Aloha, DART!
This is, I believe, the final time I will be addressing you as Chief Moderator, or indeed a member of this site. I am about to submit, via PM, my formal letter of resignation to DebateArt.com (Mike) in order to allow the site to move beyond my modship.
In the last few days, there have been several controversies regarding my tenure as moderator. Some of these controversies--particularly those regarding the Hall of Fame--were manufactured. Others, particularly that regarding Press, were not. The latter case was a genuine and serious error in judgement on my part that cannot be undone, and that will forever undermine my credibility and standing on this site. For that reason, I can longer be a moderator.
Moderators must be above the fray, not within it, and certainly not the cause of it. They must exemplify the kinds of behaviors we seek to promote on this site, and not lower the bar with their mistakes. They must be unifying, active, encouraging, and well-liked. And, importantly, they must have the support of the community. I have lowered the bar beyond what I--and others--consider acceptable, and I responded to the problem in a way that was itself reprehensible. I must acknowledge that, and in that acknowledgement, I must understand that it is time for me to step aside.
I wish first to apologize to anyone hurt or disappointed by my actions, esp. Press. I wish them and him well as they move forward. I wish also to thank those who have been so helpful to me during my time as a mod here, including Mike, Virt, Castin, Speed, Supa, and others. They are good people who will continue doing an excellent job of handling the site's business. Good people can be hard to come by, and I will forever count myself lucky to have stumbled into their paths. Finally, I wish to thank the users here, who have created such a fabulous, caring, and truly wonderful community. It was an honor to be part of it.
In my last official act as Chief Moderator, I will be recommending to Mike that he replace me with Virt and replace Virt with Castin. I will suggest a few other names for the Chief and Deputy Moderator positions in the event that either is unwilling or unable to serve or in the event that Mike would prefer to choose someone besides them for those roles. It will ultimately be up to Mike and the parties he chooses to consider to decide how those positions will be filled.
My resignation will be submitted at 1:00am, EST, on 10/28/18. This brief delay will allow me to formulate my letter to Mike and bring all moderators up to speed on certain pieces of information that they will need to know prior to my departure. I believe that Mike will accept that letter of resignation. I will be asking Virt to close my account once I have confirmed that Mike has accepted my resignation. I believe my remaining here will not be in anyone's best interests--though I may briefly return at Christmas in order to wish a few people well and to provide them with details so that we might keep in touch.
Again, thank you to everyone who has been so helpful in getting this site going and in helping moderation develop. If you have any questions about these developments, please post those questions here and I will attempt to answer them to the best of my ability. This community, both on DDO and on DART, has been a part of my life for 6 years now, and I would not be who I am today without it. For parts of my life, this community has been the best part. You all mean the world to me, just as this place does, and I am sorry I couldn't be better for you. I am deeply disappointed in myself. I know that you will continue to thrive without me, for I was never that important anyway, and it is my sincerest wish that you do continue to thrive. Show the world and the web that good, honest debate by good, honest people isn't a thing of the past. So, this is where I tip my hat and bid you all farewell. Goodbye, and godspeed.
Aloha,
Bsh1, Chief Moderator
