Shelby, you're trippin'. I'm sorry, but I don't see any point in trying to dance around it or be anything but fank and direct about it. You'd only imagine some dark conspiracy anyway, so what would be the point.
There is no conspiracy. Mike and Leigh have not been badmouthing you at all. Not a bit. I rarely ever even speak with them. I base my observations about you solely on what I have seen you (YOU) post in these forums. Quit trying to cast blame already. Nobody is attacking you, for Christ's sake!
You guys are self destructing all on your own and. And whether you want to believe it or not, not one soul that I know of is happy to see it. It's frightening, disturbing, hurtful, no fun, not the least bit satisfying for anyone.
Finally, in answer to you and to our new Anon poster (two posts back... and welcome, by the way. Sure wish you'd happened along at a better time, but welcome all the same) I was trying to be polite and gentle about this before and you either disagreed with me (which is cool) or didn't take my meaning. So, since I'm being accused of all sorts of dark motives and actions anyway, I may as well state this planely as well. If you're going to hate me, hate me for what I am, right?
I think it's just incredibly stupid for any of us to promise mental health assistance to anyone! Talk about the blind leading the blind! Never mind the (understandable) suspicious and paranoid nature of the people who you are promising to help if they call you up and tell you all about how they're suicidal or strung out or whatever the hell the crisis may be. Do you think it hasn't crossed some people's minds that the main number for ISAC is a local call to the Church of Scientology headquarters?
Do you really think anyone involved here is qualified or capable of helping someone who's on the edge? How in the world could you make such a promise? What were you guys thinking??? What incredible sack!
Anon, there are some pretty cool people who frequently post here and we all have some kind of perspective on the Program that you may or may not find useful. You may even hook up with old friends or new ones that you come to know and trust and all that. Your odds are probably a bit better here than at most sports bars, but maybe not.
But I definitely agree with you on this one. This is not a psychologist's office. We are not mental health professionals, we're more like mental health case studies when you get right down to it. We're damned good programers and website hosting providers (Sysadmin and I) This is a website, that's all it is, that's all it was ever intended to be. Your healthy skepticism is very refreshing to see.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.
--Albert Einstein
