Open Letter From Ol' Sarge

[TheEngineer 188]

Ol' Sarge, you really didn't deserve that and you aren't a failure at all; you are an awesome guy who I have a lot of respect for! You shouldn't have to leave and I'm sorry things escalated as you described them. As one brony to another, I support you as an honest and all around good guy.

 

Here's to hoping that your life turns around and I hope to see you around again sometime soon. You know what they say, you might be able to hold a pegasus down for a short amount of time and even try to break his spirit; but you can't keep him from flying forever.

Edited August 5, 2012 by TheEngineer

[Crispy 5,563]

...Goddamnit.

 

Sarge, you're an upstanding man and it makes me sad (not to mention furious) to see this happen to you.

 

Regardless of how it plays out, we've got your back, and I'm sure I can speak for everyone when I say that you'll always be welcome here.

[Strife 455]

So apparently it is your fault that the father isn't supervising what his 8 year old daughter is doing on the internet?

 

Not only that, but he is enough of a prick that because he is a failure of a father, he automatically gets to assume random bullshit?

 

And people wonder why I've lost hope for humanity. Thank goodness humans can't get to Equestria ... we would screw that up too.

 

(also, how the hell did he get your phone number ...?)

[Gone Airbourne 21,969]

You can't possibly leave this forums page it would not be the same at all if you left... You have contributed so much to others and you have proven yourself to be a great person. Please don't go!

 

I hope and pray that your situation heals.

Edited August 5, 2012 by GoneAirbourne

[Somebody 570]

Sarge, I've seen your posts around. You're an insightful person who helps out everyone who needs advice here. Just because someone can't see the nature of a harmless game, it certainly doesn't mean you have failed us, or that you even need to apologize. I certainly wouldn't leave the forums because of this.

 

In all honesty, from my understanding of the law (I'm no law student, but I'm also not a stranger to CourtTV ), there's no way you can be charged with anything if you only talked on the Internet. Anybody with a brain can see what was said was frivolous, and any authority is going to see the same. Especially considering if you sent messages saying the game players shouldn't take it seriously. You have no pictures of anyone, no chatlogs indicating a request of location or other personal information, thus there is no real evidence of wrongdoing here.

 

Really, don't leave, just avoid the forum games. I honestly think you have nothing to worry about. Also, I took a quick look at your profile... I see no personal information of any kind there, such as names or phone numbers, and the username of "Ol' Sarge" is not unique to you. People don't just get phone calls from Internet strangers... this could be someone you know, who is trying to slander you. I'd definitely call a lawyer--his advice will mean a whole lot more than mine will!

 

Edited August 5, 2012 by Questio

[Sun 34]

Well thats not cool. Though the daughter shouldn't be punished, since this is a little kid show forum. How would she or the farther know any better? But it's still sucks, you probably didn't even know wether or not how old she was. It was her fault for replying at the same time. She could have just ignored it and kept browsing.

[Ethan Pow 332]

Not only its a harmless game and the COPPA limits those younger than 13 years old. After that, how in the hell did this guy get your personal info, If its not listed how did he get it? Isn't that a from of harassment? and cyber bulling.

 

That father should have learned when to quit, sarge has enough legal right if he lives in the same country, I wouldn't blame sarge for suing the father from having his responsibility for his daughter that HE should be watching.

[Bohtty 1,775]

I wouldn't worry about the police. You technically didn't break any laws. In fact you could probably take legal action against the father if he posts on craig's list because it would libel (false defamation of character). At the least craig's list would probably close the post and take action against his account.

 

You haven't done anything wrong.

[Musix 237]

What?! That's outrageous! Its a forum GAME! I've seen you a few times on the games, But seriously? That's just wrong! Why would someone get reported for something as stupid as that? Was it just one of those 'yes/no' ones? Seriously, That is just wrong! I hope it all goes well for you buddy, We're all here for you =)

[Matus 130]

Well, I think I speck for the whole forums when Johntron says this. Take it away johntron.

 

 

Anyways, I've seen your posts around O'sarge, I can safly say, the dad has complete false accusations about you. You are a good guy, married, a father, serving our country, and yet you have to deal with things like this when you just want to chillax. Awwww God what has this planet turned into.

Edited August 5, 2012 by Matus

[~The Snowy Wolf~ 1,579]

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

 

The only eight year old girl that I know of on the forums is Filly Pinkie Pie

[PlunderSteed 1,251]

 

 

 

I didn't even know that section of this forum existed. And as others already mentioned...somebody got a hold of your phone number and (presumably) found out your real name/location? Bad combination all around. Shit like this makes me glad that even my Facebook account (which I use to keep in touch with family and RL friends) has fake location, school and employment history.

[null1 606]

From what this sounds like, as many other like minds here have suggested, this was harmless play that someone ignorant of what was really going on overreacted. Maybe this is a reason to remove the forum games, maybe, maybe not, I don't participate in them but others do. We'll see.

 

But I'll stand by Sarge, he had no prior knowledge of the age of this girl. The internet is anonymity, hell, the poster above me could be the Flying Spaghetti Monster for all we know.

 

I'm hoping that this all becomes a farce with relatively few to null casualties, but the one thought in my head is that this unknown father is able to escalate this into something bigger that gets on the news, on Drudge, and sets a false, unfair image of the Brony Community. Optimistically, I don't see that happening.

 

And there's the chance that this all might be some well planned trolling scheme by a Hater that has been lurking on the forum for some time now.

[Cherry Blossom 863]

Okay this is absolutely ridiculous. First off that 8 year old's father shouldn't being saying things like "ruin your life" because that is seriously horrid. I understand that he is being protective of his daughter but he should've understood, that it was a forum game! It's people like him that just wrecks everything good that he doesn't even fully understand. Also he should've read the PM message besides being such a bag of rocks. I mean maybe I'm being too harsh here but that father was being way too harsh. That parent should've read the Privacy Policy first. That guy doesn't know zip about serve and protect like Sarge.

[PlunderSteed 1,251]

The internet is anonymity, hell, the poster above me could be the Flying Spaghetti Monster for all we know.

 

I'm hoping that this all becomes a farce with relatively few to null casualties, but the one thought in my head is that this unknown father is able to escalate this into something bigger that gets on the news, on Drudge, and sets a false, unfair image of the Brony Community. Optimistically, I don't see that happening.

 

First of all...*reaches out a noodley appendage to touch him in the shoulder*...bless you, faithful one.

 

Second...oh lawd, if this shit hits the major networks, I'm gonna troll the ever-living fuck out of whoever comes here looking for a sound byte. Ok, so probably not. And in all seriousness, it would not be a bad idea for everyone to know ahead of time what to do (and what to avoid doing) if the media shows up.

 

My suggestion: DON'T TALK TO THE MEDIA. It's easy, really. Just shut your apple hole and make yourself as scarce or uninteresting as you can. I follow this philosophy at work, at public events...pretty much all the time. It works very well.

[Pinkie D Pie 1,035]

Don't leave Ol' Sarge. I may not have talked to you much, but from the posts I've seen from you, you are one of the most helpful people on these forums. What happens in the Forum Games should never be taken seriously, if it did, then the threads should never had been made. I still believe that you are the same person and believe it is retarded that someone would call you from what happened down there. I hope to see you back here one day...

[Titan Rising 2,156]

I wanna know how the father got your phone number to begin with...? Of course this isn't your fault or anything, and the police can't arrest you for saying you would kiss or date a girl lol

 

It was a harmless little game sarge, we know you're a good guy, and once everyone gets over the original shock value of it I'm sure they'll see it too. They have to.

Edited August 5, 2012 by Hollowshield

[Ember_star 229]

..........................Wat? I dun get it, if she didn't want to be "kissed" THEN SHE SHOULDN'T HAVE COME ON THE BLOODY GAME IN THE FIRST PLACE! Some people these days.............They just want me to go

But please stay and this is why i dont do anything that would make my mom or dad mad

[Mr. Jaguar 1,402]

It was just a silly forum game, and since the person wasn't showing their age on their profile, you had no way of knowing, and as you said even then they can lie. I took part in one of those types of threads, the Would You Date The Person Above You? thread, I checked to make sure the person above me was always an adult, but I didn't think they could be a child lying about their age.......

 

I you shouldn't have posted it if you couldn't find out their age, but don't be so hard on yourself as to ban yourself from the forum entirely, we all make mistakes. We shouldn't have these types of forum games, however, if this is what can happen.

Edited August 5, 2012 by Pegasus25

[Vicke 3,187]

Seriously... What the fuck are those damn 8 year olds doing on the Internet anyways?

 

It's annoying to read all of this and i hope this works out well.

[Phoenix Dirac Wright 121]

Seriously... What the fuck are those damn 8 year olds doing on the Internet anyways?

 

It's annoying to read all of this and i hope this works out well.

 

It's not really wrong for her to be on the forums. What's really wrong is for the dad to stalk her own daughter and go on our forums and try to ruin this guy's life. Don't try to blame her, blame the unreasonable foolishly foolish fool of the year, her dad.

 

I think she feels enough grief already.

[Glaceon 793]

I've seen you around and from what you posted you seem like a responsible and amazing person.

/ontopic Why would the little girl complain to her father in the first place if it's on a topic with the title of that.

Also you can counter that you had no knowledge of the age and you just treated her like a equal forum individual.

[Titan Rising 2,156]

It's not really wrong for her to be on the forums. What's really wrong is for the dad to stalk her own daughter and go on our forums and try to ruin this guy's life. Don't try to blame her, blame the unreasonable foolishly foolish fool of the year, her dad.

 

I think she feels enough grief already.

 

You can't blame the father for being overprotected of his child, especially while she's on the internet - it can be really really easy to start trusting and talking to the wrong people if you're not totally sure what you're doing.

 

I'm sure that Sarge has explained it was just a misinterpretation and that it's just a game, but you have to see the perspective of the father... He probably doesn't see this stuff as a game at all and his outrage is blinding him from seeing the truth

 

It is an unfortunate series of events to be sure, but no one needs to be blamed for what happened here. It's just a case of wrong place wrong time

Edited August 5, 2012 by Hollowshield

[Mersander 55]

The parents just HAVE to ruin EVERYTHING dont they.... ;-;

 

But in all sincerity, this is indeed a very dark day for the forums. This is such an interesting situation that... I dont know what else to say really... but you have to look at the other side, the dad is just trying to protect his daughter, as any good parent would do. What I think you should do is call back the dad and give him a formal apology and say that it was just a game, and you would never hurt their daughter you being a father as well. But if this is the end Ol' Sarge, I'm praying for you. Dont worry, everything will get better in the end...

[Random User 249]

First of all, what the hell is an eight year-old doing on these forums? The internet certainly isn't a place for children. It just isn't.

 

You shouldn't be ashamed of what happened, either. It was in good fun and it could have happened to anyone here on the forums. You could not possibly hope to foresee such an event from happening. No one could have. I think every member here would agree with that. You're a cool guy, and I hope things get sorted out for you. It'd be awesome if you did remain on the forums.