[theforum] Nasty accusations: knock it off

Martin Burns martin at easyweb.co.uk
Mon Nov 17 15:08:24 CST 2008


On 17 Nov 2008, at 20:36, Tara Cleveland wrote:

> Martin wrote:
>> [1] Speaking of which, I've just re-instated my monthly paypal gift.
>> Credit-crunch notwithstanding, I *know* that for many (most?) of  
>> us, US
>> $10 is less than we spend on coffee a week, or only part of an  
>> evening
>> in the pub. Members of theforum are just as much members as anyone
>> else, and shouldn't consider ourselves as exempt from the shared
>> financial responsibility. So - particularly at the moment while we've
>> two servers to support -  can you please join me?
>
> I really don't think it's appropriate to hector people on this list
> for money or make them feel guilty in any way or shame them into
> donating money if they can't afford it.

I take great exception to this Tara. You're wilfully misrepresenting  
what I said, and turning every effort I have made into an accusation.

1) You're conflating 'asking' and 'hectoring'; an easy way to allow  
those who *can* afford it (and you and I both fall into that category)  
to evade responsibility.
2) US$10 is a lot in some countries, fine. The *vast majority* of this  
list's members do not live in one of those countries. You are ignoring  
the careful qualifier I put in there. If you're in the category of  
spending as much as I suggested in the pub or on luxury coffees, you  
are not in a "Can't afford" situation, but a "Choose not to" one. And  
to be frank, I have *waaaaaaaay* less disposable income than you do.
3) I think anyone asking for money for evolt who hasn't given  
themselves is a gross hypocrite. I have earned the right, I think.  
You'll note that I made no boast of
4) Next time you claim professional expertise for anything, you can  
simply stfu as you clearly don't recognise that it matters.
5) I'm perfectly happy for anyone to contribute time. As (once again I  
point out) someone who has put in more than many, you think I don't  
appreciate that? Really? Or did perhaps my design just magic itself  
into being, fully working on a Drupal install. Or perhaps having put  
that effort in offends you too. I'm sorry.

Or, in summary: Keeping this thing going is first and foremost *our*  
responsibility, and when one doesn't have an affordability problem,  
refusing to stump up, *and simultaneously* knocking all efforts to get  
anyone else to give *and simultanenously* criticising someone who  
*has* put hand in pocket is just Not On.



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