Dave, just read "special message from the management"

Dave,
I applaud your statement. It was very well put and very true.
But.....Being Jewish, I have lived a lifetime with unfortunate and prejudiced comments, i.e., anti-Semitism (fortunately, not too many instances). I have found the best way to handle this is for each individual who is so put upon to speak up immediately and firmly, but not with anger.
I have no idea if something of this or a similar nature occurred on your site, however if it did may I add.... I believe very strongly in free speech. Even the worst kinds! I believe it is a mistake to stifle it under any circumstances. People who exhibit unpleasant speech will never learn unless others speak freely back in dissent. I hope at some point you will consider letting that happen and opening the chat-room again. Not because I participated so much. Just the principal that conversation cannot hurt as much as inhibiting it can. Thanks for the opportunity to speak out!
Your site is the best thing on the web. I hope you continue it forever!
The best to you and Trish,
Ruth

I Think this had to be a hard hard decision to male but I applaud you for doing what you feel is the best for everyone to maintain the integrity of Daves Garden.

Yes, Runew, but what we do not need is people who are intentially attempting to antagonize others, thus causing the argument.

I'm all for free speech, but there's a limit to the kinds of abuse I'm willing to let people dish out while on my private property.

My message stands.

Dave

Dave,
Just wanted to let you know that as I am very disappointed in both decisions about the chat room and the party but, I stand behind you and Trish completely. You are two great people that puts hours of your own time and energy into this wonderful gardening site. I have enjoyed it tremendously and hope to continue to do so.
Now I say let's get on with things.

Dave,

Yes - ditto - to what Kathy Jo said. I couldn't have said it any better than she did.

i was away all weekend-"what a bummer"
I know you had to do what you had to do and Im behind you and Trish 100%
I will miss our morning chats-I guess I can get more done now if im not in chat-to bad that some people had to ruin it

"one bad apple-spoils the whole bunch"

I luv ya Dave n Trish!!!!
guess I will go plant the stuff i got at the trade!!!!

I haven't a clue as to what happend to turn things around for you. I am sorry that people just don't seem to get that there is no need to be mean and hurtful to one another. I guess it's the way of the world though, Some just aren't happy when things are going well and running smoothly, they insist upon ruining it for others.
Your decision must have been a difficult one and I can imagine you sitting there by your computer, pondering what the heck to do and asking yourself how this became such a mess. You have given yourself a huge task to undertake and I thank you for still doing it. At this point in time some would give up and wash their hands of the site, seeing as things are happening that you didn't intend for.
I understand free speech, but you also have to look at the flip side of it, this is an enviornment for people of similar interests, when to many bad things start to happen people then tend to get extremely uncomfortable and want to leave the site, in hopes to recapture that quiet enviornment that they once knew.
With what Dave is doing is trying to make everyone happy and if in the mix a few people are upset by that, then that is the way it must be. He has been given some difficult decisions recently it seems, and that has to royally stink, especially when things most likely were going so good.
Dave I congratulate you on you efforts in trying to make this a safe, happy, comfortable enviornment for everyone. And I know your job is one of the most difficult.
Holly

My, my. I haven't been paying attention. Sorry Dave and Trish that things spiraled out of hand and you had to crack down with tighter rules of engagement. I support you. And please feel free to bop me one if I get too "ironic" or too curt and hurt someones feelings to the extent they complain (happened elsewhere). Just don't go the Spike route, please, of censoring references to sites, people, or ideas.

Thanks.

Marsh

Dave and Trish,
Everyone is saying it very well. Sorry I brought it up again when you all want to get on with it, which I truly understand.
I just did a canvass of all the Garden web sites I could find. There is no question that this is the best, so, PLEEZE don't get discouraged by crazies. We all appreciate this place so much and all your care and attention.

Thanks for everybody's comments. We're not getting discouraged, and the support from our members helps keep us encouraged.

Open discussions is a hallmark of DG, and this will continue. References to sites, people, ideas, and even commercial companies is not only tolerated - it's condoned. This is the principle difference between "us" and "them".

What's not tolerated is abusing other members, in any form. That is the only thing that will get you on my bad side very very quickly.

Thanks again,
Dave

Well Said Dave!

Hey,
I thought we were all crazies here? Crazy about gardening and flowers and dirt and compost and greenhouses,...etc... That's what makes Dave's Garden the great place it is. I love this site and stop by as often as I can. Although since the weather has gotten better, I, like alot of others don't get the chance to stop in as much as we might like. But we are all friends here and have one common bond GARDENING.
Just my thoughts,
SYR36

[ Removed by member request. - Admin ]

Well said, Karma. I know I'm not going anywhere. :o)

Thanks for making this a good clean safe place to be. I know you did a lot of soul searching to come to the decisions you have made, I know it wasn't an easy thing for you to do, and I will stand with you.

Behind you ALL the way, Dave. You and Trish have my support. Just one thing. It sure is quiet here now......can hear a pin drop..... DING!......Sorry that was just the stone out of my ring.LOL.

Oh My Goodness, I do not know what happened. I have been out of it for a few days, I thought maybe the Chat was being worked on. I will miss chatting with you all. Its too bad, that someone had to spoil it. I have faith that Dave has made the appropriate decision. Im sure it is in the best interest of us all. Michele

I do not agree with taking away the chat. Sorry dave but I think it is ridiculous to punish all for someone elses ignorance. I have suffered through prejudice most of my life. It just shows the other person's stupidity. There is more than one way to skin a cat and I cannot believe we are not smarter than the person who got this all started. I also want to ask, is this our website or is it Dave and Trish's....I'm not being smart, just asking. If it's Dave's and Trish's, so be it. If not then we should be able to vote on the chat. We vote on everything else........

Weebus #6

If this free site becomes too expensive, too much work, too much of a headache for Dave and Trish to deal with - who will provide a "free" website and support for us to pursue our collective gardening adventures?

Thanks for everything you do Dave and Trish :)

This message was edited Wednesday, Jun 13th 7:59 PM

I have been busy the last week so have not visited. Suddenly everything is changed. What happened? I only visited the chat room about 10 minutes before I was heading for bed, really enjoyed it.

Was looking forward to putting my little girl smocked dresses up for sale on the craft site.

Also ALMOST convinced hubby to take a long, long trip from BC to TN in August, now that is off?

YEP! No explanation. Seems rather rash to me and I cannot believe they just called off the BD party like that, but to each his own.

I for one feel that any decision that Dave and Trish make concerning DG is obviously the best for ironing out a bad situation. We as members are not privy to everything that goes on and we do not have the responsibility that they have undertaken in managing this site. I applaud what they have done as the problem(I don't even know what it was)seems to have been handled. I say enough with the debate about all of it, and everyone should go back to the original thing that brought them here in first place.
GARDENING, meeting people and exchanging ideas, or plants, or seeds.
Sandy

Thank you Sandy, nice words of wisdom. Lisa

Sandy is right on in stressing why we are here. I would like to add that this is a public forum, not a private club, and standards have to be broadly based and rigorously defended to avoid what seems to have been a period of chaos. Big party for the members and families, craft and other commercial components are costly to initiate and maintain. Discussions of a party, begun when this site had 600 members, might no longer be viable now with more than 3 times that number.

So let's just take a deep breath, go into our gardens, and enjoy the day.

[ Removed by member request. - Admin ]

Coming to DG, and being ALLOWED to post, is a PRIVILEGE, not a birthright. Privileges are GRANTED, by administrators. Dave and Trish ARE the administrators of this site. Now, you should have enough information to figure it all out, for those of you having problems!

[ Removed by member request. - Admin ]

LOL@KHT 'passion flower tea" :)

HUH?

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OH MY? i went away for the weekend to a chat meet with Ele and a few other's from the old Garden.com chat! And ^Boy oh Boy^!! something must have happened!
Thanks to Ele she clued me in! IM SO very sorry this has happened,*i guess i live in a cinderella world? I can never imagine how people can lower themselves to harm others with words and uneducated thought processes?
I'm behind Dave and Trish, if this is what had to be done!**It had to be done** However, I'm very saddened about it also. I have seen things like this happen in garden.com and the chat never returned to it;s wonderful self again.
It is a very downcast situation when gardener's forget their commonalities, the gift of growing.

:-) love brassi
ps forgive my typo's,,,,,i was typing this while eating lunch!

Can someone point me to Dave's announcment and/or the other bruha?

I feel left out and in the dark!

George, very few people are privvy to exactly what happened, but the end result was that the chatroom was closed, and Dave and Trish's party was cancelled.
As for Dave's announcement, it was only up for a short time, and announced the party cancellation, and expressed the reasons behind the decision.
More than enough has been said and surmised. It's time to get on with gardening!