First things first, I am el_callejero formerly of the NPG Music Club and Prince fan since the first vinyl " For You".
I am only a couple of years younger than Prince is in age. I am an adult and I have formed certain opinions over the years and that’s tough shit for whoever doesn’t like it.
Secondly, I believe Michael Jackson a fuckin' FREAK! But, that is my opinion everybody on this planet is entitled to his or her own opinion and I respect that.
Well, my problem started yesterday when I voiced my opinion in the "U Tell Us" section of the NPG Music Club. I was banned for posting my opinion.
What kind of bullshit club are they running over there?
Do Jehovah's Witnesses defend each other to the death?
Furthermore, censorship whether in books, magazines or some shitbag Internet site is never a good thing. I paid money to join that site, I was a member and members should have the right to voice their opinions! Even if the NPG Moderators don’t agree! Who do they think they are “The Republican Party?”
How would they like it somebody went back and censored all of Prince’s old music? I bet they would be singing a different tune then! All of us are entitled to our own opinion. Mine being that Michael got off easy yesterday!
Finally, I would like to say that I am not perfect. I have sinned. And I will be judged accordingly, but I have never even come close to what MJ has been accused of (more than once) and I have never paid millions of dollars (more than once) to keep anyone quiet about anything.

PS. Hey NPG Moderators, Michael is a FREAK (like you didn’t know that already) and I celebrate Christmas, birthdays and hopefully someday a Michael Jackson conviction!

el_callejero

Can you post the exact words you were banned for?

Gracias

My Posts

Prince and Michael don't mix. I think MJ is the King of CRAP and Prince is the ultimate musician and performer. Mixing the two is like comparing a YUGO (MJ) against a Ferrari (Prince). The MJ trial was a farce and some people are probably walking away with a good chunk of cash but, someday the truth will come out just the way it came out when Rock Hudson died. I cannot bear the sight of MJ and I cannot tolerate people that protect and admire the little IMP.

2
Is it a coincidence that this is not the first time he has been accused of this? He is a very lucky man... er FREAK. If it would have been my son, Michael would be soooo over. Chicano's don't play!

el_callejero

okay, let me play devil's advocate a little bit. i'm not going to defend the ETHICS of NPGMC deleting your comments, but i'm going to try to do my best to put their actions in a little bit of perspective, in hopes that maybe you'll see another side to what happened to you, and maybe come to use the club in a way where you can get out of it what you can, and bypass what you don't care for...

when NPGMC or the org or housequake or whatEVER message board site snips comments, you can't really think of it as censorship. these sites, while inviting the public to post and share thoughts and opinions, are privately owned sites.

this is important to keep in mind.

let's take the org, for example. the owner is a guy named ben. he pays to keep the site up for us. he designed it. it's his baby. and we post on it, and he seems pretty lenient about what we're allowed to talk about. BUT:

since this site is his "property", if he doesn't like something that you or i post, he has every right to snip it from the site, and really, we can't say a damn thing about it. and that is absolutely fair and within his rights to do.

furthermore, ben has entrusted a few of us to act as moderators - we volunteer our time to make sure the content of this site doesn't get out of hand. in a way, we're his eyes. we're his quality control for the site. we make decisions based on the rules he created and approved. we have a pretty good idea of what his vision for the site is, and we try to carry out that vision with him.

there's really no 'freedom of speech' on a privately owned site, which might sound pretty harsh at first, but if you think about it, it makes sense. if you write a letter to the editor of a newspaper or magazine, they don't have to print it. but they might. the editors will act in the best interests of the publisher to include reader input. you can't just decide to start a show on network television, or even on public television, without it serving the ideals of those who run the television stations.

a web site is only different in that your ability to contribute is more immediate and more accessible. you're talking on someone else's dime. ya know?

what i recommend to people who don't like being censored on sites like NPGMC or the org, etc., is to start a blog. seriously. i know that sounds kinda dismissive, but it's very empowering. you get to air your thoughts, and nobody will come through and snip your words. of course, the sites that host blogs are owned by people who may object to certain content, but i've never heard of a weblog hosting site censoring the words of its contributors.

essentially, if you want 'freedom of speech' on the web, you're going to have to pony up your own resources - buy your own web space or at the very least, start your own free weblog on blogger, diaryland, live journal, etc. - and create your own space in which you can let your thoughts flow uncut.

does that help at all?

Anxiety said:

I understand. I am a rational human being and I am a fair, honorable person.
BUT, I paid to join. It is not a free site. They took my money without question.
So, is that fair?

el_callejero

callejero said:

you pay for magazines and newspapers and movies and DVDs. does that give you a say in how the content is shaped? i know it's not a direct analogy, but the point's in there.

Anxiety said:

I will be putting my entire Prince collection on EBAY. I have a lot of stuff some of it rare and what does not sell will be going to The Salvation Army.
I think my Prince trip is OVER.

el_callejero

Wow, I wouldn't think this would get one banned. You weren't saying
anything against Prince.

Did you make sure your Posts were not moved to another Fourm, rather then
Banned altogether?

In my opinon, the U Tell Us forum that you posted this stuff in, wouldn't
be the most relevent.....that's kind of why I think your Posts
just may have been moved.

But then again, you could have already known about this and checked it
out, and I am just talking about nothing here.

callejero said:

Yes it is fair. They didn't trick you into paying. You knew right up front
before you joined, that in order for you to join, you had to pay. It's not
like they let you join, then say, 2 months later, told you that you had to
pay up.

I paid to join.[/b] It is not a free site. They took my money without question.
So, is that fair?

el_callejero [/quote]

mymocha said:[quote]Yes it is fair. They didn't trick you into paying. You knew right up front
before you joined, that in order for you to join, you had to pay. It's not
like they let you join, then say, 2 months later, told you that you had to
pay up.


Well, they won't be getting more of my money!
We'll just see what happens to Michael next. George Lopez thinks he's guilty. He said that if he ever decides to turn bad. He'll move to Santa Maria. And furthermore, Fuck the Npg Moderators. If they love and trust Mikey so much maybe they should send their sons, little brothers and nephws over to Neverland Ranch. But, that is like getting all the assholes who believe in the WAR to send their sons and daughters over to IRAQ.
U Tell Us is a BULLSHIT forum.

el_callejero

from everything i've seen at NPGMC, they don't have an opinion on MJ one way or another - they just want to keep things respectful and not let the boards fall into the usual tasteless jokes and armchair mudflinging...that's what the org's for!

So you sent a bunch of private messages to people at the club who disagreed with you and I won't repeat what you said in them but I do know what you said and now it's play victim time at the Org?

If they let you back in, don't send any to any friend of mine, okay?

Stymie said:

A certain person that I PM'd wrote a very explicit PM to me. I returned the favor and he then reported me. To be fair they should read the incoming messages in my log and then they should make a decision. The proof is in that log I have no reason to lie. I was accused of a lot things one being a Clansman and that is the one that pissed me off. So if that PM got me banned it is not fair because the person that recieved that PM'd is a crybaby and just didn't like my response to his PM. It takes 2 to Tango.

el_callejero

I have to live with being banned and that's cool I will get over it sooner or later. I just didn't like the way iy was done. They should have read all the PM's that were sent between me and [names snipped - anx]. Fair is Fair and the Club did not treat me fairly.

el_callejero

callejero said:

[names snipped - anx]not the only person you sent a pm to. What did the other people do to you?

let's try not to get too specific with this whole discussion, okay? it's okay to talk about what happened, but don't bring names into this discussion of people who aren't around to respond.

Anxiety said:

you, you, you snipped me.....

Sorry, Anx. I got carried away.

There's a very easy way to avoid being banned from NPGMC - stay out of the forums.

That works for me anyway, the forums on the Org are far more flexible and entertaining.

Admittedly, when I joined NPGMC I first went in to the forums with some pre-conceived notions of what I would find, based on the experiences other members had discussed here on the org. It took me all of 5 minutes to realise that my pre-conceived notions were pretty well founded and that it wasn't the place for me. I like to be able to express my opinions openly, I also have a sense of humour, I also use really fucking foul cuntish language sometimes, and NPGMC doesn't seem to like any of that sort of thing.

I don't see the point in attempting to rationally discuss what the NPGMC moderators might see as contentious issues (which on any given day could be just about anything) and run the risk of getting banned for expressing my opinion, when I can have the discussion here with a more rational bunch of people - not that I think all the people on the NPGMC forums are irrational, but the moderators certainly aren't rational, and it does seem that unless you constantly suck purple dick you run the risk of getting banned (even that comment would undoubtedly get me banned from there).

I can understand (although I wouldn't condone) the way the NPGMC is moderated - it is after all Prince's official online representation, so anything deemed to be even slightly derogatory or negative is not going to be tolerated and will be removed and bans will be issued.
This is hardly surprising either, try posting "Bono is a cunt" on U2.com and see how long your membership lasts. Posting negative or derogatory comments on most official websites will garner pretty much the same reaction.

Just my opinion, but anyone who joins NPGMC for the forums is joining for the wrong reason - you should have saved your $25 and stuck with the org.

Today is a brand new day!
I am happy and over it. I have just decided that I will replace the MPGMusic Club link in my favorites toolbar with an internet PORN SITE!
They might not play great music but some of those women "SHO lOOK GREAT!"

el_callejero Gett OFF

callejero said:

Sounds like you've hit on a very good idea! There's bugger all music on NPGMC anyway. So what porn site ? Or have you decided yet? If it's a good one send the link.

Anxiety said:

No, but a magazine, newspaper, whatever would NOT cancel a person's subscription because they submitted a letter to the editor that they didn't like, either.

people seem to forget that they agree to the forum rules ...HERE and at the NPGMC...ain't no different here.
NPGMC has been very clear about the topic of MJ. It's a PRINCE site, not an MJ site..if you wanna talk about him that's fine but if your gonna bash him they're gonna snip it...don't take it personal. and I ain't no MJ lover..believe that. I argee with you..he's a FaaaReak!
please reconsider selling your whole collection...that seemed a bit over the top.

alexnvrmnd said:

Thank you, I really appreciate your comment.

el_callejero

I hope this thread disappears now. I am now gonna go ride my psychiatrist.
Which happens to be a Harley Davidson Road King.

el_callejero

AsylumUtopia said:

For many people that does seem to be
one of the main reasons for joining.
And they are the fans most bitterly
disappointed by the forums.
If it was the only message board on the web
that discussed Prince I could see the problem.
But its not the only site.

CRAP

they probably count the word CRAP as swearing

Raine said:

no...they probably don't

Shorty said:

(the moderators are pretty strict over there though)

Raine said:

they can be
the swearing is auto-edited somehow... and they do have their rules but...so does this place.

it's all favouritism there, some people get away with murder if the mods like them.