Sad post about Nanners and Ivy....

I think I remember the posts surrounding this controversy. If I am correct, it occurred when someone started a thread to discuss the possible causes of crohns? I guess it got a little heated and one of the moderators came on saying that this forum was meant for support, not to discuss an issue like this. I was confused, not seeing what was wrong with the topic of the thread. I agree that flaming or otherwise insulting people whose ideas might differ should not be allowed. We all come from different levels in our understanding of this horrible disease and I don't see what is wrong with discussing an academic issue such as this. In fact, that type of discussion IS support for some type of minds.

I don't think the moderators should have been let go for their action though. Knowing the time and effort they put into that role I think it was rather rude to treat them like that. I hope they will be returned to their positions if they wish, or stay as members.

Maybe I am wrong and this was not the basis for the administrators actions but I do remember the thread being criticized and me being puzzled, not seeing what was wrong with it. I happen to think hearing about different theories as to the cause of IBD is fascinating, even if I don't agree (not that I have the expertise to agree or disagree)

Rootsmith,

you would be correct sir, I monitored that thread that very morning till it was deleted, I had already decided by the weird tone to it I would not reply.

I thought the same as you though, this is a normal thread Iv'e seen 1000 times before, handled by the mods the same way, just fine. I thought nothing of it, just  discussion that at one point I thought was simply going to be moved to the "resources" section

Obviously there is more going on in the background then we know, there is no way all these years of dedicated service were thrown out the window for one thread.

I just feel a little robbed in the free speech area, I think Nan and Ivy being here has been an amazing experience for me, I so hope they do not leave or if they do someone tells me where they went.

I would miss them horribly, this is like if someone came into my home and ripped my children, parents or any other family members away, with no explanation whatsoever.

This is what I feel right now, violated. I feel right now, when our world is at it's lowest, when countries our tumbling all around us and peole are killing each other for various reasons, there needs to be more empathy in the world, there is just something horribly wrong with all this and I would really like to see some positive outcome, whatever that may be.

I may never know all the details of what happened, but this has saddened me greatly, and it was jsut last week I posted I was getting better, and who was the 1st person on to say Yippe!, Gail, that tells you everything you need to know right there.

I know this ain't about me, persay, but it effects every member on this board, so you effectivley made a unalateral decision which effected one of your largest forum disease communities. THere will obviously be many mixed emotions and posts.

Jon

I am reading, too, and am touched and grateful.

Thank you so much for your care and your concern and your love and your insights.

Ivy.

Jon, please be assured that nanners has read your post. She's thinking about all of her family!!

I am sad to hear about Gail and Ivy. I feel that it is a pretty crappy move for the admin to make. We the members are his clients and I think that the majority of us loved Gail and Ivy and how they handled things on this page. Make you clients happy and give us back Gail and Ivy, after all the customer is always right!

I would like to thank Peter for posting an explaination. I hope that all of the moderators understand this policy regarding tenure right from the time any of them take on the task. 

It seems that Ivy and Nanners being so disappointed in the change, may not have understood that they could/would be replaced regardless of their commitment or popularity.

The good thing is that they can continue to post and help others as much as they ever did. We should consider Peter's policy, and understand that perhaps is his way of letting the site continue to grow and evolve. Let's not forget what a tremendous resource this site has been and will continue to be.

Tom.

73monte, I was a moderator for a brief time on the UC forum and quit. (As an aside, if anyone wants to know why, shoot me an email - my address is in my profile.) Like Judy said, there was NEVER anything said about how long one will serve as a moderator, nor anything about needing to "rotate" moderators from time to time. There was a fairly long list of duties/responsibilites, and nothing was said about term of service.

Tom, There are many Mods who have been here longer than I have been and been Mods longer than Gail. As Judy2 says, they were not told there was a tenure, they were just dismissed. If we were rotating Moderators, then where are the new ones? They did not ask for time off, and feel, like many of us that their family is being ripped apart. We have come to trust and love our Mods and would like to know that they were not taken from us at the whim of one person who really doesn't participate in this ONE forum even if it is HIS website. But his will be done.

I think you can infer from the fact that Gail has been very absent from the forum how upset she is. I know Tom that you have relied on her in the past.

I will hold my judgment until hopefully we hear from Ivy or Nanners as to what in the world is going on . To say I am shocked is an understatement . My sincere hope is that both of these wonderful ladies will continue to grace us with their presents and remain a part of our lives here.

Zanne:

You bring up some good points. I was trying to rationalize the changes, but unfortunately it does seem that this was random and unexpected. 

I certainly give both ladies credit for the amount of dedication they had. They both were often the first to respond to new posters, newly diagnosed, confused and desparately seeking help. I would still emphasize that Peter has provided us with this site, and he has the right to maintain it as he sees fit.

Maybe we'll never know if there were any underlying reasons for the changes, but I still think we need to be supportive of the site, and hopefully in time both ladies will be given a full explaination as to why they in particular were selected, so they can continue to be vital contributors. 

Tom.

This is the first time I have checked the forum this weekend and I am in deep shock!

If it wasn't for Nanners and Ivy giving such great solid informed advice over the last few years that I have read this site, I might have researched far longer down blind alleys and perhaps made some very serious adverse decisions about what the best course of treatment should have been for me considering all the other things that I have had to deal with these last 2 years.

Peter, I do believe there has been a fatal flaw in your thinking regarding moderators and in particular Gail and Ivy.
They have worked for you everyday including weekends for free and have saved many lives with their compassion and their sage advice on this horrible disease.
I have been reading the Crohn's forum everyday sometimes several times, without signing in, unless I have something to add that might help someone or if I read a post that has enough misstatements or overstated opinions in it that it makes my blood boil. I can't help but correct misinformation that could affect the way newbies manage their Crohn's.

Making sure that the advice and support given on here is reasonable and medically sound should be paramount on a website like yours. It's true we are not doctors, but I am sure that some of us know more than most of the everyday GIs treating their patients that are on this site when it comes to the day to day living with Crohn's and other issues. I am constantly surprised by some of the questions asked by members as it is information their GIs should have given to them, or tests they should have run, etc etc. It is obvious that there isn't enough Crohn's exposure in med school.

There has been a large influx of new members to this forum with extreme beliefs that have been starting threads that are very controversial. They also give very little information about themselves by either not having a signature or by making very general statements. Both my boyfriend and I have been convinced that they have found themselves here after their 'last forum' threw them off. Many are touting this diet or that doctor, but there are also those that are creating bad feelings as sport. Maybe their lives are boring or maybe they are just vicious mean people who want to cause as much trouble as possible and then get out of Dodge. Who knows how many disappear only to sign up again under a new email and new name on here.

I also just found out that you are trying to secure some award for yourself and your website. Considering all the time and work your moderators do for YOU, and from what I understand it is a voluntary position without compensation, I strongly believe that all your moderators deserve a share of the 'glory' and whatever cash awards come with this Internet honor you are running for especially the ones on very busy forums such as this one.

As an owner of my own corporation and also a manager for many years (currently on SSD), I have had to juggle people and strained feelings and the needs of my company on a daily basis. We are all human and therefore prone to any number of overreactions or insensibilities. I was originally a bit pissed when I saw so many threads and posts were getting deleted or locked all of a sudden. I was well aware of it because I had posted to several of these and saw large portions of others posts deleted. This might have happened a lot in the past as well but in the time I have been reading on here it all seemed to happen very recently. I believe very strongly in freedom of speech but when it comes to medical facts I draw the line. I know this is meant to be a support group but I have found much more valuable medical information on it as well. BTW I did appreciate all the posts that people wrote to me when I was in bad shape.

Peter, there is an old expression that "one shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth." The years of service and lives that have been helped by these two wonderful ladies should be rewarded and celebrated by you and all of us. I am horrified that they would be tossed aside after all the people they have helped on here. I do not care what they might have written or done in the last week or so to cause this dismissal by you. And for the record I don't believe your account as to why you dismissed them; that is was some normal evolution or rotation. As I stated earlier there has been a plethora of threads started by very recently joined members whom I believe were sent here to stir things up. Maybe YOU know where they came from? Perhaps another website you are in competition with?

Gail, you have helped me more than you will ever know. Ivy, I love the way you put things. I appreciate you both so very much! I for one second the suggestion that you start another site. One with less restrictions.

I'm sorry if I have come off a little harsh. It is very late at night and this thread surprised and aggravated me. I just reread everything I wrote and still stand by it
NY VEGGIE (boiled and burnt)

All I can say is WOW.  I usually don't check the boards on the weekend so here it is Monday morning and this is the first thing I see.

I understand Peter's reasoning.  He wants to change things up and to do that he has to let some people go.  It is business.  BUT... good business practice is to not let good people go.  Nanners was always there to give help when needed.  She is such a kind hearted person and never really asked for anything in return.  I know recently she has gone through some tough times (if I remember correctly) and I am sure this news doesn't help here any.

Peter - if you are reading this - you were wrong for doing this.  I know Nanners and Ivy are still on here and can post..but how are they to feel.  After what you did, are they going to stay?  Why would they stay in a place that doesn't want them?  For everyone on here's sake, I hope they do stay on.  We love them so much because of the great advice and support they give.

I don't say much when I come on here.  Usually it is to get some advice or give a little.  I don't like to show my emotions on here.  That is what real life is for.  But right now I am really pissed off and sad.  I know what it is like to give 110% and then be fired.  It hurts really bad.  It sounds like you gave no warning and didn't speak to them.  That is so wrong on so many levels. 

I hope, as everyone else does, that they will decide to stay on the boards and continue to give their support and advice.  I would hate to lose two great people on here just because of bad administration.

Gail and Ivy....what ever you do..take this with a grain of salt and don't let it get you down.  You are both respected on here and you are both still wanted.  We want you to stay on and dish out your advice and support..as well as receive it when needed.  We can not forget the big picture of why we are here.  It is not because of who is a MOD but for the love and support of other CDers.  We go through so much that we can't let something as minor as this produce a flare.  Besides...the holidays are upon us and that alone is enough to cause a flare.

 

you know guys, I've been here around 2 years or so, and I've never seen mod's get changed. I hope and I really don't like to think this, but I hope it's not a religious thing. But I don't believe what was said as far as changing mod's.

AG

I bet this thread gets locked