Here's the way I see it.
Las3r joined VC:MP and acted like a dick. He got kicked from VU and as a result was ridiculed by the whole community on a daily basis. Some may say this was fair, some would say it was childish. Either way, that's what happened. Afterwards, he spent a lot of time building up rapport with the community (VU's in particular), trying to mend old wounds. He went from being a completely hated douchebag to being accepted back into the clan (albeit on loose strings).
He then got caught in XE with armour, which I'm now 90% sure he didn't give himself. People turned on him again, going back to how they were before and completely negating all the efforts that he had put in previously. This made him mad and he sought retribution; he started acting like a dick again, flaming everyone, trying to piss people off etc. etc.
Laser acting like a dick towards staff members in XE (and a few other members of the community) is a retaliation to them acting like a dick to him. They feel that he initiated it, which in their eyes justifies their acting like a dick to him. He believes that they unfairly wronged him, that they shouldn't have reacted to him being a dick in the first place and that they are now unfairly holding a grudge. His view is that they conspired against him in the whole armour episode and so he feels victimised, leading to him becoming defensive. What has occurred is a total break down in respect between the two parties.
If we were to truly wipe the slate clean, Laser forgiving everyone else for their shenanigans and everyone else forgiving Laser for his, then I feel we would have no problem in moving forward in a productive way. However, this is not practical as humans often struggle to look at things objectively and can't help but hold judgements from the past against things/people in the present.
So this puts us in a certain dilemma. The challenge I am having is judging the extent to which Laser wants to change, or fit in, and (of equal importance) how far the community is willing to let him change, or fit in.
I think I'd like to give Laser a chance as I feel guilty for the last chance he was given was stolen from him and I do think he's an intelligent guy. That doesn't mean I think he's flawless; indeed I certainly think at the moment he's too arrogant and reacts somewhat immaturely when challenged. However I think these traits are portrayed in an extended defensive nature. He has pride and therefore doesn't want to be made a fool of by others. This self-regard is commendable to an extent, but only if balanced by an appropriate measure of humility - something that I'm yet to see.
The other aspect undeniably worth considering is the effect his application would have on the clan, should it be accepted. Regardless of whether I think it's the right thing to do, if others don't then it could split us in certain ways; something that I want to avoid. This goes back to what I was saying about the problem of judging how far the community is willing to let him change/fit in. I am really stuck on this one, hence why it's taken me so long to reply. I need to think a bit more about it and I'd like to invite anyone who has anything to say about what I've mentioned above to comment.
