A return to roots.

[Human No More]

The events and discussion of the last few days have made something clear.
People are not happy. No one person can be blamed for this, but people should accept their share of responsibility, so I am stepping up to do so first.

When ToS was founded, we created something special - it is completely unlike anywhere else I've been. We all loved it for that. Avatar is something that brought us ALL together, of so many different people. There were, and still are, so many times where the term family is used to describe how it is here. I still think it is appropriate.
ToS is like any family. They don't get on all the time. Conflict in some form is inevitable, but when bonded so closely, it is temporary. Sometimes people become so entrenched in their ideas, in old grievances and in being convinced they are right, that they fail to see what they're doing. I have done this, and I am not the only one.
It's because we are such a family that we can move past it. We do not need to create a schism in the forum, and if anyone feels uncomfortable when they want to talk about something, that needs to be resolved. This won't happen overnight but awareness of it is key. There do not need to be areas where people can feel safe, because that should be the forum.

Remember WHY we are all here. We were all brought together buy a love of Avatar, of Pandora - we may approach it form different perspectives at times, but we all know the feeling we get from it.

Everyone needs to be more careful to avoid hurting other people. Grudges that are left to grow need to be resolved. Equally, people need to avoid provoking others on sensitive topics. EVERYONE needs to be less allowing of flamebaiting, and arguments should be avoided - people can disagree respectfully, but it is not easy. For this reason, arguments on ideological terms should no longer be tolerated, as people have a right to speak.

I'm not going to promise this will be easy. It won't happen overnight, and above all, what it takes is awareness. I don't want to see ToS fail, just as none of you do, so, I'm going to commit to making a change.

I completely apologise for my actions that may have hurt or offended someone. I promise that I will be careful around sensitive topics, and I accept people's apologies in this. I apologise to everyone I've hurt unnecessarily, and I am forgiving all the occasions where I admit I may have been goaded into a response against my better judgement.

Please don't let mine be the only one on this thread. Don't fear responses to your own, just help me bring back ToS as it has been Seen to be
Writing this post has been painful for me, yet it helps. I can feel responsibility, and I am crying as I type this, but they're the same tears as for Avatar - neither entirely sad nor happy, but something deeper than either. That is the feeling from Avatar, which is from ToS too, which should be felt again here.

Oel ngati kameie.