When I first started here I didn't have a deep appreciation of voluntaryism; the belief that all choices should be voluntarily made. But the more Steem I experience the more I understand it's importance.
Crypto is an odd space unlike physical space because it's so easy to pack up and leave, to forge a new path, and remove any aspect of a technology or community that people don't care for by simply walking away. Digital migration of people is practically liquid or gaseous. We're not bound by physical houses or geographical boundaries. Gathering people into communities in this space requires mutual understanding, full disclosure, and an avenue for peaceful discourse when there's disagreement.
For our disclosure to you:
This community has been relying on the funds inside of steemit inc accounts for four years to onboard users and develop the ecosystem. Steemit inc has been acting this way, and publicly pledging this from the beginning of the Steem blockchain. On Febuary 14th Ned exchanged external money to give up this stake and use the money for private gain.
In the eyes of many community members this current episode amounts to an exit scam by Ned aided by Justin/Tron and facilitated through collusion with poloniex, huobi, and binance. It represents a massive portion of funding for our ecosystem, the loss of our lead blockchain development team, and a devastating financial loss to all investors if simply powered down and dumped on low liquidity exchange pairs.
This sequence of events poses an existential risk to Steem.
Acknowledgement of your experience
I have listened to your position and I'm trying to understand where you are coming from. If I hear you correctly: You paid money for Steem, and believe that because you paid for it that it's your property to do as you see fit. Is this correct?
Governance
On top of the belief that you're currently a party to an exit scam, I'm filled with righteous anger as you occupy our governance with sock puppet witnesses empowered by the very stake that I see involved in the exit scam. The only thing that tempers that anger at all is the start of dialog, which itself has been so turbulent.
Things look grim, but at least you're talking and tacitly acknowledging some harm and a minimal amount of appreciation for our position. You're seemingly starting to accept some feedback while forming an actionable plan. Here's hoping we can make that actionable plan mutually agreeable.
It's my hope that you can demonstrate empathy and sympathy for our claim upon that stake, and use your experience with this community to date to come to your own conclusion that you've unfortunately purchased something like property with liens or stolen goods. The title to the property in your Steemit account is far from clean.
I'm hopeful you'll see how bad it is for all parties involved who help that story line progress. Steem is left without a development fund, multiple parties are liable for various types of fraud, and business relationships that are built on trust are eroded.
Fixing this mess
In order for actual consent to be given it must be freely given. At the moment I see Tron's current actions with the sock puppet witnesses as holding on chain governance hostage in an attempt to flee with developer funds meant for steem investors. It's impossible for me to make specific commitments that are honorable while I see our chain is being held hostage by these witnesses.
I'm committed to figuring out a mutually agreeable plan that provides this community with development, governance with sovereignty, and Tron with financial opportunity.
Please have the sock puppet accounts stand down and let's schedule some times to figure out how we get out of this mess from there. I think these are the next necessary steps to peaceful resolution.