Petition to remove Nike as admin

Someone needs to shut this thread down. Maria Barnes is still active on the Forum, so maybe she can actually step up and answer some questions for once.

The administration—led by Maria Barnes—calls the shots on who gets moderator or supermoderator roles. Let’s be clear: this isn't a democracy, and we don't hold elections in the public section of the Forum. Dorian.Gray was selected because he actually knows his stuff. He understands the landscape, stays active, follows the guidelines, and serves as a supermoderator for the Politics board. To the admin team (Maria Barnes included), that was more than enough justification to appoint him. Honestly, it would be a class act if you all gave him a fair shake before jumping to conclusions about his competence.

Look, we built this Forum. It belongs to us. If the admin and her inner circle are operating under some kind of dictator complex, then let’s lay all the cards on the table. This isn't a democracy—you run the show—but don't mistake that for total silence. We’re here to debate. That is the entire point of a Forum. We should be discussing how this place is managed, tossing out ideas, making suggestions, and actually listening to what the users have to say. Period.

Either shut this sub-forum down or stop pretending there's any freedom here. It’s pointless. Nike set this whole thing up with a zero-to-twenty-four-hour surveillance clock anyway.

So, I have a question for Maria Barnes:

Who are these forum users, and what’s their actual purpose here?
Do people on this Forum actually listen to what we have to say, or is it all just noise? Does anyone here actually give a damn about our input, or are we just shouting into a void?
Does a forum even need users? And if so, what kind?
What’s the actual purpose of this sub-forum? And more importantly, who is the authority here responsible for actually looking at these ideas and turning them into reality?
What can users actually do when they’re fed up with the admins and mods? Is there any real recourse when the leadership isn't cutting it?
Are we actually allowed to vent our frustrations anywhere on this forum? If so, where exactly? Because it’s pretty clear I can't say what I want here anymore.
Why is this forum so sanitized? And more importantly, who’s pulling the strings?
What’s the actual vision for developing this Forum? Let’s be clear: this isn't some private project spearheaded by Maria Barnes. It’s a democracy run by the users.
Has the right to speak been stripped from the users? Is our ability to weigh in on how this Forum is run being revoked? I am asking this clearly and loudly.

People have been speculating forever that this is just some private club where Maria Barnes calls all the shots. He’s denied it a hundred times, preaching about how much he values the community and how we are the "lifeblood" of this place. Then, his hand-picked inner circle shows up and tells us to shut up because they hold the power and it’s a private forum. Fine. Maybe it is. But even a private business lives or dies by its customers. If this is strictly a private operation, then stop the games and tell us exactly how our input is valued. If it’s truly a closed shop, let us know so we can decide if contributing anything at all is even worth our time.

The admin who turned this forum into some sterile, sanitized zone needs to step down. She clearly doesn't grasp the fundamentals. A forum is supposed to be a community—a collective of people interested in specific topics engaging in actual debate. That’s the bedrock. This isn't a corporate boardroom; it's about that raw, free-spirited internet energy that defines how things work here. Private management should just provide the framework for that freedom to flourish. Their only real job? Create an environment where people can actually talk, then scrub away the radical outliers. Simple.

The problem starts when private interests try to hijack a free platform. They want to control the base, dictate how content is created, and manipulate what people see. We’ve seen this play out on this Forum far too many times, and frankly, here we go again.

And finally, I want an answer from Maria Barnes: Do the users here actually have the right to voice their opinions about a moderator, super-moderator, or admin? Or has that right been stripped away entirely?

Or should I put it this way: does a free spirit within this forum have the right to question the framework they’re operating in and offer an opinion, or is the structure strictly a matter of private initiative that must be accepted without question?

Lately, it feels like total anarchy has taken over this place, and I’m putting that squarely on the admin. It’s high time we start discussing her removal, along with the moderators who backed her play just to grab control of specific sections of the Forum to serve interests that clearly extend far beyond our borders.

Don't bother locking this thread; I'll just keep starting new ones until I get some straight, unambiguous answers.

rapidnomad512 said:Are people on this Forum actually being heard? Does anyone even care what we have to say? Or are we just shouting into a void?

People listen. Whether their opinions actually matter? That’s another story.

rapidnomad512 said:What can forum members actually do when they’re fed up with the admins and moderators? Is there even a point in trying to change anything?
Are we allowed to vent our frustrations anywhere on this forum? If so, where? Because clearly, I can't do it here anymore.

You come here to post. But why even bother asking questions you already know the answer to? Why ask things you're already doing? It’s just being annoying. You're breaking the rules. Rule number 15.If you’re asking questions when you clearly already know the answer, you're just playing dumb. And you aren't dumb. It doesn't work. Not this, not any of this.

Don't you dare lock this thread. I’ll just keep opening new ones until someone gives me a straight answer. Clear enough?

Those questions were rhetorical—you already know the answers. Besides, we've covered this stuff plenty of times; it should be common knowledge by now. I think what you're actually getting at is why Dorian was promoted to super mod, right? He was picked because he'll actually do the job well. That goes for any moderator, super mod, or admin appointment, period.

Scott Long71 said:People listen, whether their opinions matter or not.

You show up here and post. Fine. But why ask questions you already have the answers to? That’s just being tedious, and frankly, you’re violating rule number 15. If you ask things that are blindingly obvious, you're playing dumb, and we both know you aren't. It doesn't fly. Just like this

Your questions are rhetorical—you already know the answers. Besides, all of this has been covered elsewhere; it should be common knowledge by now. I suspect what you actually want to know is why Dorian was promoted to supermod, right? He was appointed because I believe he can handle the job. That applies to any appointment of moderators, supermods, or admins.

So, other than trying to insult me, you haven't actually answered anything. All you did was decide that Dorian would be a good supermod. Fine, that's your call. But I'm asking about my rights as a user—specifically, am I allowed to question your decisions, and if so, how?

Actually, I think you're the one breaking rule number 15 here, but hey, it's your right to think that.

My questions aren't rhetorical; they are subtle and precise. You know exactly what I'm talking about because you spin the same narrative whenever it suits your interests. Do you want me to dig up your old posts?

It’s the classic case of saying one thing and doing another—selling smoke and mirrors, as they say. When users start migrating to other sites, you suddenly tell them they're important. But when they try to actually be important, you snap at them that you make the calls and things will go your way.

Make up your mind, Maria Barnes: are we important or not?

And since you love statistics so much, look at the last two years. How many initiatives to improve this site were launched and actually adopted? How many times has the direction of this community been questioned, and how many times has that direction actually been corrected because someone presented a solid idea?

Maybe you aren't around enough, so the answer might surprise you.

The conclusion? There are very few, and they are incredibly limited. If those discussions aren't happening here, where are opinions actually valued? Did you open some private sub-forum that I can't see, or is it only visible to your inner circle?

If there is no such sub-forum, and if there are no such initiatives here, then the problem is clear: someone is treating the entire user base—except for a small clique—as if they fall under rule 15 or are simply too stupid to understand.

So, clarify your answers from the first post. Give me straight answers without the condescension, and send me links to these initiatives that you or anyone else supposedly listened to and implemented. It seems to me you only embrace new ideas when an exodus starts, and even then, you just offer empty platitudes. Tell people what they can actually expect, and let them decide whether to stay or leave.😉

Since you're here, let's get down to business with a concrete initiative. This endless, vague bickering is useless. Let’s actually do some work and use this opportunity to highlight one of the many systemic failures we face.

Back when the political debate centered on the trial of Gotovina and the other generals, Marasovac made an immeasurable contribution to the discussion. You can see his specific arguments, written years ago on this platform, reflected directly in the reasoning used by the International Criminal Court for the acquittal.
During that entire period, there was another user who, in a very subtle and insidious way, constantly worked to undermine him. This individual would frame posts to suggest Americans were inherently genocidal, argue that Gotovina was guilty, and insist we should have accepted the initial conviction. Marasovac reacted several times—quite heatedly—and was naturally punished for it. He called this user out as a bad actor working with a hidden agenda, essentially a plant designed to sabotage us. Even though his accusations were obvious from reading the posts, the moderators ignored the warnings that this user was trolling and instead penalized Marasovac for his aggressive reactions. They turned him into a rebel. He realized appeals were pointless, so he adopted a scorched-earth policy: fight everyone and wait for the hammer to fall. Ultimately, that moderator behavior led him straight to a permanent ban. To make this even clearer: while that agitator was posting, the moderator (who is now a supermoderator—not Dorinan, but someone else) held the exact opposite view. Back then, I personally thought, "Gotovina is nothing more than a common thug."

And what happened? Gotovina was acquitted. That agitator revealed his true colors: it turns out he was an attorney working for the legal team of Sava Štrbac, exactly the kind of person Marasovac had accused him of being. Suddenly, that moderator started celebrating Gotovina. If anyone ever pulled up his old posts to point out his previous stance, he’d just issue a warning or a ban to silence them. Meanwhile, Marasovac remained the rebel, and we ended up losing him. We lost a man who was a pillar of this community—someone with an incredible memory, deep data, and links to historical events. He was practically a walking encyclopedia on certain topics. People from outside this site used to come here specifically to read his contributions. Now, because of these moderation tactics, the result is this: the agitator is gone, busy writing academic papers elsewhere, and Marasovac is gone. Meanwhile, the moderator who once called Gotovina a thug is now his most vocal defender. Brilliant work. Truly.

So, tell me—and tell everyone else—was it a good move to lose Marasovac? Answer us: Will you lift Marasovac's permanent ban and reach out to ask him what went wrong and how to fix it? Or will you simply label Marasovac an idiot who doesn't know how to behave, allowing moderators to push their own political agendas through enforcement and turning our best contributors into rebels who live by Rule 15?

Let’s be clear: Are you going to lift Marasovac's ban?

And what is your plan to prevent moderators from turning high-value contributors into rebels? How will you ensure they become constructive, polite users who actually draw people to this site instead of driving them away?

Note: This tactic of dismantling the community is incredibly insidious. It isn't one single event. It's a series of small erasures, a warning here, a strike there, constant provocations and flame wars, followed by treating users like trash during the appeal process. That is how you get the end product we see today. You think this is good management?

rapidnomad512 said:So, what’s the plan to stop moderators from turning great contributors—people who actually add value here—into rebels who constantly trigger Rule 15? How do we turn them back into constructive, polite users who actually bring new people to the Forum?

The real question isn't about what management should do; it's what a user needs to do to avoid getting banned. It's simple: take a break, cool off, and re-read the rules. Honestly, we should probably start a thread called "How to stay calm and avoid a ban" so people can share tips. Plenty of users manage to do it without losing their minds.

As for user initiatives, please just find them if it's not too much trouble. Believe me, we have plenty of brilliant ideas to make this Forum better, but they haven't happened yet. It's not just that we aren't listening to the community; sometimes we aren't even listening to ourselves.

That said, we are planning some changes, so we'll look into including those suggestions if they hold water. 🙂

Scott Long71 said:I think the real question is what a user should actually do to avoid getting banned. Honestly? They just need to take a breather, cool off, and re-read the rules. Maybe we should even start a thread titled "How Not to Fall for Provocations and Avoid a Ban" so people can swap advice. Plenty of users manage to pull it off.

You dodged the question. Are you going to lift the ban on Marasovac?

Cut the crap. 😉

Regarding user initiatives—please, if it’s not too much trouble, go find them. Believe me, we have plenty of brilliant ideas that could improve this Forum, but they haven't materialized yet. It’s not just that we aren't listening to the users; we aren't even listening to ourselves.

Maria Barnes, you don't have any "initiatives" left. Nobody is sending you ideas, advice, complaints, or feedback anymore. Everything is sanitized, everything is rigged. People don't bother complaining because they know it's a waste of breath. Go look at how many PDF policy complaints were on page 17 of this sub-forum versus how many there are in the last three pages.

People are just swallowing the nonsense now, becoming increasingly sophisticated at finding loopholes in your damn rules. Others just end up grayed out. Nobody gives a damn about your PDF policy anymore. Forget "initiatives"—they've already checked out mentally.

And you're the one responsible for this mess. You've known for years exactly who you're putting in those roles, and for years, those have been your inner circle. Don't act like you're clueless. 😉

Look, we are going to implement some changes, so we can include those suggestions if they hold weight. 🙂

To start, maybe try opening the doors to the users that you've kept locked. But you won't be able to do that until you prove you're actually ready for change—real change, not just lip service. As long as you keep appointing your best buddies as supermods—people who haven't made a single notable post in politics but happen to be tight with certain supermods—all your "changes" are completely worthless.

You could actually start making changes by coming here and asking which political commenters we suggest you appoint as moderators. You have a handful of young, patient, intelligent, level-headed, and highly capable individuals who haven't been driven to digital suicide by this place yet. It is high time you considered them. 😉

P.S. Please stop trying to sell the story that all the users are to blame. Stop it. We know that isn't true, and frankly, we've heard that tired excuse two million and eight hundred thousand times already.

rapidnomad512 said:You dodged my question. Are you going to lift the ban on Marasovac or not?

No. I don't hand out bans, and I don't lift them. If you want something done, take it up with the moderators, the super-mods, or the admin. They actually know what’s going on. They’re observant and they act professionally.

Hint: It’s not going to work if you title your thread demanding an admin reversal, start attacking the super-admin, and try to play the moderators against each other.

Locking this. Time's up. You pinged me claiming there were tons of initiatives moving forward just so I wouldn't realize nothing was actually happening. I don't have time for games. Moving on.