They Had Come to a Time When No-one Dared Speak His Mind......

 “Great is truth, but still greater, from a practical point of view, is silence about truth. By simply not mentioning certain subjects... totalitarian propagandists have influenced opinion much more effectively than they could have by the most eloquent denunciations.” (Aldous Huxley)

Banning knudt was just one part of the new draconian atmosphere at susan-boyle.com.  Now they are treating members cavalierly and breaking their own rules.  They are rewriting history as well as policy.  They have deleted many threads, denying members access to part of the forum record.  

There has recently been another example of the administration not treating  a member at the forum in accordance with their own rules. 

Last week a dedicated fan of Susan Boyle, active on several forums, felt she had no option but to write to the administrators of susan-boyle.com.

These words touched me, because they summarise very eloquently what many of us feel, and so I asked her permission to share them here.

"Pickled Tink and Kalua:

In spite of the fact that I've broken no rules of this forum, not one, not once, and in spite of the fact that I've never been given a warning of any kind, last night I was designated "pre-moderation." I don't even know what that means, but I'm guessing it amounts to a seat in the back row of the Naughty Corner.

In every single post I've made here since this forum was a blog, I've been civil and respectful when speaking my mind. My posts have never been capricious or frivolous. Last night I asked a question because I really wanted to know. My question went unanswered, and my post was deleted, and my name was removed from your list of members. You have violated your own procedures and treated me rudely, without so much as a PM to tell me why.

The legion of your former members, the banned, the damned, and the disgusted are beginning to outnumber you. Your ever-expanding rules and definitions are a lexicon of restrictions, warnings, and punishments. It's way too tedious and banana republic for me. I've been a grownup for quite a while now, and I have no desire to be "pre-moderated" and sent to the Naughty Corner by a couple of paranoid control freaks, who are bent upon squeezing the life out of what once was a very nice place.

Please delete my account.

Sincerely,
Skywriter

Has the forum, as George Orwell wrote, come to a time when no one dared speak his mind?  What are members to think when someone can be punished for simply asking a question?

Speak the Truth and Shame the Devil.

The truth is "hate speech" only to those who have something to hide.

(Michael Rivero)

January 11th 2011 will go down as another dark day in the history of susan-boyle.com.

This afternoon knudt was banned from that forum by kalua for "disruptive beahviour (stet) on the forum."

What had she posted today to deserve such a fate?  What was so disruptive?

Not a thing!

This afternoon Knudt was saving print versions of threads for her own reference.  It is important to her to be accurate in her blogs.

She received an email notification of a PM from kalua.  She had to read the message in her Hotmail account as she was unable to read the message on the forum; she had already been banned.

This is the message she received,

Knudt 

For the last several days you have been copying and printing entire threads.If I see you doing it once more you or one of your croonies I will ban you and the lot. 

I'm absolutely sure that the international court in The Hague will accept your complaint. 

Your behaviour in this forum has become intolerable, you are warned! and if this pm lands in your blog, the same applies a complete ban.

Kalua
Administrator

It is a good thing that someone is preserving threads from susan-boyle.com because today quite a few 'disappeared'.  

Why?  Unless there is something to hide of course.....