Mod inaction and the future

[Robert Vermaat]

Suppose a guy turned up at a reenactment full of enthusiasm and wanting to join you society, in full kit that wasn't up to your groups standards.
Would you
[..]
B - Tell him that he can't join in as his kit is wrong. Gossip about him afterwards.
[..]
If you answered B, that is where RAT seems to be at.
[..]
RAT does have some great reference material, and some excellent contributors, but too many 'answer B's with the occasional 'C' thrown in too. Even if you can back your comments up with evidence, that shouldn't make it okay to trash someone else's efforts: Calling someone's wife fat and ugly will rightly get you a black eye from her husband, even if you're not entirely wrong. You wouldn't upset such a lady, so why do you think it's okay to behave like that on here?
It's a great pity that it's taken the loss of one of your long time contributors to raise this issue (as opposed to the historic baiting of nonentities like me, and the countless other people who don't post on here for the same reasons).

I'm very sorry that you feel that way, but as a long-time member I do not share your opinion of RAT. Yes, we certainly do have very critical members, but these are members, and their opinion does not reflect that of the general forum. If you take it that way, and ignore the opinions of the hundreds of other members that we have, that's a great pity. But in my experience you are incorrect. So many turn up with the wrong kit - I did so myself! Never was I refused to join or anything like that. If some groups do so, that's a pity but you'd have to address that particular group and not the forum. Nor do we (as a forum) boo new members with the wrong kit - generally, they can (if they ask) receive a boatload of tips how to improve it! That's how RAT works, that's how it always worked and that's what the attraction is.

Are there different standard in equipment? Sure there are. Groups differ, countries differ, continents differ. It's a '50 shades of grey' thing (pardon the pun) and some shout louder than others. But that's what a forum is, a collection of individual opinions, and no more. If you don't like what some say, please voice your opinion. If you only post once in 10 years nobody is going to hear you.

Of course you can have a bad experience some day - I do on occasion have these myself, even as a mod (or especially as a mod), but I always remind myself that this is not typical for RAT, as so many positive experiences counterbalance the few bad ones.
As for the 'countless people who do not post here', well, if they do not post how would you know that? ;-) There are lurkers everywhere but that does not mean they don't dare to - my boss told me he's on a forum for more than a decade without posting but enjoying every day there.

Wrapping up, I really think your view of RAT is incorrect. Don't let some individuals spoil your view of a very large group, and if you can, speak out.