Below is a copy of the original griefer policy Carl Metropolitan put in place on August 27th, 2009. Immy had published in SL Forums, SLU Forums and her blog her dislike of this policy a week prior to this official document being released. Immy also had meetings with NCI staff to refute the policy before it became official (see her statements below. Purposely undermining the Exec Director of NCI.
Once this was released, Immy and several NCI Officers resigned to cripple NCI until Carl's rule was thrown out. Once the rule was overturned - they all came back.
This allowed Immy to stay a member of a confirmed griefer group and keep her position of power within NCI.
NCI Policy: Griefer Groups & NCI Officers
08-27-2009
Effective Tuesday September 1st 2009, no one may hold a position of responsibility at NCI (Land Officer, Helper, Board Member, Manager) while being a member of a hate group or a griefer group. Anyone who is a member of any such group needs to leave that group or leave NCI. If someone holding a position of responsibility at NCI joins such a group, when that affiliation is discovered by NCI management, they will be given a warning and asked to leave either that group or NCI. If they choose to stay in the griefer or hate group, they will be removed from their position of responsibility at NCI.
For the purposes of this policy, the following groups are considered to be hate and/or griefer groups:
Woodbury University (and associated groups)
Patriotic Nigras (and associated groups)
Additional groups may be added to this list when appropriate. Groups may be removed from this list when there is clear and compelling evidence that the group has stopped encouraging or tolerating hate and griefing activities.
Evidence for affiliation with a griefer or hate group shall consist of one or more of the following: 1) the presence of such a group in the Groups list of a person's Profile window, 2) public admission of membership in such a group, or 3) public and well-documented participation in griefing or hate activities alongside members of such groups. The Evidence section of this policy shall not be applied retroactively events or actions prior to 09-01-2009.
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Now for some explanation:
For the past two weeks I've been more stressed about this than anything I've dealt with in the four years I've been running NCI. People on the BoD have very different beliefs about what should be done (if anything). I understand and sympathize with both sides of this issue. As I told Gramma last night, there is no good solution. The policy I am implementing is a bad solution. It's just what I believe to be the best bad solution.
I had been leaning towards the "ignore it and hope it will go away" solution. To be brutally honest, that usually works. However, over the past few days several things have occurred to push me to this decision.
First, I've learned that the Lindens who run the Community Gateway program are very strict on the issue of griefer groups. The appearance of tacit support by NCI for such groups could endanger Caledon Oxbridge. And since NCI Caledon is seen as an extension of Caledon Oxbridge, a policy of "Griefer group members okay on this side of this line, but not okay on the other side of this line" would likely (and reasonably) be seen as disingenuous equivocation.
Secondly, I've read the comments on Prokofy Neva's recent blog entries on the subject of Woodbury and other griefer groups. Over the last two days, multiple commenters associated with Woodbury have suggested he commit suicide. I'm sorry; I'm not going to tolerate that kind of evil shit anywhere near NCI. I don't care what anyone thinks of Prokofy, that's just beyond the pale.
Three, I've been amazingly stressed and depressed in RL and SL. I've been tearing myself up (among other things) by avoiding making a difficult decision. Avoiding doing what I knew was right, but would piss off people I cared for and respected. That's a bad reason not to do something. And it is a failure of leadership on my part. If I can't make the tough decisions, what does NCI need me for?
I know the policy above is going to upset some people. It goes against the well-considered advice of some of NCI's most active and vital officers. If you strongly disagree, I ask that you please give me the benefit of the doubt and accept this new policy. If you find you can not in good conscience do so, I will understand. This is a contentious issue that people of good will can disagree on.
However, this is a final decision. I'm acting in Executive Director mode. This is not an opening position for debate.
I'm sorry. I wish I had something better.
Carl
