There has been a problem on Allpoetry for a while now, one that is not very well known by many. It is the problem of the "Role Play" on the website several hundred groups over the last year and a half have popped up on the website like a plague and with it bringing Frankensteins Monster. It has created an outlet for cyber predators to spread on the website, being a soon to be parent myself and the founder of the role play I'm working on trying to bring awareness of the problem to Allpoetry in the hopes of a possibility in killing the monster I have helped create. All site moderators have agreed that it is bringing a mass amount of harm to the children of the website and adults alike, the person who does not see the problem is the website owner Kevin who believes it is just another creative outlet in an artistic form. The only problem there is: Poetry does not harm others while what he calls creativity is causing harm to many.
http://allpoetry.com/Kevin
So I ask you, the people of Allpoetry, to help me in spreading the word and telling Kevin himself what the problem really is. Join me in the contest and tell your friends about it to help us make a change for the better for everyone on Allpoetry.
They come in many forms: from a cyber bully to sexual harassment of some sort to religious persecution. Anyone that has spent any time on the Internet at all young or old has at one point and time come into contact with one in one form or another or have found themselves victim of becoming one themselves. In this contest I want you to write a poem on how a cyber predator has influenced your life whether it be good or bad. Whether you are the predator and just wish for help from others to change your lifestyle to those who have become the victims of those that are addicted to hurting others.
Rules: Unfortunately we all have them! So pay attention!!!
Since this is an all age contest self censoring is needed if you use adult language or erotica please label it as such otherwise you get an Automatic Disqualification to your entry no questions asked.
In this contest no form is required although you can use it if you want.
Unlike most of my contests prewritten poems are not going to be allowed, since this is a hard subject I want you to write something new and from the heart.
The winner of the contest is asked to continue on the contest to keep it going. After the contest closes the winner is asked to take the winning points and make a new contest holding the same principle and ideas, with this in mind we just ask that you make another contest spreading the news and awareness concerning this topic so everyone can begin to see the damage that cyber predators cause.
http://allpoetry.com/Kevin
So I ask you, the people of Allpoetry, to help me in spreading the word and telling Kevin himself what the problem really is. Join me in the contest and tell your friends about it to help us make a change for the better for everyone on Allpoetry.
They come in many forms: from a cyber bully to sexual harassment of some sort to religious persecution. Anyone that has spent any time on the Internet at all young or old has at one point and time come into contact with one in one form or another or have found themselves victim of becoming one themselves. In this contest I want you to write a poem on how a cyber predator has influenced your life whether it be good or bad. Whether you are the predator and just wish for help from others to change your lifestyle to those who have become the victims of those that are addicted to hurting others.
Rules: Unfortunately we all have them! So pay attention!!!
Since this is an all age contest self censoring is needed if you use adult language or erotica please label it as such otherwise you get an Automatic Disqualification to your entry no questions asked.
In this contest no form is required although you can use it if you want.
Unlike most of my contests prewritten poems are not going to be allowed, since this is a hard subject I want you to write something new and from the heart.
The winner of the contest is asked to continue on the contest to keep it going. After the contest closes the winner is asked to take the winning points and make a new contest holding the same principle and ideas, with this in mind we just ask that you make another contest spreading the news and awareness concerning this topic so everyone can begin to see the damage that cyber predators cause.
Contest is Over
- Contest was judged on December 10, 2008
- Rewards: Gold: 600, Silver: 150, Bronze: 50, Honorable mention: 2 people
- Final notes: thank you to all who supported and went against what we were trying to accomplish here is awareness of the situation and i think this contest accomplished that goal very well it is now a topic instead of some thing that is ignored while this contest was going three major role play groups have now been banned and closed along with several members the website is now taking action so lets keep it alive
the gold winner is asked to use the points given to re post this contest and do there part to keep it alive and spread the word thank you again
Lucian"
Contest Winners
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after watching the bbc news about that girl
who met that guy over the internet and ended up in bits and pieces (literally)• Commented on by judge. [remove] -
He is an average man
of average size and average weight.• Commented on by judge. [remove] -
they are here
do not kid yourself,by fortyninereasons 46 lines, 5 comments, on Nov 20 4:23 AM 2008. In Contest, Abuse
Honorable mention
• Commented on by judge. [remove]
Gold trophy winner
Silver trophy winner
Bronze trophy winner
Entries [8]
1 - 8 of 8
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i dont wish to think what would have happened
After watching all those stories on the news• Commented on by judge. -
We have all been the victim
in one way or another,by Poetess12 34 lines, 2 comments, on Nov 18 2:31 PM 2008• Commented on by judge. -
In Cyberworld
Nothing is quite what it seems.by BlancetNoir 22 lines, 4 comments, on Dec 1 10:41 AM 2008• Commented on by judge.
Add a comment
Comments
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Well, this is a very good contest
I think many people have found themselves in that situation, thankfully not everyone gets hurt from it.
I think its most important for people -young and old- to realize that if they are going to play in a cyber world they must keep in mind that they cannot share any truthful information, email addresses must never be given out and never messenger id's (etc) never click on links that are provided anywhere here- meaning you may not be able to enter some contests.
Basically, we as innocent persons need to be actors online, we can't reveal anything personal.
I'm so sorry this is happening here but it is I can see that.
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If people are using roleplaying games to be predators, then BAN THEM FROM THE GAME. It's not that hard. There's no reason to ban roleplaying itself, which is what your contest description seems to imply you want done. You might as well regard the whole Internet the same way.
In fact, don't just have them banned, REPORT THEM TO THE MODS AND GET THEM BANNED FROM ALLPOETRY. Surely you don't think Kevin et al want cyber-predators on their website? If you have evidence of inappropriate behavior, report them! Get them banned! This is like cutting off your hand to get rid of a tick. -
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I completely agree with intoothandclaw. I don't see how banning the perpetrators isn't a suitable solution. I think this contest equates to making a mountain out of a mole hill. Besides, why aren't the victims of the so called cyber bullying complaining to the moderators? If they are and steps are being taken, there isn't an issue. If they aren't at all, then there isn't an issue. If they are but steps aren't being taken, then you have an issue.
I also don't like this seemingly forced victim mentality, it's like handing out a crutch and pacifier. At least that's how I see it. -
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well they are contacting the moderators that is the issue they are contacting them all the time and a person is usually banned , but why not stop the harm before it is done ?
and how is this a forced victim i was only bringing up a problem that is around and if there are victims then it wouldnt be forced ? -
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The point is that banning roleplaying would do absolutely zero to solve the real problem. If you banned roleplaying, you'd make a whole lot of totally innocent AP users very unhappy for no good reason, and the genuine predators would just shrug and come up with a new strategy. You're discussing a problem inherent to the world, not just to the Internet, and if it could be solved with things like blanket concept bans, it wouldn't still exist.
And the "forced victim" thing is about how exaggerated the complaint sounds. I honestly think "cyber-bullying" is a ridiculous concept. Has everyone forgotten the old adage "consider the source"? Back when I first got on the Internet everyone said it "wasn't real". Now it's apparently so real that words on a screen typed by some stranger you have never and will never meet are capable of causing permanent trauma! The truth is that, on the Internet, you have total control over what you perceive. If someone is posting messages you don't want to read, you can simply not read them. Or you can block them. Or have them banned. There are better solutions than blacklisting an entire activity. -
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I would definitely have to agree with intoothandclaw. Several very rude messages showed up on my work and I saw it like this, my poetry is important to me and if there is one person out there foolish enough to waist time typing up ridiculous comments on a perfect strangers writing, then their opinion is not the type of opinion I would respect anyways. Pay no attention to them. If they are ignored, they do go away. They only bully because they like peoples reactions. If they do not get a reaction, they give up. Also, I did report the "bully" to the moderators and they were quick to ban them. I think they did well and I have not had a problem since.
I think humans are naturally attracted to drama, but it can make a fool out of us all if we let it.
Sincerely
Carrie -
I disagree if we banned the role play the website would go back to the way it was before it had taken over all"POETRY" and we would have removed the major cause and outlet of all the cyber predator's also there are rules stopping most of these activities but non of them can be enforced ? because they are not allowed to moderate the groups either
and just telling an 11 year old to just ignore it and suck it up when the guy cusses you out, because I like to role play and am in 7 different role play groups is not slightly greedy on your part ? -
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If you honestly think the roleplay is the "major cause and outlet" of predators, and that there were no predators on AP before the roleplaying, I can't help you.
You may think there were no predators or bullies here before people started RPing here, but you're wrong. There are bad people *everywhere*, and banning one specific form of activity is not going to change that. They're just going to come up with a different tactic. It's business as usual for them. I've had experience with real-life predators as well as Internet predators. Banning RP on AP would do absolutely *nothing* to them. It would be an inconvenience, and nothing more. Whereas for the vast majority of people who roleplay, who are perfectly normal people, it would take away a potent form of communal storytelling and hurt them for no reason at all.
And frankly, isn't telling the kid to ignore bullies what people have always done for real-life cases of bullying? Ignore the bullies and report them to the teacher/some other adult? Why exactly is it okay to punish everyone for the actions of a few on the Internet? -
I agree with intoothandclaw.
I am an avid roleplayer myself with a few close knit friends the same age as myself. We have four groups between us and we do not involve ourselves with children; we keep our roleplaying between ourselves. I don't see why that should be taken away from us because there are sexual predators on the website. Like intooth said, banning roleplaying is not going to stop them from bothering kids on AP. It's just going to force them to find another way of doing it. Banning roleplaying isn't going to make it harder for predators; if it was as simple as that, then they would no longer exist, but they do.
If roleplaying was banned, all it's going to do is upset a lot of people, myself included, and then we'll just find somewhere else to do it and sexual predators can follow kids to another website they might roleplay at if they really want to. This isn't going to stop anything. -
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What I dont fully understand and find slightly funny is the fact that you all ( the role players ) keep saying this isnt going to change anything this isnt going to stop anything but you never really add a reason as to why it wont stop or change anything other then the fact that you agree it will stop a major outlet they have on the website if the role play is banned and removed, but you all also refuse to help offer a solution to it all and just leave it as I dont like the idea cause I am a role player well obviously you dont like the idea cause you are a role player but instead of offering no solution at all and not trying to help in the slightest wouldnt it make you a better person if you at least offered some form of help to the situation some thing that may help you and me ? and you know what if you all moved to another role play website i dont think that would hurt my feelings or kevins feelings in the slightest and you think because your here on a gold account it is going to hurt his pocket book you got a surprise comming im affraid
Lucian Valcor
1 day ago
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do you think it would be better to have the role play groups just moderated instead of done away with ? obviously some thing has to be done to increase the safety
intoothandclaw
1 day ago
Edit | Reply
Wait, you mean the groups *aren't* currently moderated? That's the problem, then! Get them moderated! There should always have been mods with the power to remove inappropriate posts and ban people who break the rules. That will prevent predators and bullies from getting to people, including children, who RP.
It would also help a lot if the RPers who intend to roleplay with other adults, and the children who intend to roleplay with other children, make separate groups for the purpose and clearly label them. This wouldn't be foolproof, but, again, with moderators to ban the people who ignore the rules and join anyway, it would help a whole lot to keep kids from seeing what they shouldn't see without preventing them from playing the game.
I have to be honest here. I don't roleplay on AP, but I've been an RPer since I was 12 or 13. If I had never started RPing, I would not be a writer right now. I would not be on AP or SW, because I would not have the years of practice with self-expression in words, with creating and presenting a character, with describing a setting and using imagery, that I do now. Roleplaying isn't *necessarily* creative -- a lot of people play more with dice than with their minds in places -- but here on AP that's a lot less true because everyone going into it is already a writer to a degree. A roleplay, in its proper form, is an act of communal storytelling, a shared novel created by the whole group in agreement. It isn't planned out; it plays out naturally, like a river fed by numerous tributaries.
You may not have used roleplay for creative expression, but that doesn't mean nobody does. And it's not fair to punish the 99% of normal people for the behavior of 1%. The 1% should simply be banned the instant they step out of line. -
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The next time you want to try to make me look like an idiot, I suggest doing it in an IM instead of trying to throw accusations at me that are completely false in public.
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this is a link from this site itself. Its about staying safe online and I saw it in the featured section on the hompage:
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I applaud your care, concern and intent to protect both children and vunerable adults...
...it is good advice to advize everyone not to divulge personal information which may be misused...
...your specific concern over role-play is a grey area to police and monitor...if a group forms and invites like minded individuals interested in role-playing say the Civil War the individuals maybe those that are unable to meet off line and enact these scenarios...
....if a group forms purporting to be freedom fighting they could either be peaceful individuals seeking only nonviolent protest but they could be subversive manipulative characters encouring youths and adults to fund terrorism...
...what if a group forms and they are role-playing fairies/elves/rock-stars/superheroes...on the surface they are non invasive /non harmful explorations of fantasy but as with any topic/genre/creativity they could be misused by individuals for predatory purposes...
...a blanket-ban on role-play groups may in fact have the opposite effect and make the predators more adept/devious at seeking vunerable children/adults via IM...
...we definitely ALL need to be aware for ourselves, our friends and families...Allpoetry has moniters/moderators who can advize the block/ignore facility, who can collate information to pass on to relevant authorities; who can ban individuals that are inciting unethical/immoral/racist/taboo/predatory/terrorist behaviours...
...one of the reasons role-play per se is difficult to ban is that some individuals are not openly acknowledging that they are role-players by joining groups at ap BUT are role-playing an assumed persona ...
...predators have been known to assume the persona of a child to engage/lure other children to befriend for their deviant purposes...
...some pretend to be female/caring...but in fact are male with different agendas...
...in conclusion it may well be easier to monitor role-playing groups of individuals as opposed to trying to unearth the motive/modus operandi of a predatory individual...
...that doesn't mean I feel there should be complete carte blanche given to forming every type of collective but an awareness that some role-playing is simply creativity and some may well be a smokescreen for intended negativity...
...also...by the very nature of imagination needed to be a writer/poet we all employ/deploy role-play at times within our posts...the hugely varied contest prompts encourage our imaginations to delve into personification...characterization...flights of fantasy...whether that be the guy that never got to be a cowboy/president/ superman...
...it's a huge area to explore...without a doubt there are predators and bullies and it should be mandatory for parents to monitor their children's computer time and contacts...
...though quite how one prevents the first impact is even harder...last year a 12 year old posted a contest asking for writes for her Daddy who was in the Armed Forces serving...she stated she disliked war ...missed her Daddy and worried about him...to my absolute stomach-wrenching horror I read a comment left by another poet on the page ...this guy left a comment stating that he hoped the next ring on the bell bought news that her Daddy was in a bodybag...Jesus Christ...the psychological trauma that must have induced and for what...so some schmuck could misuse his liberty of free speech...I mention that to show that there are many ways we need to protect our children and other children on site and other sites...I also wish that adult material was not accessible by children of 15 and would like to see that raised to 18...whilst many 15 year olds are intelligent/creative surely they don't need access to adult playful material...
...finally I would encourage everyone to take care...report predatory behaviour to the moderators...internet providers and relevant authorities...these individuals can be traced and tracked...to weed them out we all have to be aware...
...whilst being aware that the information re name/location/gender/age/motivation as posted on author page may also be a fantasy/role-play...
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yes it should be moderated thank you, now can we come together to help create a solution ?
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well
It is about time someone tackled this problem had on. The predators, the players, the cheaters and the games played. They really have nothing to do with poetry. I myself have written many poems , some caustic, some with humor about the wild goings on on here. However, because I have I have lost many readers. Sadly mostly women. Good luck in your quest. -
Bravo!
Standing ovation!
I applaud anyone who can see past the present, and see the future of what Role Playing* can do to the young....and even the older generation of people on the Net......and to have Role Playing in a Poetry Site is not what I would consider Poetry, nor a Creative Outlet in Artistic Form ~
I hope the MODS here at AP, as well as the Poets, use their influenece to have Kevin ban such activity ~
A supporter of this Contest,
Bear
DestinationPoetry.com -
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HEREISANEXAMPLE
HERE HERE Well you said it and here is an example of the start of an abuse thread below in the forums...
xxxxxxxxxxreplied to your comment on topic xxxxxx
You know, we are a sort of hateful, snotty, sarcastic, and arrogant group. We are often rude, obnoxious, juvenile, shallow, thoughtless, cold, selfish, and a bit narcissistic. As these are our goals, I think it would be apropo for us to take a moment and congratulate ourselves on a job well done. Posters, you make me proud. (sniff sniff) -
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This....>>>>
Dante DrakenSire: [The Arena] Ok people I'm gone, but I'll see ya'll tomorrow I hope. And don't forget to spread the word about my tournament. Remember to have fun and Kill all ya want.
.....is nothing to be proud of......shame on you,
Bear ~
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Attention!
This is EXACTLY why we need to put a stop to Role Playing on AP.....and the Net entirely...>>>>
Dante DrakenSire: [The Arena] Ok people I'm gone, but I'll see ya'll tomorrow I hope. And don't forget to spread the word about my tournament. Remember to have fun and Kill all ya want.
.......to me, this is NOT a form of artistic expression.......Bear ~ -
i have never come into contact with a cyber predator. but i hope i never do but it cant be helped
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Look, Lucian... I've read a lot of what you've said, and what others have said, both for and against RPing on this site.
As an RPer, yes I'm gonna have the bias to want to do anything possible to keep it as an option on this site. But like some that I'm certain of, I began on this site as a poet and story writer. Only after I had established myself did I expand to include RPing.
So I believe that its unfair to tear those of us out there that love poetry and RPing in two. There are plenty of ways to solve this 'cyber bullying' problem. A handful have already been suggested, and that's a good start.
I myself am the leader of an RPing group along with my good friend Rose Dark Thorn and a handful of others all around the same age. We work hard to make sure that all of us are on the same page so that no one is offended by what is written by the other.
But even still, with these problems coming to a boiling point now, I and my RPing friends have now taken extreme precautions and measures so that anyone who may be offended by what we write about does not have a chance of entering the group.
All in all, I'm just trying to say that look into 'every' single option available before trying to ban RPing altogether. Most of us aren't hurting anyone, so please don't pinpoint all of us for the mistakes of few.
Justin -
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justin I agree with you moderating the role play would solve the problem it can be used in a good way so shouldnt be banned and it is a form of poetry itself in the story telling aspect so I ask you can we come together to form a solution to the problem ?
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I will support the solution if it does not hinder our creative collaboration. I cannot promise that I will agree with it, but if it supports the status quo of how me and my good friends write, then I am willing to lend support.
However, please talk to me before you take a course of action. I don't like to follow things blindly, especially something of this kind of importance.
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It's rather early right now, so I don't think I'll be able to express myself as fully as I would like to in prose format. Instead, I shall just banter here.
Though the idea behind WHY you want to remove roleplaying from this site is admirable - and I truly mean this, seeing as how I'm a mother myself - it will not solve anything. As stated below, if you get rid of the roleplaying community here, where the moderators are WILLING to ban those people in violation of the code, then said "victims" will just stumble into another site where no one cares for them and horrible awful things will happen to them. As far as I'm concerned, the individual people breaking the rules should be removed - not the community as a whole.
If you get rid of the roleplaying groups, then what's to stop you from having the erotic groups banned as well? Sexual preditors/bullies have just as much of a chance to "stalk" unknowing "victims" in those groups as they do in the roleplaying ones. Just thought I should point that out.
As for the beautiful example Arkbear is showing... not ALL roleplayers are like that. Though it may be difficult for some of you people to believe, not everyone truly believes that they ARE their character. Not everyone gets so caught up in the storyline - if you can call it that - that they feel they need to "hunt down" their "enemies" and unleash untold amounts of pain upon them.
The way I see it, there are two kinds of roleplayers - those like myself and close friends that use the roleplays as a creative outlet. Using the characters from our OWN novels ans short stories, and throwing them with others in hopes of better understanding them. We use the roleplays as a springboard for our muses, and I don't see why we should be punished for doing so. We use the roleplays to help OURSELVES with our writing; we're not hurting/harassing anyone on this site. If someone in our groups is uncomfortable with the direction we are taking said story-line, we amend it to prevent harming anyone.
The other type, is the kind that Arkbear has given us an example of. They use the roleplays as a way to escape their "oh so hard lives" by adapting a persona and "fighting" everyone and anyone they come across. THEY are the "bullies" of AllPoetry's roleplayers, if anyone. Do NOT punish the rest of us for their ignorance. -
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Well said, love. ♥
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Poll Results
Do you think cyber-bullying is a crime?
Yes 89% 83,838
No 6% 5,774
I'm not sure 5% 4,526
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we both agree with moderating the role play would solve the problem it can be used in a good way so shouldnt be banned for the 3% that cause the harm and it is a form of poetry itself in the story telling aspect so I ask you can we come together to form a solution to the problem ?
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Come together for a solution? Certainly.
Step One - Remove the INDIVIDUAL people violating the rules here on AP; those people who are harassing - either sexually or violently - other members.
Step Two - EDUCATE OURSELVES, AND OUR CHILDREN. If parents take the proper steps to SHOW thier children what kind of whack-jobs are out there on the internet, and teach them to NEVER give away their personal information, we wouldn't have as many problems with sexual preditors as we do. It's the young men and woman who feel "special" when told they are "beautiful, hot, sexy" ecetera. If the PARENTS educate their children to stay away from those people who are, for lack of a better term, FAR too old for them to be hanging out with - both online AND in real life - I feel this problem would diminish greatly.
As for all of the ADULTS who are being turned into "victims"... shame on you. YOU should know better than to play cat and mouse with strangers over some glowing computer screen.
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Victoria...
Very well expressed indeed!!!
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Attention!
THIS is exactly what Lucian is speaking of....this has gone too far..>>>>
http://news.aol.com/article/woman-goes-on-trial-in-myspace-hoax/254725
Kevin......WAKE UP!!!!!! -
I have had a few unpleasant experiences here at AP with the wierdo crown, and RP is one of them! Best wishes on your contest, I'll see what I can do!
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I've met some folks I didn't much care for here, but nobody I'd really call a full-on "predator." Honestly, I'm not even exactly sure what you mean when you use that word, because you're pretty vague in your explanation. If people do really messed-up stuff on here, it's a simple enough thing to get them kicked out.
Honestly, what the hell does role-playing have to do with poetry in the first place, though? *sigh* Give me the good old days, when people joined AP because they wanted to read, write and critique poems, and not because they wanted to pretend to be werewolves.
If people want to pursue that sort of thing on the Internet, I wish they'd just skip AP entirely, and go play World of Warcraft instead. Maybe then more than 1 in 50 contest hosts would know (or at least want to know) how to help me write better poetry. -
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honestly lol I wish more people thought like you do.... what the hell does role play have to do with poetry in the first place ? but sadly they dont
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In later days, I personally wrote quite a large amount of poetry based off of the roleplays between myself and my friends. If roleplaying inspires me or others to write poetry in the first place, how can you or anyone else say that it has nothing to do with poetry at all?
Roleplaying gives me insight on situations I myself have never experienced, thus giving me the ability to write poetry about situations and be able to make it reasonably believable. Also, poetry is a creative outlet and so is roleplaying...so why should we not be allowed to roleplay on this website? That makes no sense to me at all.
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I lack inspiration right now, so I'd be glad if you then link me to the next contest of this type. I'm very fond of this subject.
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I'm going to take suggestions from someone with all manner of demonic symbiology in their avatar? (A circumscribed pentangle surrounding hellfire, topped by some flying gargoyle and guarded by a bare-skulled gatekeeper.) Ya, great leadership-by-example here Lucian... I fear the influence of people like you more than the roleplayers since I have yet to meet a single one those.
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Thanks!
I was thrilled to win the bronze. Thanks!
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