[Laura Heidy-Halberstein]

Originally Posted by Roger Slater

Lo, my point about Exile was that you and anyone else were and remain welcome to share your views there. I never said your appearance was required.

And no one ever said you did, Roger.

But if you shoot spitballs at the folks over there, some of whom have said good-bye over here or been led to believe that they will be censored if they speak their minds here, it might be nice to go to where the people are to shoot your spitballs at closer range. Instead, you stay away and complain that your point of view is not represented. Well, who will represent your point of view if not you?

But I have responded "over there," Roger.

I do take exception to "been led to believe that they will be censored if they speak their minds here," however, since the only place I'm finding which says that is "over there." As far as I can tell, from what Alex and MaryAnn have posted, the only thing that's going to be "censored" here is adhom remarks and cut and pastes of private emails and PMs. I see no reason anyone can't post here and air their general grievances so long as they can do it without getting all up close and personal and naming people by name and then proceeding to call them names. I understand that you and Stephen are having an "issue" and maybe it's perceived and maybe it's not, but I do know that it's counterproductive to continue to harp on it because the harping itself only serves to entrench both parties further into their own perception. Sometimes things like that are best left to private correspondence and the presence of a third party since it's not a personality contest and it's only symptomatic of a disease and does nothing to cure the disease itself.

This is a lovers' quarrel, I think, which doesn't mean that the occasional dinner plate isn't shattered on the kitchen floor.

You're a lawyer, Roger. What usually happens when two "lovers" start smashing dishes in anger? It's been my experience that a neighbor calls the cops and someone gets arrested and charged with either domestic abuse or battery. Reasonable people don't smash dishes. Angry, out of control people smash dishes. Generally a time out helps.

So far, the reconciliation isn't going smoothly, with a moderator on this thread branding me a person who tells lies and no one on behalf of Erato showing any sort of sympathy for the views of members who for years have contributed their time, their hearts, their minds, and their money.

Whose reconciliation, Roger? There seems to be several people in serious need of sympathy. I'm pretty sure it's going to take time to sort it all out. Screaming in the meanwhile only prolongs the sorting process. Alex has said, in another thread, that he's aware there are problems and that steps are being taken. He's also quickly apologized to David for something he agreed was wrong and that leads me to believe that if further apologies are necessary they'll be forthcoming.

Attempting to back him into a corner, needling him to abandon his moderators, threatening a group-leave, and other various strong arm tactics such as constantly reminding him that you've donated money to keep the playground open hardly seems like a good way to make changes.

A "donation" is just that. It's something given freely without expectations of favors, special attention or certain privileges in return. It doesn't buy a partnership, it doesn't give a say-so, it doesn't confer immunity. It simply shows appreciation and support.

As for "time, hearts and minds," what does that even mean? What has anyone invested here that they haven't received back fourfold?

For that matter, who's given more of their time, heart and mind than the moderators? The rest of us can come and go at will. We can get involved when we feel like it and leave when we feel like it. The mods, though, the mods are here through thick and thin - whether they want to be involved in it or not.

I see no sympathy for them.

None at all.