Hey team,
In midst of combined horrors of COVID and the Trump administration, this place became a second home to many of us. And it was easy to be united in that home as long as we felt collectively attacked by shared outside forces. Now, in the aftermath, the lack of outside threat has left us all a lot more sensitive to the ways in which - perhaps - our home doesn’t quite feel like it. I hope we can work through this and move past it, because there is a lot that I value about this place and about the people here. But I’m nervous about the trend toward long-term grudge-holding, and I’m hoping that this thread can be a place for us to do something about it.
Let’s use this thread to share appreciation for other posters, to take steps toward reconciliation, and to practice some perspective-taking in order to work through otherwise lasting conflict. Toward that end, I’ll start. There genuinely isn’t anyone on this board that I wouldn’t have a beer with IRL so maybe this is easier for me to do than for some, but I’d still like to do my best to reduce rancor here and to share some corresponding love. Below is a combined list of people that:
- I appreciate
- That I’ve argued with in the past - even if those conversations ended on good or semi-neutral terms (which we certainly attempted!)
- People who I just think deserve to hear some kindness.
I’ll keep adding later.
@RiskyFlush
I miss you. I miss your kind presence on this forum, and I hope that we can restore this place to somewhere that you feel safe and enlivened by being a part of. If not, just know that I wish you all the very best in life.
@tabbaker, Victor, Watevs
I think we had some temporarily-rocky conversations last year because I was so traumatized by the Trump presidency that I was terrified of anything other than his 2020 loss. But the Dems are largely complicit morons, and I don’t blame you for staying passionately fired up about that.
@Everyone affected by the c-word processes
I wasn’t really involved in this and don’t have an issue with final decision, but I also want to express empathy for those from other countries feeling othered by this. If a word is part of your linguistic identity, it must make this place seem less like home to feel that parts of your identity aren’t welcome here. On the flip side, I also appreciate the many people here who so passionately advocated for the protection of gender identifies affected by that word.
@Lawnmower_Man
You probably don’t know this, but I am a huge fan of your mad-scientist coffee updates. Someday I’ll MacGyver my own grinder as well, but in the meantime I’ll continue to live vicariously via you.
@JT2
I don’t know where things stand re: you and this forum, but just know that I’ve always appreciated having you here. Your passion and bravery in relocating your family during the past few years has been really admirable. One father to another, I deeply respect the way you work to protect your kids. I hope this becomes a place you’ll want to participate in again as well.
@PocketChads
I’ve always respected your advocacy and activism IRL, but you also took on modding during an impossible time and I think suffered unfairly for it. I hope to see you back, but support you in doing whatever is necessary to take care of yourself.
@jman220reading
I hope you’re OK man. Being attacked re: mental health, on a board where you’ve been vulnerable about that, is just completely unconscionable. It’s pretty clear you’re remorseful for the (admittedly, rough) aftermath, and I hope everyone comes out of this whole process having learned rather than broken.
@users being demonized for previous usernames (there’s one in particular I’m thinking of, but won’t even say it here because I hate this whole concept).
I believe that people can change and grow in really positive ways. I think some of you have done so, and it drives me crazy to see others still dismiss you outright because of who you were or views you held years ago. To grow is admirable, and for a board that tries to avoid “othering” people, I think we should be a lot more careful about othering someone because of who they used to be.
@Riverman
I would listen to a podcast of your rants. Consider monetizing.
I’ll continue adding more as I have time. There are many of you that I’ve missed. I hope some of you will contribute as well.
