...that pisses me off more than being accused of favoritism. Or being one of an in-crowd.

Before anyone goes further, may I remind you that this is my personal blog and I'm entitled to the opinions stated in it just as everyone else is in theirs. This isn't a blog for any stitching community that I may own or administrate or moderate, but I might talk about it once in a while. That doesn't make it the official blog for that board.

Clear? OK.

I'd forgotten what it felt like to be accused of playing favorites until last night when I was contemplating dessert and managing something that was rapidly spiraling downhill on a message board that I own. Someone accused me of playing favorites.

I never got dessert as a result.

Let it be said now - I have friends in the community, some closer than others and some folks I barely know, but I don't play favorites among them because everyone is entitled to an opinion. Even if I don't agree with it, or if I do, they have a right to state it. I can agree, I can disagree. Whether or not I agree with a majority or a minority doesn't mean I'm taking sides or that someone's viewpoint is more "right" than someone else's.

After everything that happened a couple of years ago - incorrect assumptions and all that went with it - I'm the last person people want to accuse of playing favorites. Especially since I f'ing HATE the whole in-crowd idea. I got accused of it because someone involved was a "well-liked" moderator and the other person was someone who didn't feel accepted in the community and the perception was that I took a side.

Funny, my co-admin didn't see that in any of the messages - she was Bcc'd on them in case something blew up. You see, I've been accused in the past of saying something that I didn't really say and messages were tampered with on the other person's end. (That happened years ago when I was a very green and trusting moderator.) So I almost always either openly copy my co-admin or blind copy her as a CYA measure.

And all this came from a simple message from someone encouraging the community to give blood. That's right - a plea of encouragement to donate blood turned bad. How? Because an individual took offense at the message - not because she cannot donate but because she refuses to on the basis that no one has the right to her body parts.

That's fine, but I'm a little confused as to how the discussion turned from donating blood to donating organs. Blood isn't an organ. It's fluid/tissue, yes, but not an organ. It's fine if someone wants to consider it as important as an organ because, frankly, it is. And it's everyone's right to do with their body parts as they see fit.

Some wish to donate pieces and parts, some want to donate precious fluids or tissue, some want no part of it. Some folks have DNR's, some want to be kept alive any way possible. Some are right in the middle. It's not selfishness if you don't want to give anything of yours away, and it's not hateful for others to encourage us to donate.

There are plenty of people who are out there who want to donate but can't, but some find other ways to help. There are people out there who don't want to donate, but could and don't say anything about it.

I know at least 5 people who are alive and kicking today because of blood donations and one of them is my SIL who needed blood when she was delivering her first child. Another is a former boss who underwent an aortic valve replacement, and yet another had a stent put in. I'm not saying this to be mean to anyone or disrespectful of beliefs - these are the facts.

And I'm very grateful to the people who donated those pints because my loved ones and friends are alive and in good health. Same kind of grateful I'd be if I needed blood (God and Fates forbid something should happen). And I'm grateful to those who have donated their time or other generosities in lieu of blood or organs to make life better for others who are in need.

But my head is still reeling from what I see as an unfounded accusation of favoritism and from the fact that something so very simple as a reminder (which we've had many times before in the general chat forums) to donate blood could turn so quickly...

...turn, I'm sad to say, into a virtual small, but noticeable, bloodbath. (Pardon the very bad play on words.)