Okay, everybody. I just read through all of the posts in this thread, so let me clarify a few points that caught my attention.
I think the main problem people originally had with the first post is that it was rather general. The person posting wasn't the one who received the nasty note from sexual deviant, therefore it was second-hand info from the very beginning.
That, combined with the fact that Hurlygurly is a new name on GC, is why a lot of people were skeptical as to the validity of the post. We're all a little too familar with psychos that create a flaming note as their first post just to create drama, and then sit back to enjoy the battle that ensues. So, please try to understand why the skepticism occurred with this thread.
If the person who actually received the notes had made the post, or even if Hurlygurly - a reputable, well-known GCer - had used her regular GC name, things might have not gone as far as they have. So, I offer this as a suggestion for future complaints:
Please, if you're having trouble with someone you think is from GC, report the problem immediately to a moderator and/or John Hammell. If possible, forward the note(s) you received to one of us so that we have every bit of info on the poster as you yourself do -- it makes it easier for us to find out who the person is and take steps to block him/her from bothering GCers in the future.
I realize that many of you are under the impression that the mods can't do anything to help you out in cases like this. The truth is, we can probably do more than you think. We can post the problem in the mod forum and draw attention to it that way - and John will see it there probably a lot quicker than he will notice it in Greek Life, Chit Chat or another GC forum. We can also "compare notes" to see if the current offender has anything in common with past offenders, and determine if it's a new "psycho" or an old one.
Also, by notifying us privately, we have a better chance of stopping the creep(s) because he/she won't be wise to the fact that he/she has been reported. By posting the thread in the open for everyone to see, it lets the offender know that someone is "on" to him/her and may make it more difficult for us to catch him/her.
By the way - I'm using both genders here because it's not just guys who have been sending nasty e-mails and PMs. I've gotten a couple of nasty notes from females myself, and they were just as disgusting as anything a male offender could write. A few other GCers have also.
As mods, we're here to help, so please take advantage of our presence. I can say, from experience, that I've received several complaints about certain GCers via PM, and have been able to get the offenders banned from GreekChat as a result. So notifying a mod directly DOES work. Please believe that.
