Five months ago members of the largest Susan Boyle fansite forum conceived a new idea; they would purchase the forum themselves, all members owning it equally. Members and former members united as never before, in a spirit of reconciliation and in the hope of a united future.
The blueprint of this Utopian concept quickly became polluted by a cyber-stalker/bully determined to ensure that this never happened. The lies this person told were believed by some members and staff alike. Staff even supported a few members in posting false claims against other members.
When the source of the deception was revealed, staff members still allowed the thread to stand on open view for many days. The members who were vilified could do nothing to clear their names, because the staff did not permit them to do so. But they were promised an independent enquiry that would be made public. And so the accused waited patiently, knowing that the evidence would clear them.
That enquiry, if it ever took place, was not made public. In fact, many months passed and when the accused members raised it on the forum they were told that it was 'in the past' and that it would not be brought to the attention of the general members again. Contacting Board or staff by private message produced the same result. When they voiced their dissatisfaction and dismay, they were accused of sedition and the Board of Directors (supposedly working on behalf of all members) made a point in a formal statement, that any members posting 'contentiously' would be banned. All the while the cyber-stalker/bully retained a presence on the forum under different guises.
In this time of universal deceit - telling the truth truly became a revolutionary act.
We are now engaged in a conflict brought about by lies compounded by deceit. What can we do? Most of us would still move forward, if the record could be set straight, but all that is needed for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.
This fledgling democracy, of the fans, by the fans and for the fans, to which many of us have been so dedicated, must endure, but can it do so when its very foundations have been so weakened?
I hope that it can.
