Fed-X
08-21-2005, 09:30 PM
I meant to write something relating to the disrespect and policy violations that have recently taken place in the chat room but like many others, I have had my hands more than full; however, after what took place this evening, I shall wait no longer.
Before I continue on I want to hand out my most sincere appreciation to not only the people who volunteer their time at PTO for the sometimes thankless job of being a staff member but also to all the members here that contribute so much in making this place what it is today. When a community is the size that PTO is we don’t always agree or see things eye-to-eye, but I know we all share some of the same common goals in wanting to help our fellow wo-man and make life better for those who also feel the pains of the prison system.
That being said, there are a number of people arriving here of late who have no respect for others, or what little they may have appears to be left at the door upon their arrival here at OUR community, or so it seems. They sometimes are so mad at the system (or who-knows-what) that they abuse the people who might help them better than anywhere else on this planet - PTO members. While I may empathize with them in some regards, I have ‘no love’ for anyone who is going to attack members here or disregard the policies that bind this community together.
Tonight, I came into the chat room and after asking someone not to use CAPS in everything that they said, I was essentially told that they didn’t care and to ban them. A second person, possibly a new (zero post) friend of theirs, I messaged because they were challenging the moderators on this issue. The return PM that I got basically told me where I could go in pure expletive form.
I was at a loss for a split second. I mean, last I had checked the PTO chat room was not the ‘anything goes’ IRC (Internet Relay Chat) of almost decades gone by.. Nor is it the free-4-all rooms at Yahoo.. Or any place else for that matter. And most assuredly it IS NOT a dating site. PTO is easily 98% female and guess what.. Who would I be if I condoned or did not care about others (male or female) coming in and trying to hook up with PTO members – Members that have loved ones in prison the last time I checked? Never on my watch! To each their own but this will never-ever be the place for that.
I’ve been hearing a lot of talk about how some people in chat feel like the PTO staff is “no better than Correctional Officers”. (Usually said by the people who have no post count in the forums and sometimes no connection to prison) Well, if you equate anyone tasked with trying to keep order and civility as a correctional offer, I guess you are right in your own mind. I also think anyone who analogizes the staff in this community with a CO has deeper problems than anything brought on by dealing with prison officials or the prison system -YOU have a problem with rules in general and anything that goes against your won-ton disregard for not getting whatever it is you want. After all, in my opinion, it is the people who abuse others (I have been guilty of this in the past) that have got us the laws we all have to face today – whether they are right or wrong, if the world was a great Utopian commune, we sure would not need rules or laws now would we??
In this coming week the chat room access will change. Every person entering the chat room will be required to have at least 25 posts and 2 weeks active membership at PrisonTalk.com. There are a number of people who don’t feel this is enough, and that may very well prove to be true. If that is to happen, we will up it more and ban anyone who comes to cause trouble or cannot abide by the policies of this community. This isn’t something that we like to do but it is something that every staff member here at PTO will do to ensure the peacefulness and respect inside the chat room.
The Chat room is a place for all active PTO members to come and meet their friends and those who will likely become that. It is part of our home here at PTO, but it is never going to be a “romper-room” where anything goes. Please understand and expect that if you cannot respect others and follow the policies set forth in this community you will be removed from it without pause. The guidelines and policies that have been created over the years by the members of this community are not up for debate or litigation.
If there is any question as to what the policies of this community are, please take another look at this link and familiarize yourself with it.
Link:
Thanks,
David
Before I continue on I want to hand out my most sincere appreciation to not only the people who volunteer their time at PTO for the sometimes thankless job of being a staff member but also to all the members here that contribute so much in making this place what it is today. When a community is the size that PTO is we don’t always agree or see things eye-to-eye, but I know we all share some of the same common goals in wanting to help our fellow wo-man and make life better for those who also feel the pains of the prison system.
That being said, there are a number of people arriving here of late who have no respect for others, or what little they may have appears to be left at the door upon their arrival here at OUR community, or so it seems. They sometimes are so mad at the system (or who-knows-what) that they abuse the people who might help them better than anywhere else on this planet - PTO members. While I may empathize with them in some regards, I have ‘no love’ for anyone who is going to attack members here or disregard the policies that bind this community together.
Tonight, I came into the chat room and after asking someone not to use CAPS in everything that they said, I was essentially told that they didn’t care and to ban them. A second person, possibly a new (zero post) friend of theirs, I messaged because they were challenging the moderators on this issue. The return PM that I got basically told me where I could go in pure expletive form.
I was at a loss for a split second. I mean, last I had checked the PTO chat room was not the ‘anything goes’ IRC (Internet Relay Chat) of almost decades gone by.. Nor is it the free-4-all rooms at Yahoo.. Or any place else for that matter. And most assuredly it IS NOT a dating site. PTO is easily 98% female and guess what.. Who would I be if I condoned or did not care about others (male or female) coming in and trying to hook up with PTO members – Members that have loved ones in prison the last time I checked? Never on my watch! To each their own but this will never-ever be the place for that.
I’ve been hearing a lot of talk about how some people in chat feel like the PTO staff is “no better than Correctional Officers”. (Usually said by the people who have no post count in the forums and sometimes no connection to prison) Well, if you equate anyone tasked with trying to keep order and civility as a correctional offer, I guess you are right in your own mind. I also think anyone who analogizes the staff in this community with a CO has deeper problems than anything brought on by dealing with prison officials or the prison system -YOU have a problem with rules in general and anything that goes against your won-ton disregard for not getting whatever it is you want. After all, in my opinion, it is the people who abuse others (I have been guilty of this in the past) that have got us the laws we all have to face today – whether they are right or wrong, if the world was a great Utopian commune, we sure would not need rules or laws now would we??
In this coming week the chat room access will change. Every person entering the chat room will be required to have at least 25 posts and 2 weeks active membership at PrisonTalk.com. There are a number of people who don’t feel this is enough, and that may very well prove to be true. If that is to happen, we will up it more and ban anyone who comes to cause trouble or cannot abide by the policies of this community. This isn’t something that we like to do but it is something that every staff member here at PTO will do to ensure the peacefulness and respect inside the chat room.
The Chat room is a place for all active PTO members to come and meet their friends and those who will likely become that. It is part of our home here at PTO, but it is never going to be a “romper-room” where anything goes. Please understand and expect that if you cannot respect others and follow the policies set forth in this community you will be removed from it without pause. The guidelines and policies that have been created over the years by the members of this community are not up for debate or litigation.
If there is any question as to what the policies of this community are, please take another look at this link and familiarize yourself with it.
Link:
Thanks,
David