(no subject)

[amanuensis1]

So, here's what I posted in response to Mr. Barak Berkowitz's apology post in Livejournal news (it's buried on page 48; you really should check his post out, as it's quite a remarkable apology, for the reasons I state in my comment below):

Mr. Berkowitz-

This is quite striking, in the history of apologies--you've given us personal acknowledgement of the error in handling, without excuses, in bare-faced "we are ashamed" language and not just "we are sorry" (in that way apologists would sometimes have, where sorry doesn't mean to say much other than "sorry it bothered you") terms, but more than that, you've stated your plans to correct your error (beginning as soon as you mention that journals have been suspended but not deleted). That, no question, is what I find so striking that it tempers my displeasure immediately--your intention not only to make amends but to correct and restore things. Wow. Yes. Thank you. Thank you very much.

I recognize that your ultimate decisions in reinstating journals will not satisfy everyone, but I remain optimistic, particularly when it comes to the communities devoted to fictional literary contribution of adult fiction/art for adults--from my icon, you can see that pornish_pixies is the one most strongly of my concern. But I'm hopeful your judgment will jibe with mine and with the other several thousand members of that community, who never advocated nor condoned illegal activities such as those that your recent actions were trying to avert, and in fact spoke against those very issues frequently and vehemently. I (and those others) applaud your good intentions, as many of us are activists against those same illegal activities--some are even survivors of them, and have been glad of a place where those issues can be discussed within the elements of fictional analysis. I hope I've stated this position well enough for it to stand without a need for further discussion (though, as you can imagine, I and others are ready to provide it).

Again, thank you. I await your reparations with much hope.

Comments

[silverhielm.livejournal.com]

I appreciate his apology, and your comment was very reasonable! However, I can't help grinning madly for those U FAIL comments :D. *feels guilty*

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I admit to enjoying the indignation of others, but I think now is the time for polite urging, so, that's the route I'm going. ^_^

[fabularasa.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's an interesting post, isn't it? Only a little backing and filling. I am a bit troubled by his narrow definition of "interests" as "something I like and support," which seems to set us up for the same trouble later on. But I'm glad about the acknowledgement of WFI as "idiots." So as you say, we shall see.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Yeah, this is the time, I think, to be polite and yet continue to urge them to do the right thing, and to let them know what we think the right thing is so that we're not merely sitting back and waiting, without being pushy to the point of turning them sour on us. If they say no, as I say, there's gonna be more correspondence on our part, isn't there. ^_^

(Do you know how hard it is to write on livejournal without emoticons? Damn, I wanted to put some into that note, but felt they'd compromise my sober-sounding pleas.)

[mizstorge.livejournal.com]

Well said! This is my post to paidmembers:


RE: Your rather tardy statements:

I purchased a personal LJ account for myself, one for a fandom community and have purchased LJ accounts and gifts for my friends.

LJ, you must demonstrate that you care enough about your customers to carefully investigate allegations made by outsiders, and to keep your customer base well-informed of any actions made in response, if you want to keep my business, and that of fans like me.

I have a zero-tolerance policy, too. When businesses I deal with indicate that they no longer value me as a customer, I take my money elsewhere.
Futhermore, I have participated in very successful boycotts in the past, and I have no problem boycotting your advertisers.

I expect more than a pacifying apology from you, LJ. On behalf of my fandom, I that demand some sort of restitution be made to the fandom journals and communities that were suspended. pornish_pixies is my most prominent concern, but I know that other Harry Potter fandom journals and communities were affected, as well as those belonging to other fandoms.

And I expect you to post frequent updates on this issue.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I think there will be a balance of "Well! Thank you for this response," and "Okay, but, you really did mess up, and we're expecting something beyond this." Which I hope carrot-and-sticks them into doing the right thing! I don't mind being on the carrot end. ^_^ Your response sounds firm and calm and excellent.

[scarah2.livejournal.com]

Well done, and

I (and those others) applaud your good intentions, as many of us are activists against those same illegal activities--some are even survivors of them, and have been glad of a place where those issues can be discussed within the elements of fictional analysis.

If fanfic writing and reading contains hundreds of thousands of people, and 90% of them are women... 25% of all women have been raped in some form... more than that if we include victimized in other forms... anyone here can do the math.

The idea that we are perpetuating this, is separate and distinct from the idea that we are perpetuating the cycle of abuse, or whatever. I think I would rather cut off a finger than have anything to do with an underage person sexually IRL.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Wordy McWord. Tie a millstone around my neck and throw myself in the river before I harm a child, or however that biblical text goes.

[klynie1.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I only wish I could say what you've said half so articulately.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to go the polite-and-gentle route because they're swamped with angry people and I'm happier giving them the benefit of the doubt; that way, if things don't work out, I don't have to berate myself with, "Damn, I musta pissed them off too much."

[jeddy83.livejournal.com]

Clearly I am much more cynical than you. Having read both this apology and his comments on CNET, I have no faith that pornish_pixies will be reinstated.

[ter369.livejournal.com]

Clearly I am much more cynical than you

I've been polite, with "please" and "thank you", in all my phone messages, e-mails, and posts at News since 4:00 PM yesterday.

I am still cynical about whatever The Big Cheese means or will do. It's that .....thin veneer of fictional or academic interest in events and storylines..... which looks like a big loophole for LJ/SA, because virtual veneer is subjective.

[gracelessone.livejournal.com]

that's one of the better replies I've seen :) go you!

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I'm hoping a rational voice will help get results. ^_^

[cordelia_v]

You probably didn't see my own post on this, but you're a bit more charitable than I am. I do want to second the notion that they need to make restitution in order to regain some of fandom's trust.

I proposed giving Femme and pornish_pixies (and the other unfairly purged journals) free permanent accounts, for starters. Now that would be a substantive and persuasive signal that they do actually value fandom, and want us to stay, IMO.

Maybe others would like to echo this proposal? God knows Femme deserves it, for what she's been put through.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

--Wouldn't I have seen it? --Okay, how the S**T have I not noticed that I don't have you friended??? *remedies* I guess I see you often enough in comments and links that I had no clue? Garrgh.

I like the proposal that they go beyond reinstatement and make amends--right now I just want to see it reinstated so badly that I'd be happy with that alone, since they hold all the power. But, yes, often asking for even more than you expect/want is a good strategy!

[janeaverage.livejournal.com]

Wow. Yes, I feel like a mean old cynic in comparison here :) When I saw that post, I saw exactly what you did -- the sort of self-deprecating apology, the promise that things were going to be fixed -- but it did not make me think "whoa, guy knows he did wrong and is committed to making it right!" Instead I interpreted it as making a big show of bowing to the inevitable in an effort to distract us from all the information he didn't give. When I had posted my reply (http://news.livejournal.com/99159.html?thread=47897431#t47897431) (alas, at 3:30am, not as eloquent as I would have hoped and not including all the points I think were missing), I was shocked to see how many people had said something to the effect of, "Thank you! I can sleep easy now! I feel my faith has been restored!"

I just didn't get that kind of vibe.

(But I do agree that "calm and reasonable" is the tone to take now, regardless. At least until they make it clear, as they did yesterday, that that's not enough to get their attention.)

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I agree that could be taken different ways--there's no way to know if he's sincere or is just saying what we want to hear, but it certainly sounds like the things I wanted to hear, without excuses, so I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt IF he follows up. And it's a refreshing change from all the, "We're sorry, but there's really nothing we can do" responses I'm used to hearing from businesses and their representatives. (And isn't that a sorry statement on society.)

And your reply is very thoughtful, very good, and I'm glad you linked it here!

[ariadneelda.livejournal.com]

You're always so polite and gracious. :-) I'm not sure I could.

And I'm really optimistic that we'll get PP back now. *crosses fingers*

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I dunno, I just think I'm more likely to respond to someone who's polite than someone who attacks me. I'll look for excuses NOT to be fair to someone who attacks me! ^_^

[gmth.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to see this. I was beginning to think I was the only one who saw that apology as a sincere one, and an honest attempt to commnicate with the user base. I want to see it backed up with some kind of action, including, hopefully, the restoration of pornish_pixies, but I'm just not getting all the hostility I'm seeing out there on this. I especially not getting the "it's too late" vibe I've been seeing. I'm amazed that people think a reply within what, 28 hours? is "too long." I realize things move quickly on the internet, but come on, people. That was more than reasonable.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I'm amazed that people think a reply within what, 28 hours? is "too long."--Oh, man, yeah. Also, the whole, "You talked to the press before you talked to us??" thing--I don't share that anger. They made a timely response, and it was fair to make a short statement to the press while they prepared their longer statement to be made on-comm.

Now we get to see if they follow up appropriately.

[mamainak.livejournal.com]

We are on Wiki!!! Part of the internet history! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LiveJournal#Account_deletion_.28Strikethrough_.2707.29)

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Hee, look at that! May it be something that we look back on in a few years and say, "Yeah, that was a crazy week. Good thing they rectified it."

[joesther.livejournal.com]

Beautifully, beautifully worded.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you thought it sounded okay! It's hard to think of the right way to represent pornish_pixies and the like in a way that shows what they really represent without raising ire in the wrong parties.

[daisakura.livejournal.com]

Ah I'm glad to see that there is at least one positive comment among the masses. After running through the first page I'm starting to feel a bit sorry for the lj team. I mean, everybody makes mistakes and if they're going to fix it up then I'm not going to keep complaining! :)

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Exactly--they messed up big time, but they acknowledge that; I'm willing to wait for them to make amends. For a short/i> while. ^_^ I do understand the anger of those who say, "Not good enough," though. It's about as anger-provoking as I've seen anything become around here.

[atdelphi.livejournal.com]

Well said. Here's hoping.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Yes. I know I respond best to politeness and patience, so, here's hoping they will as well.

[phantomminuet.livejournal.com]

I thought it was a most agreeable apology. As for all the people who are still unhappy, hey. It's a free market. You can always take your business elsewhere, if you don't think you're getting enough groveling and self-recrimination.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I think it's okay to remain unhappy yet still stick around, too. Like I said. Staying to keep on fight the good fight. ^_^

[filimonovna.livejournal.com]

Well, we have to wait and see... and I'm positive everything will be okay in the end.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I'm SO GLAD you were proved right. :D

[mamainak.livejournal.com]

Litte trivia, to distract a bit:Hogwarts Theme Park (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6706939.stm)
anyone going? :)

[theexecutioner.livejournal.com]

slkdgjslkg?! Why hadn't I heard about this?!

Oh yes, I was too busy being bored and sending angry mail to those that took away my porn.

I'll have to see other articles about it before I go so it doesn't end up disappointing me like the placement fo the Whomping Willow in the PoA film. ^^;;;

[cluegirl.livejournal.com]

I just posted mine to my LJ. The comments maxed out on the news post.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

See what we can do as a fandom. ^_^

[estioe.livejournal.com]

I didn't post anything (I'm too much of a peacemaker), but I applaud you and everyone else who spoke their minds so eloquently, even if it was a quick 'You suck!" or "You fail!". lol...

I'm still here with my fingers crossed, waiting for P_P to come back. I keep refreshing my profile, just to see if that ugly strike through is gone.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Wasn't that a fabulous moment when you refreshed the page and saw it gone? ^_^

[stepmnstr.livejournal.com]

beautifully and graciously phrased. hopefully the more adult comments and response like yours will set the tone for the resolution of this quagmire.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Look what we can do as a fandom, whee!

[belleamant.livejournal.com]

Go check out the news. All Fandom and fiction journals and being unsuspended! Woot!

-Belle

PS I got on there 5 minutes ago, and there were 38 comments and now there are 150. Craziness.

[belleamant.livejournal.com]

Oh, and in the time I posted that comment, the strikethrough is gone from P_P!!!!!!!!

*giddy squeal and dance*

Oh shit, I'm at work. I should probably calm down!

[scarletscarlet.livejournal.com]

That's a lovely comment, that is. Rational, reasonable, and yeah, like others have said - very gracious.

Everything happens while I'm asleep! I got up this morning to see news posts, P_P "unstruck", and general fabulousness. I don't remember the last time I had cause to squeal so loudly at my computer!

I am SO DAMNED DELIGHTED, words can't quite express it.

Now. To think up some porn to celebrate :D.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Your icon, your attitude, and your plans have never been more appropriate, I say. YAYYYYY!! *dances with you*