[HPFGU-Movie] Excusssse me..

[Amanda Geist]

I'm sorry, I'm a bit behind on my messages due to some real life stuff. I
just now read this.

Let me say right now, front and center, that I am speaking as a listmember
and nobody official. I'm as likely as any of you to get Howlered for
crossing the line--all of us are. But I have heard posts of this tenor,
expressing sentiments akin to this, so many times (albeit not so blatant)
that I am totally sick of it and will speak my mind.

Jazmyn posted, in true Jazmyn style,

> (Takes out a .357 magnum and shoots the owl carrying the Howler.
> Feathers float down everywhere.. )
>
> It seems, that people took offense to my hinting that people in the WW
> might 'pity' muggles who 'believe' they can cast spells. (ie. Pagan,
> Voodoo, Shaman, Satanist, whatever.. also including any non-religion
> based sympathetic magic or superstitions). This was NOT aimed at
> offending anyone far as RELIGION goes, but aimed at showing that people
> in the WW may view the 'magic' practiced by said people as 'muggles who
> THINK they can do magic'.  If people find this offensive because they DO
> think they can do real magic, I invite them to come visit me and
> levitate objects around the room or turn into an animal of their choice
> to prove it... Otherwise, please understand that I was TRYING to present
> how a viewpoint of someone from the Wizarding World (if it did
> hypothetically exist) would see it.

You have to be excessively careful in how things are worded. We have no
benefit of body language or intonation in a text setting. And there are many
believers in Wicca on the list who could easily have been offended. I would
have been very offended if your example had been a laughing look at
Catholics who actually believe in transubstantiation. If it was meant as a
joke, and you were been alerted that it was not taken as such, then I would
expect to see some concern for those you may have offended or some shred of
a tone of apology. No. We get a dead owl and an "excuuuse me,"--in other
words, tough if you didn't get it.

The onus is not on us to understand you. It is on you to adequately express
your point, *and* to have a modicum of empathy for the feelings of the other
listmembers.

> I will likely get another howler, but I refuse to be intimidated by
> them.. If I get moderated for speaking my mind, then so be it.. Oh, and
> thanks to the people who privately emailed me who agreed, even if they
> didn't wish to say anything to the group for fear of the moderators.. Oh
> no..

Awww. Izzumms terrorized by the big bad moderators? I've been on the main
list for over two years, was a founding member of OTChatter and this list,
and amazing as it may seem, I must have missed that bank of Uzis pointed at
everyone. Honestly. Nobody on the planet is forcing you to stay here. You
don't like the rules, leave. Please. Quickly. You're a pain. Go make your
own list, and enjoy the flame wars and other fun fruits of anarchy. Have a
blast.

> Now I'll get a howler for stating people fear moderators?  Well,
> will have to stock up on ammo then and stick up for my right to free
> speech.

Free speech my ass. This is a discussion list, not Boston Common. Free
speech gives you the right to form your own damned group and spout your
nonsense there, not to force your own ideas of what should and shouldn't be
discussed onto someone else's list.

<narrows eyes suspiciously> You sound like someone familiar.

> At least I was on topic and not talking about house elves and
> wizards having relationships, though its not unreasonable to think they
> wouldn't when you look at all the half giants and others who have
> magical creatures as relatives. Love IS blind after all (and deaf, dumb,
> stupid and tasteless as well, judging by my brother in law, but I
> digress..)

Yes you do. Rather a lot.
>
> (And no, shooting the owl was not meant to offend animal lovers either..
> It was meant as dark comedy. After all, I did like the movie Dogma, but
> despise platapuses..platapi? Whatever.. )

It was not meant as dark comedy. It was meant as juvenile rebellion. If you
are neither old nor mature enough to understand rules, or experienced enough
to appreciate the atmosphere provided by the moderators of this list, who
*all* have real lives and better things to do than be insulted by you, and
yet who *still* devote hours per day to the maintenance and upkeep of this
list, then go away. And take all the browbeaten masses yearning to breathe
free.

Good riddance.

~Amanda