Briefing Note For The 405th Infantry Division: Canadian Volunteer Staff Resignation

[CplYapFlip]

I'm well aware that no matter how well I phrase "if we're all equal then we shouldn't have to cater to one group more than another" I'll get name called, hated on, verbal spit upon and so on

IF we are all equal is doing a lot of lifting. WHEN we are all equal I will give your words some weight.

finding it ironic how that 1% wanting understanding and tolerance can't show it to others.

Please see above, re: tolerance is a social contract.
You received intolerance for your own intolerance. "I didn't mean it that way so I'm not at fault" is not an apology and is only refusing to take ownership of your actions.

Case in point 1: Did the Canadian brass take a survey of all the Canadian membership to see if the entire group wanted to pull out and be renamed?

Why would we? We're not forcing anyone to leave here. Let's set up a poll, do you want more of a good thing? We need X amount to go through with it!
As a group we, previous Staff, came together and made the decision to relinquish our positions, as they clearly would never be enough to get through to a guy who has far too much say for only paying to keep the lights on. A good handful of the former Canadian Regiment staff ARE sticking around as General membership even still.

Case in point 2: I know the Australia brass didn't ask the body of the AU membership when they took it upon themselves to rebrand the 405th Australia facebook page and make the decision for all the Australian members that the official 405th chapter page was no longer 405th affiliated.

Okay? Did they stop you from requesting the 405th set up a new version for Australia since there isn't one? Or did the 405th tell you that you have a year to prove the Australian Regiment still has enough active members before they'll bother, and somehow you're applying those sour grapes to some Canadians stepping down?

In other words, on more than one occasion I have seen as a protest for management making decisions for the lower membership, the local management made a decision for all the lower membership. It was fine when they did it, but not fine when someone else did it.
I believe this is the kind of hypocrisy that some are referring to; along with all the protests and cries for understanding another person's position while not being open to returning that understanding of a viewpoint different than your own.

I will listen to your differing view points about the best application methods on applying paint to a costume, so long as you're not potentially causing danger to anyone following your methods.

I will not listen to any differing view points the toe the line of "what do I think I can get away with saying on this politics free discord today? Perhaps I'll be strangely worked up about pronouns for some reason and get soft banned!"

Did you bring Division your grievances with these unnamed people? Or, did you take my words to heart when I explained your suspicion that the general public will take my side over yours says more about you than it does about me?

I find it hypocritical when this thread could've stayed hidden and Division made a post of everyone's departure. It would've been a more mature approach to handle the situation.

The post about the changes at Pride literally only happened because we petitioned Division to make it, and it was nearly word for word what we suggested. Whether it was FANGS or Schankerz that posted, would likely be the only difference in this thread.

If this new costume group claims to be welcoming to all, why not start with a little more compassion and understanding towards those you dislike? Every group and community will always have people you disagree with or not get along with in them. The goal here, is to treat everyone respectfully, because chances are, we can always learn from each other and find new friendships.

Again, you are the one who left everywhere, none of us encouraged you to leave. People choosing not to engage with you any more than required does not reflect on them poorly.

You can cry that I was "bullying" you all you'd like, but all I did was question the outlandish claims you made, particularly when they had dog whistles of harmful rhetoric like transphobia and antisemitism.

And I never brought my criticism of you to the forum or the Discord, nor would I bring them to any IRL events should I be in your neck of the woods.

Despite everything, I'm sure most of the East Coast folk will still greet you warmly as they are kind and welcoming folk, no matter how you continue to try and paint them as not.



For anyone tuning into the catty back and forth drama that hasn't read the PDF from previous Regiment Staff, please do. Despite some folks desperate attempts to paint this as "the gays are overreacting", at the end of the day Art Andrews made a decision that cost the general membership 12 volunteer staff (so far).

 

[FANGS]

Alrighty....so this is going exactly no where. The Regiment Staff have made their decision. I respect their decision to move on. They are respecting my request to not post about it any further, however that's being made difficult by others chiming in. This topic will, unfortunately go round and round until we all want to pull our hair out. So, enough. I'm calling an end to it.

The Canadian Regiment will remain for everyone who wishes to continue forward and I know that is met with support from those who are leaving. They are respecting the wishes of those who wish to remain as either solely 405th or as members of both groups. I've already said I'm happy to support whatever individual members choose to do and will accommodate those who wish to leave as best I can as well as making sure that we get the Regiment staffed once again and move forward. I have every confidence that there will be no pushing for others to leave or making people feel bad for choosing to stay, from either group. Nor will there be any ill will towards those who have decided it is best for them to leave. We are all going to have to choose to either move forward together or to leave respectfully. Whatever the choice is, this conversation stops. Now, that is not to say that I don't agree that some items of concern can be worked on. We are picking away at the long list of things we want to do at a fairly steady, allbeit slow pace, almost 100% due to me and my limited time available over the last few months.

I am not locking this thread yet as this isn't intended to just shut people up. But I am respectfully asking that we stop rehashing how we got here and work towards what's next.

 

[Felipe06]

I love the 405th. The 405th has been part of my life since its early inception. I've come up to idolize many of old guard and early pioneers of this space, and their unfathomable contribution to making the Halo costuming community to what it is today. Without them, I'm not sure I would have had the motivation to practice my skills in prop making and get where I am today. Thanks to them, I had a head start, which allowed me to finally finish my first suit. That's when I met everyone.

From people I idolized, to the new emerging talents, I met the most amazing people that day in Halo Outpost Philadelphia. I was met with open arms in this community that I barely interacted with outside my personal work. Despite being worlds apart, some of these people are now some of my closest friends. With the Montreal community, this only continued, and it became a goal of mine to spread and share this community that accepted me with open arms. I've had the privilege the help out in bringing this love to different conventions and very proud with the work we accomplished. Despite all this, I'm leaving the 405th.

I can list a whole lot of problems with the 405th, everything from the complete apathetic attitude from the higher ups to the slapping on the wrist for straight up doxxing, racism and harassment, among other behaviors. This has long alienated members, old and new, yet I stuck around, hoping systematic change was on the table. This is clearly not coming, and the higher ups are abusing people's good will, and love for this community, to hold onto the status quo.

And this could not be more apparent than with the Pride debacle. Because some schmucks "suddenly" want to politicize the right to simply exist, we have to stop supporting and entire community that has found refuge and safety in our community? A community that's already ostracized in their daily lives because of who they are? F**k that. You capitulate to those who contribute nothing, play victim when called out, and push out those who brought immeasurable contributions to the "brand."

But it's not the 405th brand that makes the community. It's the community that makes the 405th. People are slowly starting to realize that and understanding we don't need this banner to be together.

While I refrained from naming and shaming, you know who you are. And you should feel ashamed.

Peace!

 

[James]

These last two pages really highlight why I'm fine giving up my position. I came here to make Halo cosplay and hang out with other people who make Halo cosplay.

But I'm so tired.

I'm tired of walls of text, infighting, trying to catch up on the latest s#!t show. Working really hard to build something to be told "this is mine now, I own it", and having to try and find compromises and middle grounds between arguments.

I'm really just over all of it. I'm pretty sad this is how it's gone, that it does seem to be a fractured community and that the things we all worked so hard to build are in jeopardy, but I can't bring myself to come to these forums half the time anymore.

I'll still be around, but I'm done trying to be an example. I'm just gonna make cool stuff and play by myself.

Love to you all.
Live Long and Prosper