I see that Patchie has been banned from the A@P board. Patchie is one of the leaders in the movement to eliminate manipulative shorting and his posts are often cited as relevant here on this board.
I'd like to publicly protest his banning as he typically is a lone, or one of the lone voices, in opposition to those who often seem to have blinders when it comes to manipulation involving the short side of the market.
I understand and agree with the need to have TOU, the need to reduce personal attacks, off topic posts, and the need to control vulgarity. Without that, this website would degenerate to a Yahoo or worse. However, I would suggest to management here that they look at the history of the A@P board, with respect to personal attacks, vulgarity and off topic posts and allow Patchie to continue to post there. Reasonable limitations should be known to all posters and enforced evenly. I will admit that this is a difficult task and that I often disagree with management. However, silencing a voice that is followed by many and stifling dissent, even if not intended, does not serve the best interests of this community.
On that board, so often, a dissenting voice is met by demeaning personal attacks and worse from a group that seems to feel entitled, by virtue of having been around from the "early days." Irrespective of what one thinks about the topic or the founder of the board or his followers and detractors, having dissenting views should be encouraged.
Patchie is welcome to post here. The problem though is that he would be "preaching to the choir" and his tendency of going into the eye of the storm, where those who seem to object to limits on manipulative shorting, is truly courageous and something to be encouraged.
EDIT - I now see that Patchie has been "banished" from the webiste. Although the management clearly has the "right" to do this, this being a private enterprise, perhaps they will reconsider. The last post for Patchie was admittedly inappropriate and posted in anger. Most of us have had similar instances where we have posted something "in anger," sometimes justified, sometimes not. I urge others to voice their opinions to the administrators. Open discussion should be encouraged. |
