Tate

Solid advice from a true Gem, thank you @Gaikoku-hito

Posting early cause I'm going on vacay. @Phil helped produce this episode, but Phil my man, it's a mess. Probably not worth the listen overall.

Clutch comment of the century.

Well, it’s been quite the week overall since I last did an article, and this time around it won’t be as controversial or aggressive. I think I accomplished what I set out to do in that I was heard, and those who are currently in leadership positions did take notice of what I had to say regarding the mods. It remains to be seen what impact this might have (if at all), but at least I got it out and I didn’t sit back and stay silent. It’s important to stand up for what you believe in, and no matter what the outcome you will never make everyone happy. That sort of leads into my next thought. While I did get some great feedback from members, I also received a considerable amount of silence and distaste from others. This was to be expected because no one really likes it when people stir the pot, especially when it goes against individuals, they consider to be good friends—but the whole experience has made me question my place here. What is it that I’m holding onto? It would appear as though I am in the minority when it comes to how this place should operate, and the kind of mentality/mindset it should have. I’ve gotten a clearer picture of how I’m viewed here, and I don’t know that I am the right kind of fit for this community. Maybe that’s been the trouble all along? We have a saying that goes along the lines of, “you can’t blame a person for trying.” But when should you stop them from trying to force a circle into a square? (275 words)

1. What’s the best thing you’ve watched on TV lately? 2. what’s the best thing that has happened to you in the VHL lately? 3. How was Strassmore's offseason? 4. Are you planning on testing out free agency? 5. would you steal bread to feed your family? 6. Who’s a person that’s have a hugely positive impact on your life?

Claim 2 of 2

I liked your reply to me, but I also wanted to say thank you for writing a thoughtful finish to this debate. I do feel as though we’ve both been heard and been able to state our viewpoints. Win win for both sides, in a way Take care!

I get the technicality but it is mind boggling to me that you care so much about that after all of the pain and hurt I’ve expressed. This is why I feel so frustrated in dealing with you. You’re more than happy to point in every direction but yourself. You know what I did when I made my mistake? I owned it and apologized to the person I offended. I went out of my way to make it right. You go ahead and talk to them, ask Josh and Bek what I did behind the scenes. They know. I’m a good person who is worth fighting for, and even though you may not believe me when I say it but so are you.

First of all, there is a gigantic difference between what I said, and what you said. Mine should have been warning, and in my opinion yours was more of a cry for help. It’s clear the pain you felt inside that made you attack that individual. Second of all, it is the very nature of how you suspend people that we disagree on. Showing that you’re consistently over the top and wrong does not prove your point to me. It just shows a record of misunderstanding that is being led by you.

Yo! I just can’t not respond to some of that. I’ve come this far, if people have questions I feel like it’s a cop out not to answer them.

The proactive aspect is in reference to Baozi's ideology on how they approach enacting discipline (severe punishments) and what not. I was technically suspended for breaking consent, I actually only made ONE comment that was complained about. I was the one who submitted an article to show my past behavior as well as anyone could have searched Discord to have seen the countless messages between us, OVER YEARS. And if we want to post the comment I was dinged for we can, it's actually a PG safe comment for anyone curious, and you can still find it in discord. The comment I made might be something you hear on a playground, among teenagers or kids. Listen Spartan, you're a great person and all, but don't go drinking the Kool Aid (look it up if you don't know what that phrase means). There is plenty of evidence to support what happened to me, which is why I must reply to you next comment. In no way did I merit discipline, absolutely not. I deserved a warning, and the knowledge that what I was doing was wrong. For more proof, go look at the countless messages before hand which support why I acted the way that I did. I was completely blindsided when my suspension happened to me. I literally had no idea that was any issue at all. There are also plenty of people who felt my punishment was unjust but for their sake I will not name them publicly, I certainly take issue with you making that statement. You want to make a statement for how you feel? Fine. But certainly not a blanket statement. That is 100% not fair. So, not all mentorships work out, not all people stay. The point is to try. Like I mentioned before, moderators are by nature educators because they know the rules. When you hire people, you hire for personality and character. You can teach the rest. It's not about chances, it's about communication. There does come a time where you determine if the person in question is knowingly trying to cause harm, and it is then that you enforce discipline like a suspension or banning. I am a writer by nature so forgive my dramatic descriptions but it is to get a point across. Text is hard to get right, so when using it I am trying my best to make a point and I also have a certain way of doing it. That is just who I am. Also, I have a right to feel pissed off with the response I got from Baozi, and I can choose how I want to go about expressing it. At no point have I gone against the COC. But let me tell you, I didn't start this so I could call on myself to take over. It was only after hearing from Baozi that I offered myself as a temporary solution to help guide the ship. What I am saying overall is listen to the differences between how Baozi and I would lead. Who would you prefer? Based on some of your responses here I see how you align with Baozi's mindset when it comes to be a bit on the stricter, and that is perhaps why you're comfortable with the current mold. But I also know the kind of heart and compassion you have because we've exchanged some really good conversation. Can you really say that what happened to me wasn’t unjust ? After everything I have stated, shown. After what the actual truth is? If I knew for one second that the person I offended didn't want me to talk to them in the way that I did -- I WOULD NEVER, EVER HAVE DONE SO. Learning the truth was like getting punched in the gut. It makes me sick to think about it. I sure hope the same thing never happens to you, Spartan. Because I did not deserve to be labeled in the way that I was or have my reputation affected negatively across multiple leagues. I deserved the right to a conversation. I'm quite surprised you don't see that. Of course I don't think everyone feels the same!! I am trying to get members who may be staying silent to speak up. Do I really believe that this team will ever hire me, let alone for the Head Mod job? No. Absolutely not. They don't trust me. They've got a nice group of friends here that have made this place run for a looooooooong time. Why should my feelings matter? I am just another one to complain, bitch and moan. Ignore me long enough and eventually I'll just go away like the rest of them do, right?

No worries, thank you for your response. I definitely did not plan to respond again but since you asked some important questions I will answer them. Okay, this is an excellent question. I just want to clarify the order on how things happened that led to everything I ended up doing- I did the Podcast to discuss my philosophical differences between how I view the problematic Mod team and how they have been approaching discipline in this league. The mod team is very punishment heavy, feeling as though their bans/suspensions will help prevent future incidents and also believing them to be fair. Believing that they have a right to be proactive. I personally think they're bat shit crazy, and do not believe anyone here has the right to be proactive when it involves risking the well being of people's mental health. Instead, I do believe that our Mod team must be reactive and assess situations case by case as they arise. In both JRuutu and my suspensions they got aspects of the details involving why we were suspended wrong, and what they did was not only unfair but reckless. In my case alone it resulted in a significant loss in my reputation and my mental health. I wanted Baozi to hear my mindset, hoping it might sway their opinion, and maybe get them and the group to see the error in their over the top, idealistic ways. However, that was not the case, and because Baozi was so defiant that is why I spent so much time going on about my own suspension, because I wanted them to see the pain and damage they had caused. I wanted to show them that they weren't always right, and the fact that by acting proactive they had actually caused more damage than good. So, just to clarify - 1. The podcast was an outreach to Baozi and also to flag this issue to the Blue Team. 2. Once Baozi responded in the way that they did -- I bit back with my own suspension (which I had in my back pocket because I knew I had been wronged). I am also not alone in that belief, there are many league members still here to this day that were present when I was suspended and know what it was for. Which again, goes to my point about how over the top their reactions and PUNISHMENTS are. All I needed was a warning. All I had needed was to know that there was a problem... they did not give me that. Differences in how I would operate -- Most cases that involve breaking the COC would involve a conversation, and mentorship of that member. I would want our moderators to build connections with members and help them understand why what they said/did broke the COC and work with them to avoid doing it again. I would have them show examples or try to help said members understand how to approach those situations better. I would only use suspensions as a last resort, when a member had knowingly gone against the previous conversations from the Mods and specifically tried to target/hurt people. Kachur is an excellent example of a lifetime ban. JRuutu and I should have been talked to and that's it. One of the points JRuutu brought up about himself is that he is Finnish and English is not his first language. We know already based on some of the responses in this thread that the majority of people have found that my podcast was well spoken, but that I come across as a bit of a dick when I am writing out these combative messages. This is the negative aspect of text that all Mods must consider before acting with discipline. Not punishment. In my opinion, the way that this Mod team operates promotes an Exclusive environment where only certain people get to stick around, whereas I would look to work tirelessly with members before being so willing to give up on them. I will do whatever I can to promote what I feel is an actual inclusive environment, where people don't have to live under the threat of fear. A place where questions can be asked, and people can be understood -- even if they are initially misunderstood. A place where the first reaction is open arms. We need to understand that any of the members who choose to stay here are special, that we share a bond and a love of hockey or games. That we are the same. I would also look to work with each Mod team member to better help them understand how to talk to people, and discern intent. I would also work with them further so that they understand the risks of labeling people with certain reputations and or improve how to avoid harming them while at the same time educating them about whatever it is they might be confused about. I want to break down the walls we constantly have up, open up the communication, and get this place back to where it was before the iron fist of this Mod team was enacted. When this aggressive Mod team first came into pass, it was for a good reason, but I feel they've gone away from it. They've lost sight of their light. I also believe that everyone here is on the same page when it comes to what kind of place we want around here., and how we go about reinforcing that should be done with pleasure, not pain. Think about the fact that @Ricer13 of all members complained about the methods of the Mod team. This is an aggressive group that has a chip on their shoulders, and it's easy to see why when they have a leader like Baozi. One of the only ways to show proof of the Mod teams mistake(s) was to put myself out there for everyone to see. Because I am so familiar with the subject matter (my suspension) I already knew that there would be no way for the Mod team to disprove me, because the fact of the matter was that I was never contacted prior to my incident. If Baozi had not wrongly thrown back my suspension in my face I wouldn't have come back at them so hard about it. Sometimes you don't get the attention you want with sugar, you need to throw some salt in the wound. My suspension is something that happened to me in my life that really bothers me. You have to understand the person I pride myself to be. I go out of my way to treat people with respect, and there are a lot of people here who will back me up on that. I have friends here for a good reason, and even the people that don't care for me too much will admit that I am a very respectful member. I knew the only way I would be able to draw the attention of outsiders is if I spoke the truth about what happened to me, and if I spoke from my heart. Also, I initially intended to dispute my suspension through Fishy when it happened but once I got kicked from Discord and the forum, I had no way of contacting anyone. I ended up putting in a request to be Josh's and Bek's friend on Discord so I could dispute it, and by the time Josh accepted my friend request I was so upset over what happened I told him to close my account and retire my player. Once a cooler head prevailed I realized how much I loved being a member here and recreated my account. I felt like if I stayed away I would be letting this Mod team win, and while I did try to remain silent at first- I could no longer. In fact, I wish I would have spoken up sooner. There will never be the swift kind of change I'd like to see on this because of the current leadership structure. This is why people complain about the O L D B O Y S club because we've got a very tight knit group here that is hard to crack, and fiercely loyal to one another. But therein lies the hypocrisy, because this group preaches change and inclusivity when they have never been more Exclusive than now. One of the most notorious copy pasta's of the VHL is a quote from me criticizing Beketov. That was three years ago and it was because the VHL has always struggled with retention, and with good reason. Not much changes around here when it comes to the disconnect between the veteran leadership staff and the outsiders looking in. But what I do hope is that people listen to me, read my responses, and stand up for what is right. I intend to keep my podcast up and ongoing for as long as I can so hopefully they won't be able to fully forget and ignore me. I won't allow silence to let them to win. Thank you!

Congrats to all!

The silence from up top and the lack of accountability from the head of the Mod Team can rightly summarize that this leadership group is going to ignore my plea for change. It is much easier to do than rock the boat, and risk having to engage in a, "hard," conversation with a longtime friend. Some people are going to take a run at me for saying this but I am genuinely disappointed in the individuals who were involved in my suspension that haven't bothered to at least message me in private. An apology goes a long way and not recognizing that you played a role in wrongfully suspending me for betraying consent is wrong. I know who you are and that you've read this thread, and while you may not like me as a person it doesn't mean that I wasn't harmed by what you did. I've proven why that was the case above and expressed my feelings over the matter. That's not an easy thing to do. For a group that is supposed to be concerned for the well being of their members I would expect better from you. To the others who have privately messaged me, I thank you for your support, it truly means a lot. It's actually a big reason why I went through all this trouble to challenge the ideals of this Mod team, because I believe in the people we have here -- and the good that is within them. Big love to all of you (even you @youloser1337), Tate is now signing off from this thread **

LOL, yeah I added some pics just to break it up, and I liked how that gif had a recipe based flow.

Do you mean my article? Just trying to send a message to everyone to not hold back just because they’re friends with the Mod Team. I think all members of the team are great, but that doesn’t mean that what they’ve been doing is right. There is an opportunity to speak up here and not let this just get brushed under the rug. I do really feel it’s important, which is why I’ve done all that I’ve done.

Some of it is, yes.

No problem, just voicing my opinion.

Dear VHL, While @frescoelmo is a true veteran, don’t be fooled by this message! IN MY OPINION… this is straight up propaganda and a PR stint by the Mod team to try and gain some favour. Stand in the way of their control and fight back against this Mod team who uses reckless, proactive measures, against their members. Want proof? Please check out my podcast post, Mod Mentality: Don’t be afraid to fight for what is right.

For those of who you may be unaware, I have recently engaged in a polarizing debate against the current Mod team, specifically the ideals of their leadership. I implore any of you that may have interest in the long-term health of our league to check out my podcast post, Mod Mentality (link below): I wanted to use my dot.com article this week to highlight why I believe it is so important to stand up for what you believe in. I want people to understand how serious I am taking this initiative to speak out, and how badly I want to draw attention to what I feel is an extremely important issue within our league. The following information I have pulled from the web and edited to keep it as concise and clear as possible. I will have also fulfilled my one-hundred-and-fifty-word count by the time you begin reading the text below. I welcome all feedback. Hope everyone has a Happy Halloween! Let's start now with a question: “How many times have you sat back and stayed silent even if you didn’t believe in what was being said or done?” If you have, I don’t blame you, it’s easier to keep your own ideas to yourself. You don’t risk getting put down, feeling judged, or becoming an outcast. But what if the one idea you have can change everything for the better? It is for that reason that you shouldn't keep it to yourself, and instead, stand up for what you believe in. So the next question you might ask yourself is how you do it? Before we talk about that, let's stay on why it's so important: 1. It builds respect This goes two ways. Sticking up for what you believe in builds your self-respect because you’re following through with your values. Standing your ground also gains respect from others, even if they view things differently than you. Just having the guts to stand up for yourself or others will show what kind of person you are. 2. You will gain confidence At first, standing up for your beliefs isn’t the easiest task. You may be doubt yourself, you may hesitate, and your words might not come out just right (like the prepared speech you have in your head). But the more you do it, the better you’ll get and the more confidence you’ll gain. You’ll be more willing to step out of your comfort zone in uncomfortable situations. 3. It helps you discover who you are When you just go along with what others say, you’re letting them take control over a piece of your life. You’re allowing them to dictate how you should do or say something, even how you should think. This may sound drastic but every little thing that you sit back on impacts your life. By standing up for what you believe in, you’re expressing who you are and what you want out of life. Even if your ideas don’t change a thing, you are still putting your real, unique self out there. So, let’s finally talk about how you can implement this strategy in your life. 1. Figure out what you believe in Before you stand up for what you believe in, you have to know what it is that you believe in! It sounds simple enough but when we sit back and let others take over, we sometimes forget or lose sight of who we really are. When you have a quiet moment to yourself, think about the following questions. • What is important to me? • What am I passionate about? • What motivates me? • What are my core values? 2. Let go of your fears about what people think of you This is a tough one. When standing up for yourself, you have got to let go of your fears of what people think about you. 3. Don’t doubt yourself Sometimes when you stand up for yourself, there will be people who try to change your mind or put you down. Always keep your beliefs in mind. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to hear others out and listen to their point of view. But that doesn’t mean you have to change what you believe in. 4. Keep doing it We know that staying in your cozy shell doing your own thing is comfortable, but you have the power to change things for the better when you allow yourself to break out of your comfort zone and stand up for what you believe in. You’ll build respect for yourself, gain confidence, and discover who you really are. It may not be easy at first but it’s quite simple to do. Start by finding out what your beliefs are, let go of your fears, quit doubting yourself, and keep practicing. (160 words written by author)

1. Have you ever tried talking to your dog? 2. What would you do if you could live forever? 3. What would you call a male ladybug? 4. Do you like pineapple on your pizza? 5. Have you ever been caught cheating on a test? 6. Who was your first ever crush?

No problem, still doesn’t change how I feel. Thank you for clarifying though.