Jathans Mind!

EJA had been growing rapidly as we moved into Jedi Academy. In 2004(ish) a sweeping change was made to EJA and how it functioned for what we thought would be forever. We had members who had asked for and wanted a split force clan designation (lightside and darkside ranks). Myself and the small council we had at the time discussed this event on the GCX map of 2003. A very well known map back then as well as now. I remember very well, the Council Chamber was a teleport only room and there we were, Neon, Squilo, UberPwnage, DarkLord and myself sitting around talking about light and dark. We had a large clan at the time, nearing 40+ and always had a full server, always. I decided that it was the right thing to do and to this day, at that time, i believe that it was. We had great leaders who needed a platform they could grow from. We had members who wanted a direction, clear and true to how they saw star wars to travel in. So we announced a Light and Dark ranking split. Also on that night I named new members to the council, Erebus and Icey.

This was a very proud moment at the time. I was excited to see such a positive reaction to the idea. We split out the ranks and started having L v D tournaments and things of that nature. Many members came and went during this time in our history, Morganus had left EJA only to come back as Makha. BoOyAsUcKa was removed from the clan only to return as Danza, though then he was still BoOyA. Falloutboy was removed for being an idiot. IR Knight, NoName left around then just due to inactivity. Though NoName is always around I feel, hell he was one of the major catalysts for EJA being reborn in 2008.

Anywho, in 2006 it was easy to see that a clan split in ranks was a clan split in solidarity and friendship in many ways. It was then that we consolidated our ranks back into Lightside ranks that you see today. We have lost many members over the course of 10 years but none more than during this time in our history. At our highest point in 2004 we had 45+ members and at our lowest point in 2006 we had 20. I say 20 and some would say that isn't bad. Well that 20 was made up of about 70% council. After 2006 EJA hit a hard lull and decline. You could basically say we were non existant. I got married in 2006 which only helped our decline as I wasn't around to keep things in a productive pace. Our other great leaders had life to deal with as well, school, jobs you name it, it all happened at once.

I don't think its fair to blame the rank split and force split in the clan on our ultimate demise right at the height of our status as a clan but it was definitely the catalyst in what came after. I look back on the years I have spent as leader of EJA and wonder could I have done things differently, made things better one way or the other. Are their friendships that could have been saved, or people kept in touch with during these slow times. We experience growth in spurts, as do all clans in JA these days. We are not immune to school times and vacations and just general lack of interest. But every hit that EJA takes, I take. Every dent in the armor of EJA is a dent in my armor. Many of my close friends in EJA know this about me. I wear my heart on my sleeve and I wear an EJA armband to keep it there.

Splitting the clan is the worst decision I have ever made. It was my happiest moment at the time but the saddest in my history. To all those members we lost, I apologize for creating a situation that you could not help but struggle through. That the split in our clan was to large for me to contain and hold together.

I have come out stronger for it but I will never forget what can happen when decisions are made but you dont have the power to control the result.

JJ