I assure you that for most of the mods (if not all) whether or not someone is a supporter does not factor into our decision at all. I don't want to speak for anyone else, but many factors weigh on my decision. One of the biggest factors is your history because it is a strong indicator of whether or not you have a desire to reform. I don't relish the thought of depriving anyone of the fun, entertainment, and camaraderie that is EMC, but the bottom line is that we must do what is best for the largest number. As I often say, our job is to maximize the fun.
There is more than one way to make EMC even better. Sure, the servers couldn't exist without supporters, but it is equally important to be someone who likes to help others, who is polite in chat, who builds spectacular constructions, who runs legitimate player shops, who organizes work crews, and countless other little things. People who do these things make EMC a better place every day! And they are worth far more to the Empire than someone who gives a few dollars every month but is a pain to everyone around them. [edit] also, one person who gives $10/month but who is a pain could very well drive away dozens of people--some of whom may have ultimately given $20/month.
Supporters get no special privileges when it comes to following the rules, we have banned plenty. It is about quality, not quantity on EMC. But back to the original idea, I like it, I plan on adding messages to the site when you are banned
