Open Letter From Ol' Sarge

[Ol' Sarge 885]

(Mods, If this needs to be moved to a more appropriate forum, please do so)

 

I am writing this to you to help explain a few things that some of you may have heard about this weekend.

 

As some of you know, when I am not trying to dispense helpful advice to my fellow Bronies, I started hanging out in the Forums Games Section. While in this section, I frequently found myself engaging what I thought was harmless fun with other members that involved asking what would I do if the member above me kissed me, or would I date the member above me, etc. Well, you all know the one's I am talking about. The thing is it would get a bit crazy trying not to get ninja'd by others and what not, so I would send a PM to whomever I was playing with and thank them for being a good sport and reminding them that this was all in good fun and not to be taken seriously, because I am married and have kids after all.

 

Friday night, as I was preparing dinner, I received a phone call. This was phone call from an outraged father who informed me that I had been talking about kissing to an eight year old girl. This person did not divulge this information on her profile (and she's not required to, of course she could have lied anyway). He then proceeded to call me perverted and announced that he was going to call my local police and report me and go on Craig's List and "ruin my life". He has succeeded.

 

As I am writing this, I am sleeping on the couch, because my wife has banished me here for putting her and my family in this situation. I know also live in fear that there will be a knock on my door and the police will take me away for playing a stupid game.

 

What I want to say to all of you is: I am sorry. I have let my family down and I have let you all down, because in one parents eyes I have become one of the stereotypes that I sought to dispel: a creeper.

I am not of course, but to him perception is reality and this means I have failed you as a community.

There's an old saying that it only takes one oh shit to ruin a thousand attaboy's.

 

My failure is as a result of my failure to check myself and my usage of this forum. So, for the foreseeable future, I will be taking a leave of absence from here. I had originally PM'd Feld0 and asked him to delete my account as I believed that I was no longer worthy of being a member of this site. SkullBuster intervened on my behalf and asked that I be allowed to remain a member. I would like to be able to come back and be able to contribute as before but I will leave that to Feld0 and you, the members of this forum, if you will have me back.

 

Again, I am sorry that I have caused embarrassment to my family and to this forum. I really do care for all of you and I hope you will accept this apology.

 

Good bye for now.

[GrooveBroove 680]

Oh man this is to much.

I always figured that the forum games were going to leave to trouble.

Especially the ones of that calibur. Which is why I was always opposed to them because of the age gap we have here on the forums.

 

Anyway I hope things start to look up man, and that everything works itself out.

This is a dark day indeed for the forums.

[Jokuc 8,172]

..What the actual..

 

Really messed up situation there, I guess you'll have to contact this father or something.. I thought everypony knew those threads were just jokes and not serious.

[Motion Spark 7,806]

what??????? I'm 22 years old, I could have the same problem that you have right now, wait! actually I did, some kid I don't even know thought I was a pedo for trying be friendly to a 10yo girl on my friend list in one topic...

 

I only play "The Pony After Me" though, so I completely unaware of what thing you have said, because i'm sure it was a misunderstanding, I think this parent over reacted with the whole thing, doesn't he know that the majority of users in here are male and over 18?

what impressed me even more is how he could find your phone number!

 

please Ol' Sarge stay, you didn't do anything wrong, don't leave us...

I hope everything can be solved in your house and that everything goes back to normal with your wife.

 

 

hey! if you need us, we can cover your back, i'd gladly do it for you

Edited August 5, 2012 by Motion Spark

[GrooveBroove 680]

..What the actual..

 

Really messed up situation there, I guess you'll have to contact this father or something.. I thought everypony knew those threads were just jokes and not serious.

 

Exactly but as in the case with this, the younger posters here parents can intervene and not take it as such.

[Phoenix Dirac Wright 121]

Really!? Wh-What! No, wait!

 

You shouldn't be saying sorry or going through this at all! It was just a simple forum game and there were no one was harmed in it! You should go tell the entire situation to your family or someone that it was just a game and if anyone asks, just tell them it was a game and everyone on the forum thread was doing it!

 

Even I, a 13 year old, could've put in this situation. Go call the dude who said he'll ruin your life and say it was a simple game which someone made up! Even if the dad is mad, he should be punishing his daughter (Even though it's still completely unreasonable) , not you!

You haven't done anything wrong at all!

 

I will and maybe some others, will defend you in this for we know that have not done wrong to anyone. The only person who did wrong was the dude who called you and threatened you.

 

Just try to explain the entire situation to the people who know about this and just say it's just a simple forum game. And the dude who spreaded the rumor of you being a pervert is only one side of the story.

 

I know what it's like to be alone and feel like that. No one beside you, no one to tell you anything. Nothing. Tell your side of the story and things will look up. People will believe in you.

 

I still can't believe the stupidity of the dude who called you!

 

I don't care if you're going to leave or not.

At least let us clear your name first.

 

~Phoenix Dirac Wright.

[Haven Celestii 9,385]

Aww man that blows. Never thought a harmless little game would actually cause this kinda ish :/

Maybe the dating one, which I have to say is fun and all, should be locked to avoid future accidents like this.

 

Im terribly sorry for what happened, sir. My best wishes that it blows over and you don't go to jail nor anything happens between you and your family.

 

* I've got your back as well. Ive seen you in there a few times and and from what you normally do around the forums, I know you're not a creeper/pedo.

Edited August 5, 2012 by Kirby

[Finesthour 7,284]

...What the fucking hell.

 

See, this is why the internet should not allow children online.

 

Shit like this happens to amazing people.

 

I am SO disappointed to the little girl who "told her daddy about the bad, bad man."

 

I say we all help Skullbuster and his father right now.

 

I am beyond shocked.

[Fizz. 1,078]

What an unexpected turn of events. How did this man get your contact information? And way for him to overreact a bit, er, a lot, he should be browsing his daughter's internet use and, well, checking a website before letting her join. This place is not proper for young children, even if it is a My Little Pony website.

[Alaxandir 93]

Sarge, I think I speak for a lot of people here when I say, you're always welcome back and we all know that this thing is ridiculous. I for one cannot believe the situation as you have explained it, that is paramount to insanity.

 

I really hope you get everything back to the way it should be very soon!

 

You're in my thoughts,

-Alax

[Nas 2,863]

My stomach churned through reading this.

 

It blows my mind trying to comprehend the things that have happened to you, and considering how that user's father acted. All in all, the blame game is way too haywire in this current situation, and I cannot express the feelings I have for you right now. I always thought and feared of people who take nonsensical crap and irrelevant-of-importance crap like a mere innocent game on a message board on a random domain of the internet. But once one string is pulled, it's domino effect all the way. What I would give to gift to your innocent soul the ability to solve this predicament with the least hassle possible.

 

All the best, Ol’ Sarge.

Edited August 5, 2012 by NASCARFAN160

[Lightning Flicker 101]

Please don't leave. You're too awesome....... :( I don't want to see you go because someone didn't understand a harmless game............

[Rochambo 88]

Personally I find the father of the eight year old girl cold hearted, idiotic, and flawed.

 

It's his fault he let his daughter onto the internet, unsupervised. she's young; she doesn't really belong on the internet yet, and the fact he reacted so extremely to something that was HIS fault, so petty, and obviously not what it seemed, dumbfounds me.

 

I truly am sorry for what happened, I believe you do not deserve it.this is all very,very unfair.

Edited August 5, 2012 by Rochambo

[Pinkazoid 3,493]

Why. The. Hell.

 

Everything I typed, I erased, I can't even comprehend what just happened.

 

Why the hell did they let an 8 year old join the forums in the first place?

Why don't they question it why it posted in that thread?

 

 

......

Dear golly fuck.

 

I'm sorry this happened to you Sarge,

You don't deserve this, I hope you can return to the forums soon, and I hope nothin' bad happens to you.....

 

ugh.... this is why I hate little kids in the internet...

[Starshine 16,330]

Sweet merciful Luna...

 

We can track this 'kissed' eight years old girl. All we have to do is digging around that thread, and try to contact her IRL

[Dragonshy 2,305]

Oh screw them. No really, your fine. If someone tries to arrest you for doing something on the internet that you didn't even know you were doing, then they need a good slap to the face. You served the damn country and if they lay a finger on you I swear I'm going to loose it. You have no right to be treated this way. Just because some idiot who doesn't know how the internet works gets offended doesn't mean you have to pay up to anything.

 

Explain it to your wife. You didn't know about that at all. Well I guess I'll stop raging over this.

 

Your concerned friend,

Dragonshy

 

EDIT: Please don't brohoof this. I wanted to give him support.

Edited August 9, 2012 by DRAGONSHY.MOV

[Pinkazoid 3,493]

Sweet merciful Luna...

 

We can track this 'kissed' eight years old girl. All we have to do is digging around that thread, and try to contact her IRL

 

I got a good idea on who she is, considering she's the only 8 year old .____.

[Phoenix Dirac Wright 121]

I just thought about this a second time. Now I'm just having pity on the dude who called on Ol'Sarge.

He has got the entire community of the forums in a stir and hate on him.

I would've laughed it off if I was in Ol'Sarge shoes but this dude that called on him has taken it too far.

 

Lastly,

Now you see this piece of evidence. I'm going to take it, hit the moronic idiot and run off. Don't tell the cops. Hopefully I can find where he lives.

[Starshine 16,330]

I got a good idea on who she is, considering she's the only 8 year old .____.

 

Why the hell you have her name? o_o

 

Could you please try to talk with her? Or maybe you can tell us her name

[Motion Spark 7,806]

I got a good idea on who she is, considering she's the only 8 year old .____.

 

if you really know who she is, don't even try to defame her, that would be worse for our poor Ol' Sarge

[Swoop 2,276]

Ol' Sarge,

 

You have my deepest commiserations for this rather regrettable series of events. It's such a shame that a forum environment centred around light-hearted entertainment, through the equivocal nature of the internet, can be misconstrued by some to represent activities that are considered to be abhorrent, and even illegal. If it's any consolation, we will be taking steps to ensure that such situations are prevented whenever possible in the future. You may feel as if you have failed the community, but as the comments in this thread have shown, in our eyes, you're still the same friendly, helpful Ol' Sarge we've all grown to know and love, and no amount of misinterpretation by others will change that.

 

We wish you all the best.

[MrL0LZ 866]

....................................

I am left speechless at what I just read.

I literally have nothing at all to say about what I just read.

If something like this can happen,

I seriously don't anymore.

[Pinkazoid 3,493]

Why the hell you have her name? o_o

 

Could you please try to talk with her? Or maybe you can tell us her name

 

I never said I had her name, I said I knew the user, she hasn't been only since yesterday so it's pointless

 

I just thought about this a second time. Now I'm just having pity on the dude who called on Ol'Sarge.

He has got the entire community of the forums in a stir and hate on him.

I would've laughed it off if I was in Ol'Sarge shoes but this dude that called on him has taken it too far.

 

Lastly,

 

Now you see this piece of evidence. I'm going to take it, hit the moronic idiot and run off. Don't tell the cops. Hopefully I can find where he lives.

 

The dude is a girl bro :3

[~Lawful Jordo~ 2,064]

Wow, this actually kind of makes me think. I just assumed that everyone knew those threads were all in good fun...

 

I guess now I see how it could be interpreted the wrong way, especially with the age gap. I gotta watch what I say from now on

 

Eight year olds shouldn't be on the internet to begin with, considering some of the more nasty shit out there...

 

 

Anyways, i'ts not your fault Sarge. It was an honest mistake, and it sounds like you really care about your family. I hope you can at least explain to your wife how it was an honest mistake.

Edited August 5, 2012 by Eljordo

[NavelColt 22,876]

I'm confused to begin with. Aren't there freaking laws like COPPA, Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, and other things, that are supposed to make it harder for kids under the age of thirteen to register on most sites? It's a semi-rhetorical question, as I know the laws don't apply to everything everywhere for whatever reason, but my point remains the same. Because frankly no one under ten should have a registered account on communities, period. Even eleven and twelve year olds should be forced to have their parents sign something that the site owner can deal with (Not saying you should have even more work, Feldy, just making a point </D).

 

Because this is bullshit. One innocent thing happens, someone decides they have a cutie mark for tattling, and parents go ballistic ape-shit. Chances are they themselves don't fully comprehend that the internet is not majorly filled with stalkers and predators, like everyone over forty seems to believe.

 

Ugh, there went my mood. That's horrendous to hear about, Sarge. I can't even express my loathing for the incompetence of humans right now, and thier unwillingness to look into things, before they decide to freak out.

Edited August 5, 2012 by ~Chaotic Discord~