Mothering Supports Racist Homophobic diatribe - Page 4

[milletpuff]

Originally Posted by eclipse 

Personally, I have a beef with both. But my biggest issue is advertising for an organization that is associated with a bigot like Robertson. A person who is a racist, a religionist, a sexist, and a homophobe. A person that would love it if a good portion of the families of mothering members just disappeared off the face of the earth.

There were SO many things wrong with that post. It was innapropriate and patronizing and gross as a topic in the Adoptive/Foster forum. It was tacky and innapropriate to post an ad disguised as a genuine discussion post. But the public alignment with an organization started and run under the direction of a bigot? Yeah. Totally BY FAR the worst.

[Arduinna]

Originally Posted by eclipse 

Originally Posted by Arduinna 

I'm confused too. 

I'm confused if the complaints are really that this charitable organization that according to their website has been around since 1978 and works with a bunch of US government groups like FEMA in providing food, water and health care to those in need is being rejected because Pat Robertson started it or if the problem is that there was line blurred between advertising and "staff" support a la the thread ( I never saw the thread myself).

So is this a political beef or a advertising masking as information beef?

Personally, I have a beef with both. But my biggest issue is advertising for an organization that is associated with a bigot like Robertson. A person who is a racist, a religionist, a sexist, and a homophobe. A person that would love it if a good portion of the families of mothering members just disappeared off the face of the earth.

What's a religionist?

[milletpuff]

Originally Posted by Arduinna 

What's a religionist?

I think the context makes it pretty clear. If not, any of the very basic things that most people know about Pat Robertson should help you understand. And, if not, you may be interested in this website: www.google.com

[eclipse]

I'm not going to walk you through that one, Arduinna.

[Arduinna]

Ok well considering that MDC has an active spirituality and religious studies forum where people from a wide variety of religions and of all kinds of beliefs post I dont see how religion is against the UA and as such pertinent here

[milletpuff]

Are you actively trying to derail a valid concern with totally trivial semantics?

Do you feel like Pat Roberston's views, religious and otherwise, are reflective of the community that you believe MDC should be?

[Arduinna]

I'm not the one that brought religion into the topic, it made no sense to me so I asked for clarification which went nowhere.

[NannyMcPhee]

The religion aspect, I think its pretty clear. Pat Robertson hides behind his religion and exploits it to spread his hateful message. He is an extremist and a fanatic.

[accountclosed3]

While not Mothering, or in any sense of power here, I would like to apologize as a long time member of the community for anytime that those queer (or other unique family types) feel unsafe, unwanted, unwelcome, etc. IF any of my personal threads or comments have made you feel this way, I also take responsibility for that and apologize. I can be uncouth, uneducated, unclear, and generally not observant, and it can be particularly difficult in an online forum. I want you to know that I do support families of all kinds, particularly in their paths to find gentle, attachment-focused methods of parenting their children that work for their lives. 

it's not formal, and it's not at all what you are looking for, but i hope that -- at least -- you realize that some of the members here, who have no power over content of ads or what have you, do care about and support you.

[justrose13]

another "supporting" member asking for a FORMAL apology from the Mothering staff... I am starting to feel ashamed that I've given money to this organization.

and I already was irritated that when I became a supporting member I signed up for the magazine subscription and never received it because (I was told by staff) there was a "problem at the printers that [they] were trying to work out..." then three months later the mag was cancelled. bummer. now I just feel like my money (that I expected would bring a tangible mag to my doorstep) was used instead for, well, who knows what?! perhaps it was used to make all of these [unwanted by me] changes. as a SAHP I am careful with my families monies and I am (now) sorry I gave to MDC.

I reiterate, please issue a FORMAL apology. without this I am seriously considering leaving a wonderful community over in Queer Parenting and in the rest of MDC communities.

[FtMPapa]

Originally Posted by wehrli 

another "supporting" member asking for a FORMAL apology from the Mothering staff... I am starting to feel ashamed that I've given money to this organization.

and I already was irritated that when I became a supporting member I signed up for the magazine subscription and never received it because (I was told by staff) there was a "problem at the printers that [they] were trying to work out..." then three months later the mag was cancelled. bummer. now I just feel like my money (that I expected would bring a tangible mag to my doorstep) was used instead for, well, who knows what?! perhaps it was used to make all of these [unwanted by me] changes. as a SAHP I am careful with my families monies and I am (now) sorry I gave to MDC.

I reiterate, please issue a FORMAL apology. without this I am seriously considering leaving a wonderful community over in Queer Parenting and in the rest of MDC communities.

Quoted for True.  I could have written this word for word.  I want a formal apology as well.  

[New_Natural_Mom]

Add me to the list of members who thinks that Mothering is very rapidly turning away from the kind of organization I supported.  I don't really feel that comfortable here anymore.  I was supremely disappointed that the magazine was canceled, and now receive Billboard magazine in its place - something that has absolutely no interest for me.  I used to find support and, not 100% agreement, but respectful discourse and good advice...with some fun truly nutty advice thrown in.  These half-hearted apologies for serious lapses in judgment, questionable practices with the Ask the Experts, and heavy handed "handling" of members who voice concerns about the new track Mothering is taking, I am starting to see what many were saying in the huge thread in TAO.  I will be very sad to leave this community, but if things continue as they are I am not going to be able to, in good conscience, participate in a forum that is so seriously divergent from my values.

[Ldavis24]

sigh why bother
 

[eclipse]

In case anyone is actually confused on this: having a religion is no more being a religionist than having a race makes one a racist. My beef with Robertson is not that he is religious, it's that he's a religious bigot (among other things).

[Ldavis24]

Ok here it is. I am so done with this place.

1. MDC first posts something incredibly offensive in the Pat Robertson fiasco and then instead of taking any responsibility at all Peggy herself backed by CM passes the buck to a some hapless new employee of the ad team. Way to go management, I forgot the part where being in charge means you blame underlings instead of taking responsibility for the mess YOU are in charge of. This is not the first time this issue has occurred and the response is almost exactly the same. "We didn't know about this, we had someone else doing that". Old School house received basically the same non apology excuses.

2. The fact that MDC posted threads started by members on facebook without alerting anyone to this fact and then acted shocked that people would actually be pissed about it.

3. MDC posts inflammatory daily questions that once again many find offensive then back peddle and apologize shocked that people would take offensive.

4. Naomi Aldort is an academic fraud and when hard questions started being asked about her Cynthia Mosher herself attacked a member and said she was refusing to answer questions...but she would have. Instead the guidelines of the Ask an "expert" forum are changed so no one again can question the credentials of mdc's so called "experts".

5. While it is strictly against the UA racist/homophobic posts are here and yet we are told believe that is not the case ever.

6. The UC forum, because of the moderation there silencing concerned voices and allowing a few outspoken members to basically shout down any concern about the safety of specific situations there have been several incredibly tragic outcomes that are in part a direct result of advice given on the UC "support only" forum. MDC clearly is more interested in it's agenda than the safety of those women considering UC.

Finally the over moderation in the past was absurd and now while there is lighter moderation, we are seeing things like moderators "taking issue" and one going so far as to suggest that the return of not being allowed to question a moderators actions would be a good idea. We all know traffic is way down and MDC's attempt to drum up business has come at the expense of it's longtime members. Simultaneously trying to pander to one facet of posters and appease the other offended half has been failing miserably, I feel like I am watching a train wreck in slow motion. I'm not interested in watching anymore. 

Cynthia I think your actions regarding Hollybearsmom were disgusting and childish at best and that was really the nail in the coffin for me. This place is getting more pathetic by the day.

The only thing I am really thankful for at this point is that I did not purchase a subscription to the magazine before it went under. The fact that people were still allowed to purchase subscriptions while it was already known within the company the magazine was going under is just unbelievably unethical. 

 HTH!

[DayDreamer]

Originally Posted by Ldavis24 

Ok here it is. I am so done with this place.

1. MDC first posts something incredibly offensive in the Pat Robertson fiasco and then instead of taking any responsibility at all Peggy herself backed by CM passes the buck to a some hapless new employee of the ad team. Way to go management, I forgot the part where being in charge means you blame underlings instead of taking responsibility for the mess YOU are in charge of. This is not the first time this issue has occurred and the response is almost exactly the same. "We didn't know about this, we had someone else doing that". Old School house received basically the same non apology excuses.

2. The fact that MDC posted threads started by members on facebook without alerting anyone to this fact and then acted shocked that people would actually be pissed about it.

3. MDC posts inflammatory daily questions that once again many find offensive then back peddle and apologize shocked that people would take offensive.

4. Naomi Aldort is an academic fraud and when hard questions started being asked about her Cynthia Mosher herself attacked a member and said she was refusing to answer questions...but she would have. Instead the guidelines of the Ask an "expert" forum are changed so no one again can question the credentials of mdc's so called "experts".

5. While it is strictly against the UA racist/homophobic posts are here and yet we are told believe that is not the case ever.

6. The UC forum, because of the moderation there silencing concerned voices and allowing a few outspoken members to basically shout down any concern about the safety of specific situations there have been several incredibly tragic outcomes that are in part a direct result of advice given on the UC "support only" forum. MDC clearly is more interested in it's agenda than the safety of those women considering UC.

Finally the over moderation in the past was absurd and now while there is lighter moderation, we are seeing things like moderators "taking issue" and one going so far as to suggest that the return of not being allowed to question a moderators actions would be a good idea. We all know traffic is way down and MDC's attempt to drum up business has come at the expense of it's longtime members. Simultaneously trying to pander to one facet of posters and appease the other offended half has been failing miserably, I feel like I am watching a train wreck in slow motion. I'm not interested in watching anymore. 

Cynthia I think your actions regarding Hollybearsmom were disgusting and childish at best and that was really the nail in the coffin for me. This place is getting more pathetic by the day.

The only thing I am really thankful for at this point is that I did not purchase a subscription to the magazine before it went under. The fact that people were still allowed to purchase subscriptions while it was already known within the company the magazine was going under is just unbelievably unethical. 

 HTH!

Couldn't have said it better myself!

[mjaer08]

Nice!

[St. Margaret]

Yup I am a supporting member too and that pretty much makes me sick now. Clearly this company that used to be so respectable is not something I want to be connected with. I paid for TWO YEARS and didn't even get to switch to life learning bc mothering messed up and refused to return my calls. Thanks for STEALING from me, Mothering. And thanks to the posters here who are reporting what's been going on so I can make the right decision, I am done with this joint.

[Ornery]

I'm going to keep asking the same question.

Is there going to be a formal apology outside of this thread?  The original thread was linked on the front page.  Shouldn't the apology be as well?

[InMediasRes]

Originally Posted by Ldavis24 

Ok here it is. I am so done with this place.

1. MDC first posts something incredibly offensive in the Pat Robertson fiasco and then instead of taking any responsibility at all Peggy herself backed by CM passes the buck to a some hapless new employee of the ad team. Way to go management, I forgot the part where being in charge means you blame underlings instead of taking responsibility for the mess YOU are in charge of. This is not the first time this issue has occurred and the response is almost exactly the same. "We didn't know about this, we had someone else doing that". Old School house received basically the same non apology excuses.

2. The fact that MDC posted threads started by members on facebook without alerting anyone to this fact and then acted shocked that people would actually be pissed about it.

3. MDC posts inflammatory daily questions that once again many find offensive then back peddle and apologize shocked that people would take offensive.

4. Naomi Aldort is an academic fraud and when hard questions started being asked about her Cynthia Mosher herself attacked a member and said she was refusing to answer questions...but she would have. Instead the guidelines of the Ask an "expert" forum are changed so no one again can question the credentials of mdc's so called "experts".

5. While it is strictly against the UA racist/homophobic posts are here and yet we are told believe that is not the case ever.

6. The UC forum, because of the moderation there silencing concerned voices and allowing a few outspoken members to basically shout down any concern about the safety of specific situations there have been several incredibly tragic outcomes that are in part a direct result of advice given on the UC "support only" forum. MDC clearly is more interested in it's agenda than the safety of those women considering UC.

Finally the over moderation in the past was absurd and now while there is lighter moderation, we are seeing things like moderators "taking issue" and one going so far as to suggest that the return of not being allowed to question a moderators actions would be a good idea. We all know traffic is way down and MDC's attempt to drum up business has come at the expense of it's longtime members. Simultaneously trying to pander to one facet of posters and appease the other offended half has been failing miserably, I feel like I am watching a train wreck in slow motion. I'm not interested in watching anymore. 

Cynthia I think your actions regarding Hollybearsmom were disgusting and childish at best and that was really the nail in the coffin for me. This place is getting more pathetic by the day.

The only thing I am really thankful for at this point is that I did not purchase a subscription to the magazine before it went under. The fact that people were still allowed to purchase subscriptions while it was already known within the company the magazine was going under is just unbelievably unethical. 

 HTH!

Hear hear!