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  • Moderator Transition: A New Chapter

    From Gregory Deyss@1:267/800 to All on Sat May 31 18:09:40 2025
    To all who participate in and support the POLITICS echo:

    I'm writing to formally introduce myself as the new Moderator of this forum. My name is Gregory Deyss (1:267/150), and I now have the honor and the responsibility of guiding this echo forward.

    I want to begin by offering sincere thanks to Mike Powell, who has moderated this echo with dedication and consistency. Mike has helped shape what POLITICS has become: a space where passionate voices can rise, clash, and coexist under the flag of free expression. His decision to step into a supporting role as Co-Moderator reflects both humility and his ongoing commitment to this forum. I deeply respect him for that.

    This echo isn't just another political forum. It's a crucible of opinion, a place where ideas are forged, tested, and sometimes torn down. And that's precisely why it needs to endure.

    My mission moving forward is simple:

    Preserve the integrity and spirit of this echo.

    Ensure moderation remains balanced, fair, and active.

    Keep this echo accessible and relevant to those who want to engage in meaningful discourse across the spectrum.

    I won't be moderating with a heavy hand, but I will be clear and intentional. Keep things on-topic. Bring your best arguments. Expect pushback, and offer it in return. This echo will not be diluted, sanitized, or buried.
    It will be protected.

    To those who've contributed, argued, ranted, and reasoned over the years your presence matters. And your voice is still welcome here.

    With respect and resolve,
    Gregory Deyss
    Moderator POLITICS Echo
    Net Coordinator, Net 267 (New York State)

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/64)
    * Origin: Capital Station BBS csbbs.dyndns.org (1:267/800)
  • From Alex Galiyev@1:129/14.1 to Gregory Deyss on Sat May 31 18:16:07 2025
    Hello Gregory!

    Saturday May 31 2025 18:09, you wrote to All:

    I'm writing to formally introduce myself as the new Moderator of this
    May we know who elected you in the first place?

    Alex

    --- GoldED+/W64-MSVC 1.1.5-b20250409
    * Origin: Glory to Ukraine! Glory to Heroes! Dump Trump! (1:129/14.1)
  • From Gregory Deyss@1:267/150 to Alex Galiyev on Sat May 31 19:44:48 2025
    On 31 May 2025, Alex Galiyev said the following...

    Hello Gregory!

    Saturday May 31 2025 18:09, you wrote to All:

    I'm writing to formally introduce myself as the new Moderator of this
    May we know who elected you in the first place?
    Well, That is a helluva way of saying hello.

    Dear Alex,

    Thank you for your question
    "May we know who elected you in the first place?"
    posed with a polite tone and a touch of snark.
    It's a fair inquiry, and one that deserves a clear answer.

    In Fidonet, moderators are not elected by popular vote unless the echo's own rules explicitly require it. The Politics echo has no such rule. In nearly all cases, the current moderator appoints their successor, and the change is then submitted to the Zone 1 ELIST Keeper for formal recognition.

    In this case, the Politics echo was in danger of being de-listed.

    Recognizing the importance of keeping this space alive, I wrote a NetMail to Mike Powell, the then-moderator, expressing my interest in taking the reins and maintaining it's existence.

    Mike agreed. The appointment was submitted and accepted.

    The ELIST now reflects this transition:

    MODerator: Gregory Deyss, 1:267/150

    COMODerator1: Mike Powell, 1:2320/105

    This follows standard Fidonet procedure, as it has for decades.

    I understand that leadership changes can raise questions, especially in politically charged environments, but rest assured this change was done by the book, with full transparency, and with the sole aim of strengthening the echo for everyone involved.

    And while I do appreciate the pop-culture drama

    "I find your lack of faith disturbing."
    "I assure you, what I bring is not fear, but focus."

    Let's now return to what matters: meaningful political debate. I look forward to hearing your views, Alex, and those of others who still believe this echo can serve as a space for serious discussion.

    With respect,
    Gregory Deyss
    Moderator, Politics Echo
    1:267/150

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/64)
    * Origin: Capital Station BBS * Telnet://csbbs.dyndns.org * (1:267/150)
  • From Alex Galiyev@1:129/14.1 to Gregory Deyss on Sat May 31 20:22:21 2025
    Hello Gregory!

    Thank you for your response. So you took over this echo without anyone electing you, simply to demonstrate your power and punish us - that's dictatorship.

    Your slaves want to know what your plans are for enforcing the rules compared to how Mike handled them. Can we continue having the same style of conversations without you enforcing the actual rules, or do we now have a Mr. Strictland taking over?

    Alex

    --- GoldED+/W64-MSVC 1.1.5-b20250409
    * Origin: Glory to Ukraine! Glory to Heroes! Dump Trump! (1:129/14.1)