I think that BratMan’s situation may have been a little different.
[list=1]
[li]We have a board that is very frustrated with trolls.[/li][li]Brat’s GF incited a small rebellion[/li][li]Recent tragedies that have shown the sympathetic side of SDMB[/li][/list=1]
I agree that some people jumped to conclusions and joined bandwagons, but can you blame them. After having my emotions toyed with I was pretty pissed about the whole thing, too. Fortunately, I was able to show some restraint and let the Admins do their job. I don’t see how we can hold this against Brat though. He wants to move on, I want to move on, lets do that. This has been a valuable lesson in trust. Perhaps we can salvage some good out of it.
Bratdude, I gotta say, I was pretty convinced of your guilt for awhile there. It just didn’t seem plausible that someone would do that to you. But then, after a while, suspicion creeped in. And I realized that the idea of you doing something like that was even less plausible. In short, I didn’t know what to think. But I know what I’m thinking now, and it’s something along the lines of: “Welcome back Bratman!”
Uhm, Winky, where did you get the idea I was holding anything against Brat? I’m one of the ones who has fully supported him from the get go in this situation.
As I said, YES. It would be impossible for you to fully understand because you couldn’t possibly know the true nature of my relationship with Wally, but if anyone was more upset than I was reading about Brat’s supposed accident and head injury (except his family, perhaps), I’d like you to point them out to me. Not possible. I spent the entire night in hysterical tears after reading that yet another friend was hospitalized like that. Finding out that it was a cruel, sick joke perpetrated by a fucking troll was maddening. But I would never, ever, ever for a single moment have believed that BratMan would have been responsible for it, in spite of his skanky girlfriend. And I would never, ever have gone on the freaking witch hunt that so many posters here did, either. I’m disgusted by the behaviour that I witnessed yesterday. Truly disgusted. Troll hunting is a dangerous sport. I’d prefer to stay out of the line of fire, that’s all.
Shayna, as I said in my email to you, I’m sorry to see you go. I hope you’ll come back soon. And, just because I can’t help myself, can I pinch your butt real quick before you go? How about a farewell tongue-bath?
Hey, how come nobody has given me a beer yet?
And could we please stop calling my girlfriend skanky? It’s not like I don’t see that you know. She acted horribly on the boards, but she isn’t like that IRL, and people here don’t really know her.
If this is going to turn into an argument, which is exactly the opposite of what I wanted, I’m going to have to request this thread be closed (I’m not requesting that yet though). Let’s not go there, ok people?
Shayna - I think you’d be punishing Brat & the rest of us if you didn’t coutinue with your shoot from the hip, no holds barred kind of posts. I, for one, hope you don’t distance yourself from the group. Not all of us went looking for the lynch noose.
I’m sorry, I just re-read your first post. I must have been on crack because I don’t really know where I got that idea. I sincerely apologize.
I think that this situation has profoundly shown the inherent weakness of online relationships: anonymity. I understand that you developed close relationships with people on the internet. I think that is really cool. But you were able to do that by going a little further than chat rooms and message boards I suspect. The idiots I was speaking of are people who only know a SN or email address. Hopefully the lesson learned is trust is more than just a high post count.
Again, I am sorry for my unfounded attack on you Shayna, I do respect you and enjoy your input.
Whew! I need another beer. Here you go Brat ::tosses BratMan a cold one::
Ya see it’s like this. ::grabbing a bottle of Kalhua (sp?) and one of Irish Cream from the bar:: We are a community… ::lines up shot glasses:: I truly felt that for the first time when Wally passed. ::begins mixing up a large container of Mudslide:: Furthermore, ::fills shot glasses one by one in perfect 4/4 time::
here you go all, Furthermore… er… what was I saying?
Oh yeah, to Bratman!! bottoms up.
I have to say I was rather upset when I saw the accident thread, as Bratman has the talent of spinning a good yarn the way Wally did. When I heard he hadn’t been injured, my radar didn’t dedect him as a troll, but as the victim of one, and considering some of the stories I’ve read of his, it wouldn’t surprise me much if one of his acquaintances (I was going to say “buddies” but that term probably would no longer apply) would pull such a stunt, if said person didn’t know about Wally and the “community” we have on these boards. Not that that ignorance excuses the action, and the perpetrator deserves a thorough squicking.
All in all, I’m glad your back, Bratman, glad you weren’t hurt IRL, and this time I think the trolls lost.
After reading the comment about troll hunting, I simply must comment. I don’t think it was directed at me, but… heck, maybe it was. Well, just in case:
I know I’m repeating myself here, but – although I’ve been registered for many months – I’m feel as if I’m “technically” rather new here, because I only recently started to read the board on a regular basis. My point is that no one here really knows me, but I’d never intentionally do something mean-spirited or hurtful. When I wrote that I “stumbled across” things that convinced me that Boo Boo’s Tigress and Randy Roshelle were the same person, that’s exactly what I meant. I stumbled across it; I wasn’t “hunting.” Maybe I shouldn’t have posted anything at all. Who knows. I don’t think that I said anything hurtful. I certainly didn’t mean to come off that way. (I’m not explaining this well, so I’ll leave it at that.)
OK, onward and upward: Welcome back, Bratman. Thanks for the “welcome” you extended to me in your reply to my picture e-mail, Shayna. I look forward to seeing the People Pages. I hope that’s still on. And gosh, I hope this board speeds up soon! (I also hope that the Indians start winning some games, but that’s entirely off topic. That’d be “hijacking,” wouldn’t it? Hijacking is a no-no, right?)
Here’s a GOOD beer for ya, Brat! I’m glad to see you’ve decided to stay. That takes a lot of character, even though you did nothing wrong. Character - echoing Shayna’s words to some extend - is not a quality everyone has in the same measure. As has become painfully obvious over the last 48 hours, in many respects.
Here’s to many more happy postings, Ron. I hope I’ve been able to get your message across when you weren’t able to.
I’ll tell you folks, this whole thing has made me somewhat pessimistic about the real future of this board. With an ever increasing number of posters, problems like this will arise again. I’ll have you know that I will still place loyalty over personal credibility - no matter what shit hits the fan. And I sincerely hope that the people that matter to me here would do the same for me. Gut feelings DO count.
<lurches in, dragging a large pallet of mead and margarita fixin’s>
Put what behind us? I’ve totally forgotten what the problem was. You’re having a party, that’s enough for me!
<sobers for a moment> Shayna, please don’t go–or at least don’t stay away too long. I know this mess hurt–I’m new here, and it still upset me–but we need all the good people we can get here. You’re one of 'em. </sobriety>
Bratman, you’re a gentleman and a scallop. I admire you’re forgiving attitude and willingness to go on from here. I didn’t join in any of the threads, although I followed them. I didn’t want to comment because, like Shayna I was leery of the mob mentality that seemed to come over the board.
Still, in this case, I say, least said, soonest mended. Welcome back.
Glad you’ve been exhonerated. Party on, Wayne. Party on, Garth.
(Hey, my beer isn’t cold enough. Can I have another?)
I admire you’re forgiving attitude and willingness to go on from here. I didn’t join in any of the threads, although I followed them. I didn’t want to comment because, like Shayna I was leery of the mob mentality that seemed to come over the board.