An (overdue) apology

[Quiff Boy]

I owe a few of you on here an apology, not least the moderators who have been placed in a very awkward position by my not being around much and not dealing with James Blast’s harassment, abuse and bullying of other forum members.

I have banned him.

One of the reasons I started Heartland back in 2001 was because the �old guard� on The Sisters' mailing list Dominion were being rude to newbies. I wanted to do something different. I wanted to create a friendly and inclusive place. That is, after all, what keeps new fans coming back here, and helps make The Sisters a viable and ongoing concern.

I will not have anyone, no matter how “established� on the forum they may be, no matter how well I may know them personally, destroy that inclusive and welcoming attitude.

I apologise it took so long, and I apologise sincerely to anyone that James has upset.

I know him personally, and it’s never easy to take steps like this with someone you are on friendly terms with, but I have always tried to run Heartland with a degree of professionalism and I cannot sit back while a single person destroys the sense of community I have spent almost 15 years creating and nurturing. Neither will I play favourites.

Those that want to will already know how to contact him off-forum, should you wish to.

Thank you, and sorry it took so long.

[Dark]

Couldn't have happened to a nicer bloke.

[Big Si]

To quote Samuel L Jackson in Jackie Brown, after he shoots Robert De Niro - "What the f*** happened to you man, you used to be beautiful".

It's been long overdue......

[paint it black]

i don't get internet drama or friendship. i have too much of that away from the pc, so i wish james well wherever he is and agree, this is good for the 'heartland pub'

[Izzy HaveMercy]

A sad day when a ban is needed on one of teh forums, I saw grow and develop from day one. I am the first one to admit I do not come here for the Sisters these days, but for the people I came to know, respect and even love. James is still one of them. But it is as you say Barry... It is your playground, and everyone has to play nice.

Iz.

[Bartek]

Well putted Izzy, fully seconded.

[NickW]

Never on the receiving end of one of his tirades but always thought he was in many ways his own worse enemy often following a valid point with a slur against those who aired a counterpoint within minutes.Forum will be a different place without him

[splintered thing]

Mr Quiffy that must have been very hard for you.

I have been saddened to see harsh words here lately and hope we can now all return to inclusive, open banter - albeit a little different.

[sam1]

meeting him this afternoon for a couple of beers before we go and see Nine Inch Nails...looking forward to seeing The Banned One..

[Being645]

I want to let you all know, that I am very sorry, that James Blast had to leave.
I have warned him several times not to hurt himself and tried to keep pace
with his humour. That was all fine, more or less, from either side.

But what he wrote to me in his last PM just went too far beyond any kind of humour
and I am glad for the forum and all the lovely and sweet people here (and also for
the guests and passengers from outside the forum), that they don't have to read it.

Thanks to the mods for resolving this matter so fast, once they got aware of it.
A ban might have been the only and best solution for the forum and for James,
although I didn't ask for that.

I have met James once in Glasgow and told him that I thought he was a nice guy.
This is still my opinion and I wish for him that he manages to come down from what
is driving him these days.

[XidiouX]

I have to say that he's been nice to me although, as a fairly infrequent and mainly quite recent poster, I'll understand if my interactions with him haven't been representative.

As a forum admin myself, I'm aware from experience that difficult decisions such as this sometimes present themselves. I've had to act in the same way, and with similar reluctance, in the past on O#31.


XidiouX

[Pista]

Being a forum admin myself, I know how uncomfortable it can be to ban anyone, let alone someone you have a personal friendship with.
Having also been a mod on another forum, it is very hard sometimes to make a tough call that sits well.
But there do come situations where making that call is absurdly difficult. I’ve been there too.
Personally I think the crew on HL do a sterling job & long may they continue.
Thankyou for that.

As for James, I never got on the end of a barbed comment from him & I also discovered that there were indeed “more bands available�.
@sam1 Pass on my best wishes & I’ll be in touch soon.

[Bartek]

like The Cure
I'm gonna miss all his banters, puns and word play.
This place gonna change even more, after all when he had break, this place was almost dead, damn, after this tour it's probably gonna be the same.

[eastmidswhizzkid]

i've got a picture of me (drawn by a 5 year-old but bloody accurate as it goes) on my mirror with the words "your own worst enemy" written above it. sometimes i think thats what we all are....

i know this must have been a hard call Barry, but i know you're a fair man. let's hope whatever shit is eating him can be sorted out and who knows about the future?

[Silence is platinum]

I personally feel banning him was too harsh and a bit unfair to him, yes he went over the line with Being645, but so many of you know him personally, a chat i think could have ended this without anyone beeing kicked out.
Anyway it s not my forum,but i think this was a mistake.

[Izzy HaveMercy]

I personally feel banning him was too harsh and a bit unfair to him, yes he went over the line with Being645, but so many of you know him personally, a chat i think could have ended this without anyone beeing kicked out.
Anyway it s not my forum,but i think this was a mistake.

It's not just a solitary case, nor is it something of the last couple of months alone. I think after all the talking some or other form of action was needed (steppin between landmines here, very, very carefully...)

IZ.

[markfiend]

a chat i think could have ended this without anyone beeing kicked out.

We tried.

[radiojamaica]

Wowsa.
Sorry to hear it had to get drastic like this, but I do understand. I think.
James has crossed the line sometimes. It is grim up north of course...

[Johnny Rev 7.0]

oops, double post.

Nah Koen, you fell into the trap of trying to edit a post in Announcements.

I'm sure Steve will sort it out in the morning.

[Quiff Boy]

oops, double post.

Nah Koen, you fell into the trap of trying to edit a post in Announcements.

I'm sure Steve will sort it out in the morning.

sorted

[weebleswobble]

Me and the big fella hit it off when I first joined but that soon deteriorated. I stopped logging on here a few years back for personal reasons but I was tired of the bickering.
Then james went away and when he came back he was invigorated and wanting the old Heartland back.
Good on him I thought (from the safety of Facebook )
Haven't been here much lately and I'm somewhat sad to see things end this way.
Now back to discussing the new album.....

[panzerfaust]

james was like a mascot. he belonged here, the dark side of this place.

well Being458, hope you are happy now. cleansed the world from some more evil.

squealing in the name of Good.

honestly, it always takes two.

[Big Si]

honestly, it always takes two.

Not in this case it didn't. And she wasn't the only one who bore the brunt of his abuse.

[panzerfaust]

i just thought it takes an offender and someone who feels offended.

but if its about harsh private messages, then.. an ignore function is missing.

im just sad james had to leave, never liked really, but i like the diversity.

[panzerfaust]

*liked him really