I suppose this was to be expected.

[fpb]

Dear Cowards:
I understand that you have been making a fuss about a fic of mine being Niffled. You have made sure to do so where I could not answer or, if possible, even hear of it; but in such a way as to make as much trouble for the Niffler (who was simply exercising her own right to have an opinion) as possible. Is it not sad to live so wholly without honour, grace, dignity, or self-respect?

Heaven knows what purpose your existence has. I can't imagine. I would refer you to terrorism or organized crime, since your dishonesty and your methods seem suitable for that kind of work, but you are too gutless for anything violent. You crawl and twist and slither and grovel and hide away from the light and nurse your evil-smelling little feuds and your nasty passions as though they were something to be proud of.

Even worse, you make it hard for me to avoid pride. Enemies like you are a badge of honour; one does not feel any the worse about oneself when it is found that he is unpopular among moral slime. I would not even take notice of your filthy writhings, were it not that you have targeted, not me, but the Niffler in question - like the vermin that you are. Not being able to get at me, your putrid self-importance demands that someone should be made to suffer.

What is amazing about you is how true to form you run. You live and act according to the template of cowardice and immorality, every time.

Sincerely,

Fabio P.Barbieri.

P.S.: This post is locked against anonymous posters. Let's see whether I can force any of you to act, for once in her lifetime, like a human being.

Comments

[fpb.livejournal.com]

They dehumanize themselves. Human beings do not attack third parties when they have a grudge against someone. For my money, human beings should not hold grudges, either.

[gunderpants.livejournal.com]

I dunno, man, I once heard this fine-sweetass lesson about turning the other cheek and loving your enemies.

It could've been Jesus who said that. Or Chuck Norris. You know how hazy my religious knowledge is.

People get over stuff, dude. It doesn't make you weak to ignore people and let them think what they want. At latest check of the nifflers forum, everyone is thus far standing behind the notion that it is the quality of the fic being niffled, and everyone seems to be concurring that I made a reasonable and decent choice with your work.

It will take time and effort from both parties to bite their tongues and try and maintain civility. I wouldn't involve myself in HP fandom if I didn't enjoy it or the people around. I enjoy talking to you, Fabio, because despite your almost criminal lack of humility you are smart, and you can be very funny. I like talking to everyone else too. I don't want to be embroiled and take sides, because we moderates tend to pretend that nothing wrong ever happens and just want to coast on in our happy little world of PC-ness and valium.

Thus far I've had a lot of people tell me I made the right choice. People are going to disagree with it, sure. If someone niffled my story where Sirius was an Avril Lavigne fan, I would be the first person to complain about it. Just calm down, and accept that out there, people do appreciate your writing, and if you take the chance to accept the apologies and humility of everyone else, you have the potential to mend some bridges. And shit.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Jesus also said a few things like: "you generation of vipers, who has taught you to flee from the wrath to come?" and "it is necessary for scandals to happen, but woe to the person through whom they happen! He would be better off if they had tied a millstone to his neck and thrown him in the depths of the sea". And it is perhaps not sufficiently noticed that the everlasting forgiveness He asked was restricted to "brothers", that is to members of the Church. They are the ones who are to be forgiven "not seven times, but seventy times seven" (Mt 18.21-22; the previous verses, Mt 18.15-17, show clearly that Jesus is talking about an issue for "the congregation", and that the final penalty is excommunication - "let him be to you as a pagan or a publican (i.e. criminal)"). At any rate, Jesus never said anything against reproaching those who behave immorally.