I Got Busted Removed From Site. And It's Okay!

I Got Busted By The Powers That Be, was removed entirely from the site because, and I quote, "it was degenerating into an unproductive expletive fest where members were telling others to "f**k off" and "grow the f*ck up" and that is not helpful, productive or in keeping with the spirit of our site."

Now before you freak out, those who "got my back" by writing me so many supportive responses, cuz I got busted, most of which made me laugh very hard; as you are all so wonderfully hilarious, I want you to know MY response as to why my post was removed.

I have shared the first part of the reprimand as to why it was deleted by the Inspire Committee and it ended by saying in no uncertain terms that it was extremely offensive. I don't believe it was the Committee who necessarily found it inappropriate, but I truly believe they felt (and I agree they do) have a responsibility to the thousands of members who are here to find comfort, solace, compassion, spirituality; a place where it feels safe when there is nowhere else to go. That is my read anyway. Just as so many of you have written to me applauding my raw get-real approach to my disease, there had to have been a flood of people who hit that button which says "report." People who were deeply offended.

We cannot help our physiological response to things that affect our senses. Our bodies, our minds, and our emotions differ. So we respond (automatically and differently) to what we see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. I am deeply affected by noise; especially the sound of my neighbor's lawnmower at 7:00 A.M. It makes me crazy. I am offended by a lot of what I see. Something that tastes great to one person, may cause another person to throw up. Things that smell good to you might smell repulsive to another person. I remember as a child, hating the smell of onions being sautaed on the stove, and my father would walk in from work and say, "Mmmm, something smells really good in the kitchen."

So I am certain that too many people had a physiological response to the language I chose to use. This site belongs to everyone, and it should not be used as a platform for a political debate which revolves around the First Ammendment. I agree that my post should have been removed. They gave me my due warning, but had to take a greater measure due to your responses to my Getting Busted By The Powers That Be. You were not wrong by your responses to me - we just happen to "get" each other, but at the same time, we must be sensitive to others who are fighting the same physical battles we are fighting. Their feelings matter a lot to me. There are plenty of places where I can freely use the F word without offending folks. And the irony is that I rarely use that word - again, I was only using it to elicit a laugh, because laughing is my most favorite sound in the world and my most favorite thing to do. I love to laugh; especially at myself.

The most important thing for US to understand is that it was not my initial use of the F word, but rather all of the comments that were posted about my announcement to the world that I got busted for using the F word without filtering it somehow. And that it did indeed turn into "an unproductive expletive fest."

We must objectively look at the motive behind why my post was removed. Motive is EVERYTHING to me. Their bylaws for the Inspire Site are written I imagine, in such a way, that whoever enters therein will feel comfortable, feel better, feel inspired, find greater strength, and certainly not to be suddenly stunned or shocked by some off the wall use of profanity. All they wanted me to do was to filter the F word with a couple of symbols. They didn't suggest for one moment that I was not permitted to imply the F word. And let us not forget; we have friend to friend message boards and I believe that is where Freedom of Speech may be used responsibly. The Inspire Team was right in their decision to remove my post. Please see this as I do. And! The Team did NOT PAY me to submit this post.

If even one soul is offended by what certainly can be seen, heard, or felt as offensive language, then that person matters (to me). Let it matter to us all.

I love you f&%$in&%@g people.

Now let's focus on

stayin' alive, stayin' alive....ah ah ah ah
stayin' alive stayin' alive....ah ah ah ah
stayin' alive stayin alive....1983!

Lana