I see that Windyhillfarms, Damummis and Framing fowl have changed the tone of this thread to the extent that I'm encouraged to post the reasons why I left. Not because I'm returning, this thread is too little, too late and has actually increased my level of dismay at how things were handled. Like Damummis, I came to this forum rather ignorant but with eyes wide open, ready to learn. I had actually been heavily BASHED at BYH by some of the members there when I dared to ask a question about breeding a four-teated doe. I was treated like white trash by the high class "backyard" breeders and was even told by one member that he wouldn't even allow my doe on his property! I was rather horrified, but a person by the name of OFG invited me to join her and her friends over here, at SS, because she happened to spot it and reached out and pulled me into this group here.
So holding up BYH as a model of harmony really does not wash with me. People are allowed to be very superior there, in my opinion, and it would be more aptly called "professional goat breeding snobs", not "backyard" except for a few outstanding individuals, most of whom were ALSO participating here at SS. I began to only interact with the rabbit portion of BYH because those folks were kinder and gentler on a newbie and spent my time here and I could find out the same information in a more pleasant way and not be treated like backyard goats were just beyond the reach of poor people like me.
And sure enough, I found a home here with these frugal and resourceful folks. As a deaf person, I found a community who I can understand and communicate with that also understands my life goals and daily living and no one feeling sorry for oneself, unlike a support group for deaf folks. I felt very welcomed by the members, even if I did note the obnoxious cousin as well as others with whom I did not see eye to eye, I can agree to disagree and be polite. I never felt like this was a clique, but rather a wonderful group of welcoming people, and I learned so much and came to admire many and use them as my new role models for my new life. I even realized that I began to be more self sufficient myself and could teach others things and gradually over the course of a couple years became a regular poster. It was not hard to jump into conversations and join this group.
I did start to note a "anti-clique" trend with moderation a few months ago. A new and annoying person on the soap thread was treated with kid gloves and those of us trying to straighten this person out had our posts edited, not sure of the moderator there, Then I heard from another poster about a thread where the politically correct sensitivities of new members were offended by the thought of killing MICE, and I believe the mod was Reinbeau. Then a few weeks later the issue of the POW arose. I contributed to a thread on Dace's journal asking why these pictures were suddenly not allowed and posted a polite question about it, and about my concerns that great members were leaving.
I received a WARNING from Elevan (yes, you, Elevan, not someone else) for my post! My simple post was deleted, along with the people who posted before and after me, and I learned that we ALL received warnings for simply wondering about those darn pictures and about what was going on. That was considered questioning moderation and I was cited for "tone." Then the journals of my friends started disappearing so I felt I had to copy everything I wanted off of mine, what a pain.
Since many of us were already friends on Facebook and other forums, we have just re-formed attachments at other places through this and I'm actually very thankful. I enjoy the format at Facebook much more, it moves much faster and there is no annoying moderation. I also enjoy the new forum to which many of us belong, and for me things have improved and I've gotten to know my friends much better. So I am overall GRATEFUL this happened, unlike many of my online friends and I'm trying to see the positive where some of them are more sentimental. Any sentimentality I felt ended when I read this thread.
I do feel bad for those people who did not choose to join us at the new place. I am very attached to a few of you and wish things were not as they are. But I do not see that this thread will mend fences for me and make me feel comfortable posting anywhere on these forums here anymore. I'm slowly unsubscribing to threads and trying to find new ways to contact those whom I love that are still here (you know who you are).
This WAS a very nice place but moderation got out of hand. Political correctness reigned. Self sufficiency lost. This thread showed me just how non-contrite the moderation really is, especially some of Elevan's posts here belittling my reasons for leaving, I was just "chatter".......and I truly resent my feelings being reduced to such in her post. This has been helpful only in cementing my final decision to never post here again.
Savingdogs
