An open apology to Catherine Cotton

I attempted to post this in the thread where the incident ocurred, but it has been closed, and I am unable either to post an apology there, or edit my post. I shall ask Jeska to delete it and its copies. Here is the apology I had prepared, but found myself unable to post:


Catherine, I just popped back to see if things had died down, to find this. I now see this was the second time you objected, but the thread was movingf so fast, and getting so fraught, that I am afraid the first escaped my attention.

I am horrified to find that what was intended entirely as a joke, simply using one of your nearby posts to make a humorous but well-intentioned point, offended you. Are you not teasing?

I thought my post made it absolutely clear that I just chose the nearest post I could possibly use to carry out this humorous idea.

I don't know you, I had no feelings about the way you were posting. I simply chose your post as nearby and convenient to pretend to take offence at. I was parodying the genuinely offended posts around me. As I am sure you could see, my real purpose was serious - to attempt with humor to defuse an unpleasant situation in which the discourse was on the verge of deteriorating into genuine rancour. I thought totally fake, humorous rancour would make everybody laugh, and deflect the downward spiral.

I hope if any people did find my posting funny, it was nothing whatever to do with you. However, I quite accept that I may have unwittingly given someone hostile to you the opportunity to sneer, and if so I wholeheartedly apologise for this unintended consequence.

If you would like me to expunge any reference to you and your post, please say so here, or by IM, and I will do so at the first opportunity. The only reasons I haven't already done so is because I think it works quite well in situ, and (more importantly) I'm not quite sure you are serious. Shall I edit it ?

________________________________________

Sadly, since the thread was closed by the time I noticed your upset, I was too late to edit anything. I thought your "pieces of shit" was a joke too. Never entered myhead it might be aimed at me, because you were feeling cross. As my humorous response about parrots indicated. This second mistake probably made things worse. I though you and I were sharing a second joke, to you it was additional insult. I am so sorry.

I really am contrite, Catherine; and if any of you earwiggers feel tempted to browse back and see what this is all about, please do not read out of context, or you too might get the impression I genuinely meant to be rude. I hope and believe it is crystal clear I didn't.

I hope Cat gets a chance to see your post here Ellie. I totally got what you were saying and doing in that post of yours. I tried to explain my opinion of it in this thread: /120/8a/54333/1.html

Anyway, hopefully she will see this thread!

Ellie, although your gesture here is kind, you and everyone else here knows it is not necessary. If someone does not have the basic capacity to understand nuance and the implied tone of written language, it is not your fault. You aren't that person's grammar teacher.

Not to worry Ellie. I found the post to be hilarious and not at all at Catherine's expense. I was quite surprised that she took it the way she did because I thought the intent was very clear, and very funny.

Nothing surprises me anymore.

This thread is not appropriate for the General forum and is being moved to the Notices and Well-Wishes forum.

PLEASE guys, don't anyone knock or belittle Catherine here, just because she objected. That's her right, and this is meant as an APOLOGY thread.

Jeska - could you delete the offending stuff please, since I can't ??

Elle;

Thank you very much for this open apology. I appreciate it a great deal. Sorry I'm a little gun shy and a little jaded by the history of these forums. Not real comfortable with the "acceptable" behaviors. I will take it as you meant it, as a joke. No harm no foul no worries ok. I wish more ppl had the guts to stand up and apologize when they are wrong, I admire that. I'm sorry I misunderstood your real intentions.



Catherine

This is the type of behavior I feel is not necessary in the LL forums. If this post was not to incite anger then what was the point of posting it.

I fully understood what Elle has to say. Don't assume to know anything about me we have not talked in world I don't know you, and I don't wish to know you.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How will this make anyone feel welcome in the SL forums? How will we ever get to a point where we exchange ideas? These types of posts sour me on SL, just imagine how a noob feels. I want them all to post always have, always will. My opinion on that will not change nor will my opinion on other topics because its how I realy feel. No matter how much I am strong armed. Beat me down all you want, when I get back up I am stronger. I would rather die standing than on my knees begging please.

It would be so much simplier and so much easier on me if I just pretended to agree "with some" . Yes I know this, I have always known this. The only person I need to be true to is me. The rest of SL can speak for themselves.

I have no other responce to such posts. Don't expect any further responces to insulting posts in the future. Life is too short to give those who wollow in hate any of me.

Ms. Cotton

as for spelling a built in spell check would be nice. If I can sound it out, your ok with me

Well, now that this thread has served its purpose (apology/apology accepted), let's continue!

Cat, you know me! You put up a bunch of signs in-world last year telling everyone that I ruined your Christmas! But unlike Ellie, you never apologized.

But everyone who disagrees with you is a "piece of shit" , right?

I simply stated (in a public forum), that you did not understand the basic humor of Ellie's post. Isn't it odd that everyone else did except for you?

My reason for posting was not to "incite anger". It was actually to console Ellie for a perceived wrong-doing due to your irrational behavior. Ellie did nothing wrong, and I felt that she (he?) should know that others understood. Again, both you and Ellie chose to communicate in an INTARWEB FORUM where others are free to post their opinions.

The correct response would have been, "No, Ellie, I apologize for misunderstanding you and flying off the handle".

You have managed to throw out more dirty words and vitriol in one day than anyone has in the history of the forums.

I am sorry if my usual lighthearted image posts and benign humor bother you, Cat. However, your repeated "fuck, moron, piece of shit" posts are just plain gross.

I dont know.. last years incident with Club Elite is on the top of the shoveling insults pile in my book.

pandastrong Fairplay

You did ruin my last Christmas. I had nothing but SL and your insults and belittling sucked what ever Christmas spirit I had left. I owe you nothing. Therefore you will get nothing. You bring up Christmas every chance you get, what the hell for? To incite anger and hurt no doubt in my mind what so ever. Yet you expect an apology from me. Thats rich. Your brow beating me will not get you the apology you desire. Far from it. Your on perm. ignore now.

Ms. Cotton

Finally, I was starting to get envious of the other evil doers!

For me, it was the Tsunami.

People, people, people. Why must this happen. Even here. Didn't you read the thread title? I haven't a clue what beefs you have with Catherine, but couldn't they be shelved for this one thread? I didn't apologise because I felt I had to, but because I wanted to.

And thanks Catherine for accepting it.

I really am confused. I thought it was Prok making all the trouble, and it would stop. But it seems to be half of us, or more. Shows how much I know.

Oh, come on. Really. Fo' real.

Threads aren't inherently sacred. If you want something precious, then write in a diary. Or, if you want something private, try a pm or some other type of one-on-one communique that isn't published on the Intarweb.

I didn't announce that you apologized because you "felt like you had to". I simply wanted to let you know that others saw the humor in your post, and that others felt that the whole situation was kinda silly (as well as indicative of one person constantly overreacting with a dose of public vilification surely soon to follow).

Then your new bud decided to announce that I was the epitome of what was wrong with the forums.

Since you 2 had your special moment, and all was forgiven, I decided that it was appropriate for me to respond to yet another public vilification straight from Cat's victim fingers.

So, I guess what I am really saying is that OPEN letters are OPEN (caps loll fic haha).

But I do agree with you on the "Shows how much I know" part!

How about the rest of us who had to endure your temper tantrum? Don't you owe us an apology, or did we ruin your Christmas too?

If you choose to endure anything that is your choice you own it. No one put a gun to your head to make you read anything. Don't blame me for your actions, thats a cop out.

Sorry if you feel such hate. I don't cover my emotions and I don't apologize for having them either.

Choose to hit the "ignore" button that way we can both be spared future emotional outbursts.

Ty Elle I don't think there is anything left here we made our peace and its all good. If some ppl want to turn this thread into something dirty well I'm not gonna help them. You have a great night ok

Hugz

Cat

Chip,

<<I found the post to be hilarious and not at all at Catherine's expense. I was quite surprised that she took it the way she did because I thought the intent was very clear, and very funny.>>

For the first time ever I have been shocked by something in a posting of yours. I think your empathy, which is normally so well in evidence, has deserted you on this occasion.

When people are suffering from shell shock, you can make them hit the fetal position if you close the door too hard.

So we should all be on eggshells because someone is incapable of socializing? For what is probably the billionth time, your unwillingness to deal with this situation in a rational manner is your failing. You can defend her all you wish, but the simple truth is that she randomly attacks people without cause or provocation, and then cries about the injustice being done to her. Her response to me may have been the most pathetic excuse for a response I've ever seen. She owes the entire community an apology. We all did not attack her, but she attacked all of us.

You promise? If I click ignore, there won't be any more temper tantrums or profane denigration parties?

Actually, I didnt find the joke particularly funny, either. So ... you can't say "everyone" ... maybe "all of your friends" or "everyone you talked to".

I think the apology well-meant, and the acceptance gracious. And I wouldn't have intruded my own views into this thread except that I dont' like being lumped into "everyone" when I haven't been consulted or made my position known.