Folks,
Update: I have unlocked the thread and modified messages which Louise and I have determined to be personal attacks. For the moment, we are going to give it a go to have a respectful, civil discussion on the topic of RPS. If things escalate once again, we may lock the thread permanently and perhaps even delete it. We'll cross that bridge if and when we come to it.
Please remember: this is a topic that generates heated opinions. I ask that everyone be respectful of others opinions, even if you don't agree with them. As I stated yesterday, the goal here is not to change someone's mind but rather, to clarify and illuminate what we believe, so that we might all learn from the discussion. If you can't or don't want to participate in that way, then I suggest you refrain from the conversation.
Also, our guiding rule here at Bettermost is no personal attacks. Please keep that in mind.
I'd like to remind everyone of a quote from Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx: They were respectful of each other’s opinions, each glad to have a companion where none had been expected.
Thanks,
Leslie
Moderator, Fanfic
Members,
This is an admittedly controversial topic. I opened it here because this is the only forum, perhaps other than Wranglers, that will allow for members expressing their own personal opinions about the issue of Heath's death and its effect on RPS stories without undue pressure or interference, and I believe that the ability to talk about how we feel now, considering our sadness about Heath - is an important element of the grieving and moving on process. This forum allows for differing opinions - not everyone is going to agree. And if you find that this thread is annoying to you, then please stay away from it, and if a member's posts are irritating you, please feel free to use the 'ignore' key. However, stating that rps authors are under attack because a member finds the stories disrespectful to Heath's memory or his family, is taking things a little too personally. No one here is making personal accusations about authors and I do not believe that any of us have stated, nor do we believe, that rps is a kind of 'malice aforethought' intended to upset people. I would like to keep this thread open, if possible, and not deleted - because people have needed to talk about it. In my case, it is the most emotional and most important issue affecting me in this fandom now that Heath has passed on.
Louise van Hine
Fanfic Moderator