I don't think something on the forum would necessarily work. Some of the people involved have a habit of saying different things in public that contradict things they've said in a more private setting. And a lot of this has to do with some very personal stuff that tends to bring people shame in admitting they've done, participated in, or ignored, hence the blatantly false statements in public that contradict private conduct. An example the staff would be aware of is how widely supported certain... people.... are in public while there was actually a very heated debate about it in private on the mod chat that in no way made it look like the glowing support that existed publicly which included false accusations against other individuals that contradicted the punishments that were indeed deserved and handed out behind the scenes to those shifting the blame publicly.
This is a more personal matter between individuals and not the official functioning of the staff anyway. So a degree of privacy should be afforded any such conversation. And there is a lot of heated emotions in all of this so it is unrealistic to expect it'll be free from insults or other angry outbursts so it wouldn't even be appropriate for the forums on that alone.
That being said, a resolution is likely not possible. Neither side is ever going to admit the other is right under any circumstances and to expect otherwise is to be incredibly naive. Each side is going to accuse the other of something they will be denied having been done. And there is absolutely no denying that some will feel at least some of the accused wrongs are beyond forgiveness.
Both sides know that both tried extremely hard to get rid of the other. And that both sides felt entirely justified in doing so and still do. It's not some great secret, it's not some big reveal. With what was said in their rants on the resignation thread, and what we have said to them in public in these discussions the last few days, everyone knows what happened. Everyone can work out what was going on. I'll spell it out: They tried very hard to get us banned and we tried very hard to get them demoted. With both sides grasping to any excuse they could to try to make it happen regardless of how trivial. Even if there was something more serious in the past they can use, since it's harder to use something that isn't recent. There shouldn't be any illusions about this. NO ONE involved is ignorant that this was going on and no one is going to believe any denials about having known about it. And there will be disagreements on the motivations.
With that being the case, I don't think a discussion will accomplish anything. Neither side is going to admit that their campaign to get rid of the other, regardless of how ridiculous it got at times, was unwarranted and unjustified. Enough has been said and enough has happened in the last week that most people who witnessed it have probably made up their minds and are not going to change them. With each side knowing full well the other wanted them gone by any means necessary, reconciliation is not going to happen.
To expect apologies or admission, or even letting go of things, is insane. Neither side is ever going to admit they were wrong. Not and be sincere about it anyway. It will not happen and trying to make it happen is a waste of time. The majority of what you will get is heated arguments of one side accusing the other and both being furious about it. What we can do is find a way to not have it be an issue worthy of attention anymore.
The people who resigned are never getting their positions back under any circumstances. So it's pretty much a moot point anyway. If they expect to stay on ZD they'll have to behave and follow the rules. So long as that is abided, I can't have a problem. But I will if I see anyone get attacked by one of them again. And if they're at all mature about it I don't think they'd have a problem either, as the main source of their anger against us, questioning the fairness and reasonableness of their actions as staff members, is not going to be a recurring issue anymore since they're not staff any longer so that primary source of stress for them will be gone, removing our primary source of stress as well as they'll not be carrying out any official actions we find questionable anymore. Anything done wrong will be as a private individual and not as a member of the staff and the current staff will look at each situation as it happens and deal with it appropriately.
That's the best you can expect. It's the only sort of resolution anyone is going to get.
This is a more personal matter between individuals and not the official functioning of the staff anyway. So a degree of privacy should be afforded any such conversation. And there is a lot of heated emotions in all of this so it is unrealistic to expect it'll be free from insults or other angry outbursts so it wouldn't even be appropriate for the forums on that alone.
That being said, a resolution is likely not possible. Neither side is ever going to admit the other is right under any circumstances and to expect otherwise is to be incredibly naive. Each side is going to accuse the other of something they will be denied having been done. And there is absolutely no denying that some will feel at least some of the accused wrongs are beyond forgiveness.
Both sides know that both tried extremely hard to get rid of the other. And that both sides felt entirely justified in doing so and still do. It's not some great secret, it's not some big reveal. With what was said in their rants on the resignation thread, and what we have said to them in public in these discussions the last few days, everyone knows what happened. Everyone can work out what was going on. I'll spell it out: They tried very hard to get us banned and we tried very hard to get them demoted. With both sides grasping to any excuse they could to try to make it happen regardless of how trivial. Even if there was something more serious in the past they can use, since it's harder to use something that isn't recent. There shouldn't be any illusions about this. NO ONE involved is ignorant that this was going on and no one is going to believe any denials about having known about it. And there will be disagreements on the motivations.
With that being the case, I don't think a discussion will accomplish anything. Neither side is going to admit that their campaign to get rid of the other, regardless of how ridiculous it got at times, was unwarranted and unjustified. Enough has been said and enough has happened in the last week that most people who witnessed it have probably made up their minds and are not going to change them. With each side knowing full well the other wanted them gone by any means necessary, reconciliation is not going to happen.
To expect apologies or admission, or even letting go of things, is insane. Neither side is ever going to admit they were wrong. Not and be sincere about it anyway. It will not happen and trying to make it happen is a waste of time. The majority of what you will get is heated arguments of one side accusing the other and both being furious about it. What we can do is find a way to not have it be an issue worthy of attention anymore.
The people who resigned are never getting their positions back under any circumstances. So it's pretty much a moot point anyway. If they expect to stay on ZD they'll have to behave and follow the rules. So long as that is abided, I can't have a problem. But I will if I see anyone get attacked by one of them again. And if they're at all mature about it I don't think they'd have a problem either, as the main source of their anger against us, questioning the fairness and reasonableness of their actions as staff members, is not going to be a recurring issue anymore since they're not staff any longer so that primary source of stress for them will be gone, removing our primary source of stress as well as they'll not be carrying out any official actions we find questionable anymore. Anything done wrong will be as a private individual and not as a member of the staff and the current staff will look at each situation as it happens and deal with it appropriately.
That's the best you can expect. It's the only sort of resolution anyone is going to get.