Dear Discord,
It has been brought to my attention that following recent events, a particular member of the PPC doesn't like, and is angry at, Iximaz. And that's fine - I mean, it's always sad when people don't get on, but we're not the Emotion Police here.
What's not fine is when they repeatedly use the Discord channel to attempt to influence other people against Iximaz, who was not present (and had made it clear they would not be present). That crosses a line, is beyond the boundaries of acceptable behaviour, and goes against the spirit of Article 9 of the Constitution. I accept that they did this for emotional, not malevolent reasons, but that doesn't make it okay.
It is to the Discord's credit that, as a whole, you did not engage with the attempt, and that at least one person made the effort to shut it down. Thank you.
Unfortunately, a third member of the PPC took the opportunity to make a direct attack on Iximaz, again in their absence. They said something that they absolutely would not have said to Iximaz's face, and which attacks them for a repeatedly-stated mental health issue. That is not acceptable, and it is dismaying to me that nobody on the Discord spoke up to point this out.
I think that apologies are appropriate from the two PPC members referenced here: the one for attempting to sway the Discord channel against Iximaz, and the other for the direct attack. I was always taught that part of apologising is admitting what you've done wrong, so I will give them the opportunity to do the right thing without being named; but I do have the chat transcript if it is needed.
I also think that the Discord regulars need to think very hard about how they react to this sort of activity. Letting attacks and bad behaviour slide should never be acceptable, regardless of who is on either side, and it's dismaying that this was pretty much brushed under the rug.
Related to the above: there are multiple Constitutional Amendments which have been proposed and discussed, but not adopted (nor have they been explicitly rejected). This seems like a good place to consider them further.
Please make as many suggestions as you like to improve the Amendments. At any time you can say that you
ratify (approve, think it's good, accept, etc etc) the amendment; this will be assumed to hold until you specifically retract it or the amendment is substantially changed. When the thread dies down, I will count up the ratifications and see if they meet the threshold for each amendment.
(You can also specifically
disapprove; this counts as minus two ratifications for the counting. But if you disapprove of it, it's better to try and fix it than just say 'nah, doesn't work for me'. Get involved!)
The Harassment AmendmentA full reworking of Sections One and Two of the PPC Constitution, aiming to: provide a clearer framework for resolving issues; specifically call out harassment as intolerable behaviour; create a more encouraging feel in certain places; improve the structure of the early Constitution.As a large Amendment, this is given as a commentable link:
The Harassment AmendmentCurrent ratifications: I believe 5 (from people who are still around).
Threshold for approval: 10-12.
The Discussion AmendmentTo encourage discussion on the PPC Board, and to define how it should be carried out. Reworks Section Four in its entirety.~~~
Section Four: On Thy Topics Of Discussion
16. If you feel something (e.g. a story, some news, a website, a salmon cannon) might be of interest to the PPC, please go ahead and bring it up. Don't worry about your interests being too eclectic, either — someone's likely to be interested.
17. The PPC community thrives on discussion, and wastes away in its absence. When you post a thread on the Board, try to do so in a way that encourages discussion and interaction. If you're posting links, you're encouraged to expand on them somewhat.
18. That doesn't mean the PPC is Serious Business! Silliness and insanity are welcome here — even encouraged. Feel free to leave your sanity at the door. Most PPCers do.
19. There is no Article 19.
20. The PPC has always been about having a good laugh at badfic, so feel free to talk about it, and post links if you find something you think is worth sharing. If there's a thread about badfic on the top half of the front page already, go ahead and add to that - otherwise, feel free to create your own! (And when replying to a thread about badfic, or reviewing a badfic, please remember Article 2!)
~
Current ratifications: 5.
Threshold for approval: 8.
The Chitchat Amendment
To prevent private chats from taking over the Board.
~
(As Article 17.5 in the Discussion Amendment, or 23 in the current Constitution)
17.5. Sometimes, a discussion between just a few people takes on epic proportions. If this happens, it might be best to take it to the Lounge, or to private emails, rather than consume the Board with your enthusiasm.
~~~
Current ratifications: 0.
Threshold for approval: 8.
hS
PS: I am aware that just changing the rules doesn't actually improve the culture. However, having a clear view of what the culture should be can only be a good thing. ~hS
