What's our responsibility, anyways?

[Melody]

First and foremost:
I *adore* the site, as I said in OT.  I love the people I have met,
the people I have debated with, and the people that have encouraged me
to keep writing.  I have no intention of abandoning it now.

But...I want to chime in with a non-MEG opinion here, if my words hold
any weight at all with them.

Second:
I mean no disrespect to anyone I mention here, or to MEG is general. 
I am just tired of all this.


Cindy wrote: 
> In fact, several of us have raised important questions over the last 
> days or weeks, and I feel a bit guilty about having failed to 
> respond.  On the one hand, I did explicitly state that I was not the 
> leader of the FAQ group.  On the other hand, I have been fairly 
> active on this list, so perhaps folks were hoping to hear my views 
> on things.

I like to hear your opinion on thing, Cindy.  Period.  Not because you
are or were MEG or even because you write such good posts, I just like
opinions that are honest and truthful which yours always are to me.  I
respect your opinion, and you often times give answers and reasons
while also treating us like we are human beings that are equals.  

 
> If truth be told, I am in a bit of a tough spot here.  You'll all 
> recall that I was a member of MEG until I took a break in April or 
> so, specifically advising MEG that I hoped to return.  Several 
> months have passed, so I recently asked to return to MEG.  MEG 
> denied my request -- even though every Elf or Geist who ever left 
> MEG and later asked to return was welcomed back with open arms, and 
> even though many MEGs urged me to take that break in the first 
> place.  

Ok.  I do not know all the facts here, mostly because MEG seems to
think they are the CIA or FBI and need to sign a confidentiality
agreement before joining their super-secret operations  ::snort::, but
isn't an old elf or mod automatically made a geist when they "retire"?    

Cindy, I know you love the site too, but do you really want to be a
part of a group that seems to have decided you are not wanted?

See, because that is the way MEG is, it seems to me.  They alone get
to choose whom they work with and who they deem worthy to share in
being the facilitators to the HP fandom.  And frankly, when you are
trying to create a team that can work together, sometimes those that
are able to do the job but do not get along with the "right people",
are booted to the curb.  That is what *I* see has happened to Cindy. 
I say that because I *know* she is highly respected by the site and
common posters.  She has proven to be a good leader and a good poster.
 What else does MEG need?  It must be a more shallow, but also
important reason, y'all have declined to let Cindy back. 

But that is the word on the HPfGU street.  
Since we do not have a "Daily Prophet" to tell us what we think.  ;)

 
> I anticipate that certain issues MEG will soon decide will impact 
> the operation of this group.  Further complicating things is that 
> MEGs consider MEG business to be highly confidential and not to be 
> discussed with non-MEGs -- I would be unable to discuss MEG business 
> that impacts the FAQ list with the members of MEG because I am not 
> on MEG.  

Now why is that, anyway?  Why can't MEG business be discussed with
basic HPfGU citizens?  Are we not privy to the perspectives y'all are?
 Are we not to be burdened with the responsibility?  Can we not make
decisions based on the information y'all are too?  

Maybe I am not actually the everyday poster, but I kind of resent the
idea that I am not smart enough or privy enough to understand the
everyday dealings of MEG.  You must understand that the site does talk
off site.  Gossip is inevitable, mostly because we all talk about what
we know with our friends.  When we are concerned about the state of
the site, we talk about it and if we are misinformed, then we try to
figure what is true and what is not.  If our leadership does not talk
to us, then we are left to talk amongst ourselves and figure out *why*
they are not talking to us.   
   

> After giving things some thought, I don't see how I can make a 
> significant contribution to the FAQ list if MEG decisions in which I 
> am denied input may be handed down at any time.  I also must admit 
> to having some brand new trust issues due to MEG's decision to 
> depart from established custom in handling my request to return.  
> I'm happy to be a contributing member of the Slytherin team, but 
> that is about all I can handle, I'm afraid.

Cindy, that seems to be all they want you to do.  It is sad to me
though that there is little leadership on this FAQ site.  I have been
here about two months, and I am still a bit confused as to what goes
on here.  I also feel a bit guilty that I am not reading the main
site, but it seems none of the rest of us are either.  We are all in a
daze.  If I am not fulfilling my agreed upon tasks, should I quit this
site?  I do not intend to ignore the main site forever, but right now,
with my thesis and my life, I just do not have the time nor the desire
to read it.  That does not mean I do not love the main site, or that I
will always be wary of it, but right now, I just find it tedious.  

Sorry, but that is my honest opinion of it.  Fall in and out of love I
guess, but I will fall in love with it again.  :D  I adore HP and I am
dying to talk OoP eventually, but I learned patience a long time ago,
and I can wait for the site to get bored so I can crawl out of my cave
and chat away again.  I just hope this hurricane did not scare away
some on the posters I have grown to love.  It might have.  It seems to
have already.


> I think the best solution here would be for us to come to some sort 
> of consensus decision about how we'll move forward on this list.  I 
> know, that sounds weird coming from me when I just told you all that 
> I'm not in charge here.  But I think if I had simply remained silent 
> when questions were raised on this list, the effect would be, erm, 
> awkward, to say the least.  I figured you deserved an explanation. 

It is awkward.  I am new here, and I was chosen to be here.  I do not
want to step on any toes, but what is the point of this FAQ site
again?  Can we really do this task now that the site has grown so
large because we nurtured it so well?

And *that* is what I see MEG facing.  The old method of moderating and
governing was good.  So good that the site grew to unwieldy
proportions.  They are burrowed down in work and do not get to play as
much as they use too.  When a pot starts to boil, it does not take
much added in to make it boil over.  That seems to be where about the
mods disbanded, other went somewhere else, and those that are loyal
are still here our of love or stubborn will.  They do not want the pot
to boil again and are taking measures to make sure it has not
happened, but the pot still seems to be simmering and that scares them.

Again, maybe I am assuming this out of nowhere, but it is what I have
observed from the outside having friends in each area of these
operations.  

MEG does not want the site to deteriorate, but frankly, it has anyway.
 There is nothing we seem to be able to do to control the duplicate
posts or the non-clippers.  There are just too many of them.  That
makes MEG want to add people on but they are afraid of new people
causing problems since they are still sore....sigh.  

I am guessing here.  

Sorry.  I just want to help.  I love this site, and want to do what I
can to fix what is wrong.  I don't know what *is* wrong, so I am left
to chat with those I can and piece together from a post here and a
post there.  

I am an American.  And that is what we do.  We kind of trust our
congress, but we kind of don't.  That is the essence of our system and
the fact we vote them in is what makes the representatives so timid at
times to say anything.  

But- we do not vote on MEG members.  We are subject to those that pick
and choose to be a part of it by other people.  Some are oldies that
have not posted since *I've* been here and that is a year.  I do not
know those people, but they act as if I am a newbie and thus unable to
determine what is best for this site.  The site *has* changed.  I know
the charm of the old site was endearing, but what we have now is the
fandom as it is.  Originally, the "grown up" part of our title
actually meant grown-up conversations.  Now it has deteriorated to not
quite fan-girl giggles, which I saw enough of at Nimbus to last till
next HP conference, but it has taken a notch down, in my not so humble
opinion.  Maybe I am bias, and maybe I am being short sighted, but as
for me, this is not working.

So what can we do?  Not that my opinion is that educated here, but it
is bad to gripe without some sort of solution presented.  

*Someone* has to be in charge of this site.  Cindy has been the most
vocal, maybe because she has the free time or maybe because she is
just the type to take charge.  I think of her as the leader here
because of those facts.  MEG, is very silent over here from what I can
tell and the FAQ is thought almost as a vacation from their duties in
MEG.  Unfortunately, after several months of boiling water in MEG,
they all just are sick of all of this and want a vacation from it all.
 Fair enough, vacations are good.  

But it is now two months after OoP has been released, and four or five
months since the smack went down in MEG.  ::hehe  sorry, my cousin
like The Rock and subjected me to watching WWF...anyway::

Now here is this list kind of a step above the main list and a step
below the MEG list, and we are left to limbo between them.  Do y'all
not respect those of us that are not MEG but have to know what is
going on to actually do our job here properly?  I for one am sick of
all this crap and desperately want us to move on, but it seems the
leadership *has* cracked and divided, and it so timid it is afraid to
decide anything for fear of hurting anyone else.  

But that is my assessment from outside the box.  I am not in MEG and
that is because they *choose* to not let me be a part of it.  The
choices of membership is very evident on the main site, and it use to
be a badge of honor to be a part of it.  Now it seems a chore and a
politician's dream.  We are a part of the HP fandom.  A big part yes,
but just a part.  Seems to me some have decided we facilitate HP
fandom itself.  Funny, I though Warner Bros. held the copyrights to
the whole damn thing.  


> I must apologize to those of you who joined the FAQ list in the most 
> recent group of new members.  I swear, I had no idea that the 
> trouble on MEG would affect us the way it has.  I thought the thing 
> was *over,* fer cryin' out loud.  Apparently, there is still a great 
> deal of personal animosity on MEG, and I wish there were something I 
> could do to help things get back to normal.  I can't, and I am very 
> sorry.

At least you are talking to us, Cindy.  At least we get honest
emotions and thoughts from you and not a well crafted, carefully
censored post from the "admin".  Guys, I know you mean well, but when
is this going to stop?  This is just a silly site, and it is just a
silly book.  Is it worth all this?  

But then again, I just spent the better part of my Sunday afternoon
writing this, so it is worth it to me.  Is this all-just power going
to everyone's head?  


Melody