Re: Dear 'Faith Friend'

Name    : 
E-Mail  : 
Subject : 

Comments:
: : : Don't know who you are so I can't email you. I took out your post & hope you will understand. Though I know how you feel, please understand we're not all playing by the same ground rules. Anonymous posts are not helpful at this juncture; no more than phony 'lurker' posts. Don't worry .... it'll be alright, girl/guy.
: : : The Doctor is smashed & open for business, TGAT Lainey has her lie detector thang totally rigged against you, & Lady Ann has taken to wearing black leather & stiletto heels.
: : : Does it get any cooler? Oh yeah! Dutchie's offering free beer & Huggy's thinking ...

: : : {Please feel free to email us.}

: : : Elaine

: : Dear Elaine,
: : Thank you so much for your above action.  I read that "message" several hours ago and have spent most of the night wondering how to respond.

: : "FRIEND"

: :                ENOUGH        ENOUGH       ENOUGH
: : Please understand that there are many of us who are struggling through this mess.  I refuse to take sides on this.  How could I pick a side to take?  Rich and Elaine vs. Marcia?  All three have only been wonderful and gracious to me.  

: : I had hoped that this was all starting to quiet down.  The entire subject should have been discussed privately between the parties involved directly.  I see no constructive reason for all of us to have been involved.  I understand that there are "friends" on each side that are extremely angry.  Please for the benefit of all of us, correspond with whomever privately.  Many things that have been said have been hateful and hurtful.  Expecially from the people who want to defend their "side".

: : By including all of us in this further "chat" is destructive.  I have no idea how this will all end.  It is not up to us - it is up to the 3 involved.  Please, please do not stir up the pot again.  Also, I do believe that if your feelings run as strongly as your message indicated, you should have enough courage to sign your name.  What, you want to stir the pot and run?  With all due respect, most of us don't have a clue as to what has gone on in the past.  Most of us want to keep it that way.  We cannot resolve this problem.  If it is to be resolved, it has to be done by the people involved.  

: : Thank you,
: : I feel better, I think
: : ELLEN

: With all due respect, Ellen ... and I DO respect your opinions ... I have to say something here.

: We are not big fans of anonymous posts. That is the single biggest reason Elaine chose to delete the post from "Faith Friend."

: I agree with you, Ellen, that there is a problem that can only be addressed, or solved anyway, by 3 of us ... Unfortunately, we have been informed by the third party, that it isn't going to happen ...

: On the other hand, his/her post went directly to the heart of the matter, past all the ruse, BS, and false encounters being reported elsewhere (NEVER did Bill & I have the conversation he recounted elsewhere. In fact, if you recall, Bill didn't get in till late on Wednesday, was ill, and I didn't even SEE him till sometime on Thursday, much less have a conversation on Wednesday!!!!! - I don't believe I even saw Bill for more than a few minutes till Friday, I don't recall), and straight to the real issue.

: The issue has been made out to be me doing something wrong towards another in a group e-mail ... as a response to "WHY?" - and I can see something in that.

: BUT, in fact, that is NOT the issue at hand. The heart of the matter is this ... we took the Board down. I sent out a very polite & nice letter to all on our Gathering list, stating I was sorry, this was hard to do, and I would miss you all. SOMEHOW, that was made out to be me saying "Everyone F--K OFF!!" HOW did we get from here to there?

: We were deluged with E-mail. I was too depressed over the whole thing to read them, much less respond ... so, in order that no one would be hurt & left feeling like I didn't care, I sent out another brief group E-Mail letting you know that I would offer you all my apologies & an explanation very soon, and thanking you for taking the time to write.

: Let me just tell you,there were some MAJOR inconsistincies between the words we received from 2 folks in particular, and what they were saying and doing elsewhere at the same time, unbeknownst to us at the moment.

: What did I do that was so wrong? I was going to explain to you all about personal issues that were adversly affecting Elaine & I, and how we needed a break ... That's about all that was going to happen.

: Subsequently, I learned that another board had been set-up. By someone, by the way, that DID NOT even send an E-mail to find out what might have happened ... That's ok, I suppose, but then we see that a discussion took place to keep us out! WHY? Spitefullness? Didn't get what you wanted? Yet, THAT was denied, even though it was right there in black & white. That ALL occured BEFORE I sent out my lengthy explanation!!! What gives with that? What did WE DO? What was the REAL problem?

: Again, I've heard that everyone was all to pieces, etc. etc. We can't trust in a person for a couple of days before kissing him off?

: Since that time, a constant barrage has been leveled against us ... blantant lies, and as I tried demonstrating yesterday, misrepresentations of my manners, words, & intentions. Suddenly, I'm delusional, not the kind of guy who apologizes, a manipulator, and God knows what else. And, made out to be the evilest creation on Earth because something I've given 8 or 9 years of my life to (the Guide Book, this Site, and the Gatherings) is hard to let go of. Who else put the kind of time/effort/ and money into this thing? Yet, faceless unknowns [Toothless Joe?] criticize me for expressing the desire to maintain "control" of the Gatherings! No one else of you out there has anything close to the investment in this thing that Elaine & I have. To summarily dismiss us is far crueler than anything I might have said or done in the past few days. I haven't said ONE bad thing against anyone since my lengthy letter. To the contrary, I have offered apology (door SLAMMED!), and tried to say & do the right thing.

: THAT is what this post [the deleted one] addressed ... the hypocrisy of it all. It has been the only one out there that publicly offered words that truly cut to the chase.

: "Faith Friend" whoever you are, I applaud your words ... and thank you for trying.

: The solution, for us anyway, is this, we are continuing to do what we always do. We've opened our doors to everyone. Read Huggy's Post of today ... very timely ... It says it all. Honesty, is all it takes ... If friendships are made stronger by trashing those who've been your friends - in public with no constructive value -  and WORKED hard to give you this place against all that was reasonable, than your friendships be damned ... We're not even talking friendships here, apparently ... For those who so quickly turned, we could have been nothing more than a door mat ...

: I am fed up with the pretense. There's nothing more I would like than to see it go back to where it once was, but it is obvious, barring a miracle, that is not in the cards ...

: As Davy Crockett said, "Be sure you are right, then go ahead ..." We are sure, and are going to ...

: Honesty, is all it takes ...



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