Back in December, I wrote an article called "I'm Disappointed": http://karmagirl.joeuser.com/index.asp?AID=58691

Well, here I am again with many of the same thoughts.  I will admit that I was guilty of getting a bit into past flame wars.  It's sometimes hard not to when you moderate a site and people send nasty emails to you, and you can't simply walk away from the site for a few days when you moderate.  But, I have mellowed out over the years, especially where JU is concerned.

But, I have to think: "what the hell"?  Why can't people just let the past drop?  Why can't people just move on?  What is with the mudslinging and personal vendettas?  What is with the down right mean spirited blogs?  So, you don't like somebody?  That's normal.  People don't always like each other.  But, do you really have to try and make their life miserable?  What's the point?

I was once told that bullies are really just insecure people that only feel "important" when they can push around somebody else.  I started believing that awhile ago.  I started seeing people try to have "power" by pestering a person until they left.  Once the person left, they would move on to the next target. 

I think that those people need to find something better to do.  I am going to start keeping track.  We are in the process of updating the site, and with that we will also be updating the "rules".  The new system will eventually allow me to ban people from the forums.  Right now I can hide an article on the forums, but this new feature will allow me to ban the user.  We will also eventually be able to ban people from making comments.  It will allow interaction on your own blog site, and nothing else.  (I can mostly do that now, except for the forums bit, as was shown by previous bloggers being exiled to their own site, but the new system will make it easier).

People can say: "well, if somebody is being picked on, all they have to do is blacklist the person".  Well, that is all fine and good, until that person starts writing new blogs about the same issue they have with you then start spreading it like a virus through the forums attacking you at every turn.

Right now all I can do is ban somebody.  i don't like banning people.  But, if you are here to be toxic and don't know when to lay off, I won't have much of a choice.  People shouldn't have to feel like they are being harassed when they come to this site.  This is a free site, but that doesn't mean that you can leave your common decency at the door when entering.