3: Long story short...

Long story short, a few insensitive things were said and/or jokes were made in a private email loop among seven group members (by the way, none of this happened on the actual boards). One of the members of the email loop took it upon herself to share the emails with management. This member was a "recent addition" to the email loop and as it turns out, she allegedly asked to join the loop with the intention of trapping the rest of us.

Management took the words that were said seriously, didn’t bother attempting to communicate with the “offenders” for clarification, and went to the president of the network with the emails. Decisions were made by the local AND the network administrators without any input, clarification, or contact with the Accused Six. Four of the six members were formally banned (as were IP addresses… so ridiculous) without ever being given any specifics or without ever being able to defend or explain their sides. Ever.

I have no problem with management wondering about the words that they received and read. Good management DOES need to protect the members of their organization! But I DO have a problem with the fact that I have not been able to get a member of management (other than the network president, who very obviously made up her mind long ago) to reciprocate any attempts at communication about this mess. None of them—NONE OF THEM—ever called, emailed, texted back to hear any side, or to allow any of us to attempt to clarify management’s interpretation of the scenario. And they were asked to contact us, repeatedly… even after the “sentence” had been given.

Any individual with half a brain knows that words “on paper” are always subject to interpretation. But lucky ones with a whole brain are the ones who open their minds to it. My words were interpreted in one way (one way only) by a small group of angry women who refuse to believe that there could be any other interpretations. WHAT?? My interpretations (my INTENTIONS) of the words were never considered. And four women (and even more children) suffered for it.

That’s it! The trainwreck in a few paragraphs. Now… if you really want the details, then please… I urge you… read on. And please, please, please feel free ask if you have any questions. I am an open book… and I have an open mind. I just hope you don't feel the need to hide behind anonymity... although I guess NO ONE is safe from Big Brother. I mean Big Mother.