[CarylB]

I agree with virtually everything SueW and Sin have expressed in their well reasoned posts. My only slight reservation is around SueW's final paragraph:

And when a moderator of the board posts inflammatory remarks like "Feel free to abuse me in Sheffield - bet you won't when we meet!" I serously wonder about the direction that the board is taking.

I do agree Sue that this was an entirely inflammatory remark, and do seriously wonder at the direction the board is taking if such a remark is considered acceptable. My only reservation is that there is some confusion about Mike's status on the board. I think R has said he does not have full Moderator status. It does not excuse the remark however, nor does it imo befit a representative of the MLUKFC which he is. And if it was intended as humorous because Mike uses a wheelchair, I think it a misplaced attempt at humour. I treat people without discrimination. I do not treat people who are wheelchair bound as any lesser than those who are not, nor do I excuse them for making provocative or inflammatory comments. And I object to the implication that any of us would set out to be abusive when we met anyone face to face, whether they were in a wheelchair or not. The comment was unnecessary, and sadly in line with a number of his comments yesterday, such as suggesting that people expressing their disappointment and hurt was "having fun"

R posted on the original thread:

I'd recommend that you all stop hijacking this thread immediately.
Discussion is about Meet&Greet and not personal likes and dislikes.
There is a huge topic in Site Feedback where you are very welcome to sort out your personal differences.

I think most would take this to mean that discussion about the M&Gs was fair, but peronal jibes at each other were not, particularly as this followed a series of short posts in response to plymboy's comments addressed to "a certain person (CarylB) ... ". I had already asked him to pm me with any issue he had as this was off-topic and personal. Given that the ensuing discussion which resulted in the topic being removed to Fight Club was purely about people's feelings about the announcement cancelling the M&Gs, I cannot for the life of me see how this was "hikacking" the thread, and yes, it does smack of trying to bury it. Certainly it is likely to discourage many from posting on the topic, given the nature of this lamentable sub-forum and the baggage it carries with it.

It is indeed imo splitting hairs to suggest that these M&Gs are not ones arranged to keep Meat's promise and that any dscussion about this is hijacking a thread. Given that promise, coupled with the fact that there had been no M&Gs offered in the US leg of the tour, it was entirely reasonable for people in this forum to assume that whatever they were called, these M&Gs were Meat's way of honouring that promise as best he could. Indeed, disappointment was expressed that not all the concerts had a M&G and that some who had answered Meat's call would not be able to apply. I did not see anyone suggesting on that thread that this was an inappropriate discussion as these M&Gs were nothing to do with the promise. And frankly if that were the case then I think the UKFC and this forum should have made representation to Meat then.

I agree this move of the thread does smack of trying to bury it. I find it hard to believe that Meat would have the time or inclination to wade his way through all the posts made in all the forums. It certainly smacks of an attempt to limit discussion and debate, as many people do not post in Fight Club because of the nature and stigma of the forum, and I endorse all SueW's reservations and comments about the setting up of the Fight Club forum and the moving of an important thread to it.