I'd like to see moderators in TeamSpeak not stand for any other person or moderator in TeamSpeak attempting to spread gossipy rumors about other mods, coordinators, or movement supporters. I've become privy to some inappropriate conversations going on among moderators about myself and other coordinators while the parties in question are not present to defend themselves or add to the erroneous or very personal information is being circulated. While I don't personally care much what the offending mods think of me, this behavior is a poor reflection on our movement and discourages use of TeamSpeak as a communication tool when activists think they will be talked about behind their backs by moderators - of all people. It's really sad.

I wholeheartedly support the removal/replacement (if possible) of moderators who regularly engage in this type of negative activity and hope others will too. TeamSpeak is a tool to be used for chapter meetings and activist project meetings, and not a gossip channel or soapbox for character assassinations of fellow hardworking volunteers.

I recommend that every time a person is caught engaging in such activity they are actively encouraged to immediately contact the person or people they have a dispute with directly and privately to clear it up and receive a warning of suspension if they continue with inappropriate discussions.

Also, each person who sits as a listener in the channel and does not attempt to move the conversation to productive discussion in these instances is acting as an indirect accomplice to this behavior. So, I hope we can all make an effort to work together on preventing further abuse of our communication tools for non-activist purposes.

I'd like to see moderators in TeamSpeak not stand for any other person or moderator in TeamSpeak attempting to spread gossipy rumors about other mods, coordinators, or movement supporters.Agreed. However, it's difficult when the person or persons engaging in this behavior continue to sit and are even elevated into positions of authority (perceived or real), essentially "above reproach", with virtually no boundaries or limitations set forth and concisely defined and implemented, thereby excluding accountability on multiple levels. It might also be helpful to specify the relevant particulars...i.e. who, what, when, why, etc.

I've become privy to some inappropriate conversations going on among moderators about myself and other coordinators while the parties in question are not present to defend themselves or add to the erroneous or very personal information that's being circulated. Privy: Made a participant in knowledge of something private or secret. Again, it would be helpful to elaborate on the relevant particulars. Must it continuously be a "secret"? Would it not be beneficial in the long run to generate, within reason, some degree of transparency in this situation? Would that not help to accelerate resolutions? I'm of the opinion it would.

While I don't personally care much what the offending mods think of me, this behavior is a poor reflection on our movement and discourages use of TeamSpeak as a communication tool when activists think they will be talked about behind their backs by moderators - of all people. It's really sad.Agreed, very sad...yet, it will perpetuate for as long as it's enabled - which is, in fact, happening...perhaps not intentionally/directly, but happening none the less. But, to be fair, let's not any of us pretend that we have never "talked behind someone's back". We've ALL done it to some degree at one time or another. The vehement, malicious intent, however, is when problems arise and should be thwarted in a timely fashion.

I wholeheartedly support the removal/replacement (if possible) of moderators who regularly engage in this type of negative activity and hope others will too.I couldn't agree more...and yet, that's not happening, as denoted above. My question is, why?

TeamSpeak is a tool to be used for chapter meetings and activist project meetings, and not a gossip channel or soapbox for character assassinations of fellow hardworking volunteers. I concur, wholeheartedly, and we should welcome any recommendations/suggestions for solutions to this aberrant behavior...such as...

I recommend that every time a person is caught engaging in such activity they are actively encouraged to immediately contact the person or people they have a dispute with directly and privately to clear it up and receive a warning of suspension if they continue with inappropriate discussions. Again, I concur. However, what if the person engaging in such activity, while actively holding a position of authority, inherently above reproach, does not acknowledge its detriment, continually defends such activity with irrelevant, detract-full, misleading rhetoric and blatant distortions of the truth to somehow justify the activity? What then?

Also, each person who sits as a listener in the channel and does not attempt to move the conversation to productive discussion in these instances is acting as an indirect accomplice to this behavior.Agreed. However, there exists a certain "fear factor" among some members/listeners, even other mods, that, if they speak up in opposition in any way, they will be ostracized, falsely accused of having a personal agenda, falsely accused of attempting to "control" the topic of discussion based on that personal agenda, labeled a "troll", silenced and/or banned. I have personally witnessed this and, sadly, even fell victim to it myself, recently. My question is, how do we eradicate this detrimental activity? My proposal...remove the element creating the means by which that abhorrent activity is perpetuated in the first place, not elevate them to an even greater, apparently "untouchable", unaccountable position of pseudo-authority.

So, I hope we can all make an effort to work together on preventing further abuse of our communication tools for non-activist purposes.Many are, Jen. Unfortunately, those efforts have been relatively ineffective so far. Humbly, I will admit to certain instances of indiscretion in the past - I am far from perfect - but I have endeavored to acknowledge, to self-evaluate and self-reflect on those indiscretions, with the intent of self-improvement, and will continue to do so. I would welcome any suggestions on how that process may be improved and/or accelerated - personally and movement-wide.

Thank you for bringing your thoughts and ideas to the forefront. Take care.

Thunder wrote:
I'd like to see moderators in TeamSpeak not stand for any other person or moderator in TeamSpeak attempting to spread gossipy rumors about other mods, coordinators, or movement supporters.Agreed. However, it's difficult when the person or persons engaging in this behavior continue to sit and are even elevated into positions of authority (perceived or real), essentially "above reproach", with virtually no boundaries or limitations set forth and concisely defined and implemented, thereby excluding accountability on multiple levels. It might also be helpful to specify the relevant particulars...i.e. who, what, when, why, etc.

I've become privy to some inappropriate conversations going on among moderators about myself and other coordinators while the parties in question are not present to defend themselves or add to the erroneous or very personal information that's being circulated. Privy: Made a participant in knowledge of something private or secret. Again, it would be helpful to elaborate on the relevant particulars. Must it continuously be a "secret"? Would it not be beneficial in the long run to generate, within reason, some degree of transparency in this situation? Would that not help to accelerate resolutions? I'm of the opinion it would.

While I don't personally care much what the offending mods think of me, this behavior is a poor reflection on our movement and discourages use of TeamSpeak as a communication tool when activists think they will be talked about behind their backs by moderators - of all people. It's really sad.Agreed, very sad...yet, it will perpetuate for as long as it's enabled - which is, in fact, happening...perhaps not intentionally/directly, but happening none the less. But, to be fair, let's not any of us pretend that we have never "talked behind someone's back". We've ALL done it to some degree at one time or another. The vehement, malicious intent, however, is when problems arise and should be thwarted in a timely fashion.

I wholeheartedly support the removal/replacement (if possible) of moderators who regularly engage in this type of negative activity and hope others will too.I couldn't agree more...and yet, that's not happening, as denoted above. My question is, why?

TeamSpeak is a tool to be used for chapter meetings and activist project meetings, and not a gossip channel or soapbox for character assassinations of fellow hardworking volunteers. I concur, wholeheartedly, and we should welcome any recommendations/suggestions for solutions to this aberrant behavior...such as...

I recommend that every time a person is caught engaging in such activity they are actively encouraged to immediately contact the person or people they have a dispute with directly and privately to clear it up and receive a warning of suspension if they continue with inappropriate discussions. Again, I concur. However, what if the person engaging in such activity, while actively holding a position of authority, inherently above reproach, does not acknowledge its detriment, continually defends such activity with irrelevant, detract-full, misleading rhetoric and blatant distortions of the truth to somehow justify the activity? What then?

Also, each person who sits as a listener in the channel and does not attempt to move the conversation to productive discussion in these instances is acting as an indirect accomplice to this behavior.Agreed. However, there exists a certain "fear factor" among some members/listeners, even other mods, that, if they speak up in opposition in any way, they will be ostracized, falsely accused of having a personal agenda, falsely accused of attempting to "control" the topic of discussion based on that personal agenda, labeled a "troll", silenced and/or banned. I have personally witnessed this and, sadly, even fell victim to it myself, recently. My question is, how do we eradicate this detrimental activity? My proposal...remove the element creating the means by which that abhorrent activity is perpetuated in the first place, not elevate them to an even greater, apparently "untouchable", unaccountable position of pseudo-authority.

So, I hope we can all make an effort to work together on preventing further abuse of our communication tools for non-activist purposes.Many are, Jen. Unfortunately, those efforts have been relatively ineffective so far. Humbly, I will admit to certain instances of indiscretion in the past - I am far from perfect - but I have endeavored to acknowledge, to self-evaluate and self-reflect on those indiscretions, with the intent of self-improvement, and will continue to do so. I would welcome any suggestions on how that process may be improved and/or accelerated - personally and movement-wide.

Thank you for bringing your thoughts and ideas to the forefront. Take care.

The reason for all of this backbiting and backstabbing was motivated by the idea that it might actually get somewhere. A very clear statement has been made that it simply won't.

It has been made clear that either the behavior changes or we just don't have forums and TS3 anymore.

Nobody is above reproach. But the whole situation I walked into when I came back onto TS3 was so full of noise, ego, personal agenda and bias that was completely irrelevant and irrational that trying to sift through it was next to impossible as far as being able to make any clear conclusions as to who was actually at fault. It's nothing unique to TZM, it happens in groups of people in our current social paradigm all the time. (Just pointing that out for any doomsayers who will want to say that this is proof TZM is falling apart or some nonsense. Every large organization goes through this at times.) Some of the motivating factors had to do with issues that had absolutely nothing to do with TZM, and a few immature people felt the need to use TZM as their means to "get back" at people who they perceive had slighted them. And the people who were benefiting from those kinds of politics sought to eliminate any ability for the global moderation to stop the nonsense. Those attempts at re-defining by simply pretending to be ignorant of the rules as far as the role of Global Moderators and how moderator issues are resolved failed.

I feel Noel's actions in this situation have set the stage for this to stop. Either people cut it out, or they go. Period. There is a zero tolerance policy of this nonsense in place. Anyone who wants to continue to utilize those tactics is free to do so, elsewhere.

1: Why is it necessary to quote and make a long post when there are only 2 posts previous to your in the entire thread! Makes for a lot of unnecessary scrolling! Weird and funny that you did that VTV

2: Can this topic be moved or copied to the private area? I would like to contribute accuracy and facts, yet I would like to avoid drama. I am "privy" to many things.