<<whispers>> Was there ever any clarification about whether the issue with GF was swearing on here?

tbh I don't really think posting can make things worse or that much difference, if it did, I'd hope Mumsnet Towers would tell us so and we'd stop.

I'm a little uncomfortable about being asked to take responsibility for Gina Ford's feelings and have the uneasy feeling that we could go on for years like this, self-censoring or being told to pipe down every time this issue is discussed because of her potential reaction and "making things worse" (the holding Mumsnet hostage situation) but if Justine et al told us they'd rather we didn't post on this atm, I'd be quite happy to comply, not for Gina Ford's benefit, but for theirs. It's not my house under threat, after all.

www you are VERY right about the upset to Mumsnetters who have fallen foul of GF's wrath.

Equally bloss, I think you're right that being careful about the nature of posts right now is sensible. GF can't be thinking clearly but because of that we should be even more careful. For the sake of MN and of the posters who are under potential threat as a result of all this trouble.

OK, Bloss, point taken about the emotional heat, I do see what you mean. Anyway, I have to go to work today :( and I therefore will have to leave this thread alone!

Oh, and when I said 'make matters worse', I wasn't limiting myself to the idea that saying more libellous things leaves MN open to more claims. I was trying to say that if we allow this debate to be driven by emotion, we will only increase the heat in the reaction from the other side. I don't think she could possibly be acting with a cool head - it's too unwise. If we genuinely want to prevent the action, then letting the emotional thermostat drop a little would help, I believe. Obviously you and others think that emotions are irrelevant. I respect your view although I don't share it.

Hang on - didn't I say I wasn't going to look at this thread? Aaaaaagh! I can't help it. It's ruining my weekend too.

No personal attacks, you're quite right. But a thoroughly nasty taste in the mouth and I feel very depressed by the hysteria and anger and venom on both sides. The whole thing brings little credit to anyone I think.

But if this leaves me feeling awful, imagine if I had had years of personal abuse. I don't how politicians do it, actually!

Bloss, I agree that people shouldn't post anything libellous or defamatory and I agree that doing so will make matters worse. Absolutely.

But if you're feeling 'battered' by this thread (Why? Sorry if I've missed them but I haven't seen any horrible personal comments about you) just imagine how 'battered' people were feeling about the possibility of ending up in court having to defend a libel action. OK, so it appears that the threat against individuals has gone away but the threat against mumsnet certainly hasn't. And I am being extremely careful about what I say here but I can see why people think it's a matter worth discussing: the whole debacle has worried a lot of people, me included. If Justine wants me to shut up and stop posting I will, of course but I don't think I'm saying anything libellous or that will make matters worse. (prepared to be corrected if I'm wrong)

Ladies just to let you know that I spent a considerable amount of time discussing this subject today at a press junket at the Chelsea flower show. Lots of folk very interested....

www,morningpaper etc - I did actually point out that it's not for me to tell you not to post. I was just asking people to consider carefully whether it was wise to do so. As I said before, if you honestly think that what you have to say is terribly important and should be said, who am I to object?

I did think however, that some posts on this thread were going nowhere and were actually going to make matters worse - particularly when people started to tread (once again) down the path of 'she's unqualified, she's misleading people into thinking she's qualified, and she's a >.' Which may or may not be true, and is certainly the opinion of many, but is not necessarily the best thing for Mumsnet to have posted on here right now.

I was asking for a little more reflection before posting on here. I was not asking anyone to censor themselves.

Boy, if I'm feeling battered and bruised after just this little bit of the thread, and I really can't begin to imagine how it would feel to have the whole battery of MN turned on you...

I'm going to stay off this thread now because it's making me very unhappy...

By JustineMumsnet on Thursday, 25 May, 2006 6:12:29 PM
"It is our view, though we cannot say for sure, that though Ms Ford’s lawyers have previously threatened legal action against one Mumsnet member at least to our knowledge, the intention is to take proceedings against Mumsnet rather than individual posters. Please do contact us if you have reason to believe otherwise and we will happily give as much advice and assistance as we can. "

It could have been on a deleted thread.

It is here somewhere, you didn't imagine it! Worry not fair witch and go enjoy your harpy!

www

I can't find that post about individual posters either ..must be there though!

ooh that was me, dropping me H's :)

or was that MP

i cannot believe this madness. it really is surreal. poor poor mn hq having to deal with all this stressful nonsense.
i am lawyer (but know nothing more than said in that q and a link about libel). do know about high ct procedure / case preperation / advicacy etc. am on sabbatical from 08/06.... so if im needed i will do all can to help for free.
come and have a go if you're hard enough. cant gf lawyers tell what we would be like to take on??? havent they heard of the glorious mclibel 2.... that did tons for maccie d's reputation, didnt it...?? they have gone from strngth to strength since then (not).
ooooh am hopping mad re this.

yes yes mine look identical at the same age!

I picked them up from nursery today and all day they had eaten:

dd1 (3 years and just under the Bloody Shortarse line on the centile charts): 1 spoonful of plain mashed potato

dd2 (7 months and on 91st centile): Milk - all: Spaghetti Carbonara (WTF? oh well) - all: apple puree - all.

soupy, surely you mean

"healthy detachment? shurely shome mishtake"

[moves back to her corner]

yes, my two, boy and girl, were tike clones once the nappy was on....and tey couldn't have been more different. Dd was always very serious, ds was a happy little chappy, always grinning. She had the tantrums, he couldn't be arsed!

The concept that one 'method' (any one btw) could suit them both is just silly IMHO!

ha ha mp- that is so funny. My 3 could not be more different character wise. ALthough they looked spookily like identical triplets born at 3 year intervals at birth. We laughed when ds3 was born as he was another clone (in looks not personality!)

Actually it has taken my two babies to realise that they are individuals

It still hasn't sunk in

I thought I was having another one just the same

God yes I agree

That book is awful too - I found myself thinking "Aha! You're being a selfish shit because it says here on p. 81 that you are a caveman."

hmm

MP, Soupy, that's because babies are individuals. Just as crap books like Men are From Mars, Women are from Venus will only ensure you never understand your partner because you're reading it rather than taking the same time to read them!

MT, don't worry, I'm fine. If I've got it right, Gina isn't taking action against individual posters (I think, although I can't find it now, did I imagine it, thought it was posted here?) so I think I can sleep better at night now. But it appears from another post below from mn that mumsnet are still being told legal action is going ahead against them. I think, eek!

MT: this beast you've offered me is useless, it's leaking all over the place

ROTFL! That's my best typo EVER!