Hello, members of the community.
Today, I announce my resignation as operator. By tomorrow, this account will be permanantly deleted and I won't have any access to the site, administrative permission, or anything to do with the backend.
Since Serge isn't involved with the site and I'm resigning too, I've spent the last week transferring everything over to the new operator, someone capable and trustworthy who you will get to know very soon. They will also be a familiar face around here, too.
I do not take this decision lightly, but in light of recent events, I believe that putting this community in the hands of someone I trust and who cares about this community is the right call. My mission and desire here has always been to make sure that everyone has the freedom to speak freely about issues around suicide and mental health, topics that you can't talk openly about anywhere else. I believe this site has done good in the world and I am certain that this community has saved countless lives. Many people may not believe that, and to them I say: Ask around, you'll be surprised.
The way the NYT has twisted the purpose of this community and the good that it has done has been very damaging to everyone. Not only did they make a transparent attempt to take this site down, but they did so in the most unethical and dishonest way possible.
This place is full of caring people that are hurting, looking for someone to talk to, or looking for support in life. We are not a cult, far from it. While it is true that many people come here during their darkest moments, myself included, my main intent has always been to make this place into somewhere people can talk about issues in their life, suicide included, without judgment or without being shoved off to a crisis hotline that doesn't care about their well being.
This community has brought me peace and solace, in the fact that before I started it, I was in a very dark time of my life myself.
Community support works, and I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for this community. Although I have researched methods and at one point considered taking my own life, I was able to find some purpose and meaning in my life by being a part of this community. Thank you all for being there when I needed it the most.
I have received thanks from many members on and off this site that tell me that the forum has helped them make friends, and feel at ease about whatever bad is going on in their life. I have also had the opportunity to speak to some of those grieving over the loss of family or loved ones, and I got a chance to hear from them too. As a person that has experienced loss myself, twice in the last year alone, I know that it is not easy to get over losing a loved one. I have much sympathy for those that have gone through the same, and my condolences go out to them.
The truth is that I and many others have been painted as villains for running this community. I have been called such things as callous, dangerous, despicable, angry, or even a "murderous psychopath", but people who know me know that I am far from that, inside and outside this community. Some people may not be happy that this forum exists, but this great community has a purpose, one that started in a subreddit banned out of the blue by Reddit in order to make way for advertisers and to make their site more palatable to investors. They have long abandoned their free speech stance in order to make a quick buck. But this site will never sell out, have ads, or anything of the kind. This place is for you, and for everyone who needs a place to express themselves and feel better.
I have made many friends here, many of whom I would like to still keep in touch with after I resign.
You all have been wonderful, I'm going to miss you all.
Signing off for good,
Marquis