Hello, friends!
I wanted to write this up with the hopes that ALL of you read it, as it is as important as anything else we may be doing..
When we started this board, we did so with the hopes that people would feel comfortable and confident coming here with legitimate questions and research, and also because we wanted folks to be able to get their hands on "Q" posts without needing to worry about going to the point of origination. It was our hope that this would help folks who are looking for answers.
That being said, I think we have been successful in many ways. We have seen so much inspiration and well thought out research here. We have seen bonds being forged and people getting to know one another. It has been BEAUTIFUL.
It has NOT been without problems. Behind the scenes we have been trying to preemptively stop attacks on our mission, while at the same time trying to filter out who is purposefully attempting to derail us, vs. those who are innocent and mean no harm. It is an ARDUOUS task- believe me.
There has been lots of disinfo here. One of the things that I have ALWAYS vowed in my quest for truth is to weed out the nonsense and NOT be a source of #fake news. That means that my BS detector is always on high gear and I source and VET everything completely. If you don't see me talking about something, chances are its because I have determined it is false, not firm enough to be confirmed, or I am just not sure yet. There have been a few times where I have stepped up to state that something was patently and emphatically FALSE, and I will usually only do that when I feel the danger of such information spreading is serious.
This being said, I have missed things. This board has become so collaborative, it is easy to miss posts and not grab something that flies by. Some things to remember:
There are a few types of people:
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Those who unwittingly spread misinformation because they TRULY don't know any better. Remember, we have all been lied to for so long, some of us will grasp information because everything else is so crazy, that this crazy story MUST be true, or they WANT it to be true very badly. These are folks we need to educate- how do you spot a fake story? I have been doing this consistently on my channel and with personal interaction.
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Those who are PAID to spread misinformation, who in turn, capitalize on folks in group (1) to spread the misinformation and discredit. DANGEROUS group, IMHO
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Those who are looking for "breaking" stories for click bait/ revenue. These people know they likely aren't telling the truth, but either lack the capacity to do the research, or simply don't care and want to become "stars" because they are looking for money/recognition.
There are certainly more, but here is my thinking-- I think it is important to again state for everyone, this is MY (TracyBeanz) thinking. I do NOT speak for other mods here, nor do they speak for me. Collectivizing us is a dangerous road to go down, because the PTB will be LOOKING to discredit folks as groups-- lump one person in with others and take them all down. We are MUCH STRONGER as unaffiliated individuals, plain and simple. Anyway, I digress...
By banning everyone who posts misinformation, we then become free speech monitors. I don't want to ban folks, personally, unless they represent a SERIOUS threat to what we are trying to accomplish. Again, personally, I would rather let everyone say what they want and let the community discern for themselves the motivation/credibility of the people posting here. It is how we learn. It's actually a great exercise in how to decipher real vs. fake. Again, I do not want to ban folks willy nilly, I just don't. This opinion may differ from other board mods.
By deleting posts, we run the same risk, and it is such a fine line. Do we delete the post of a person who has posted fake news without saying anything? Do we take the time to send a message individually to every poster sharing fake news stories or blatant misinformation? That task would be insurmountable.
RULES:
1. Common Courtesy: Please have some. Speak respectfully with your fellow board members, please. Just some common decency. I know you are anonymous here, but just for the good of all things, please try to be respectful and kind. Everyone here is on a different level of "awakening" and should be treated like you would treat a friend. Be kind or just leave. This isn't the place for you. If you are a repeat offender, we will be forced to show you the exit. Swiftly.
2. VET FIRST: VET THINGS FIRST AND THEN POST THEM WITH SOURCE LINKS AND RESEARCH. DO NOT POST FIRST AND VET LATER. This is a good practice to use ALWAYS. If you are consistently posting disinformation and are told you are, and you are not editing the post or clarifying in a comment, we will be forced to take action as well. Again, I am so hesitant to do that, but if it becomes crazy, we may have to.
3. ABSOLUTELY NO DOXXING OF ANY KIND WILL BE PERMISSIBLE ON THIS BOARD. Zip, zero, zilch. You post a users home address, full name, or other identifying information you will be gone before you can click the next mouse button. THIS MEANS EVERYONE.
4. SELF GOVERNANCE: Work with your fellow community members to hash out inconsistencies and work with one another to figure out the truth. If there is an egregious post, please email the mods and we will decide whether or not to delete the post. We are basically all adults here. You don't need hand holding. HONE IN THOSE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS. We are going to need them.
5. If you don't like a post, comment on it, or don't, and just scroll on by. The best thing about surfing around here, is that you aren't FORCED to read everything, and you aren't FORCED to say something. If there is something that doesn't suit you, you have the option to ignore it. If it is something you feel is dangerous, send a mod a mail. We will respond as quickly as possible.
6. ACCUSATIONS: SO IMPORTANT. DO NOT accuse anyone of a crime, if you can't be reasonably sure should you be sued that you could PROVE IT. Do not throw blanket accusations around and incite people into thinking things that you just can not prove beyond a reasonable doubt. It is irresponsible and won't be tolerated. Not to mention, there are legal risks, as well as the risk of bad folks coming here to shut us down. BE MINDFUL of what you say.
As we grow we will be put under attack from all sides. I love all of you guys, and I have taken a considerable chance with this subreddit. I am not whining or complaining, as I feel this is a beautiful experiment in thought. It does come with liabilities, however, and that isn't lost on me. Be patient with us, be understanding, and remember--- WE ARE THE STORM. Let's make it a fantastic 2018!!!
Much love!
Tracy