Bill: Hope you guys are enjoying your power and rule!

Dear administrators and moderators,

I feel you are overstepping boundaries that simply shouldn't be crossed.
First off, this "unmerited PERMABAN on the diaspora forum"... you can say whatever you want, BUT I didn't deserve to be banned forever. There was no reason, and certainly no justification for such a penalty.

I’ve learned not to create duplicate accounts, even though there is someone "who brags about having as many clones as they want without getting banned"... so how does that work? I can still read their posts, can't I?

Let me get to why I am actually writing. This is something that truly should not have happened, and it feels like personal animosity toward me rather than just a ban from the diaspora community.

It starts like this.
October 27, 2012

An email from the video wall:

I was reading through some old messages this morning and saw yours, so I thought to myself, "...Hey, let me reach out and see how Jamie Clark74 is doing."
I assume you're still following both threads about Australia, but they wouldn't be the same without your posts...

Just wanted you to know you haven't been forgotten. Just because you can't post doesn't mean we can't stay in touch...
We can communicate via email if you really need to write; feel free to share what's on your mind or what's making you happy. I prefer hearing things firsthand. I was in Seattle last year, so I'm still interested in everything regarding Australia since I consider it a paradise on Earth—a very well-organized country with kind, smiling people...

Greetings from America..

My response was this:

It’s very kind to receive greetings from someone I know understands me.
I've filed complaints with the oversight committee and the banned users' corner, but maybe you saw them—it was all for nothing. It's all lies and spin. I've never written to anyone personally, especially not the moderators, nor have I ever led any revolts on the diaspora forum, which is exactly what I'm being accused of.

I know there are a few forum members who support this nonsense, but the most damage was caused by Katrina. To me, she seems to be the one pulling the strings... I never had issues with the Taxman, but then a ban came out of nowhere for absolutely no reason... but that’s ancient history now.

Every time I politely ask for leniency and offer to cooperate as requested, I just get a "NO" from the Taxman.

I'm frustrated because for about 12 years, whenever I'm up late due to insomnia, my first move is to grab a coffee and head to the forum. It became a part of my life. Even though I don't get involved in American politics, it's almost like an addiction.
But what can you do?
I get plenty of emails asking for help, but I don't really respond to them anymore.
Besides being hit with a PERMABAN on the diaspora forum, I'm having trouble even logging in. Every single time I try, the password expires every 24 hours.

I sent the following to ambermason16 (who helped me once before):

I just got back from the hospital and tried:
It’s the same as before!
I logged in again, only for the password to reset after 24 hours.

Someone with "respect" needs to reset this in Chicago, because I can't get it working here.

Actually, I don't know why I'm stressing over this. I'm leaving on November 6, 2012, for surgery to remove my entire bladder due to cancer. I'll be left with one weak kidney, facing dialysis and a catheter. At 42 years old, I'm dealing with constant chronic pain... My chance of a successful surgery is roughly 30/70, so maybe I won't even need a password... and regardless, I can't post on the diaspora forum anyway. I don't even know why I'm praying for anything at all.

Best wishes to everyone, good luck, and take care!

Jamie Clark74

A request from the video wall.

I was actually hoping I could ask you all for a little help!
If you don't understand, I won't get it.
I asked Una67 to post this for me... but I've been checking the tracking and she hasn't even seen my email yet.

Could you please mention that we’ve been in touch and that I asked you to pass along the following?I really don't want to be a clone.

TITLE: Greetings from an old emigrant in Seattle!

Thanks in advance—though you might just end up with a yellow card for this one... haha.

P.S. I’ve been getting a bit overwhelmed with all this prep work. It sounds grim, but I’m basically making sure everything is set for my wife just in case—because you never know when life might take a turn. Lately, I’ve been deep-diving into my own health, researching exactly what I can handle and what I should avoid. I'm studying my medications and keeping a close eye on my kidney function; honestly, I want to know my own body as well as any doctor does. I just need to be certain that everything is being handled correctly and that I'm sticking strictly to the meds my kidney can actually tolerate. I've had a few close calls already, so I'm playing it safe.

Best regards.

To my fellow forum members who have known me for many years.
I’m checking in, just like some people say I always do—Jamie Clark74... haha. But honestly, whether you know me well or we've never spoken, feel free to look back through my posts and this thread. My history here speaks for itself.
I’ve spent the last nine years contributing to both the diaspora and health forums, totaling thousands of posts that feel much too long.

I just wanted to share—for my own reasons—how much "luck" I’ve had with my health over the last 15 months. I know most people probably don't care, and believe me, I realize everyone is dealing with their own struggles too.

My forty-two-year struggle with chronic pain has actually gotten worse lately, and there’s a very specific reason for that.
Back in July 2011, I found out I had kidney cancer—actually, it was on my ureter, about five centimeters from the bladder. I went through all the X-rays and scans to make sure it hadn't spread.

Back on September 20, 2011, I had my right kidney and the top of my bladder removed—specifically where the ureter enters. It was a rough one; complications turned it into a seven-hour surgery.
My left kidney isn't doing great lately. I'm right on the edge of needing dialysis.

On January 23, 2012, I went in for a cystoscopy to check how the top of my bladder had healed. As I watched the monitor, I saw these incredible colors—almost like coral or some exotic mushroom magnified hundreds of times. My mind immediately jumped to the worst-case scenario, thinking about cancer, and I told the doctor exactly what I was seeing. I asked him if my intuition was right. Sadly, I was. He told me, "Jamie Clark74, you have bladder cancer."

I’ve gone through four cystoscopies now. Each time, they’ve removed about 1 to 2 cm clusters, roughly 6 to 9 cells per go. I even tried a six-week round of BCG therapy, but nothing. It just keeps coming back.

Back during my last surgery on September 6, 2012... they told me the department was going to hold a meeting to decide how to handle my case. Honestly, I already knew their "opinion" was about as useful as a screen door on a submarine.

Another round of scans, all coming back clear. No signs of any spread.
I signed the paperwork for my surgery on October 15, 2012. It was scheduled for November 6, 2012.

I was scheduled for my pre-admission on October 25, 2012. It’s usually a five-hour process, but they called me instead and told me to check back in two days for more detailed testing. I thought I was fully prepared—I knew exactly what to expect and all the potential risks involved—but things didn't go quite according to plan.

I’m dealing with some tricky issues regarding my abdominal muscles—it feels like a hernia. Honestly, the doctors aren't even sure what the game plan is until they actually get in there. They're still debating which side to place the stoma and where the urine collection bags should go.

So, I’m facing a radical cystectomy—basically, having my bladder removed, along with the prostate and surrounding lymph nodes.
The doctors told me the surgery is going to be long, and there’s a real chance things could go south.

I hope I’m not being "too much" for those certain individuals who seem to adore me so much.

And I hope you'll hear from me again soon, if not sooner. And if I make it through this again.

Warm greetings to all my friends here on the forum, and to those I haven't met yet—wishing you nothing but health and happiness in life.

Hey there.
Jamie Clark74
Eight days in Seattle.

This morning, October 29, 2012, I received this email from the video wall.

I posted it, but I’m not sure if you caught it. It seems the moderators don't sleep; my post was wiped instantly and I was banned... The ban isn't the issue, really. The issue is that we aren't allowed to say anything anymore...

Good luck with your surgery...!! Please keep us updated...
cheers

Jamie Clark74 says:

All I can say is that I've spent 43 years away from America and 46 years total abroad. On November 11, 2012, if I make it, I'll be turning 71.

It looks like I never quite grasped this "new American democracy."

I won't waste my breath trying to convince anyone that I wasn't being offensive. I was simply reposting deleted content; I wasn't starting any rebellion within the diaspora... Honestly, as my PERMABAN proves, I hadn't even written anything by the time it happened.

Maybe I won't follow the diaspora news in the future either—who knows what life holds. But I suspect that while I'm prepping for surgery, thoughts of the diaspora and Chicago will be on my mind right before the anesthesia kicks in.

Just be decent people and restore my message along with the video wall post to the diaspora forum, and lift the ban, which was undeserved... WHY?????

I wish you all good health and successful moderation.

Jamie Clark74

I've always believed in honesty and justice... but lately, I have my doubts about certain people.

Jamie Clark74, I am asking you one last time: stop sending me your medical records and stop trying to recruit people to plaster them all over the diaspora. We have already hashed out everything regarding the partial ban more times than I care to count. This kind of dramatic manifesto is exactly why the partial ban turned into a permanent one.

Can I ask a question?

Jamie Clark74, I’ve noticed something. You constantly drag your health issues into your posts and complaints. Look, I feel for you—I really do. I get that being sick sucks and it's hard, but do you honestly think being ill is a free pass for everything? This forum has rules, and they need to be followed. If you break them, you get penalized. It’s just like real life; there are laws and regulations you have to follow regardless of how you're feeling.

I haven't been following your every move, but this jumped out at me. Every single time there's a complaint involved, you make sure to drop a report on your medical condition. I suspect people have been turning a blind eye to some of your behavior because of it, but you can't just do whatever you want on someone else's account. For God's sake, what would happen to the concept of health if everyone who was sick started acting out online and using their pain as an excuse? I think most people are sympathetic to someone dealing with illness—they know it isn't easy every day and they might give you a little leeway—but being sick isn't an excuse or an apology for being a jerk.

melloworca6 said:Can I ask a question?

Jamie Clark74, I’ve noticed something. You constantly bring up your health issues in your posts and appeals. I’m sorry you’re sick and dealing with pain—I really am, and I sympathize—but do you honestly think being ill justifies everything? This forum has rules, and they need to be followed. If you break them, there are consequences. It’s just like real life; there are laws and regulations you have to follow, and nobody cares what kind of day you're having when it comes to the rules.

I haven't been following your every move, but this caught my eye. Every single time there's an appeal, there's a detailed report on your medical condition. I suspect people might have looked the other way regarding some of your actions because of that, but you can't use it as a free pass to do whatever you want. For God's sake, imagine if everyone who was sick started acting out on a PDF and using their illness as an excuse. I think most people are understanding toward someone who isn't feeling well, but being sick isn't an excuse for bad behavior.

What are you all imagining... I wouldn't even write about you until I had studied everything first.
Maybe take a closer look at nine years of history on this forum.

I used to be part of the Australian diaspora!!!!!!
Review everything I've written and the topics I've covered... then give me your comments.

ambermason16 said:Jamie Clark74, I am asking you one last time to stop sending your medical reports and hiring people to post them on the diaspora forums in your name. We have already gone over the partial ban issue enough times. These kinds of manifestos are exactly why the ban became permanent.

When they speak this openly, just ignore them!

Since when was I ever a personal problem to you?

The real problem is the Katrina diaspora.

Stop lying... this is crossing the line.

You two are just covering for each other's lies and mistakes. People aren't as foolish as you think.

Don't worry, nobody will bother you anymore. Enjoy writing about things while being nowhere near Seattle... posting about Seattle, giving advice from Europe and Chicago.

It's like the blind leading the blind.

There are people who know the truth, and that's what matters—not you moderators and admins.

Just look back at the history of who wrote what.

This is my last post. I have much bigger things to worry about than begging for someone's mercy just so I can write again.

Let everyone get what they actually deserve, rather than what a certain moderator
wants to write through falsehoods.

There are dozens of people who should be banned and watched closely... instead of you two playing favorites and getting involved in people's business. You're both corrupt.

And I never used my health as an excuse; I just wanted to let those interested know what was going on with me.

Believe whatever you want.

Take care.