Orphans in a Storm

I'll admit it most of the time that I have spent on the internet has been in chat programs. During the early days of the net I frequented Moos, Muds and Mushes. Spent years on IRC (Internet Realay Chat). I've mentioned the chat program Paltalk a few times on the blog. Paltalk is different than many chat programs because it allows a lot of people (200 or more) to chat with sound and video in a "Room". There are many different sections of PT on many different topics. Being a Political Junkie I've been hanging out in the political section in Lady Arwens Political room. Untill yesterday that is. Don't get me wrong, I think Lady A is a nice lady but many of her admins suck.

Some Paltalk definitions are needed here: Nic -short for nickname - my nic is wolfdancer (what else would it be), Room owner - anyone who makes a room, Admin -A person with an @ before their name who helps the room owner control the room, Reds - A person who works for Paltalk with a red nickname that may come into a room invisible, Red Dot - what a Room Owner or Admin can do if someone is acting out, going against room rules or breaking TOS, TOS - Paltalks Terms of Service - when you are red dotted you are unable to type txt into the room or use the mic, Bounce - if the chatter continues to act out or disrupted the room they can be bounced out for 24 hours, Banned - kicked out of the room forever. Whew - sounds like a lot of rules an stuff but I thought I would give the non Paltalk users some info so they understand what I'm talkin bout in the rest of this rant.

Hot2Speak brought the story of Shaquanda Cotton (see the post below) to the room less than 24 hours before all hell broke loose in Lady As room. (Thank you Mitsuk for saving the Text) Much of this battle was brought on by the Baning of Wisdom X and the racist attitudes of some of the admins. I've edited the txt by cutting out most of the meaningless chit-chit as well as some of the really racist remarks.

Paltalk: This is an A rated voice room intended for adults only.
Paltalk: Rules No racial slurs..English only..No family talk at all (your own family or other chatters family..No bashing other chatters sexuality..Do not break tos..Red text admins only..4 min mic time..No tapes in room anytime,

peace-lover: i got an even better idea i'll call shaquanda's mom and the principal of the school
Snow Virtual: skally she is in jail for 10 months already
Brizter: we should bear in mind that this is not a US room and one case there is not that earth shattering
skallywack: the paper says UP TO 7 years
Brizter: lol
skallywack: i want to see the case any links?
timewill tell: already been in 10 months Tally
skallywack: IS THIS A BLOODY AMERICAN ROOM
wolfdancer: britz - its a poltical room and we talk about the middle east all the time, please dont tell us what we can or cant talk about, its not your job
Arbuckle Doc: Race is a MYTH, unless you're speaking of the "Human" race!!!! ~ We are ALL EARTH COLORED!!!!! ~ For EVERY skin color, there is a corresponding color of DIRT, therefore, ALL people are EARTH COLORED!!!.
Brizter: wolf I did not tell you what to talk about and dont tell me my job that is rude
wolfdancer: lmfao @ britz
peace-lover: why they do that
wolfdancer: making up new rules in this room every day now
Brizter: wolf I havent made or quoted any rules - you on crack?
wolfdancer: thats right britz - attack me personaly -
Brizter: wolf ok
wolfdancer: admins shouldnt attack people - only saying that cause I never did when I had my hat on
Brizter: wolf people should not tell admins their job either
SpiritoftheRuins: i'm glad it was brought to our attention yesterday...i didnt know about it
Snow Virtual: spirit me too
wolfdancer: lmfao - yeah, we got to kiss up to the admins in this room or they will boot us
eileen7348: So true.Shaquanda Cotton
Brizter: wolf obviously not - you are still here
weetbix101: the problem is how to define racism
SpiritoftheRuins: lol wolf
Mitsuk: not hard to define racism
Mitsuk: it is quite clear what racism is
..Kate on mic
BraveInMyClothes: true point kate, but it isnt a blanket
SpiritoftheRuins: wolf not anymore
Snow Virtual: wolf did you ever had to kiss up to me?
Sweetyscot: well, you don't really need to stay in the room if you don't like how it's run - what's the point in being in a room whose policies you hate?
The possilfossil: kate the only enemy u have in this room , is yourself , think about it
Snow Virtual: wolf please don't generalise abouta adimns lol
SpiritoftheRuins: Snow..you're a refreshing exception
Snow Virtual: *admins
skallywack: RACISM EVERYDAY
Snow Virtual: spirit
wolfdancer: its too bad you cant put some admins on ignore
Brizter: Hot is a racist
weetbix101: wolf piss off
skallywack: HOT IS RACIST
wolfdancer: hot is not racist
SpiritoftheRuins: wolf i do..i ignore them
Sweetyscot: yup brizt, she is
xxxmwxxx: hot is a flaming fucking racist
XN-TricK: THE NAACP is on this case................they have more power than gabbing about it here in ONE ROOM
SpiritoftheRuins: here we go
The possilfossil: about time britz
doppleganger_1: Course she is dont let shared grievances blind u to the fact that Hots as racist as they come
Listener428: Brizter.... You're fucking up the room
Snow Virtual: wisdom started it all
eileen7348: Wisdom started racism?????? OMG!
skallywack: HOT DOES NOT CARE ABOUT ANYONE BUT BLACKS
Mitsuk: it is all wisdom's fault looooool
Mitsuk: wisdom was the messenger
XN-TricK: THE NAACP is onto this case in TEXAS..............
Mitsuk: no one likes the message
Mitsuk: doesn't matter who delivers it
weetbix101: eileen wisdom is a racist....some dont see that
wolfdancer: britz - this room talked about jewish atheism for a whole week, wtf - two days of this and your tired of it
noharmnofoul: brizter...if you get tired of talkin about it for 10 days... try livin with it for 53 years
eileen7348: What the hell for? Speaking in this damn white room???????????
The possilfossil: relly sweety kate did ??
doppleganger_1: This is a WHITE room???
Snow Virtual: people, you know wisdom can only talk about racism and nothing else
SpiritoftheRuins: we are now under the patiot act
T4H1R: eileen its not a white room..
Snow Virtual: have you ever heard him talking about anything else?
The possilfossil: hot is a raciststirrer
SpiritoftheRuins: why is kate still dotted?
peace-lover: Congressman Mark Homer is the representative of Paris Texas
doppleganger_1: Its fun Spirit
wolfdancer: it says arwens political room, is this topic political or not?
SpiritoftheRuins: Briz why is kate dotted
Brizter: KATE_AU_1 has been bounced from the group by: Brizter
*** KATE_AU_1 has left the room ***
Brizter: she isnt now
xxxmwxxx: wtg britz
doppleganger_1: She AINT dotted Spirit lol
Snow Virtual: britz ahhhh not that again
Brizter: lol
xxxmwxxx: hahahhaha
Mitsuk: briz that isn't funny
Mitsuk: and you had no reason to bounce her
Still-Here2: it is bloody funny lol
Brizter: Mitsuk
SpiritoftheRuins: britz..you had absolutely no reason to bounce kate..just cuz you dislike her
xxxmwxxx: when a racist supports a racist they need to go
Brizter: Spirit what a surprise lol
weetbix101: spirit stop telling admis what to do
peace-lover: hey me and eileen wanna talk
peace-lover: aboutg the girl
peace-lover: eileen are u gonna talk bout that girl
xxxmwxxx: peace pussy you got nothing to say
wolfdancer: fuck, he booted kate again
SpiritoftheRuins: weet is this room now under the patriot act
Still-Here2: spirt anyone can open a room run how want pick admins want and if they bounce they bounce lol
Sweetyscot: brizt isn't a yank, no patriot act
Still-Here2: hell weet does nothing but bounce me and few others when stand up to kate lmao
Listener428: Britz is a fuckin' drag on the room. Watch how quiet it gets
Mitsuk: kate didn't break tos
peace-lover: don't let others speak for you
Mitsuk: nor did she break the room rules
SpiritoftheRuins: listener..yup
Brizter: Mitsuk don't argue please
Mitsuk: i am not arguing
Mitsuk: i am stating fact brizter
Mitsuk: you dislike kate so you bounced her
Still-Here2: come on mitsuk you laugh when others are bounced for less whats the differance
wolfdancer: 'this room has gone down hill
SpiritoftheRuins: britz are we not allowed to state our opinion when you have a hat on???
wolfdancer: kate didnt break tos
SpiritoftheRuins: britz..are you going to dictate whas is discussed in here?
Brizter: SpiritoftheRuins has been bounced from the group by: Brizter
*** SpiritoftheRuins has left the room ***
Brizter: apparently
eileen7348: Interesting how people can talk about every issue under the sun and this one person gets banned.
wolfdancer: britz - why did you boot spirit?
weetbix101: still i know u get a kick out of that useless cunt...see u later and enjoy ur times off
wolfdancer: she asked you a question
Brizter: wolfdancer has been bounced from the group by: Brizter
*** wolfdancer has left the room ***

Listener428 was also bounced
Kate was red dotted while she was on the mic, and then booted later, I didn't think the txt made that clear.

And thats the way it went, I was invited to Zecoo's room, Spirit opened it after she was bounced. Found myself among friends and we started discussing what do do next. All agreed to boycott Lady As room and Tosca decided to open her room DayDream Politics for all the refugees.

What else can I say. My friends are not racist. They wouldn't be my friends if they were and it seems to me that the ones that were calling us racists in that room were racist. I didn't start the fire in that room, although reading the room text you might think so. It started when Wisdom X was banned and then when Hot brought the Shaquanda Cotton story into the room. Some of our fellow chatters were telling us that we can't do anything about it or let the ACLU and/or The NAACP do something. Thats just it, Together we can do something, many of us have written letters to the Judge, or called him, called or written e-mail to the Texas state reps and hopefuly something will be done. We can not allow Racism to exsist even in its smallest form. It is truely a never ending battle. I think it was said best in the room: noharmnofoul: brizter...if you get tired of talkin about it for 10 days... try livin with it for 53 years