[MR] From a very disturbed bystander

[Oddny]

Greetings all.

I have watched, on journals and lists, this debate and growing unrest in the
case of Janos.

There are few people who know the whole story here, and the BoD has decreed
that those who know anything are not to speak of it. I will not say whether
I think that is crap or not (okay, I will... it's wrong to ask people their
opinions on something this serious, without giving them the facts of the
matter, but I also understand that it is mostly to protect those who were
targeted) I know only a very small part of what started all of this, and
that was well before anything was done. The little I do know is enough, and
the fact that there is much more than that is appalling. However, I also
understand that the ruling not to talk about it is for the protection of the
innocent, so I will not break that. Don't ask. :P

However, I will submit that there is an alternative, for those who have the
ability to take advantage of it.

This past weekend at Ymir, a Peer and friend of mine asked what the
Pan-Peerage meeting was all about, since she has not played in awhile. I
told her, within the confines of the non-disclosure rules. She then did what
I believe was a very smart thing. She asked my opinion and how I would
respond, if asked. I told her. She knows me and knows that I would not make
such a decision lightly, that I am basically a live-and-let-live kind of
person and like to give folks the benefit of a doubt. Therefore, she trusted
in my opinion.

I would ask that those with questions in this matter first seek their
answers from TRM and TRH, who, if possible, will tell you all they can.
Then, if you are still not sure what to think or how to respond, please ask
someone who has more details. DON'T ask them for the details, as they are
not supposed to reveal them, but do trust that they have enough information
to guide you. We do this often for order pollings... trust in your fellows
who possess more information to guide you to make the right decision.

The BoD does have as much support for their decision as could be collected,
from what I understand, and they did not make the decision lightly. As you
trust in them to run our Society and make the large legal decisions for us,
you should also trust that they would not sanction someone simply on
hearsay, and certainly not on a small group of people with a vendetta. There
are also peers involved in the process who would never, in good conscience,
turn a fellow peer out of the Society without darn good reason. Trust in
that, as well. Look at the people who have been involved in the process, and
ask yourself if you know them well enough to trust their decisions and
actions. If the answer is yes... there is your answer.

Thank you for your time, and I hope that even though this didn't clear
anything up, it has given food for thought and an alternative to trying to
find answers that will not be disclosed for the protection of those
involved.

In Service to The Dream,
Baroness Oddny Knarrarbringa