Shhh...Don't Rant.

Jude, I shouldn't be posting in this thread or adding any more wood to the fire so I'm posting just as another member. A member, I should add who's been here for years and has no axe to grind with you...either now or in the past. I've had my warns and had a thread trashed and closed.

Now and then, I can be a little harsh and often regret it later.

What I have to say now, I'll say very carefully because I am not responding as staff or as someone against you. I hope this is clear and you can try and picture me smiling and friendly.

Here goes. You appear very angry about the Pets Forum thread being trashed and this has escalated to a sense that you are being denied the ability to post your ideas and threads as you see fit. You're suggesting there's some untoward conspiracy at work. A staff consensus to keep you down.

As far as I know, the original Pet Forum thread is still active which means there is no conspiracy against you. As we're both long-time members, we both know that only a thread in BAN can be re-posted in another subject forum. No doubt there have been exceptions, but I personally don't know of any. Yours was a repost of the Pet Forum idea and hence was trashed as an unnecessary duplicate according to the rule and custom we all know well. In contrast, if your 2nd thread had stayed alive, it would be unfair on other members (me and you too) to have yours be a special exception.

Now, as far as I remember, you've been a long-standing member with a good reputation and a lot of friends here. You're way more active than me in the social side of ATS and encourage others in the Stories and Debates forums. As they say, 'A Member in Good Standing.' A good guy.

Again, as a member, I personally don't see the need for a Pet of Animal Forum. Just my opinion. I like it the way it is. I *would* like a purist archaeology forum for academic subjects, but I can't accuse the site of censoring me for not giving it to me. I could rightfully post a request in BBQ, but I can't post a request anywhere else. I mean, I *could* and yet it would e moved or removed.

Do you want to diminish your standing by becoming egregious over a Pet Forum? There isn't a conspiracy against posting pet and animal threads on ATS...I've taken part in many and posted 3 myself. There isn't a conspiracy against you posting threads unless they're duplicates and/or not in BAN.

I hope you read this as a friendly post without ill-intent. Its intention is a simple 'C'mon Jude, don't blow it over a Pet Forum!' I also hope you appreciate the fact that I'm stepping a little out of line by posting and when my [ mod] tags are off, I know I might regret it.