2.5 weeks to go

[AngieDoogles]

Originally Posted by Dobie

I agree it's your community - newbies should play by your rules.

However, I have not ridiculed anyone's religion, called anyone uneducated, or rude. Yet when I said that I felt an undercurrent of something going on that was unpleasent (by both older members and newcomers) and I thought it might be better for people to be direct with their feelings, I was told that I think I'm perfect. I probably could have worded it better, but it wasn't meant to be offensive.

Also, I tried to reach out with a thread of my own - talking about something deeply personal to me. For the most part everyone ignore me and I was basically told (although nicely) that nobody was interested in my drama and that I should go to a different site.

I personally liked this site because I thought it offered a group of women who came at life with a slightly different viewpoint from my own and reading how different people think helps me to grow as a person.

I have a lot I could have added to your thread. A WHOLE LOT. But right now, unfortunately, this forum is not a place where I feel comfortable sharing anything personal. (I'm not saying it's your fault, just the overall feel of the forum since new people have come and not even tried to fit in but instead made their own cliques and excluded the rest of us except when they want to debate or attack.) This is truly sad because this place has become so special to me and is really the only place I have to talk about issues such as the one your thread was about. The community and atmosphere here might not mean much to the new members, but we "senior members" have time and friendships that are invested in this site. We really do love and care for each other and respect individual opinions and beliefs.

For quite some time now many women from many places and many walks of life have never had a problem getting along here. We've discussed religion, books, politics, relationships, pets, sex and countless other topics and we've always been open and respectful to each other. No member was ever attacked or ridiculed in any way. That's the way we like it and maybe someday the new members will understand the value of the type of community we've built here.

[pope1982]

I do not try to speak for anyone besides myself, but I most certainly have tried to fit in. I have posted my honest responses to every ones threads and invited others to join in the ones I started.
I don't always have all the time in the world to hop on and view/respond to every post.

I feel a little like "whoa" when just told this was "YOUR" site... and if I didn't like it, to kick rocks when this is supposed to be a site worried about offending people? I am a "newbie" but that doesn't make me anything other than newer to this site. How in the world would new people (some of which you are not even sure will stick around, the same as with any site) have the ability to threaten your "territory"? Wouldn't you want to extend your community and friendships?

I don't think it should be considered any one's site.
And I don't think it should be so very difficult to get along, or get jumped on when we express ourselves. Although I must have missed a lot of the drama brought up in this thread, I still had very strange feelings.
Apparently all the unwanted vibes I was picking up on were warranted judging by what Tink had on her mind.

I've belonged to a few sites where this has happened. The senior members incorrectly and unfairly judged newbies, labeling them all pretty much the same with out taking into consideration they are all human individuals. It did take a few of the members stepping back, and distancing themselves a bit before they realized what they were doing.

We are not here to steal your site. And Angie, that makes me so sad to hear you say that because I have enjoyed learning the little bit that I have about you, your husband, your hobbies and where you live.

With that said, I have my own mind. I am not ganging up on anyone. I saw a discussion taking place, and I happened to be around today to share my two cents.