I deleted the thread. In retrospect, I definitely jumped the gun, and should probably have my moderator status revoked as a result. I apologize for panicking. I've always been extremely averse to confrontation, and when I saw how quickly the tensions were escalating in that thread, I (mistakenly) thought I could diffuse the situation by removing it entirely. I now realize that was a very flawed decision.

My decision to delete the thread had nothing whatsoever to do with censorship or concerns about offensive content. I was simply faced with more hostile Obner infighting than I was capable of handling. My hope was that by waving my moderator's magic wand, I could make the tension disappear. As it turns out, my error ended up causing even more angst among the Obner masses.

Anyway, I feel really bad about the whole thing, and wanted to both explain why I did it and apologize for doing it. I really like each and every one of you, and personally don't ever get offended by anything. I just curl up in the fetal position whenever I "see" people going at each other. It's a character flaw, I know.

I shan't be deleting any more threads. You have my word.

Missed the whole thing entirely...regardless, I wouldn't sweat it.

There's an ol' saying 'round these parts...If you don't like the weather in Obnerland - wait 5 minutes.

bort

I'd like the Cliff's Notes for this thread you're all talking about.

Don't sweat it. Don't resign as mod. And don't ever hesitate to delete a thread that fits the category of "waaaaaaaaaaaay over the line"

That was not the case yesterday, but I wouldn't worry about it:

A. Some of us love confrontation, thrive on it, and NEED it.

B. You are probably still cooler than all of us. Cheer up.

That being said, Mike Jones.

all you ATL cats, this whole Mike Jones stuff is cracking my shit up like crazy.

FT, you NEVER have to apologize to any of us moogoos out here in obner land.

BLUE YR MY BOY!

As the main offender, I'm just miffed I missed the real action. It was just me and bluejay bitching, I went to get my car and a bite to eat and the next thing I know its gone.

Then I started a new thread. Cuz that shit funny!

Don't sweat it, Bob, stay on as a mod, and keep it pimpin'

MIKE JONES!!

I'm just mad that I missed the whole thing.

Thanks to you and everyone else for being so cool about this. The thread certainly wasn't over the line, I just turned into Raymond Babbitt for a few minutes by proverbially placing my hands over my ears, rocking violently, while repeating "HOT WATER BURN BABY" at the top of my lungs. I appreciate the love, man. But make no mistake about it. I am cooler than NO ONE. Seriously, I could not be less cool. But maybe knowing that makes me just a little bit cool, in some twisted way.

Anyway...rainbows, lollipops, and all that shit.

Yeah I'm still lost.

Hey FT, don't stress. I holler a lot, but it doesn't mean anything's necessarily going to get broken. You rock the moderatin' house.

Thanks, Shelley. I appreciate that. I'm about to get all Vermeil over here.

wha happened?

These people need all the moderating they can get.

Don't worry about it, Bob. In the future, it should take extremely offensive content and a moderator quarum to warrant thread deletion, but it's no big deal. I wouldn't have anyone else for the job (well, except Aural and Konstantinl).

Agreed. This is why it takes two keys to launch the ICBMs, isn't it?

Often when discussing thread deletion, my mind goes directly to the blatant comparison between deleting a thread and starting a nuclear war.

Bah! Don't sweat it. You did what you thought was right and it took an unforseen turn. I have full faith in your powers of moderation.

Don't beat yourself up, Bob. Your intentions were in the right place. I doubt many, if any, here doubt your sincerity or willingness to go the extra mile to benefit the Obnish.

Oh, and one more thing:

they were eighteen and twenty-four
he told her he had been to war
she loved him from the minute that he spoke
she took him in he had her pegged
she took a razor to her leg
you could hardly read it through the blood
it said i love bob

No worries Bob, it was actually funny that it got deleted, and ended up spawning more discussion .

Oh, and don't take the nazi comment personally

Holy crap! FT was a freakin' nazi? He looks so young.

i smell mutiny...wait no i just haven't showered yet today