I've been reading the CCA Code of Ethics, and I have a question I'd genuinely like answered.

The CCA says it wants to promote fairness, trust, and "a safe environment where all collectors feel welcome."

It also requires its members to:

"Refrain from making any unjustified, harmful and false comments about other members."

Today we have a current CCA member publicly calling another collector a "thief" and a "con man." Those aren't opinions about a website. Those are accusations of criminal conduct. To my knowledge, no court has made any such finding.

Before anyone tries to turn this into another debate about PokerChipper, copyright, or fair use, that's not what I'm asking.

Whether you support PokerChipper or oppose it has nothing to do with my question.

My question is simple.

Does the CCA Code of Ethics apply equally to everyone?

If someone truly believes I've broken the law, there are proper ways to address that. They can file a lawsuit. They can report it to the proper authorities. They can let a court decide the facts.

Instead, one of the CCA's own members chose to publicly call me a thief and a con man.

Is that consistent with the Code of Ethics?

If the CCA believes the Code is important enough to investigate one member over alleged ethical issues, shouldn't it also be important enough to address public accusations of criminal conduct made by another member?

What makes this even more troubling is that the individual making these accusations is a current CCA member. He voluntarily rejoined the club and, by doing so, agreed to follow the same Code of Ethics as every other member.

So I ask again.

Does the Code apply equally to everyone, or only when it's convenient?

Because from where I sit, it looks like some members are held to one standard while others are given a pass.

If that's the case, then the problem isn't the Code of Ethics.

The problem is selective enforcement.

That's a fair question, and I think every member deserves an honest answer.