DailyKos is NOT a community and that word should be removed from the banner. It is a blog and nothing more. For all of us who thought otherwise, we were wrong. I know this site is owned by one person and the terms of use say we agree to the "rules". However, some of those rules really are ridiculous and frankly childish.
Actually I think the process is more ridiculous than anything.
The cases of Jim and Melanie in IA are perfect examples. All we know is they are banned. There is no announcement. There is no explanation by admin. All there is is a skull and crossbones on their pages.
I understand there are rules. Ironically, I personally have been lectured by Melanie in comments about following the rules or face being banned so she more than anyone would know about the issues around the red page.
I also understand the need to keep certain users from causing trouble on the website, and I do not have information about what conspired between Melanie and the "target" of her kosmails. This is one of the frustrating aspects of what has conspired today.
What I do have is some information about is the diary that Jim wrote. Yes, it was a bit of a call out diary. But here is the thing. He did not use any names. He did not use any inappropriate language. He did not make any threats. And as far as I know, he received a lot of recs, but not one HR before the diary disappeared.
What he did do is try to protect and support his wife, and vent their frustration. My understanding is that a diary must be of such a nature that it is DISRUPTIVE. And I personally do not see how Jim's diary was disruptive. Why is a diary that is venting so disruptive, and how could his diary be considered offensive.
The reason that he took the step that he did is that he felt there was no other process to air his grievances and that the process is secretive. As the title states, the whole process is like facing the Star Chamber. My advise to the people who come to this blog is to demand a process that is not the same as the title suggests.
I find it ironic that a site that is dedicated to democracy and justice has a process for dealing with issues that has all the appearance of arbitrary and capricious decision making towards people it claims are part of a community.
In my humble opinion, Morkos should realyy rethink his attitude about such things, or watch this site degenerate. He may have a cavalier attitude about these things, but recent events are not doing this site any good.