CatGirl Pink ([info]catgirlpink) wrote,
@ 2007-10-27 12:06:00
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Current mood: ready to defend PaCO's rights

Highest of Crimes
Michelle (current President of the Pagan Campus Organization, fallen into power by apathy and lack of elections) has been deleting posts from PaCO's First Class folder (the forum system for UMaine students, faculty, and alumni).

PaCO has ALWAYS regarded post deletion as the highest of crimes. When "Psycho Boy" had moderation powers and began deleting anything he didn't like, there was uproar. He was removed.

Michelle has deleted posts by myself, by Zeus, and by David, because they disagree with her and express the opinions of her wrong-doing in PaCO. She has called them "mean" and "inappropriate", where we would call them true, appropriate, and needed to be heard by the group. She has then posted her own posts, furthering her personal propaganda while denying others the chance to see what others of us have said.

She can argue all she likes that Zeus and I are no longer students, but David is BOTH a Student AND an Officer, therefore, this is an affront that threatens each and every one of us, and cannot be ignored.

It has never been suffered through in the past to let someone commit these crimes and continue with their abuse of power. PaCO has always stood against censorship and people abusing power to keep themselves unopposed. PaCO upholds freedom of speech and equality of ALL members, student, non-student, officer, and non-officer.

I am willing to fight for PaCO. I am willing to fight for David, and for all of my friends who suffer the injustice of having their voices silenced in the one place where their voice should matter most.


(7 comments) - (Post a new comment)

Friends fighting is sad
[info]ichijoji_chan
2007-10-29 09:25 pm UTC (link)
Yeah, censorship is not going to help. I don't support it, ever.
On another note, since this is your LJ and not a public forum, censorship issues don't really apply, but still, I think my earlier comment had a very valid point that I hope you are at least considering... four is more than enough for telephone.

(Reply to this) (Thread)
Re: Friends fighting is sad
[info]catgirlpink
2007-10-29 09:59 pm UTC (link)
Yes, the deleting of posts really set me off. I REFUSE to sit down and take it while someone denies my friends their right to speak. She deleted posts by me, by Zeus, AND by David, who is both a student and an officer, and certainly does not post things that are ever "harassing" or "inappropriate".

She keeps claiming that the posts are "harassing" and "inappropriate", but they do not qualify as either. The University would not have advised her to delete them unless they were so, and they are not, so they have just taken her word for it. She is simply deleting them because she does not like them, because we are talking about being dissatisfied with her actions as president.

I will post some examples of what she has deleted, and you can see that while they express people's points of view she obviously doesn't agree with, they are not bad in any way, and these people had every right to speak.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
posts
[info]catgirlpink
2007-10-29 10:00 pm UTC (link)
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A post by David:

I have to admit that I am confused.
It was my understanding that Michelle didn't know about this until the last minute. But even so I think that if Public Safety, Gustuvo, Angel, or who ever is in charge or manages these things could have given us a warning in advance or a simple heads up, and then we could have voted on having Samhain on a different day.

I am not against sports, in fact I think they are great. But I do feel that our (or at least some of our) religious and non-religious/philosophical beliefs have not so much been disrespected [even inadvertently] but have been pushed by the way side with no real consideration of who or what we are (which sort of signals a bit of apathy). I know that the University of Maine is a large system that tries to cater to many different orgs, factions, and groups, but often times this seems more for "the show of business" and to be "impressive" than what it promises.... but such is American Capitalism. Service with a smile, A feel good Society - where you dare not question your happiness, and all that. A place where you tell someone that they are making you unhappy and they tell you in a loud voice "NO I'M NOT!"

I am not blaming Michelle, but I was under the impression that this was non-negotiable, and put upon us at the last minute so we had already put a lot of time and effort into Saturday. Personally, given the chance, I would have voted on another week end, one in which I could have given 110% to PaCO. As it is, I feel like I have been failing PaCO of late.

Of course I expect my post as well as Zeus' to be be deleted. But I just wanted to speak my mind.

I wish that someone had the fore sight to have shared their concerns with possible religious and non religious groups, perhaps with all groups and orgs, to consider this was a bad week end for events consisting of bon fires or parties. Then, perhaps we could have made a better informed decision. I'm not saying that it is or was intentional disrespect, but as someone who is soul searching and trying to find a path of enlightenment of my own, I feel that I have hit a brick wall with having to snuff out Samhain early. To me it was so much more than just religion, it was a time when and where I could come together with friends and enjoy like minded persons company, but to put out the fire early and scurry away as if to fear some sort of impending terrorism, sounds to me like we need to put our tails between our legs and watch out for potential DRUNKEN BULLIES so that we can give them plenty of room. If I knew this was the case, I would said "OK such as our society and said lets vote on a better day/time". As it stand snow I feel that we were not offered that consideration.

Disclaimer: I am not saying that all sports fans are drunken bullies, but I am speaking more specifically of those people who find any excuse or negative outlet for their rage, anger, and drunken destruction of property. I myself have enjoyed sports in my life time including everything from football to Judo. This isn't about my beliefs vs sports, so much as feeling hurt that I feel that something that I believe in has not been taken (as) seriously as I had hoped ie PaCO.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
posts cont'd
[info]catgirlpink
2007-10-29 10:01 pm UTC (link)
Anyway, I'm not sure exactly how to feel other than a little hurt. And believe that my religious rights have been stepped on (even if it was not on purpose). This has been a strange 4 years, I've watched Bum Stock field shrink as my spiritual side grew, inch by inch, the pavement encroaching.

Now, through an unfortunate snafu, our Bon Fire cut short. I am not saying this is anything but coincidence. I am not saying it is a deliberate attempt at hindering PaCO. Such is modern life with all it's complexities, and mob rule. Sometimes I feel like I'm whispering against a scream, my whisper can not be heard against the loudness and demanding needs of a scream. I'd like to think that I'm like a small, sharp, hard stone though. I wait through oceans of time until the wind gets tired, I move when I can, I carve myself into things that mean something to me, making my mark, and when the screaming wind comes again, let it whistle around me, my opinion often smaller even than the tiniest minority, but I'm persistent in my beliefs, I too am unyielding, I may be tossed around, but I will speak my mind for I know in the backs of any mind it makes a dent (it may be a small dent but once I get my thoughts into someones mind they can't help but think about it even in the tiniest fraction). My point to this last part is, that even though Zeus spoke up against the wind and he's not a student (though a founding member of PaCO), he did something that I am proud of. He said his piece without fear controlling him and spoke his mind. He spoke up against popular opinion, and spoke up for those of us in the group that felt upset. Will this change anything (maybe not) but it was said and the words are put into the minds who heard it.

I don't think it was a deliberate attempt to hinder PaCO and it's members that we were asked to cut short our celebration. However, I do feel hurt that it was expressed to us at the last minute after we made all those plans. In that we were not warned ahead of time and given the consideration I feel that we deserved (again though inadvertently).

Sorry to ramble, but I am not sorry to have shared my thoughts.
I might have been able to boil all this down into a small post, but I am very very tired, and when I am tired I ramble a lot.

David Sawyer
Anthropology/Psychology Major
Sociology Minor
PaCO Sec.
UMPIC member
MPBN volunteer

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A post by Zeus:

I'll make this short and sweet.

I have recently found out that not only has any post with an opinion other than Michelle's been deleted, but that she is making posts of her own concerning the exact same subject of her deletions. Essentially, she has dictated that other people cannot discuss this subject, but she can. She has declared that hers is the only voice or opinion that counts. I may not care for Michelle at this point, but I never thought she'd do that.

I have also heard that she is trying to get PaCO together at an unusual time. Now indeed, it is acceptable to call an emergency meeting. It is also in the PaCO constitution that 5 days notice shall be given.

My advice is this. I will not be there. I do not cater to that sort of person. Beware any meeting that has only one opinion welcomed. If Jen and David are not at that meeting.... then nothing said at that meeting matters. At that point, it simply becomes a soapbox for a single member, which isn't exactly productive.

Zeus - god of rights and wrongs

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(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
Re: posts
[info]catgirlpink
2007-10-29 10:04 pm UTC (link)
Do either of these look like posts worthy of deletion? Does it sound like David has been anything but nice to both sides, merely expressing his sadness at the situation and how badly things turned out? Are these the kinds of things that ONE person should EVER believe they have the right to prevent others from seeing? Certainly not. And I will not stand by while someone treats other people in this way, saying that their opinions do not matter, and abusing their power to control what others can and can't read. I will fight this, no matter who it comes from.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
Re: posts
[info]soggyfroggy
2007-10-30 11:09 am UTC (link)
actually, I forwarded them to Gus, who told me to delete them. Yet another example of how you are twisting the truth, or being told false information. This no longer a paco issue, and it hasn't been since Friday. It has gone above me now, and those people have decied to delete you from the folder and your emails. Not my decision. I listen to them, and if I don't there is no more paco.

Hope to see you Thursday.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
Re: posts
[info]catgirlpink
2007-10-30 01:16 pm UTC (link)
Not true. Gus has been giving you advice, not orders. If you choose not to listen to his advice, it does not threaten the existence of PaCO.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

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