posted
Guys, here is something Lardy sent me that he asked I could post in the Bits forum. I was going to post it in the "Calling All LMBers" thread, but I thought it might deserve it's own thread right now. Here it is:
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After I wrote you back, CK, I read the thread where the subject was debated. I was horrified to see how people perceived my motivations in including the Carrina character in the story. I'd appreciate it if you could post the following letter on my behalf, either in the "Calling All LMBers" thread or in its own thread, if you think that would work better:
Fellow, Legion World Tag-team Participants,
I was horrified to learn that I'd caused such a controversy with my ill-advised inclusion of the Carrina Winters character in the "Ongoing" tag-team thread. Honestly, I have no vendetta against her. I hadn't even thought about her in ages until Cobalt's "LMB Continuity" thread reminded me about her status as the "LMB traitor". That thread inspired me to insert the character into the tag-team thread and flesh her out as a crucial LMB villain. Like Cobalt, I'm a real aficionado of better defining LMB continuity.
I mean, I felt there was zero chance that the "real" Carrina would show up and be offended; she hasn't been heard of in ages. And if we're going to have someone in the fictional continuity who was a traitor to the LMB, then she would have to be a really evil, vile character. So I wrote a chapter in the "Ongoing" thread where she basically rapes Lardy and leaves him broken and powerless. I was also hoping to go into just how she betrayed the LMB in the first place. And I had a serious follow-up story in the early planning stages that would have some major character development for Lardy in it. If you think about the story of the Legion's traitor, Nemesis Kid, you might have a general idea of how I perceived the Carrina character and where things were headed.
The story idea was the real appeal to me, and I thought using a "real" traitor to connect to a fictional one would have a real resonance and hook the contributors into this character. Maybe, just maybe, if I'd used the Adriana McCloud character in the first place, I could've avoided this mess. But I knew that old-time LMBers would connect more with her posting I.D. The CW name would resonate more with them.
But it really hurt to see words like "vendetta" and "flame war" used to describe my intentions. Anyone who really knows me knows that that's just not who I am. I've never been in a flame war with ANYONE, nor do I pursue some personal grievances with other posters. Fact is, if Carrina had been willing to just accept my apology instead of taking things to the extreme, I would've been happy to take her back into the fold. At the time, I felt terrible that I had inadvertantly hurt her feelings. It soon became apparent that she was a ticking time bomb, and if it wasn't me, something else would have set her off. Later, I even chided those posters who were making fun of her by using similar i.d.'s after all the bad things had happened. I posted my objection on at least one thread and, I believe, e-mailed Rob Kamphausen with my disgust. If I had a vendetta against the real poster, I would've just joined in on the crude attacks they made on her.
In the end it was a poor choice to use her (apparent) real name, or probably even the alter-ego she created for the LMB. I should've looked before I leaped on that one. But, believe it or not, my intentions weren't vindictive in nature. If I thought the "real" Carrina would ever see or hear about it, I never would've written her into the story. Anything is possible, but I didn't, and still don't, believe we'd ever hear from her again. Still, it was a poor choice.
My hope is that the character and situation might still go on in its ret-conned form as Illyana Highlander. Having an LMB traitor enriches the LMB continuity. And I really like the ideas I had for her. Beyond the shame of knowing I shouldn't have used Carrina, I really hate that the story idea might have to be trashed and swept aside because of my mistake. I think her gimmick as a villainess is a classic addition to LMB lore. Maybe it can be salvaged. But if any members still feel uncomfortable with it, it might just have to be trashed.
Another thing that disturbed me and was buried under the main controversy was how there was a perceived misogynist tone to the posts. I admit I have a reputation for injecting a large amount of sex into tag-team threads (it's kind of my signature, I suppose), but I never, EVER intend to demean women as a policy. Ribaldry just seems to suit the characters, and it's fun to write about. Yes, I created Hummer Lass, but I attempted to flesh her out a lot in a novella I wrote exploring her character. Honestly, the most unflattering character I ever write is Lard Lad himself. He's a drunk and a sex addict and always flirts with his dark side. If you re-read the controversial chapter that introduced Carrina, it makes it pretty clear that Lardy is promiscuous and was inevitably headed for disaster because of it.
Anyhow, I apologize to one and all, even to Carrina, for bringing controversy to what shuld be one of the most light-hearted places on the 'net. I never meant any harm, but I should have thought out the consequences of my actions before making such a poor choice. I hope someday, I'll be able to log back onto Legion World and again participate in the fan-fic/tag-teams I enjoy so much. Hopefully, this lesson will help me make better choices in the future.
Sincerely, Anthony "LARDLAD" Taylor
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
I would like add one thing though. I've "known" Lard Lad (Anthony) for at least five years now, and I can say that everything he has just said is genuine. I consider him to be a really great guy with a great heart that would never intentionally bring harm to our little internet community. In everything he does, he always tries to have fun and make things fun for other people, and I've never known him to intentionally try and make people feel hurt or uncomfortable.
I know that the recent topic of Carrina is pretty much over now, and I'm a bit relieved. The only thing I can say is that I'm very proud to be a part of this community and I'm proud of the way everyone handled this "issue", especially Chuck who admirably let us know how he felt about the whole thing.
The only thing I'd like to add is that I really hope that no one thinks any less of Lardy for this whole thing, I know and hope others will that it was never an intentional way to harm another poster. I think he's a really great guy who likes to make things fun, and like me gets crazy to the extreme in his posts to the point that we both forget others might not find certain things as funny. I know that the whole issue is resolved now, but I'd just like to let everyone know that after a few years of knowing Lard Lad, I can say that what he said is genuine and that he really is a nice and sweet guy.
Once again, thanks to everyone for not turning this into the DC Green Lantern Boards of yester-year .
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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I certainly don't believe that Lardy meant any harm. However, I do believe that using either Carrina or her Adriana ID was a bad decision. The plotline he introduced involving her was fairly graphic, and not something that I think Carrina herself would have approved of. In fact, I feel quite certain that she would have been very offended by it.
I can appreciate Lardy's wish to further develop a LMBP "villain", however one must keep in mind that regardless of what Carrina did, she was not an LMBP character.... she was a real person that had some real problems. Using her as we did in this story was a bad idea, and I'm glad that steps were taken to correct that.
-------------------- Some people are like slinkys: not really good for anything, but they bring a smile to your face when you knock them down a flight of stairs
From: Penthouse atop Levitz Hall, LMBP Plaza, Embassy Row, Legion World | Registered: Jul 2003
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As the person who first publicly (I believe Greybird, may have privately raised some objections prior to my ranting and raving) raised objections to your use of a real person's name in the story line, let me first thank you for your comments and second clarify my position.
Whenever the original incident happened, I was not a member of the LMBP community or actively involved in any internet message board. What I know comes entirely from posts in the various forums on this board.
My concerns were (and still are) that we could put Gary and Scott in a precarious legal position by introducing a real person into the storyline in a highly unflattering light. Yes, I know that first amendment rights and other questions way too deep to go into here arise from that statement. But! My point is; Why take that risk?
The story could have been (and still can be) told using entirely fictional characters with the same effect.
I did make some points about "Flame Wars" and "Vendettas" based on reading the entire posted chronology leading up to the posting of that story segment as they were posted in the various forums. My intention was to point out how the situation LOOKED to someone without prior knowledge; who read about the entire thing for the first time on this board. That is not to say that the situation was the way I described it. My intention was to say that was how the situation could be interpreted. Which is in fact more legally damning than the truth.
Anthony, I enjoy reading your writing, as I hope you enjoy reading mine. Our styles are vastly different but that is part of the fun in writing these stories. I hope you return soon and continue your contributions to them.
However we all need to understand that there are certain lines which are not worth crossing. I am no less guilty than anyone else in these areas. I have written things in some of my stories which other posters have found personally offensive. I have been called on this on several ocasions and have gone back and rewritten things to make the same points in a less objectionable manner. And like you I try to reserve the most contriversial and or objectionable roles for my personal character(s).
The beauty of Legion World is in part the ability of the members of this community to come together and resolve differences thru understanding other peoples perspectives rather than engaging in childish arguments or name-calling.
Come back soon,
Chuck (Abin Quank/Space Ranger) Tabor
-------------------- Truth and Justice shall Prevail! (Just as soon as the Check Clears!)
From: The Back Office in Abin's Fixit Shop. | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
I was concerned about the implications -- including matters of libel -- of such writing that referenced a real personal name, not an LMBP persona. That's what I brought up privately to Cobalt Kid. He and others, including the absent Lardy, acted to essentially remove that matter of concern in an expeditious way, and I'm glad for that.
What also bothered me, though, was the graphic sexual dialogue and descriptions that have been used on that thread, including descriptions of multiple simultaneous sexual partners, some of them unwilling. That is why I added the tag "(rated R)" in the thread title. It still bothers me that such explicit sexual description is used, in a board where those of any age and gender may access it. Parents may pull their children away from participating at all, or women (especially) may lose their interest in this forum, and either development would be negative.
As a mod of this section, I'll still be keeping an eye on what is written, on this and other threads. I'm sure the others are, as well. Content will not be changed. If it becomes more sexually explicit, though, we'll have to have more detailed warning tags in thread titles (or at the start of threads, or both) for potential inlookers. We don't need to add outrage at misrepresented content to the other difficulties that Gary and Scott have to handle.
From: Starhaven Consulate, City of Angels | Registered: Jul 2003
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