Another tup'ny-ha'penny worth

[Ali]

I have to issue the normal caveats here: I'm writing in my own 
capacity on behalf of myself and only myself.

I've been reading and taking in the messages, and have become more 
and more convinced about the benefits of the Feedback system. I have 
to say that I was doubtful to start with, as I was afraid that this 
list would be reduced to mud-slinging. What I find reassuring is, 
that although mud-slinging has indeed taken place, the group itself 
have made it clear that this is not how people want the list to be 
conducted.

To me, this group is for people who care about HPfGU and want to 
contribute to the good of the group. For me, HPfGU is for the 11,000 
members. It's not for the List admin team or any individual, however 
gifted and talented. The Admin team has made mistakes in the past, 
and as we're human, I'm sure that we will do again - although I hope 
we won't. 

What I believe the Admin Team try and do, is develop rules and 
guidelines for the good of the group as a whole. We are not a 
national government or a police force. But, on the whole, our 
members seem to like our rules and the way we try to enforce them. 
We force nobody to stay, so if they find our systems unpalatable, 
they are free to walk away. Some have, but many more have stayed. 
There are times when we have had to make unpalatable or difficult 
decisions. I'm fully aware that not everyone agrees with them. 
Sometimes though, you have to make the right decision rather than 
the easy decision, and from everything I have witnessed since, I 
cannot believe that on any recent, major decisions, we have got it 
wrong. 

I don't know who deleted and corrupted our files, who spammed our 
polls, who got an admin list deleted. If that person or persons 
unknown thinks that's the kind of action suitable for membership of 
a group for "grown ups", then I would respectfully disagree. 

In terms of the polemical post which Tom complained about, I don't 
understand the need to discuss that post now. I don't like the post, 
I don't support the post. I do like and support the person who wrote 
it, and the person about whom it was written. I deeply  regret the 
fact it was written. But, I also believe that time has passed since 
then, and I'm not convinced that discussing it now will be to 
anyone's benefit. It was dealt with at the time, and other than use 
that time-turner I would dearly love to own to prevent it from being 
written, there is not much more that we can do *now*.

I don't think it's sweeping our rubbish under the carpet, to say 
move on, please.

I note that Tom complained members of the admin team have stopped 
writing to him. I openly confess that I must be one of those naughty 
elves. I do have to wonder though, why Tom felt it necessary to 
state publicly that communication had ceased, when he has not sought 
to correspond privately? Perhaps it is because he realises that 
there can come a time when communication is not what is actually 
sought? Perhaps when the objective of an e-mail is to engage in 
point by point deliberation and to object to another's 
interpretation, then there can come a stage when dialogue becomes 
pointless. If that time coincides with difficult periods in one 
party's RL, I personally believe that RL and not legalistic and 
circular discussions is what must take priority. 

You will have to believe me that I am saddened by this. But, I have 
been saddened by a number of things have happened on the list. We 
must now move on.

I fully appreciate that members might find the banning of one 
member, unusual and difficult to understand. All I can say is that a 
decision was only reached after a long period of worsening 
relationships. To borrow a phrase from English Law, it is possible 
for relationships to reach "irretrievable breakdown", and this one 
had. 

I respect the views of Tom, but I disagree with them. If anybody 
thinks that I or indeed any other member of the List Admin team 
would make such a decision without thinking about the good of HPfGU, 
then they would be wrong. I have thoroughly enjoyed HPfGU, and I 
wish to continue to do so. I want others to be able to share in my 
enjoyment. I would ask that if anybody has any influence over the 
vexatious person or persons who appear to wish to sabotage HPfGU 
that they urge them to stop now. I note that there are many other 
high quality discussion groups for Harry Potter, and I'm sure that 
talents would be better utilised on those groups rather than trying 
to ruin this one.

Ali