Dear MNHQ, I didn't see all the problems kick off over poor Revjustabout...

It went on a bit Pag, because Mr Rev's responses (which are now deleted) were extremely rude, especially to Eniddo!

I don't think that, strictly speaking, this was trolling.

But the rev was fantastically full of common sense on all the Moldies threads. To the extent that a) I never felt the need to post, as she'd said it all before and b) it made me feel that everyone jumping ship wasn't such a bad thing as there were some other lovely and interesting people here.

And so, probably because of both of the above, she seems to be being followed around by a few people, who, like it or not, are Moldies. And who aren't on any other threads.

I think this is, frankly, pretty poor sodding show. And I don't feel that the rev should leave, or even change her name. I like her reluctant worshippers thread, MN will be a worse place without it, and frankly I do think that the people concerned should be deregistered. They were made to look as daft and petty as they are on the moldies thread, and theu didn't like it. I think they need to grow up.

Yes, I've no idea what princesspeaheads posts said as at least 5 have been deleted. She could have been posting something nice but inappropriate perhaps.

Yes, fuckit, I think MNHQ will have to say something now, as PPH and Enid's deleted posts are assumed to now say things that they certainly did not when I saw them!

No of course the use of the name rev is fine, but it seems that she herself has offered up the information that she is a real rev, which would then possibly give her posts mroe weight with tsome people.

If some one wants to put Dr in their name, but makes it clear that they are not a dr, that would be fine too.

I am quite enjoying the genuine difference in perception about this.

Some see it as harrassment, others seem to see it as little more than a polite enquiry about the revs antecedents.

I wasn't there at the time but reading it it certainily seemed to me like several people piling in to give the rev a kicking.Perhaps hat was because several people seemed to appear suddenly all with the same slant.

what does mnhq say about this?
its worrying that people think threats have been made

well afaik drNortherner isn't a dr... it's just a username.

Fwiw I don't think that mumsnet can have any involvement re the people who have contacted her in rl, after all this is a public site which anyone can access, so there's no way of knowing who those people might be, unless of tourse they have sent emails which mn hq could match up with usernames.

But there is a fine line between outing someone as a troll and harrassing them. And that thread was not the place. What was to be achieved by that?

contest context

There has been a sustained attack on rev's credentials from a certain quarter for several weeks. It is the sustained nature of the scepticism about her, and the fact that it comes from posters who all belong to a certain group, that makes it seem like harrassment. Perhaps the individual posts from pph, Enid, and Bubble99 weren't all that bad (though bad enough to be deleted) but it is reasonable to view then in the contest of sustained undermining.

BTW am not clementine!

I've no issue with her use of the name 'rev,' but equally I wouldn't have assumed that she is a real reverend because of that.
Her posts were thoughtful and informative on that thread - surely that is what is important.

That was my point. People are baying for the blood of people who dared to query the rev's identity without any evidence that they have done anythign more than that.

~Does this mean that no one can challenge another poster regarding who they say they are? Is this now a free-for-all for trolls because no one can challenge them?

I think harassment from what I saw of the deleted posts would, as PPH says, would be stretching the truth a VERY long way.

Well she can choose what to call herself surely.

fine line between harassment and genuine concern as to somebody's identity though at times....

Wannabe - you could say the same about any troll though couldn't you? It hasn't stopped people outing trolls in teh past has it?

how do we even know it's MN posters rather than malicious lurkers who have been carrying out the real life harassment?

but what username she uses is her decision, surely? In the same way as people put their children's names in their usernames or their rl names...

I agree it is perhaps unwise to bring your rl into your online identity and make yourself identifyable to people, but that is a matter of personal choice too, no?

That thread was not the place to launch a personal attack on anyone. afaik this poster hasn't been asking for money or sympathy has she? so what would it have mattered if she wasn't who she said she was (and on the whole I am in favour of outing most trolls).

But now that she has apparently proven to mn hq that she is who she says she is, I think action needs to be taken against those who harrassed her on here. In the same way as trolls are banned, I think that people who harrass genuine posters who are proven to be who they aay they are should have similar action taken against them.

As to people involving themselves in her personal life, perhaps there is a lesson to be learned as to how much information one should post about oneself on the internet, and how vulnerable that might make one.

No - now he (and she) were definitely sweary

CZ have a look at the reluctant worshippers thread- its a kind of reflection thread, welcoming to all regardless of belief

Worship was my crap way of describing it- reflection much better; Christian based reflection

agree with soapbox. mrrev wasn't exactly without fault either was he

Oops - that should say 'not in a SWEARY way'!

Have just skimmed the thread in question.

Disgraceful, i hope you ban the posters MN

Banned for what exactly? The posts said things like 'I don't believe you are a Rev at all' perhaps somewhat more colourfully put, but not in a way.

Are we to ban everyone who questions whether someone is a troll? If so MN will have a VERY long list of people to ban!

As the Rev might say 'let those of you who are without sin, cast the first stone'!