"You suck" - A message to our existing members

[theGinsue]

Welcome to the site, but you suck. Man, you're stupid; why'd you even bother joining this site. You don't know anything about guns, especially AR's. We really don't want you here, why don't you just leave and forget you ever found this site.

Got your attention? Good!

Statements like those above are the sort of thing I experienced when I was on arfcom but when I found the Colorado AR15 Shooters Forum, this site, I was greeted warmly and hospitably. Recently, however, some of our members (particularly long-standing members) haven't been providing the typical warm and friendly welcome that this site prides itself on. Some of us have been practically attacking some of our new members and this is going to stop, NOW.

Now, more than ever before, we need to be reaching out to new members to help them settle in and feel comfortable here so they can help to enhance this community we have as well as the overall firearms community. I'd hate to think that some of the folks I've made friends with on this site could have been run off by hateful attitudes before I got a chance to know them.

I'm sure Marlin and the rest of the staff stand with me when I say that anyone seen to be attacking new members, or providing a less than friendly welcome will face a temp-ban from the site. If the behavior continues, a perma-ban will follow. This will apply to everyone, regardless of how long you've been a member here. I find myself saying this more lately, but we're better than this.

Now, if you see an issue with a new member, report it (there's a "Report Post" icon on every post on the site!). If the member is an outright obvious spammer, report them then have your fun, but leave the legit members alone.

Clear enough?

[Dr_Fwd]

Nailed it!

[ChunkyMonkey]

I thought most of the comments are sarcastic

[ray1970]

Well played, sir. Well played.

[opie011]

Loud and clear

[theGinsue]

I thought most of the comments are sarcastic

Some have been, others haven't.

I ask everyone to imagine yourself as a new member. If you're not used to to sarcastic nature of many/most our members (including me), the comments that really are just going for the sarcastic laugh could be misunderstood as hostile. The result is *BOOM* lost member.

Let's let the new guys get used to us before we subject them to our odd sense of humor and sarcasm. Let's allow them to thicken their skin like the rest of us got to do. I can laugh my butt off at a video of a man in whitey-tighties singing "Happy Birthday Ginsue", but directed at a new member it could easily be misunderstood.

This thread sucks......




Just jokin..

Man, if you only knew how back it sucked for me to have to write it too. I need a nap.

+1 I wish more community boards acted liked you all. Thanks for welcoming me in, even though I came for the AK (ahem 7.62x39 sub-forum) and stayed because you're all nice CO gun loving folk

This is the sort of reaction I hope to keep seeing from all of our new members. Thanks for the feedback.

[ChunkyMonkey]

Some have been, others haven't.

I ask everyone to imagine yourself as a new member. If you're not used to to sarcastic nature of many/most our members (including me), the comments that really are just going for the sarcastic laugh could be misunderstood as hostile. The result is *BOOM* lost member.

Let's let the new guys get used to us before we subject them to our odd sense of humor and sarcasm. Let's allow them to thicken their skin like the rest of us got to do. I can laugh my butt off at a video of a man in whitey-tighties singing "Happy Birthday Ginsue", but directed at a new member it could easily be misunderstood.

I can see that happening.. Thanks for the reminder. Now so the new guys are not being left out, are you going to repost the man in the whitey-tighty singing happy bday to you?

[HoneyBadger]

Thanks for the reminder Ginsue. I think we've all witnessed lots of hostility lately because of raging politics or raging prescription medication abuse (JIM! ). After lurking for about 2 years, I finally joined up because I liked most of the people here. Noob questions were met with helpful answers and guidance, not hostility. That helpful attitude is what builds a strong and supportive community.

Politics are, without a doubt, an unavoidable and important part of our hobby, but it's very hard to know where to draw the line for civility's sake. I am particularly bad at this. As Ginsue said, we can do better. It would be nice to see less arguments and more constuctive discussions. We're never going to gain any support and traction for our cause if we are more focused on proving others wrong than teaching them to like our cause.

I can see that happening.. Thanks for the reminder. Now so the new guys are not being left out, are you going to repost the man in the whitey-tighty singing happy bday to you?

I'm fairly certain I have this video saved somewhere for historical preservation... Maybe I'll dig it up later...

[bryjcom]

This thread sucks......






Just jokin..

[TheGrey]

Understood!