Open Letter Re:JWilson & Darlafic

[dlgood]

Because lots of other folks were doing it, my own letter to Jenn Wilson re: the plagiarism & DarlaFic mess:


I recognize that you want to be a kind and virtuous person, and I respect that. However, in the name of being virtuous, I think you’d been rather willfully ignorant of circumstances. Furthermore, you slandered a whole host of folks on BA_Fluff in the name of that “virtue”. Those folks were right all along, and you do owe them an apology for your slander.

You wanted to give DarlaFic a second chance, and that is lovely. But clearly, you did so without bothering to actually examine her before doing so. She’d displayed no remorse, no contrition, and no indication or promise that she would show any new respect for the online community. The burden was on DarlaFic to show growth, and she’d shown none. And yet, you sided with her, against a large segment of the community. Furthermore, you insulted and slandered a large number of people in fandom, primarily because they behaved according to the social norms that you knew Darlafic had violated.

You stood up for DarlaFic without asking for any respect from her or reform of her behavior. And then she joined your list and posted another plagiarized fic. You’ve reaped exactly what you’ve sowed.

If you’ve gotten criticism, it’s not because people want to make you feel bad. It’s because that criticism was very justly warranted. You earned it. I don’t think you were a horrible person for wishing to extend Darlafic a second chance. Your rather strident comments to the rest of the BA_Fluff list, on the other hand, were largely baseless and rude. And your behavior, if not outright offensive, seems rather naïve and sanctimonious.

Those who insulted you, or heaped unnecessary abuse, certainly should apologize. But you also owe the BA_Fluff list an apology as well. In the name of proclaiming your own moral virtue, you made a spectacle and a fool of yourself. There was very little tasteful or grown up in your behavior – and it would be rather mature of you to own up to that. Just as it would have been mature of DarlaFic to have owned up to her behavior. She hasn’t yet. You haven’t either. This does not reflect well upon you.

I hope the view is good from atop your high horse.

Comments

[stars91.livejournal.com]

Very nicely said!

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

Thanks

[indiefic.livejournal.com]

You used way too many big words and not enough CAPITALS. They'll never understand ...

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

YEAH. THAT'S PROBABLY TRUE.

[gia6seconds.livejournal.com]

This is why I leave this kind of thing to the eloquent speakers. You're much better at it than I am.

Wonderfully written. (Though indie does have a good point).

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

And why I leave the writing of high quality smutty/romantic fic to authors like you....

[raintree85.livejournal.com]

Thought i'd chime in with my wonderfully said.

[theantijoss.livejournal.com]

Dave, I'm going to start stalking you any day now. You don't mind, do you? *G*

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

Nahh. See, the big secret, is I take everbody elses' letters and ideas, and then rephrase them all dignified-like.

[theantijoss.livejournal.com]

all dignified-like

Which is why I pay you the big bucks to be my PR person. ;)

I have to have you translate my Wank Rant into "Sane" sometime.

[jennem.livejournal.com]

Rock on.

[smile]

You're much more even-tempered than I. [grin] Which means your message was probably heard better.

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

Which means your message was probably heard better.

I dunno. Indie says I should've use ALL CAPS.

[jennem.livejournal.com]

*hee*

Well. ALL CAPS does have its good points. [grin]

[chrisleeoctaves.livejournal.com]

Who is the bigger fool, I wonder? Darlafic for proclaiming that Gia sucks and then immediately posting another of Gia's fics, which she did today on His_Girl. Someone immediately called her on it and she made some comment about Jenn supporting her. Then she posts to Angel's Bath Towel, with a big dedication to Jenn and His Girl. Me, despite being not one for getting in the middle of kerfluffles, posted the link to Gia's fic and suggested people check it out. So, Jenn's proven to be perhaps not the cleverest listmom, despite her benevolent intentions and Darlafic has proven, surprise, surprise, to be malicious and stoo-pid. Lovely combination, don't you think?

Your letter, Dave, is intelligent and well-written. You are that corner of the fandom I admire and am glad to know. Gia is lucky to have you...and so is the fandom.

On behalf of the moderates, thank you.

You're welcome.

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

Darlafic was an obvious troll, and there's nothing new from her - although I still can't quite understand why she bothers. It was more of note to see Jenn go out of her way to set herself up as the Moral Arbiter of Justice. JW, if she had any sense, should have known better. But she wanted to showcase herself and her "virtue", made an ass out of herself and alientated a lot of decent people for no particular reason. And had the gall to act shocked when DF behaved exactly as predicted. It's too bad Jenn has yet to learn the lesson of her own fatuousness.

As I've noted to you before, what I largely do is sit back and take a lot of ideas and thoughts other people express, stew on them and formulate my own opinions accordingly with something of an eye toward... well dispassionate logic. A lot of other people have already done the heavy intellectual lifting before I put pen to paper.

Some folks write really lovely fiction. I can't do that. So I'm happy to try to add value in my own special way.

[alleynyc.livejournal.com]

So clear and well-spoken... and I admit, I've come to expect nothing less than this from you.

Excellent letter and a great contribution to this... thing.

On behalf of the appalled, thank you.

Sorry, THANK YOU.

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

Well, you know I'm a civic minded guy. I do what I can for The People.