Jul
31
2005
In a strange and seemingly unjustifiable turn of events DeviantART’s beloved Yellow Alien Scott Jarkoff (jark) has been stripped of his Administrator Status, replaced now with Former Staff Member. When I first heard about this I had assumed that he stepped down, which seemed unbelievable to me but how else could it have happened? He couldn’t have been removed forcefully; he’s one of only two creators of the site. But as it seems he was demoted against his will.
Even now, days later, everything is still in an uncomfortable gray area of disbelief and unanswered questions. Those that know cannot say anything because of certain ramifications, those that don’t know are crying out for an answer. The most amazing and possibly touching part of this otherwise sad story is the sudden and complete outpouring of support and admiration for Scott Jarkoff. People have removed their galleries, refusing to submit any more deviations until something is done about this. Others are changing their icons to incorporate the iconic yellow of Jarks alien, some even making the whole thing yellow.
But even through all of this, Jark proves yet again how much he cares for the community through his outpouring of love and civility. His most important message of all can be summed up by his latest journal entry…
The community needs to continue to demand the truth and never back down. I know the existing administration is counting on this to blow over; that is the modus operandi. If the community keeps up the pressure then their hands will be forced. Remain civil while asking questions. Rioting solves nothing. Diplomacy is necessary. Whether you submit art or write comments, it must remain well-mannered. Trust me when I say that; the administration favors, and listens, to those who can frame their arguments in an intelligent and courteous manner. People who lash out are summarily dismissed by the staff.I don’t know if Jark will be reinstated and I don’t think it matters anyway, there was a betrayal here that’s worse than anything I’ve experienced before and I don’t think there’s life after it. Sadly, no matter what way this goes it’s an end to an era. Perhaps Scott can go and start a community all his own as some have suggested. Make it a non-profit organization and use the knowledge he gained with DeviantART to start again and avoid the mistakes that were made before. Honestly if he did I’m sure most anyone who knows him or knows of him will follow. It would be sad to have to start over but invigorating at the same time. All I know is that without DeviantART, and therefore Scott Jarkoff and Matt Stephens, I wouldn’t have gotten interested in art. I wouldn’t have rediscovered web design and wouldn’t have become a professional Web Designer. So if you’re reading this guys, thanks for everything.
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