I am someone who likes to form her
opinion based on the arguments presented by opposing sides. After I
read both sides of the issue, I make my own determination as to which
side I can morally support.
The other day, Saturday May 30th,
I requested to join “Concerned Citizens Of Pickens County – THE
WHOLE TRUTH”. Their group's post can be read without joining; I
read some of their posts and wanted to learn more about their side. I
especially like the comments from one of their member, Mr. D Bracken.
I felt he was asking important questions...presented his arguments
well, and was very wise when he was dealt personal attacks by some of
the admins.
I have been a member of the more
positive toned group, “Concerned Citizens of Pickens County” for
many months now. I have spoken with Robin Miller and she has been
super nice. Even when she didn't know me and I sent her random
questions. Overall, I felt comfortable in going to their
page....reading their posts and commenting when I wanted to.
When I sent the request to the group,
“Concerned Citizens Of Pickens County – THE WHOLE TRUTH”.... I
had read their terms and felt like they weren't asking weird
requirements. They want to limit their group to people who live in
Pickens County....Check...I live in Pickens County. They wanted
truthful people to join.....check...I am sometimes TOO TRUTHFUL...
After a few hours, I was messaged by
Johnnelle
Raines. In her message, it contained a standard message that was most
likely copy/pasted and sent to all who request to join...Here's the
message...“A message to those who request
membership in this group - Because the issues discussed are Pickens
County issues, we try to limit the membership to people who actually
live in the County. If you request membership, and the admins are not
able to see that you live in the county, we will message you
privately. If you do not respond, in a reasonable time-frame, we will
conclude you do not live here.”
Pretty simple,
right? So, I thought that if my privacy settings were too private, I
thought I should send her a reply stating my personal connection to
Pickens County. I sent her this reply....
“Yes
I live in Pickens County... My Dad is the former Pickens County
Administrator... I live in Liberty...
My
mother taught for 35 years.. At DWD when she retired.”
I
thought that my reply was pretty self explanatory...and It clearly
stated how I am connected. The discussion would have ended there...or
so I thought. Nope...Instead, I was sent this message by Ms.
Raines.....Note the escalated hostility....
“I
have heard from several sources that you are the author of a several
pages that are inconsistent with our mission of exposing the truth.
Could you please share the face book pages you are author of or
belong to?”
At this point, I
was starting to regret my request to join her group...I met the
requirements prior to sending my request....So, I replied with
another simple message....
“I
own a photography business... That's the only page that I am the
author of.. Search (my business name)... Gray and Black logo. How
is a photography business inconsistent with the truth when pictures
don't lie?”
I
thought that my reply was a simple one...I do own a photography
studio...I obviously run the Facebook page associated with it....So,
I went back and re-read their requirements...Yep, I still
qualified....but not to her satisfaction. On the day I requested to
join, I was finishing up a newborn photo-shoot and was in the process
of driving back to Liberty. Since Ms. Raines wanted me to send her
links to my page, I sent her a picture looking through my
windshield...to give her a valid reason why I could not send her
links to my page. I always pull over when I feel I need to reply to
something....I don't see how anyone can text and drive....Turning on
my blinker is sometimes a challenge in itself...
Along
with the picture of the road I was traveling, I sent her a message in
case she did not understand why I sent her a picture of a random
road...lol
“Should
you need a valid reason as to why I can't copy and paste the link to
my business page, I thought I would show you that I am driving =)”
Not
unreasonable......right?
Sunday,
May 31st,
9am Ms. Raines sent me this message...
“There
are 3 administrators of our page and we will discuss this and get
back to you.”
Ok....not
a problem....I understand...I think....lol
“Well
it has been proven YOU LIE...You are the author of a page called Help
Liberty grow...so I don't think we want people who blatantly lie by
saying "That's the only page that I am author of." So We
here at CCPCWT won't be accepting your request.”
Wait?
What? I thought I had read the rules.....Pickens County
resident...and they wanted truth....Got it... I replied with another
message and I was honestly taken-aback by her hostility and yelling
capital letters....I must have missed something again.....(Seriously
regretting this request...)
“That's
been given to my parents.. But you now need to change your
description of your group... It states that you just have to be a
resident of Pickens County to join... Who's lying madam?”
Since
I work almost everyday, coupled with the fact that I had not thought
about that page since I signed it over/gave it to my parents back in
March of 2015! I told the truth...My parent rarely get on
Facebook...my Dad HATES technology and he refuses to give up his
circa 2001 flip-phone...LOL
I
am now at the point of beating my head against a wall.....asking
myself the following questions...
”How
in the world do you manage to find such difficult people on
Facebook?? Requesting to join this page MUST be some form of
punishment.....Good job, Katie.....Seriously!!”
I
should have just left it at that and walked away....But, me being
me.....I sent her this reply...
“And
my soul purpose of wanting to join your little group was to read both
sides of what's going on so that I have a clear understanding of what
both sides say... Now I can clearly see that you and the other admins
have something to hide... I joined the other group with no
problems... Thanks for making this easy for me to decide which side
of the fence I belong on......”
See?
I told her my soul purpose for my request...I was honest about my
intentions...I implore everyone to know both sides of any issue
before making a decision...However, I now believe that getting a
mammogram is less painful than my simple request to join Ms. Raines
group. When juries make their decisions, they see both sides before
they render their verdict....Same principle should be applicable to
this subject....right? Apparently...NOT!
Ms.
Raines sent me this final message...
“Opening
statement of our page..."We here at Concerned Citizens of
Pickens County the Whole Truth want Pickens County Concerned Citizens
to have access to the TRUTH about Politics in Pickens County"
and the final statement... " This page will be RESPECTFUL and
will NOT TOLERATE lies. Our motto is the "truth, the whole truth
and nothing but the truth."
At
this point, I was already over the fence and running towards Robin
Miller and her calm, peaceful and non-hostile group....
My
last reply to her.....
“No
need to explain the hostility.. I get it.”
Whew!
That was beyond anything I have ever encountered on
Facebook.....
(Except for that lunatic Smith...weird but true; he reminds me of Jeffrey Dahmer).....
Someone needs a hug....or some happiness....WOW!
So,
with all that being said, I want to thank Robin Miller for making all
of us here feel as though we're safe from people like that. The fact
that a SDPC board member surrounds himself with folks like
this....makes me very thankful that they are ELECTED officials!
I guess the gist of this entire post....STAY AWAY FROM THE CRAZIES!
I am someone who likes to form her
opinion based on the arguments presented by opposing sides. After I
read both sides of the issue, I make my own determination as to which
side I can morally support.
The other day, Saturday May 30th,
I requested to join “Concerned Citizens Of Pickens County – THE
WHOLE TRUTH”. Their group's post can be read without joining; I
read some of their posts and wanted to learn more about their side. I
especially like the comments from one of their member, Mr. D Bracken.
I felt he was asking important questions...presented his arguments
well, and was very wise when he was dealt personal attacks by some of
the admins.
I have been a member of the more
positive toned group, “Concerned Citizens of Pickens County” for
many months now. I have spoken with Robin Miller and she has been
super nice. Even when she didn't know me and I sent her random
questions. Overall, I felt comfortable in going to their
page....reading their posts and commenting when I wanted to.
See?
I told her my soul purpose for my request...I was honest about my
intentions...I implore everyone to know both sides of any issue
before making a decision...However, I now believe that getting a
mammogram is less painful than my simple request to join Ms. Raines
group. When juries make their decisions, they see both sides before
they render their verdict....Same principle should be applicable to
this subject....right? Apparently...NOT!
Ms.
Raines sent me this final message...
“Opening
statement of our page..."We here at Concerned Citizens of
Pickens County the Whole Truth want Pickens County Concerned Citizens
to have access to the TRUTH about Politics in Pickens County"
and the final statement... " This page will be RESPECTFUL and
will NOT TOLERATE lies. Our motto is the "truth, the whole truth
and nothing but the truth."
At
this point, I was already over the fence and running towards Robin
Miller and her calm, peaceful and non-hostile group....
So,
with all that being said, I want to thank Robin Miller for making all
of us here feel as though we're safe from people like that. The fact
that a SDPC board member surrounds himself with folks like
this....makes me very thankful that they are ELECTED officials!
I guess the gist of this entire post....STAY AWAY FROM THE CRAZIES!
