2: A Sloppy Fight

Well, friends…

This is it. This is all of it, laid out, right in front of you. I am going to try to post a succinct “summary” (or two) of the scenario, for those of you who aren’t interested in reading the next zillion posts of the trainwreck. I have the sneaking suspicion that most of you will read everything though (you just can’t help it, can you?) and that this blog will get around. I’m alright with that. It will give me much-needed closure.

KNOW THIS: We have written our stories on our blogs because we have no other way to share our sides. Management will not communicate with us. I tried over and over again (we ALL did) to have a dialog about this whole mess, to understand them. But they didn’t bother extending us the same courtesy: they didn’t—DON’T—care to understand… they didn’t even care to address my many attempts at all. I never wanted it to come to this, but I feel that I have no choice. I’m tired of hearing directly and indirectly that they are sharing bits and pieces of their side of the story. I’m tired of it; I deserve to be heard. WE ALL DO. But all of this could have been SO EASILY AVOIDED.

Those of us who have written blogs about the drama have been attacked about the blogs by various (mostly anonymous) people. Of course, we're not phased by these attacks; our blogs exist simply to inform. We're not looking for approval or props. We're just looking to share our sides so that people can make INFORMED decisions about what went on. So if you're going to attack me for this, know that it's expected. If you want a REAL discussion, don't hit-and-run. Just tell me who you are. Maybe even share YOUR side.

How do I summarize it in a few paragraphs?!?! There is SO much to say! Argh. Well, let me start by apologizing from the bottom of my heart (yes, I have one) to “The Accused Six.” Recent information that I have stumbled upon has lead me to believe that the other five women would still be members of the group if it had not been for MY words that were interpreted incorrectly. I suspect that they would opt out of membership anyway, since the entire investigation was so poorly and unfairly conducted, since the members involved in the accusations have shown themselves in their true form, and since justice clearly did not prevail, but still… that should have been up to them. Apparently, I am the most dangerous one. Should I be flattered or offended? Either way, it’s not true… but “true” hasn’t mattered to management thus far…

I would also like to apologize to the non-management members who were innocent in all of this and ended up being dragged in. You didn't deserve it, in my opinion.

In addition, apparently (according to [local mommies group] site administrator M), the rest of the mommies were going to be allowed back on the site had they not stepped up and come to their own defense with the “barely there” information that they had. So in retrospect, they should have rolled over, said “Thank you sir! May I have another?” and then things would have been back to normal. OH! And another one of the banned mommies was going to be allowed back on had it not been for the discovery of her blog. Her blog contributed to the [network] president’s decision to formally ban her account. We were all hurt and angry. We had (HAVE) every right to be hurt and angry! EVERY RIGHT. The hurt and the anger came out in the blogs, bulletins, and letters to the president… and the hurt and anger (in lieu of the truth) were used against us.

It’s not like any of us ever lied!! In any event, our letters, bulletins, and blogs were detriments to our cases. And the GOOD things that we have always said about and done for the group… do those things matter? Why haven’t the glowing things I have always said about [local mommies group] on my blog been a benefit to my case? And what about the others? The glowing things that I and the rest of The Accused Six have said in the REST of our emails, by word of mouth, on our blogs… ?? The money and time happily spent on [local mommies group]-related initiatives? The point I am making is this: there is a severe abuse of power going on here. Selective application of the rules, double standards, arguments of convenience… it’s been SUCH a sloppy fight.