So much for my great idea.

I took a bit of time and effort when I posted my intro over at the Honda Element Owner’s Club as I reported yesterday, making it a bit shorter than the ‘about’ page here so I wouldn’t bore the socks off the casual reader, but included enough data to explain my dilemma and why I’d created his blog. I put it in their ‘Greetings and Introductions’ forum, since that looked likeliest. The description said:

“You’re new to the community? Not sure about our rules? This is the forum to use to introduce yourself to other EOC members and to learn the basics about our club and forum. We’re glad you are here…now make yourself known to us and start interacting.”

Cool, I wasn’t sure about the particulars of these rules, but it’s always a sure thing that any web site will prohibit direct solicitation, links from members not known to the community, or advertisements, as it should. We’ve all seen the various types of lowlifes that’ll barge into a group spewing all of the above, usually spamming every available forum with their crap. So I went ahead and told them about the bind I’m in, being sure not to add a single link or even naming this blog, just letting the community know who I was (including my own name) and specifically asking the members and moderators for suggestion and guidance with my project here.

I proofed it and posted it, then took off.

I returned last evening, hoping to see some helpful responses from community members or moderators…maybe someone had a helpful idea or suggestion I hadn’t thought of, ya never know, right?

Surprise! The post was gone. Vanished completely. Odd, I thought perhaps they’d moved it so I checked my member profile and it showed I had zero posts since I joined in 2008. Okeydokey…I wrote a second post, just three or four lines politely asking where my post had gone, reaffirming that I was sincere, not a spammer, and that I was mainly looking for suggestions and guidance at this point.

It was a troubling feeling, you’d think that if I’d violated any rules a moderator would have sent me a note explaining why.

This morning there was a PM from ‘Mike,’ one of the moderators there. Get this:

Your thread(s) were removed because...

...you were evidently soliciting for donations. Yes, your circumstances are unfortunate, but EOC cannot be used for solicitation. The policy is stated here in the forum FAQ.

 You are welcome to repost your intro without mention of your blog, or requests - direct or inferred - for monetary assistance.

 ...mike
 EOC Moderator

Hello, Mike-

You didn’t bother to actually read my post before zapping into oblivion, did you? ‘Evidently soliciting,’ my lifeless, dead foot.

A real spammer would have joined that day, had a random jumble of letters for a user name, would have posted the same spam in every forum, full of links, and been unresponsive to communication. A moderator worth his salt could spot the difference in a second.

I came here looking for fellowship and guidance, and got kicked in the face. I’ve been a moderator before, and have never treated a member with such callousness and indifference. No warning, no questions, not the slightest attempt to reach out.

If you’d read my post, I was seeking permission from the members and moderators to discuss my dire situation, and how best to solve it. Sure, if at a later point members felt my cause worthy, I’d have loved it if they visited my blog, participated in open discussion, and contributed to it, but there was never any solicitation.

I’m in a life threatening situation, it directly involves my Honda Element, which I adore, and I’m honestly scared to death that my progressive neurological disease will cause me to fall while I’m trying to use it, leaving me broken and bleeding on the concrete floor.

I feel like a hobo who found his way into a snooty country club and was thrown out by the bouncer before the members could be offended by his presence. Congrats, you threw the riffraff out.

I notice you didn’t even have the courtesy to address me by name, Mike. I suppose you view me as untermenschen…subhuman and not deserving of that courtesy.

Have you ever been that frightened, Mike? Ever really feared for your life from a clear and present danger? It’s not at all pleasant. I suspect you’d feel the same desperation to escape it as I do. Before you have a snicker at my attempt while deleting this note along with my post and call for help, you might want to stop and consider for a moment that what’s happened to me can happen to anyone…even you.

You’ll notice I’m verbose. Guilty…I love the language and using it to communicate which is why I picked the blog format to communicate my distress to the world…and have the ability for the world to communicate back.

I’m trying to make it a warm and friendly place; here it’s cold…cold as ice. Enjoy, I’ll seek warmer climes. Sayonara.

Glenn Horowitz

Hey, sometimes things don’t work out, but I was pretty appalled by the actions of this twerp, being a moderator carries a degree of responsibility with the job, and he acted like a rude moron. I especially liked that last line of his, You are welcome to repost your intro without mention of your blog, or requests – direct or inferred – for monetary assistance. Woohoo..shades of the totalitarian ‘PATRIOT’ Act, huh? Like when the spooks break into your house and trash it, rifle through your computer and papers, but you’re not allowed to talk about it to anyone for…ahem…stern voice…’reasons of national security.’ Give me a break.

I think my take on this was right on, I came into their spiffy country club looking for help and got the bum’s rush. Sure, I’m free to talk about myself so long as I don’t mention anything that might upset the locals or that I’m looking for ideas to better this blog and help it reach more people. Oh yeah, and by the way, Mike…and I’ll speak  s l o w l y  so perhaps you’ll get it this time: I surely am soliciting money for my cause. Here. Not on your message boards…but then I was serious…I won’t be back.

Thanks for the li’l kick in the face, Mike me lad. In return, have a nice BOOT TO THE HEAD on me! ♥

Glenn Horowitz