Where do you all get off, anyway?

Posted by Maureen Bothe on April 15, 2002 at 21:48:23:

In Reply to: An article about Robin Lee Hatcher that may surprise you posted by LLB on April 11, 2002 at 13:25:16:

First off, I didn't read every message but I will address many of the ones I did read.

All of you are attacking her while you should know that magazine and newspaper interviews are not always the TRUTH. I was interviewed for a newspaper article last October and the reporter certainly skewered my words and I wasn't happy about it. Always take what you read with a grain of salt, and if in doubt, ask the person who was interviewed.

As for everyone freaking out because there is mention of addiction to romance novels, are you saying this has never happened and is impossible? I sure don't think so. Romance can be an escape for some people, and one they can't let go of. Anything that rules you is an addiction, and addiction isn't healthy any which way you slice it. To say that Robin Lee Hatcher is "stupid" to even think of such a thing (if in fact she did, which we have no proof of) is a disservice to those women who truly are addicted to fantasy or porn or novels or what have you. It does happen.

I see we all want to show how progressive we are by bashing Christianity -- well don't even go there, ok? If it's "too evangelical" for you, don't read it. We're told how we should change the channel when we see something we don't like, right? Some people are evangelical, so just learn to be tolerant and understanding. I hear so many people preaching tolerance but have none to offer when the going gets tough.

So do you want a new line just for the sensitive atheist hero now? Why do you want it? Because it will bash Christians by putting them in their place? To show that no, they're not the only ones who can be good and kind to kittens or something? Christianity isn't ABOUT being "good" it's about JESUS CHRIST. You are not going to find a perfect Christian. So stop looking for and expecting them.

It seems to me this argument is really that RLH's words make you feel what you're doing is *gasp* wrong. That reading or writing romance is wrong. Obviously RLH would not be writing romance right now if she thought it was WRONG. Are you all so afraid of someone having an opinion and that opinion thinking you're wrong? Well newsflash -- a lot of people think you're wrong. And you think some people are wrong, you've said so very brazenly. So who made your opinion worth more than RLH's or even the interviewer who twisted her words?

How can you even throw stones at RLH when you have shown yourselves to be intolerant, closed minded and vicious when you don't even have the facts of the article!?

If you want to read hardcore sex you go right ahead, that's your choice. But it's also my choice to say you're wrong for doing it. And there's nothing you can do about it. That's LIFE. Hardcore sex is subjective anyway -- for someone more innocent, a simply described sex act can be shocking, while the less innocent need way more details and different actions to make it worth reading.

You're just peeved at RLH because you THINK she put down romance or that she put down secular romance. This means that secular people (i.e. most of you) are bad, bad bad. Well she didn't do that.

And people can change. you can be President of RWA and change the direction your writing takes and you can attribute it to the Voice of God if you want, and if readers don't like it they don't need to buy your books. No one is holding a gun to your heads.

And you call her names and denounce her when you don't even have the facts. I guess your perfect world is one where everyone thinks exactly like you do.

My point is: use the same rules for her as you use for yourseves. If you were misquoted, how would you feel to find a board going off on you like that? She's human, too. You all look like swarming vulture, eager to read a nasty article and spread the venom.

That's my opinion and I'm not afraid to use it! :)

DISCLAIMER for the highly sensitive who will read into my words whatever they want to to feel they're "right" -- I didn't take a side. I am simply stating true facts and adding my opinion. I read RLH's rebuttal on the board and it seems apologies to her are in order for the misunderstanding.

Follow Ups:

In defense of an atheist line of romances Candy 16:47:53 04/16/02 (1)
- Re: In defense of an atheist line of romances Rebecca 09:56:20 04/17/02 (0)
Re: Where do you all get off, anyway? Krissy 22:55:49 04/15/02 (0)

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: First off, I didn't read every message but I will address many of the ones I did read. : All of you are attacking her while you should know that magazine and newspaper interviews are not always the TRUTH. I was interviewed for a newspaper article last October and the reporter certainly skewered my words and I wasn't happy about it. Always take what you read with a grain of salt, and if in doubt, ask the person who was interviewed. : As for everyone freaking out because there is mention of addiction to romance novels, are you saying this has never happened and is impossible? I sure don't think so. Romance can be an escape for some people, and one they can't let go of. Anything that rules you is an addiction, and addiction isn't healthy any which way you slice it. To say that Robin Lee Hatcher is "stupid" to even think of such a thing (if in fact she did, which we have no proof of) is a disservice to those women who truly are addicted to fantasy or porn or novels or what have you. It does happen. : I see we all want to show how progressive we are by bashing Christianity -- well don't even go there, ok? If it's "too evangelical" for you, don't read it. We're told how we should change the channel when we see something we don't like, right? Some people are evangelical, so just learn to be tolerant and understanding. I hear so many people preaching tolerance but have none to offer when the going gets tough. : So do you want a new line just for the sensitive atheist hero now? Why do you want it? Because it will bash Christians by putting them in their place? To show that no, they're not the only ones who can be good and kind to kittens or something? Christianity isn't ABOUT being "good" it's about JESUS CHRIST. You are not going to find a perfect Christian. So stop looking for and expecting them. : It seems to me this argument is really that RLH's words make you feel what you're doing is *gasp* wrong. That reading or writing romance is wrong. Obviously RLH would not be writing romance right now if she thought it was WRONG. Are you all so afraid of someone having an opinion and that opinion thinking you're wrong? Well newsflash -- a lot of people think you're wrong. And you think some people are wrong, you've said so very brazenly. So who made your opinion worth more than RLH's or even the interviewer who twisted her words? : How can you even throw stones at RLH when you have shown yourselves to be intolerant, closed minded and vicious when you don't even have the facts of the article!? : If you want to read hardcore sex you go right ahead, that's your choice. But it's also my choice to say you're wrong for doing it. And there's nothing you can do about it. That's LIFE. Hardcore sex is subjective anyway -- for someone more innocent, a simply described sex act can be shocking, while the less innocent need way more details and different actions to make it worth reading. : You're just peeved at RLH because you THINK she put down romance or that she put down secular romance. This means that secular people (i.e. most of you) are bad, bad bad. Well she didn't do that. : And people can change. you can be President of RWA and change the direction your writing takes and you can attribute it to the Voice of God if you want, and if readers don't like it they don't need to buy your books. No one is holding a gun to your heads. : And you call her names and denounce her when you don't even have the facts. I guess your perfect world is one where everyone thinks exactly like you do. : My point is: use the same rules for her as you use for yourseves. If you were misquoted, how would you feel to find a board going off on you like that? She's human, too. You all look like swarming vulture, eager to read a nasty article and spread the venom. : That's my opinion and I'm not afraid to use it! :) : DISCLAIMER for the highly sensitive who will read into my words whatever they want to to feel they're "right" -- I didn't take a side. I am simply stating true facts and adding my opinion. I read RLH's rebuttal on the board and it seems apologies to her are in order for the misunderstanding.