Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Greg, I am deeply disappointed.

I haven't read any of the new comments since I've been away, but I was reading the last comment under the previous post and noticed that Greg has chosen to report my blog to Blogger.com. I can't believe that a fellow blogger would do this. I've been collecting my thoughts as to what I was going to do about this situation and in the mean time, Greg has chosen to do this. I've had no anger or animosity towards Greg not being able to get caught up on the comments since I was last in and so I didn't want to say anything harsh toward or about Greg (or anyone for that matter) until I had time to review the comments and the situation.

But Greg apparently has taken the opportunity of my absence to attack me even further. I didn't believe that Greg was intentionally trying to attack my blog before, but I am forced to conclude that it was his intention to seriously attack me and this blog. I can't believe that a fellow blogger (one who runs his own music blog at www.soundtrackrarities.blogspot.com) would actually report another music blogger for terms of service violation, but if his comment under the previous post is to be believed, he has done what I can only assume in this small blogging community is unthinkable.

Up until now, I have chosen to believe in the best in Greg, but since I don't know how much longer this blog will exist since Greg has chosen to attack me, I suggest that anybody who wants anything from my blog should get it while they can. I will not retaliate by reporting Greg's blog, but I can only hope that in the cosmic scheme of things, kharma really does exist. I DON'T encourage anybody to report Greg's blog for similar terms of service violations because, despite what he has done, I don't believe that any music blogger should ever do that to a fellow blogger, and I still wouldn't want to say anything else about Greg because I haven't had a chance to read the most recent comments, but just based on him saying that he has done such a thing, I can only say that I am deeply disappointed in him.

While I'm not naive in the ways of the world or in people in general (at least I don't like to think that I am), I believed at the very least that Greg shared a love of the same music that we all did and that we shared a basic kinship because of it. But he has chosen to use my absence as an excuse to accuse me of allowing attacks to continue on him. Not all of us are able to come in as frequently as he is, and while it was not my intention to let the problem continue with my recent illness and frankly my general malaise at the recent situation here, it's true that I haven't had much motivation to write about my general thoughts on the subject. I was half way through when I thought I'd come in today and check up on things and then I see Greg's comment that he has reported me. As much as I hate to think it, again I can only conclude that somewhere in his mind, it has been his intention to attack me along with other people here and at other blogs. He has seemed content to hang out here since the beginning of the year, but rather than ignore the comments directed at him (as many others have done with his comments that they have found objectionable), he has apparently chosen to report my blog instead.

My only initial reactions to this are bewilderment and some slight anger. I am frankly more angry for all the wonderful people who visit here and who may find this blog gone at some point as a direct result of Greg. It is hard to think of it any other way. I wish I could say that it was only partly his fault, but I must come to the inescapable conclusion that if anything happens to this blog, it is as a direct result of Greg's attitude, behavior and actions. He seemingly has been on some kind of campaign to torpedo this blog for some unknown reason. I didn't think that this was intentional, but now I'm not sure what to make of it. I won't know until I've read the most recent Request Post comments to see to what bad comments Greg is talking about (I'll be reading those at home when I have more time), but I can't imagine a situation that would prompt him to essentially drop a nuclear bomb on this blog.

I can't say that he has a vendetta against blogs in general because he comments on and follows a lot of different blogs so this action against me is extremely strange to say the least. Again, I don't like to comment too much until I've read all the comments, but frankly nothing anybody ever said about me on another blog would ever prompt me to report that blog. NOTHING. And no other blogger I can think of, even ones that had blood feuds going on, has to my knowledge ever reported another blogger like this. It's true that Greg is relatively new to blogging (perhaps since the beginning of the year), but I am still stunned by this action.

He has shown a shameful lack of consideration and respect for other people. As much as I hate to say it, it's true, but until now I thought he at least had a basic minimum respect for me, other blogs, and bloggers in general.

Well, I don't know what will happen in the future, but if you don't like this situation I urge you not to retaliate against Greg because I don't like the idea of any music blog being shut down regardless of what the blogger might have done, but at the most if you do feel like doing something, then leave a comment at his blog indicating to him how you feel about this situation, either pro or con. If you agree with him, support him, if you don't like what he did, let him know (but please be civil).

Perhaps he doesn't realize that by reporting me, he is most likely going to get this blog shut down or perhaps he knows full well and doesn't care. Either way, if the blog doesn't manage to continue, I want to thank all of the wonderful people who have visited and who have made this experience a wonderful one (despite how it may end). If it unexpectedly ends before I can come in again, I would hope to continue somewhere, but frankly I don't know. Maybe it's best that I go back to being a spectator. If I had known I was going to write a potential farewell speech, I would've thought of something better to say. It was too bad too, I was in the middle of a ton of re-ups and I had all these things planned for posting.

Well, if by some miracle, Blogger.com leaves me alone, I hope I can continue here. If not, I haven't really given it much thought. All the best to one and all (even Greg). I hope he at least reflects on his actions and behavior and how it affects other people. And I don't even mean me. I hope if there is one lesson he (or anyone else [including me]) can take away from all of this is that you need to give more consideration to how you treat people. Although I know he feels that he has been wronged, he should consider how his comments, attitude and behavior have affected other people. Consider the effect that it has had on this blog, for instance. Was it your intention to cripple and shut down this blog? Perhaps not, but ultimately that may be what you have done. I hope that it gives you at least a moment's pause in the future when you find yourself in situations where people are trying to tell you things about yourself. I know it's a hard thing and nobody likes hearing bad things about themselves, but you must at least consider that when so many varied people, people who have been so universally nice and rarely if ever had a bad thing to say about anyone, try to tell you how you have bothered or insulted them, you should at least consider whether it is you who is at fault. Not simply ignore, dismiss, attack, or rationalize.

I have tried to give you the benefit of the doubt, but this is a very unfortunate way to end this blog.

I hope that this blog can continue here (or someplace else), but if not, you've all been wonderful (well, with one exception). Not to make this sound too dramatic (especially if Blogger.com does magically choose to ignore Greg's reporting and I'm still here later on), but I've sincerely treasured getting to know everyone through their comments and sharing music that I've loved and it's been wonderful to find out that there are others out there who love it too. You are all great!

And as potentially my final words (here's keeping my fingers crossed), enjoy and be kind! :))

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