[Rich Kressly]

Matt,

I'm not sure if your comment, "I don't plan on talking about this in this thread. I'll only respond to people in this thread if they make it public -" means that you want a response in public or private. My apologies if I haven't figured out where your typo/error is that confuses me. I don't expect a response from you, but I did want to comment.

I'm just curious as to why you believe CD.com should/has to be a forum that allows all types of discussions. Don't owners/operators of any business/service have the right to create rules? Why should you feel that you are being singled out just because you are one of several people who have posted on controversial topics here? Moderators and Team 47 coaches have been discussing this sort of rule change for a very long time, most of it without ever mentioning your name or any other specific name for that matter. CD.com is about FIRST Robotics, related topics, and has a chit-chat section that allows some discussions to take place.

Indulge me in an analogy for a moment. Suppose I own a regulation-sized softball field and I say that only softball teams under proper supervision may utilize the field (think FIRST only discussion on CD). Then a little league baseball organization asks for permission to utilize the field. Gee, I hadn't considered that. It's hardball, but little league needs the same size and dimension of field and it makes sense. Besides it's no undue wear-and-tear on the field and not much extra work for the owner (think other robotics and similar discussions on CD). Now, other community organizations see little league baseball taking place on my softball field and they see that an exception has been made to the "softball-only" rule. So, these other organizations start using the field (think the advent of chit-chat on CD). Over time, some obtain permission, some don't. Some fit the field, some don't. Some are no extra work/problem for the owner, some are. The owner is a community oriented person and wants the field to be used, but starts to see that the local tractor pull team along with the polo league horses are creating quite a bit of extra work for the owner to keep the field in shape (think really controversial topics on CD.com that have no tie to robotics or FIRST). Thus, I go back and rewrite the original rule to state "Only softball and other approved activities may take place on this field. Under no circumstances may tractor pull, polo, or other similar activities that cause undue work for the owner take place on this field. The owner reserves the right to make all final decisions on field usage" (Think our current rule change on CD.)

This really isn't about you Matt and I think you actually stumbled on a great explanation in your own posts in this thread. You post in the "real world" which I assume is posting on other message boards around the internet. These other boards represent popular culture. FIRST, as you know, represents an effort to change the culture, which frequently goes against conventional and popular thinking that exists. Thus, it should be no surprise to anyone that CD.com elects to be a message board that is very different from those that exist in the popular culture.

It's my sincere hope that emotion will subside over time so we all can move forward together. Matt, you've been a wonderful contributor to CD in the past and I look forward to that continuing - within the rules of course. Namaste.

-Rich