Quote:
Originally Posted by cyseymour
It was late last night and I probably could have done a better job expressing my point, but there are 2,000 people on this board, and I doubt that the majority of them know who Brian McQueen is, have ever met him, or understand that it is him posting under the name "Shammus". Certainly, Brandon Brown's potential employers wouldn't if they were to do a Google check on him.
Just because someone changed their mind on a baseball card deal, doesn't mean they should be called out to, if you think about it, not only the board here, but really anyone on the planet who does a search on their name. The punishment does not fit the crime. I can understand the point of outting someone who was stealing cards; that is breaking the law. But to "out" someone who agreed to a few deals that were not legally binding, just because they ran out of funds, to me is a lot more unethical than the original misdoings.
I'm really just trying to bring light to that point. Personally, I think this whole thread should be deleted. As for suspending him from the B/S/T, I have no problem with that. Frankly, I believe that "suspension" is a much more appropriate word than "ban", especially if you plan on re-instating him in six months or a year. "Ban" really has a much more violent connotation.
To summarize, if you post defamatory information about someone online, using their full name, then it is only ethical to disclose yours, as opposed to hiding behind the moniker "shammus". But to do that, especially considering that the person's misdoing was not even illegal, they just ran out of funds, meaning that their refusal to buy the cards was borne out of fiscal responsibility, is like the modern-day equivalent of a tar-and-feathering. Brandon Brown's last post says as much, and as I said before, I do not want to complain on here without offering a solution; that the whole thread should be deleted.
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Hi Cy
We (the moderators and I (I am Leon Luckey) appreciate your constructive criticism and will take it that way. I have to be on the road in a few minutes and might only get on the computer a few times over the next few days. I just don't want you to think I am making a post and running away. Check out the number of posts I have made compared to everyone elses, except the "archive" ones, and you will see I post a fair amount and don't post and run. I will start at the top and try to help my good friend Brian out. These are just my opinions and unfortunately I can't be back on a computer until at best, late tonight. So here goes. I will answer your concerns in the order you gave them.......
1. Actually I bet it is pretty close to 51% or more that know who Brian is. I am sure if we do a poll it will say so. He is well known and well liked, and has been for many years on this board. As long as Brian didn't tell an untruth I really have no issue with he (anyone) talking about what happens on the BST pages. My guess is most others won't either. I could be wrong.
2. You are right. Just because someone changes their mind on
a deal they shouldn't be called out for it. If someone changes their mind, or is really really slow on
many deals, in our opinion, they should be called out for it, as a courtesy to other participants. More often than not, historically speaking, when this happens and we have gotten to that point to make it known, several other members come forward with similar stories but weren't saying anything. Again, if they had known about the many other members this happened to, then they might have come out and said something beforehand. If the only punishment is having their dealings be known, it seems rather fair, if not lenient, to us. Again, maybe I/we are wrong.
Deals that are made on the BST are legallly binding. Trust me on this. I am no lawyer (and I am sure I will be corrected if I am wrong) but if you make an oral contract with someone, and have the legal right to make that contract, then you can be held to it. It's extremely rare, I would guess, on chatboards like this, but I have a pretty good idea it could happen. I know positively that you are legally liable for what you say on the internet. And for the record, us moderators aren't legally liable for what anyone else says
. So if we out someone that makes many deals, and has big issues with following them through, then we are worse for exposing them? I am not positive I can agree with that.
3. We don't delete threads except in extraordinary cases. In my opinion this isn't close to that. There have probably been 3 or less threads deleted in the last 3-4 yrs, other than for operational purposes. We just don't usually do it. Again, these are legally binding deals if someone cares to prove it. I am pretty darn sure it can be taken to court and you can be held liable, someway. Again, maybe I am wrong? And we are wrong for exposing their mistakes?
4. As mentioned above I believe more people than not know Brian and he is well liked by everyone I have ever spoken with, which is quite a few folks. You keep getting on the illegal thing....but I have a funny feeling the law might see it differently. Maybe a lawyer will chime in? I understand there might not be much punishment but I do think some form of law is being broken...just not one that is acted on very often. You say that someone made a deal, ran out of money, and is responsible? I fail to see the logic in that. Of course they didn't do the last deal but it wasn't because of responsibility, it was because of irresponsibibility. A modern day tar and feathering? I beg to differ...by the responses above I think the situation was summarized fairly. I could be wrong. As long as there is nothing extraoridinary in this thread, and it's not even close imo so far, then it won't be deleted. It's sort of a policy not to, except in one of those extraordinary circumstances.
Thanks again for your feedback. It is greatly appreciated. All opinions are good ones. The one thing I got out of college is that many times I am in the minority in my way of thinking, even when I could have swore I was in the majority. I hope this gives you a few of my, and our, feelings (though the other mods can disagree if they choose to) concerns.
best regards
leon luckey