Right next door to hell

‘If I had just one wish, only one demand’ Creed – With arms wide open

So, the last day of 2001, and what a year. I think I’ll be glad to see the back of it. I mean, granted it had very high points (mostly revolving around Duncan), but there was enough stress and misery for me to be glad to ring in 2002 at midnight tonight. I could do a review of the year, but quite frankly, most of you know everything anyway, so I won’t bother.

I was thinking last night, after spending the afternoon reading some of the entries here (and working on my story as well, about time, I know!) and I think if I could give one message to everyone for new year, it would not be peace, love each other or anything anywhere near as complicated as that. It would be tolerance, something that is severely lacking in both the world and on this site. I am so sick of seeing notes on diaries that abuse the writer, or another noter, for their opinions. Funny thing was I thought we lived in a free world. I mean isn’t that why the American and British troops decided to bomb the f*ck out of Afghanistan? Isn’t it? Wasn’t ‘that day’ an attack on our freedom. And didn’t we all get riled up and angry (over different aspects granted, but still) that freedom was being attacked? And yet on a daily basis we do it to others.

There are two subjects guaranteed to get a reaction on this site – religion and September 11th. I have yet to have some fundie Christian attempt to convert me, but I’ve seen it done on other diaries (accept Jesus or burn in hell, being the general gist of it). I’ve seen diarists abused because they are refusing to lie back and let their government screw them royally with the removal of certain human rights/civil liberties. And you know, I wish I could say that I only ever saw it on this site, but the sad fact is that everyone, everywhere does it. No-one is completely 100% tolerant of everyone else, I’m in no way trying to say that I am, I know I am as human and weak as the next person, but I’m trying, which is more than can be said for a lot of people.

So that’s my new year’s message. Tolerance. If you don’t agree with someone, accept what they have to say as their opinion. We are all entitled to say what we think without fear of reprisals and harrassment. I don’t make resolutions (huge waste of time) but if I did, that would be it.

I’m sure that that whole piece makes me sound like some tree-hugging flower child of the 60’s but quite frankly I don’t care. I’m getting sick of the attitude of both diarists and staff round here (don’t get me started on the DM) as well as some of the diarists on OD+. Some of the things I’ve read on that site (about everyone on OD clearly doesn’t care about OD, cos if they did then they would pay the subscription fee and help OD instead of whining) make me glad I’m not part of it. The trouble is that if things degenerate any further on this site, I may well extract myself from this community as well. I’m not sure I want to do that, there is still a lot of mess in this girl’s head to be sorted out and I love this place. I guess it’s like any community. It starts off nice, happy, friendly but as it grows and more join it becomes back-biting and hostile in places.

I hope 2002 brings everyone what they wish for. I will be back in the new year.

Until there is a next time…

xx