response 138 of 357:

Jan 13 17:24 UTC 2004

There were two staff members who stated outright that items would be 
deleted by request of the person who entered them.  I don't recall the 
item number but it's willcome's item in which Valerie's actions were 
first discussed.  These statements were disputed, but they were made.  
There was definitely reason to believe it could be that way.

It was *done* for valerie's items.  There was a precedent for deleting 
items.

I acted directly because of those two facts.  I never asked for those 
items to be deleted before last week.  You'll just have to take my word 
for it that I had long wished they could be deleted.

I didn't do anything wrong.  I've explained in thorough detail my 
thoughts and all of my actions that led to the items getting deleted.  
I've provided the e-mails I sent and all of the responses I received.

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Entirely aside from the actual argument, is the effects of the style 
being used to counter my request.

I am a person to whom Grex is part of the real world.  I don't have an 
extra personality I only use on-line.  Grex is part of where I live my 
life.  It hurts me to have people calling me "unethical" and a "vandal" 
and things like that.  I do not deserve any of that.

Some of you have known me for 15 years; enough to know my real 
character flaws (of which I have plenty) and what kind of person I 
really am.  I am not a scam artist.  I am not a vandal.  I am not 
unethical.  I do the best I can.  And you know all that.  But your 
labels may stick with me forever, because they are -- as you intended --
sensational.

Look at the responses of jaklumen.  He hasn't known me for 15 years, 
but is just sopping up these labels you cast around so casually.  Every 
time he sees my name, he's going to be thinking, "Oh, that's jep.  
Someone said he's unethical.  And called him a vandal."

What principle is it you're following when you do that?  I can tell you 
that.  The principle is, "At whatever cost, never lose.  Even more than 
that, never, *ever* retreat, no matter what."

This is just the wrong way to go about the discussion.