boils all of history down to what’s "allowed" and what isn't. It’s such a narrow way to look at things.

Honestly, Reddit has been pushed to the absolute brink of being completely useless lately...

And yeah, obviously, I’m bummed about how things are going.
But look, I really want to shift the focus here—this whole platform is falling apart because of this incredibly ego-driven, selfish style of moderation... People are jumping ship left and right, and frankly, nobody seems to give a damn.

But whatever... I guess that's just how it's gonna be.
I'll take my share of the blame, though—I'm a responsible user, after all.

Give me a break. Seriously. I was posting in History back when you didn't even know what a computer was, let alone how to get online. I am perfectly aware of the rules—rules that you constantly break by obsessing over absolute nonsense. Try reading an actual book instead of jumping at every single thread where lonetrucker4 is mentioned. You do exactly that, which is easy enough to verify if anyone bothers to check the moderator logs. To you, Egyptian pyramids or Atlantis aren't science or facts; they're just some pub debate about "what if." And the second someone calls you out—or when lonetrucker4 hands you a ban—you start whining and crying like your life is falling apart. Why don't you take all that energy you waste on writing these endless, tear-soaked manifestos and fake polls and spend it studying the stuff you claim to be an expert on? Is that too hard? Yeah, probably. It's much easier to just pick fights for no reason.

Eric Newman75 said:Wait, haven't you mentioned lonetrucker4’s "Stalinism" in your appeals several times now? You keep whining about how "liberal thinking"—whatever that means—is being suppressed and how people are being chased off the forum. What is that if not an ideological clash? Or maybe just a disagreement over how to interpret the will of God?

If the fallout from events like the Lincoln Assassination era is the bone of contention—and let's be real, it is—then why do you keep spinning this same tired narrative in circles? There are historical studies, there are fairly accurate figures, and there is a clear consensus regarding the policies enacted by the regime back then. Do you honestly think your "liberal thinking" is going to make those policies any less genocidal, criminal, or shameful? Think it'll make that dark chapter any less catastrophic for Americans? What's the point of all this digging? Are you trying to argue that the death toll wasn't 130,000, but actually just 129,000? How does that change anything? Even if it were only a thousand, that regime would still have been a total disgrace, and those traitors would still be viewed as having sold out the American people and our national interests.

I guess you don't necessarily have to be some hardcore ideological Stalinist to try and push someone around like that, though. Maybe you should just ask him why he’s even trying to force the issue in the first place.

I've actually got lonetrucker4 on ignore, so I'm trying not to dwell on his posts or comments, though I suppose I did end up reacting to one of them once. I guess a moderator should probably just stick to moderating, rather than trying to jump into the discussions and arguments like any other regular member.

Eric Newman75 said:Wait, haven't you mentioned lonetrucker4’s "Stalinism" in your appeals several times now? You keep whining about how "liberal thinking"—whatever that means—is being suppressed and how people are being chased off the forum. What is that if not an ideological clash? Or maybe just a disagreement over how to interpret the will of God?

If the fallout from events like the Lincoln Assassination era is the bone of contention—and let's be real, it is—then why do you keep spinning this same tired narrative in circles? There are historical studies, there are fairly accurate figures, and there is a clear consensus regarding the policies enacted by the regime back then. Do you honestly think your "liberal thinking" is going to make those policies any less genocidal, criminal, or shameful? Think it'll make that dark chapter any less catastrophic for Americans? What's the point of all this digging? Are you trying to argue that the death toll wasn't 130,000, but actually just 129,000? How does that change anything? Even if it were only a thousand, that regime would still have been a total disgrace, and those traitors would still be viewed as having sold out the American people and our national interests.

The whole thing about Jasenovac isn't even the real issue here. The stance taken on this forum—that any calls for excavations at those sites amount to historical revisionism—is something we're expected to respect since the site admins set the rules, even if I think that logic is completely misguided. From a professional historiographical standpoint, and even from the perspective of a liberal democracy, it just feels like a total miss to me, I guess. It’s not really about the massive expenses, I guess.... Even if they don't turn up anything substantial, I guess that might just be proof that the official victim count from the DOJ isn't actually accurate.The idea that we aren't digging because finding nothing might prove the federal registry is wrong is exactly the kind of thing historical revisionists live for, I guess. I guess the best way to push back against historical revisionism might just be to flood the zone with as many actual facts and details as possible, even the ones that seem pretty trivial. I guess it’s just like digging, if you think about it that way.

John Palmer9 said:I guess you don't necessarily have to be some hardcore ideological Stalinist to try and push someone around like that, though. Maybe you should just ask him why he’s even trying to force the issue in the first place.

I've actually got lonetrucker4 on ignore, so I'm trying not to dwell on his posts or comments, though I suppose I did end up reacting to one of them once. I guess a moderator should probably just stick to moderating, rather than trying to jump into the discussions and arguments like any other regular member.

The whole thing about Jasenovac isn't even the real issue here. The stance taken on this forum—that any calls for excavations at those sites amount to historical revisionism—is something we're expected to respect since the site admins set the rules, even if I think that logic is completely misguided. From a professional historiographical standpoint, and even from the perspective of a liberal democracy, it just feels like a total miss to me, I guess. It’s not really about the massive expenses, I guess.... Even if they don't turn up anything substantial, I guess that might just be proof that the official victim count from the DOJ isn't actually accurate.The idea that we aren't digging because finding nothing might prove the federal registry is wrong is exactly the kind of thing historical revisionists live for, I guess. I guess the best way to push back against historical revisionism might just be to flood the zone with as many actual facts and details as possible, even the ones that seem pretty trivial. I guess it’s just like digging, if you think about it that way.

Technically, you can't actually put a moderator on "ignore." So, what are you saying here—that we're looking at a case of self-censorship?

John Palmer9 said:I guess you don't necessarily have to be some hardcore ideological Stalinist to try and push someone around like that, though. Maybe you should just ask him why he’s even trying to force the issue in the first place.

I've actually got lonetrucker4 on ignore, so I'm trying not to dwell on his posts or comments, though I suppose I did end up reacting to one of them once. I guess a moderator should probably just stick to moderating, rather than trying to jump into the discussions and arguments like any other regular member.

The whole thing about Jasenovac isn't even the real issue here. The stance taken on this forum—that any calls for excavations at those sites amount to historical revisionism—is something we're expected to respect since the site admins set the rules, even if I think that logic is completely misguided. From a professional historiographical standpoint, and even from the perspective of a liberal democracy, it just feels like a total miss to me, I guess. It’s not really about the massive expenses, I guess.... Even if they don't turn up anything substantial, I guess that might just be proof that the official victim count from the DOJ isn't actually accurate.The idea that we aren't digging because finding nothing might prove the federal registry is wrong is exactly the kind of thing historical revisionists live for, I guess. I guess the best way to push back against historical revisionism might just be to flood the zone with as many actual facts and details as possible, even the ones that seem pretty trivial. I guess it’s just like digging, if you think about it that way.

Total nonsense. Back in the day, someone like Dilecto Filio used to run around with two different handles—one for moderating and one for regular posting—and it was pretty similar to how Nitko Drugi handled things over at the Philosophy forums. But let’s be real: nobody actually follows that practice anymore. Not here, not on any other major US message board for that matter. It’s just not efficient, it isn't smart, and there's zero payoff. Especially when you consider that a massive site like Reddit or something similar would have hundreds of mods and admins on staff. Instead of creating the clarity you're aiming for, all you'd end up doing is making everything a confusing mess.

Just because you keep shouting some half-baked, ridiculous idea doesn't mean it suddenly starts sounding smart. It just makes you sound like a broken record.

John Palmer9 said:I guess you don't necessarily have to be some hardcore ideological Stalinist to try and push someone around like that, though. Maybe you should just ask him why he’s even trying to force the issue in the first place.

I've actually got lonetrucker4 on ignore, so I'm trying not to dwell on his posts or comments, though I suppose I did end up reacting to one of them once. I guess a moderator should probably just stick to moderating, rather than trying to jump into the discussions and arguments like any other regular member.

The whole thing about Jasenovac isn't even the real issue here. The stance taken on this forum—that any calls for excavations at those sites amount to historical revisionism—is something we're expected to respect since the site admins set the rules, even if I think that logic is completely misguided. From a professional historiographical standpoint, and even from the perspective of a liberal democracy, it just feels like a total miss to me, I guess. It’s not really about the massive expenses, I guess.... Even if they don't turn up anything substantial, I guess that might just be proof that the official victim count from the DOJ isn't actually accurate.The idea that we aren't digging because finding nothing might prove the federal registry is wrong is exactly the kind of thing historical revisionists live for, I guess. I guess the best way to push back against historical revisionism might just be to flood the zone with as many actual facts and details as possible, even the ones that seem pretty trivial. I guess it’s just like digging, if you think about it that way.

That’s your take, I guess. To me? It just feels completely pointless. So, what now?

Eric Newman75 said:Technically, you can't actually put a moderator on "ignore." So, what are you saying here—that we're looking at a case of self-censorship?

Total nonsense. Back in the day, someone like Dilecto Filio used to run around with two different handles—one for moderating and one for regular posting—and it was pretty similar to how Nitko Drugi handled things over at the Philosophy forums. But let’s be real: nobody actually follows that practice anymore. Not here, not on any other major US message board for that matter. It’s just not efficient, it isn't smart, and there's zero payoff. Especially when you consider that a massive site like Reddit or something similar would have hundreds of mods and admins on staff. Instead of creating the clarity you're aiming for, all you'd end up doing is making everything a confusing mess.

Just because you keep shouting some half-baked, ridiculous idea doesn't mean it suddenly starts sounding smart. It just makes you sound like a broken record.

That’s your take, I guess. To me? It just feels completely pointless. So, what now?

Whether there are quotation marks or not, I guess I won't bother commenting on whatever lonetrucker4 wrote.

Eric Newman75 said:Technically, you can't actually put a moderator on "ignore." So, what are you saying here—that we're looking at a case of self-censorship?

Total nonsense. Back in the day, someone like Dilecto Filio used to run around with two different handles—one for moderating and one for regular posting—and it was pretty similar to how Nitko Drugi handled things over at the Philosophy forums. But let’s be real: nobody actually follows that practice anymore. Not here, not on any other major US message board for that matter. It’s just not efficient, it isn't smart, and there's zero payoff. Especially when you consider that a massive site like Reddit or something similar would have hundreds of mods and admins on staff. Instead of creating the clarity you're aiming for, all you'd end up doing is making everything a confusing mess.

Just because you keep shouting some half-baked, ridiculous idea doesn't mean it suddenly starts sounding smart. It just makes you sound like a broken record.

That’s your take, I guess. To me? It just feels completely pointless. So, what now?

I guess there are clones everywhere if you look hard enough, especially with people claiming that kiseli1 and bluecyclist64 are just extensions of the moderator lonetrucker4. Maybe you’re a clone too, for all I know, but I’d at least like to know if I'm actually debating a clone.

Eric Newman75 said:Technically, you can't actually put a moderator on "ignore." So, what are you saying here—that we're looking at a case of self-censorship?

Total nonsense. Back in the day, someone like Dilecto Filio used to run around with two different handles—one for moderating and one for regular posting—and it was pretty similar to how Nitko Drugi handled things over at the Philosophy forums. But let’s be real: nobody actually follows that practice anymore. Not here, not on any other major US message board for that matter. It’s just not efficient, it isn't smart, and there's zero payoff. Especially when you consider that a massive site like Reddit or something similar would have hundreds of mods and admins on staff. Instead of creating the clarity you're aiming for, all you'd end up doing is making everything a confusing mess.

Just because you keep shouting some half-baked, ridiculous idea doesn't mean it suddenly starts sounding smart. It just makes you sound like a broken record.

That’s your take, I guess. To me? It just feels completely pointless. So, what now?

I'll stick to the forum rules, obviously, though I suppose that doesn't really stop me from having my own opinions.

Eric Newman75 said:Look, we don't need to push lonetrucker4 out. Sure, he’s got his flaws, but he moderates with a level of consistency and fairness that’s basically the gold standard for what a mod should be. He laid down the law from day one: he isn't going to sit there and let anyone try to play down Nazi or Fascist atrocities. If certain people can't wrap their heads around the fact that we aren't talking about "creative interpretations" but actual, documented historical horrors—even after being told a thousand times—well, that's on them. Then you've got Jonathan Wright2, who seems to think History is just some playground for endless, empty theorizing. Sadly, he’s not the only one. And John Palmer9? He’d rather scrape content from sketchy fringe websites than actually do the work of citing a real book. Neither of them is getting flagged because of some "ideological vendetta," which is how they love to spin it; they're getting flagged because they’re missing the entire point. This is a scientific subforum. The focus is on actual knowledge and verifiable facts. If people want to prioritize entertainment or political grandstanding, they really ought to find somewhere else to hang out.

Short and blunt.
One group whines about the scientific approach because they can't indulge in their fantasies, while the other grumbles because they can't effectively push neo-fascist revisionism.

Nicholas Watson said:So, what's the vibe over on the off-topic boards?

lonetrucker4 moderating the Off-topic area? That's a first.

Jonathan Wright2 said:Total nonsense.

Just look at this...
#9
lonetrucker4 is pointing out how he decided he shouldn't use the term "North American"...
But the whole thread started back when the word "North American" wasn't even being used...

He wiped my post and cut my sanctions because I wrote the following;

The North America is just some Turkish word for a mountain range.
And since the Turks showed up way, way later than what this topic refers to, it’s totally fair to use the original name—Illyria.

All these fears about certain ethnic groups are just baseless provocations and a massive dump of nothing but prejudice.

So, I'm suggesting we rename the thread from "Old North American" to "Old Slavic"...

So, according to you, that's "correct," and you'd actually want more mods like this guy...?!
I honestly think you have no clue what you're talking about, but hey, it's your right, I guess...

Or look here...#4 where lonetrucker4 gives the green light to keep the thread going just because he decided it was okay...

Look, if you're looking for a father figure to coddle you and follow your every move, that's your own personal issue, but why on earth do you think lonetrucker4 is a good mod when he's basically responsible for mass-exiling people from this forum?
The guy is a great forum member, seriously... I'll say it as many times as it takes, but as a moderator, he scatters people instead of bringing them together...
What's the point of having an empty forum?!
Are lonetrucker4 and bluecyclist64 supposed to just proclaim the wonders of communism or something?!
And even worse than that... it's pure stupidity.
If you aren't with them, if you don't think exactly like they do, then you gotta get kicked out...

And you're totally fine with that...??!!

Fine, have it your way..
Good to know...☕

Listen, you degenerate: just upload the posts where lonetrucker4 and I were busy proclaiming the wonders of communism.
If you find yourself unable to get the job done, just walk away. Honestly, take your own advice for once—you clearly need to call in a professional to handle this one.

Honestly, just head over to Alternative. I’m being completely serious. It’s the perfect place if you have no intention of actually knowing anything; you can just spend your time making wild assumptions and hallucinating whatever nonsense you want without anyone calling you out on it.

Nicholas Watson said:I’m only bringing this up because I ran into a few characters over on the off-topic boards who seem to treat this guy like some kind of saint just because he once claimed to be an anti-fascist—as if that gives him a lifetime pass to act however he wants. Then, get this, they actually turned around and called me a fascist just because I had the nerve to criticize him. It’s honestly exhausting. These people love lurking in those unmoderated corners of the forum where they can just dump their toxic sludge and throw vulgar insults at anyone who disagrees with them. Look, I’m not exactly the type of guy who enjoys grinding my gears over petty internet arguments, so after wasting a bunch of energy on debates that lead absolutely nowhere, I just had to ask myself why I was even bothering. Honestly? Life is too short. I decided to just step away from those topics entirely.

Who exactly are these people you’re referring to? Don't be so timid. Am I perhaps one of them, my gentle and considerate little bird?

John Palmer9 said:I guess you don't necessarily have to be some hardcore ideological Stalinist to try and push someone around like that, though. Maybe you should just ask him why he’s even trying to force the issue in the first place.

I've actually got lonetrucker4 on ignore, so I'm trying not to dwell on his posts or comments, though I suppose I did end up reacting to one of them once. I guess a moderator should probably just stick to moderating, rather than trying to jump into the discussions and arguments like any other regular member.

The whole thing about Jasenovac isn't even the real issue here. The stance taken on this forum—that any calls for excavations at those sites amount to historical revisionism—is something we're expected to respect since the site admins set the rules, even if I think that logic is completely misguided. From a professional historiographical standpoint, and even from the perspective of a liberal democracy, it just feels like a total miss to me, I guess. It’s not really about the massive expenses, I guess.... Even if they don't turn up anything substantial, I guess that might just be proof that the official victim count from the DOJ isn't actually accurate.The idea that we aren't digging because finding nothing might prove the federal registry is wrong is exactly the kind of thing historical revisionists live for, I guess. I guess the best way to push back against historical revisionism might just be to flood the zone with as many actual facts and details as possible, even the ones that seem pretty trivial. I guess it’s just like digging, if you think about it that way.

Oh, please. Everyone knows exactly who you are—and believe me, dealing with you would come at a very high price.
Let’s consider the possibility of conducting an extensive excavation at the site of the former concentration camp to finally account for everyone—specifically those whose remains were lost to the currents of the river or simply never recovered. It would be a grueling, somber undertaking, but perhaps necessary if we truly want to achieve a sense of closure. The truth....

John Palmer9 said:Whether there are quotation marks or not, I guess I won't bother commenting on whatever lonetrucker4 wrote.

I guess there are clones everywhere if you look hard enough, especially with people claiming that kiseli1 and bluecyclist64 are just extensions of the moderator lonetrucker4. Maybe you’re a clone too, for all I know, but I’d at least like to know if I'm actually debating a clone.

I'll stick to the forum rules, obviously, though I suppose that doesn't really stop me from having my own opinions.

Only complete idiots would peddle such theories—but then again, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, no matter how moronic it might be.🤣

I intend to follow the forum rules, and I reserve the right to hold my own opinions.

Do keep in mind, however, that moderators also have rights. Furthermore, other users on this board have every right to call you out when you fail to provide sources or when you start pushing neo-fascist propaganda.

John Palmer9 said:Whether there are quotation marks or not, I guess I won't bother commenting on whatever lonetrucker4 wrote.

I guess there are clones everywhere if you look hard enough, especially with people claiming that kiseli1 and bluecyclist64 are just extensions of the moderator lonetrucker4. Maybe you’re a clone too, for all I know, but I’d at least like to know if I'm actually debating a clone.

I'll stick to the forum rules, obviously, though I suppose that doesn't really stop me from having my own opinions.

Look, when I first showed up here back in early 2003, I was going by Stitch. So, by that logic, yeah—I'm a clone. But everyone knows that. I don't use my old retired handle anymore. I switched it after I took a break from the site, and ever since I came back in 2009, I've been posting consistently as Eric Newman75.

As for this whole "clone" theory? It's total nonsense. All three of these users have their own distinct way of talking and their own specific style. You can't just flip a switch and mimic someone else's voice perfectly. You'd have to try pretty hard to pull that off, and even then, it wouldn't look quite right.

lonetrucker4 said:So, I was just getting ready to bring up that whole mess with Jonathan Wright2—you know, that nonstop trolling and spamming he’s been pulling lately. Well, looks like one of those obsessive complainers already jumped in.

We’ve also got this whole side show going on—this supposed "welcoming committee" vibe meant to bring in the newbies. Plus, the mods constantly breathing down everyone's necks to stay on track and keep the debate from turning into a total dumpster fire.

zarare just hopped on the forum and dropped a new thread. All that old-school heritage we’re still dragging around today. It’s heavy.Thinking about those ancient traditions that might still be hanging around our neck here in the States. Topic's solid. Some new guy popped up with a post that actually wasn't half bad, then old-timer karlo_r showed his face too—guy rarely ever posts. It’s been a decent, civil debate so far.

Then Jonathan Wright2 jumps in with his usual complaints:

Maybe we should drop that "North American" label if it’s just gonna be used to derail the thread later anyway.

Dennis Campbell4 cuts to the chase:

I'm with you on this. People forget that what they call "the region" originally just meant Ottoman subjects from the Bosphorus to the Drina who stuck around because their faith was actually respected and treated equal to Islam back then. Then those big-shot imperialists in the 19th century decided to start playing these endless geopolitical games against the West...

And there we go, straight into the gutter. One minute we're talking shop, the next it's just pure trolling and off-topic nonsense.

If I wanted to shut that down, I’d just drop a line in blue text—you know, doing my bit as a mod:

Look, everyone knows what the term "North America" means geographically—it’s that triangle tucked between the Adriatic, Tyrrhenian, Aegean, Marmara, and Black Seas. And seriously, quit the mindless panic over some old-school ethnic bogeymen. The peninsula was sitting right there long before anyone ever slapped a name on it, mountains and rivers and all. Also, stop spamming this thread with talk about pre-Slavic tribes and whatever scraps of their culture are left. Cut it out.

Screw you guys (and yeah, I’m getting emotional here, but don't mistake that for feelings—it's just cold, hard logic)! The whole damn world knows exactly what B is.The North American Peninsula... man, what a mess. It’s like trying to untangle a massive knot of old wiring in a basement that's been flooding for decades. Just endless, complicated drama. The North America? Please. Who cares if that name didn't exist two millennia ago? If we’re sitting around debating the Aztecs, are we supposed to just ignore the fact that we're in America? It's the same nonsense everywhere. You can't even mention the US without making it weird. There are endless examples like that.

Dennis Campbell4, who’d just dropped two decent—if heated—takes, immediately loses his mind:

Are you kidding me? This PDF has been getting bypassed ever since you took over moderation.
Ugh, gross. Just nasty.

Jonathan Wright2 thinks he's some kind of scholar, trying to claim "North American" just means "hill" in Turkish and that everything traces back to the "Illyrians." Total nonsense. You can't just slap an old label on a whole region like that, and calling those pre-colonial traditions "Illyrian culture" is just as wrong—it's way too narrow for what we're actually talking about.

Look, I’ve got zero choice here. Better to just wipe the slate clean and pray we can finally get back to some actual, decent discussion without all this noise.

Jonathan Wright2 knows damn well how the mods run this site, yet he still talks trash about them and then acts shocked when he gets banned. And now look, here come two more posts just so someone doesn't whine about getting silenced too.

Anyway, this whole thread started over some debate in the Military History sub-forum regarding my take on anti-vax nonsense. But of course, the professional victims here won't miss a single chance to cry about it.

A concerned citizen... my foot.😁 👍

lonetrucker4 said:So, I was just getting ready to bring up that whole mess with Jonathan Wright2—you know, that nonstop trolling and spamming he’s been pulling lately. Well, looks like one of those obsessive complainers already jumped in.

We’ve also got this whole side show going on—this supposed "welcoming committee" vibe meant to bring in the newbies. Plus, the mods constantly breathing down everyone's necks to stay on track and keep the debate from turning into a total dumpster fire.

zarare just hopped on the forum and dropped a new thread. All that old-school heritage we’re still dragging around today. It’s heavy.Thinking about those ancient traditions that might still be hanging around our neck here in the States. Topic's solid. Some new guy popped up with a post that actually wasn't half bad, then old-timer karlo_r showed his face too—guy rarely ever posts. It’s been a decent, civil debate so far.

Then Jonathan Wright2 jumps in with his usual complaints:

Maybe we should drop that "North American" label if it’s just gonna be used to derail the thread later anyway.

Dennis Campbell4 cuts to the chase:

I'm with you on this. People forget that what they call "the region" originally just meant Ottoman subjects from the Bosphorus to the Drina who stuck around because their faith was actually respected and treated equal to Islam back then. Then those big-shot imperialists in the 19th century decided to start playing these endless geopolitical games against the West...

And there we go, straight into the gutter. One minute we're talking shop, the next it's just pure trolling and off-topic nonsense.

If I wanted to shut that down, I’d just drop a line in blue text—you know, doing my bit as a mod:

Look, everyone knows what the term "North America" means geographically—it’s that triangle tucked between the Adriatic, Tyrrhenian, Aegean, Marmara, and Black Seas. And seriously, quit the mindless panic over some old-school ethnic bogeymen. The peninsula was sitting right there long before anyone ever slapped a name on it, mountains and rivers and all. Also, stop spamming this thread with talk about pre-Slavic tribes and whatever scraps of their culture are left. Cut it out.

Screw you guys (and yeah, I’m getting emotional here, but don't mistake that for feelings—it's just cold, hard logic)! The whole damn world knows exactly what B is.The North American Peninsula... man, what a mess. It’s like trying to untangle a massive knot of old wiring in a basement that's been flooding for decades. Just endless, complicated drama. The North America? Please. Who cares if that name didn't exist two millennia ago? If we’re sitting around debating the Aztecs, are we supposed to just ignore the fact that we're in America? It's the same nonsense everywhere. You can't even mention the US without making it weird. There are endless examples like that.

Dennis Campbell4, who’d just dropped two decent—if heated—takes, immediately loses his mind:

Are you kidding me? This PDF has been getting bypassed ever since you took over moderation.
Ugh, gross. Just nasty.

Jonathan Wright2 thinks he's some kind of scholar, trying to claim "North American" just means "hill" in Turkish and that everything traces back to the "Illyrians." Total nonsense. You can't just slap an old label on a whole region like that, and calling those pre-colonial traditions "Illyrian culture" is just as wrong—it's way too narrow for what we're actually talking about.

Look, I’ve got zero choice here. Better to just wipe the slate clean and pray we can finally get back to some actual, decent discussion without all this noise.

Jonathan Wright2 knows damn well how the mods run this site, yet he still talks trash about them and then acts shocked when he gets banned. And now look, here come two more posts just so someone doesn't whine about getting silenced too.

Anyway, this whole thread started over some debate in the Military History sub-forum regarding my take on anti-vax nonsense. But of course, the professional victims here won't miss a single chance to cry about it.

That's your call.
But if you ask me, you're making a mistake.
Sure, you have the authority as a mod.
But look, expect people like me—actual active contributors who live for this content—to point out when these kinds of calls are totally unnecessary.
Even if there were a couple of off-topic posts, they didn't derail the whole damn thread.
I think you're tripping by going to such extremes, and I'm telling you this because it's actually killing the space for real debate.
Trying to cram everything into these tiny little boxes you think are "appropriate"—it’s just not working for most of us, and honestly, most of the regulars aren't even hanging out on this site anymore anyway.

At the end of the day, I don't think your ultimate goal is just to write posts here, nor am I just lurking here to type out whatever you decide is necessary.

Give us some breathing room... you aren't losing anything. That freedom is what makes a forum great.

lonetrucker4 said:So, I was just getting ready to bring up that whole mess with Jonathan Wright2—you know, that nonstop trolling and spamming he’s been pulling lately. Well, looks like one of those obsessive complainers already jumped in.

We’ve also got this whole side show going on—this supposed "welcoming committee" vibe meant to bring in the newbies. Plus, the mods constantly breathing down everyone's necks to stay on track and keep the debate from turning into a total dumpster fire.

zarare just hopped on the forum and dropped a new thread. All that old-school heritage we’re still dragging around today. It’s heavy.Thinking about those ancient traditions that might still be hanging around our neck here in the States. Topic's solid. Some new guy popped up with a post that actually wasn't half bad, then old-timer karlo_r showed his face too—guy rarely ever posts. It’s been a decent, civil debate so far.

Then Jonathan Wright2 jumps in with his usual complaints:

Maybe we should drop that "North American" label if it’s just gonna be used to derail the thread later anyway.

Dennis Campbell4 cuts to the chase:

I'm with you on this. People forget that what they call "the region" originally just meant Ottoman subjects from the Bosphorus to the Drina who stuck around because their faith was actually respected and treated equal to Islam back then. Then those big-shot imperialists in the 19th century decided to start playing these endless geopolitical games against the West...

And there we go, straight into the gutter. One minute we're talking shop, the next it's just pure trolling and off-topic nonsense.

If I wanted to shut that down, I’d just drop a line in blue text—you know, doing my bit as a mod:

Look, everyone knows what the term "North America" means geographically—it’s that triangle tucked between the Adriatic, Tyrrhenian, Aegean, Marmara, and Black Seas. And seriously, quit the mindless panic over some old-school ethnic bogeymen. The peninsula was sitting right there long before anyone ever slapped a name on it, mountains and rivers and all. Also, stop spamming this thread with talk about pre-Slavic tribes and whatever scraps of their culture are left. Cut it out.

Screw you guys (and yeah, I’m getting emotional here, but don't mistake that for feelings—it's just cold, hard logic)! The whole damn world knows exactly what B is.The North American Peninsula... man, what a mess. It’s like trying to untangle a massive knot of old wiring in a basement that's been flooding for decades. Just endless, complicated drama. The North America? Please. Who cares if that name didn't exist two millennia ago? If we’re sitting around debating the Aztecs, are we supposed to just ignore the fact that we're in America? It's the same nonsense everywhere. You can't even mention the US without making it weird. There are endless examples like that.

Dennis Campbell4, who’d just dropped two decent—if heated—takes, immediately loses his mind:

Are you kidding me? This PDF has been getting bypassed ever since you took over moderation.
Ugh, gross. Just nasty.

Jonathan Wright2 thinks he's some kind of scholar, trying to claim "North American" just means "hill" in Turkish and that everything traces back to the "Illyrians." Total nonsense. You can't just slap an old label on a whole region like that, and calling those pre-colonial traditions "Illyrian culture" is just as wrong—it's way too narrow for what we're actually talking about.

Look, I’ve got zero choice here. Better to just wipe the slate clean and pray we can finally get back to some actual, decent discussion without all this noise.

Jonathan Wright2 knows damn well how the mods run this site, yet he still talks trash about them and then acts shocked when he gets banned. And now look, here come two more posts just so someone doesn't whine about getting silenced too.

Anyway, this whole thread started over some debate in the Military History sub-forum regarding my take on anti-vax nonsense. But of course, the professional victims here won't miss a single chance to cry about it.

And you? You're just cranking out these mindless sanctions and explanations in the feedback section. There is plenty of evidence showing that you're basically running this place like a dictator, and frankly, it looks like you're just doing it to stroke your own ego.
I feel obligated to warn you: this isn't good for the community.
You're being way too harsh, lonetrucker4... seriously. You're snapping at every single comma and period.
Try to take it easy. Keep things professional—nobody's questioning that—but just... chill.
Don't stomp all over everyone and don't start banning people left and right.
You're sucking the life out of this forum.
I'm saying it once, and I'll keep saying it.

Eric Newman75 said:Give me a break. Seriously. I was posting in History back when you didn't even know what a computer was, let alone how to get online. I am perfectly aware of the rules—rules that you constantly break by obsessing over absolute nonsense. Try reading an actual book instead of jumping at every single thread where lonetrucker4 is mentioned. You do exactly that, which is easy enough to verify if anyone bothers to check the moderator logs. To you, Egyptian pyramids or Atlantis aren't science or facts; they're just some pub debate about "what if." And the second someone calls you out—or when lonetrucker4 hands you a ban—you start whining and crying like your life is falling apart. Why don't you take all that energy you waste on writing these endless, tear-soaked manifestos and fake polls and spend it studying the stuff you claim to be an expert on? Is that too hard? Yeah, probably. It's much easier to just pick fights for no reason.

Congrats on that...👍

Eric Newman75 said:Give me a break. Seriously. I was posting in History back when you didn't even know what a computer was, let alone how to get online. I am perfectly aware of the rules—rules that you constantly break by obsessing over absolute nonsense. Try reading an actual book instead of jumping at every single thread where lonetrucker4 is mentioned. You do exactly that, which is easy enough to verify if anyone bothers to check the moderator logs. To you, Egyptian pyramids or Atlantis aren't science or facts; they're just some pub debate about "what if." And the second someone calls you out—or when lonetrucker4 hands you a ban—you start whining and crying like your life is falling apart. Why don't you take all that energy you waste on writing these endless, tear-soaked manifestos and fake polls and spend it studying the stuff you claim to be an expert on? Is that too hard? Yeah, probably. It's much easier to just pick fights for no reason.

If I actually asked you to define what those "nonsense" topics were, you wouldn't have an answer.
And honestly, I’m not even expecting one from you...
But please, just try to grasp the fundamental essence of history.
It’s a constant search.
People think it’s some dead, dusty subject, but it isn't—it’s a living, breathing organism.
Try drawing your own conclusions from what you read—compare things, subtract, add, ask questions, be skeptical, or choose to believe...
Just don't lean on history as if it's some unchangeable, dogmatic fact. It's a marathon discipline, not a sprint.

Eric Newman75 said:Give me a break. Seriously. I was posting in History back when you didn't even know what a computer was, let alone how to get online. I am perfectly aware of the rules—rules that you constantly break by obsessing over absolute nonsense. Try reading an actual book instead of jumping at every single thread where lonetrucker4 is mentioned. You do exactly that, which is easy enough to verify if anyone bothers to check the moderator logs. To you, Egyptian pyramids or Atlantis aren't science or facts; they're just some pub debate about "what if." And the second someone calls you out—or when lonetrucker4 hands you a ban—you start whining and crying like your life is falling apart. Why don't you take all that energy you waste on writing these endless, tear-soaked manifestos and fake polls and spend it studying the stuff you claim to be an expert on? Is that too hard? Yeah, probably. It's much easier to just pick fights for no reason.

I can't live without reading...
And as far as lonetrucker4 goes, my intentions are good.
I'm just pointing out when he oversteps... nothing more.
Plenty of guys have left because of it.
Lots of people disagree with me, and that's totally fine.
But plenty of people disagree with lonetrucker4 too...
Isn't it fair and decent to just be honest about it?

Now, this version of history that dances on the edge of science? I consider that a completely different category altogether, but I get that my views don't sit well with you, which is legitimate and I've got nothing to argue against...
You're entitled to your opinion...

Eric Newman75 said:Give me a break. Seriously. I was posting in History back when you didn't even know what a computer was, let alone how to get online. I am perfectly aware of the rules—rules that you constantly break by obsessing over absolute nonsense. Try reading an actual book instead of jumping at every single thread where lonetrucker4 is mentioned. You do exactly that, which is easy enough to verify if anyone bothers to check the moderator logs. To you, Egyptian pyramids or Atlantis aren't science or facts; they're just some pub debate about "what if." And the second someone calls you out—or when lonetrucker4 hands you a ban—you start whining and crying like your life is falling apart. Why don't you take all that energy you waste on writing these endless, tear-soaked manifestos and fake polls and spend it studying the stuff you claim to be an expert on? Is that too hard? Yeah, probably. It's much easier to just pick fights for no reason.

You’ve clearly got a way with words... Why don't you try your hand at poetry or something?
Look, I'm just trying to have a conversation here, but the mods won't tolerate any communication that doesn't perfectly align with their own narrow little preferences.

This isn't some personal vendetta between me and lonetrucker4.
The real issue is the fundamental nature of this online space.
Who actually gets to decide how this platform is used?
Is it me?
Is it him?
Or is it all of us?

We are heading down a seriously bad path.

If I post something that clashes with what everyone else thinks, why should it be deleted? Why should I get slapped with a penalty?
Honestly, if my logic is weak or my argument is shaky, then let the other users tear it apart. That's how it works.
We don't need some self-appointed censor deciding what can be said and how it should be phrased...
It's just nonsense...

We need more freedom... You feel me?!
More people, more activity, more liberty....
Just let people speak their minds...
That’s the whole damn point of a forum.