TO ALL DOORS FANS, BOARDS MEMBERS AND MODERATORS
Here is a personal message to all of you from Ray Manzarek, John Densmore and Robby Krieger:
When we first envisioned the creation of The Doors Message Boards we had a purpose in mind –-- to foster a place for Doors fans from all over the world to come, be part of a community, and contribute to the legacy of The Doors, as well as provide a safe haven that offered support, understanding and a common, shared purpose: Love of The Doors, Jim Morrison, his poetry, our music, and everything The Doors stand for as a group. We have watched with concern as the message boards have been usurped in their purpose and, through the negativity of several members, have devolved into hate, recrimination and plain old mean-spiritedness. This is no longer a community we can support.
As The Doors, we have had personal disagreements with each other, and we have differing feelings and opinions regarding several issues that are important to us. However, we also have well over thirty years of history with each other and have had, many times over our decades together, differing viewpoints on important issues. This has never stopped us from stating our views, both personally and as Doors members – and it has never stopped us from working together towards our one common goal: the support, concern, and fostering of THE DOORS as a band.
Yes, we have each been guilty of some of the same things we see happening on the boards. Yes, we have each stumbled and sometimes said things in anger that we later regretted. We are not saints, and we are not asking you to be, either. However, The Doors are bigger than any of us individually, and we are all committed to bringing the legacy, the principles we believe in as a band, and the music of The Doors forward for the next generations to come. We have, sometimes with great difficulty and inner turmoil, put our personal feelings aside in order to cooperate in this endeavor. Now we are asking each of you to do the same.
We have decided to make some changes to our message boards. Many of you have strong opinions on issues that are important to you. We encourage you to express your opinions, but to do so IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF LOVE AND SUPPORT, contributing to a positive, uplifting environment where all Doors fans can come. We are not interested in supporting an environment where participants are called names, ridiculed, or viciously attacked, whether the target be any one of you, us, our management team, our advisors or anyone else (with the possible exception of George W. Bush).
To help in this endeavor, effective immediately we are moving the ROTS board, and all individual member and member project threads, off of The Doors Message Boards and onto each member’s own website. You may go to these individual websites to discuss your opinions about ROTS, Tribaljazz, The Butts Band, The Robby Krieger Band, and other issues not related to The Doors as a whole. However, none of us will tolerate rude behavior on our individual sites, either. We are not interested in anyone coming here to ridicule any one of us, or any of you, for any reason. If you want to do that, find another forum – it’s a free country and a wide world, but here on The Doors Message Boards and on our individual boards, it will not be tolerated.
We have instructed our manager, Jeff Jampol, to watch over the boards, and to permanently ban any member making incendiary or name-calling attacks in their posts. His word will be final and irrevocable. If you disagree with anything that is going on, or with an individual band member’s stance on an issue, we are not censoring you – you are free to speak your mind, in a positive, uplifting, contributory way.
Don’t forget, we have been brothers-in-arms for well over three decades, and none of us is willing to let outsiders or fans come between us, even though we may have attacked each other in the past. That is sometimes - sadly - what brothers do. Yes, there have been a lot of hurt feelings among us, angry sentiments, even bitter infighting that may take a long time to heal – if ever. But we all stand together when it comes to The Doors, and the legacy we wish to leave behind, and we will close ranks to defend against any attacks from outside our inner circle, no matter who the target – or the attacker - may be.
If you wish to go sound off and attack The Doors – or any one of us - feel free to do so, but not on The Doors Message Boards, which we finance and make available to you as a service. We do, however, look forward to continuing to facilitate the spirited discussions among our fans, and even our critics, that we have come to appreciate. Just leave the personal animosities, name-calling, accusations and viciousness at home. Or write to your congressperson!
Love -
Ray Manzarek, John Densmore and Robby Krieger
THE DOORS