Discover_

Yes, it's moved off the forums and into the blogs. I'm only posting this here because several people have asked for my opinion, and why I hold that opinion. I feel no need to withhold Dante's name because 1, it's only a username anyway, 2, anyone from MP knows who I'm talking bout anyway, and 3, anyone NOT from MP doesn't know or care who Dante is or why we're having a debate about him.

I want to say now that I'm NOT complaining about the admins or their decisions, whatever those decisions might be. This is a tough question, and I don't envy them having to answer it. The question, of course, is should Dante be allowed to remain on MP, and why?

Obviously the solution everyone would like is that Dante remains on the boards, but learns some manners. Equally obvious is the fact that unless there's a huge miracle, it's just not going to happen. I would like to see Dante remain on the boards, if for no other reason than that a voice of dissent is good for us. Even if he doesn't make us question our beliefs, he certainly challenges us to put them into practice. Loving one another is easy when everyone loves us back. But it gets tougher if the person we are trying to love treats us badly. Are we not called to love our enemy and do good to them that hate us? But then, as Hollie said, banning him is an act of discipline and does not mean we don't love him.

Then we have the point that we can't just delete people from life. We all have to deal with unreasonable people in real life, so it's a bit unrealistic to keep trying to delete them from our online lives. All we end up with then is a stale, stagnant pool of people. And then again, sometimes we shouldn't seek out certain people's company either.

I can't help thinking though, that G-d is bringing Dante to MP for a reason, though I know if he sees this he'll laugh me out of town. I don't know what that reason is, but.. *shrug*

If we allow it, this whole issue could pull us together and make us stronger. At the moment, it's pulling us apart and weakening us. It's not ok to call others names, it's not ok to drag each other down, and I don't think it's ok for us to divide up into little cliques over this. I would like for Dante to stay, but if the cost is going to prove too high for the benefit, I don't know what to do.

I haven't written this very well. I'm unhappy with it. But I'ma post it anyway. If you have questions or comments, by all means bring them up, it might help me clarify my thinking a little more.

And I will respect the admin's decision, whether in the end I agree or no.