:::OshnSoul:::

First of all, well written post, Halx. Thank you.
I must sort out how I feel about this, as I care about the board, but also the members-they are who make the board what it is.
I just started a journal myself, and I am not one to hide anything, so I would keep my journal public. Now, as far as the private journals go, it is only the mods who can view them in order to monitor them?
If I were to have a private journal online, I would know that it would be read by the moderators of the site-end of story. Mods have access to everything and should, in order to mainatain a healthy, clean site. On the other hand, private journals are our way to vent and let all of our emotions, thoughts, events out in order to release stress or what-not. But, my question is why would anyone choose to post negative thoughts about other members, let alone the site itself when they seem to be a very active, kind, respectful person on the board- especially a mod?
Of course it is choice, and there is a conseqence, even if it was not a set rule, common logic would tell you that the private journals are still monitored just like all of the posts.
Lastly, and most importantly- all my love and support goes to those who participated in such ways, who are now banned. Also love & support goes to the mods who are respectively keeping this board clean, even though those were private journal entries.
Even though I don't beleive in privacy, it is something that shouldn't be tampered with to show respect and that sucks about them having to get banned for their private thoughts, but they should know that they overstepped a boundary with their private thoughts. I am on a teeter-totter of feelings on this here, but I for one am not a private person, so it's hard to put myself in the banned members' positions.
Those members will be missed, it's unfortunate, but I don't see either the private journal writings nor the mods being right neither do I see them as wrong. They both have made valid points and can understand the views of each side.