Jump to content

Menu

Do You Think This Crosses The Line?


Recommended Posts

I haven't been following the whole Jon & Kate Gosselin mess the way I once was (yay!).....but someone brought the following to my attention, and I found it - well, let's see what you all think.

 

There's a woman in Texas who is currently pregnant with sextuplets. I believe that she and her husband are Mormons, and when the docs suggested that they reduce the number of embryos, they declined because of their beliefs. They have started a website that tells their story (she had fertility problems and lost twins previous to this pregnancy); now they are journaling their lives up until the babies are born. They have a wish list - for the normal things that any expectant couple might want. I don't believe there are any plans for a TV show in the works, but I could be wrong. From what I saw of the website, they are just a couple who desperately wants a family.

 

Some of the posters from one of the anti-Gosselin websites got ahold of their story, and they have been sending hateful emails to the couple regarding their wishlist and other things. Someone finally tipped the wife off to what was going on. She had no idea why she was getting hate mail from strangers, and I can't imagine how she must have felt when she was reading it.

 

Does anyone think that's a form of harassment, or is everything one puts on the Internet fair game for both well-wishers and haters alike?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I think everything on the Internet is fair game, but I also think that some people need to get a life. It makes me sad that people even have time to treat other people that way, or even CARE what others do to that extent. Ugh.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I think everything on the Internet is fair game, but I also think that some people need to get a life. It makes me sad that people even have time to treat other people that way, or even CARE what others do to that extent. Ugh.

 

:iagree:

 

Was the website that tells their story something for family/friends to see? Like a blog? So that people who knew and loved this family could keep up with what was going on?

 

That's very different from "Hi! We're pregnant! Send us stuff!"

 

Either way, of course the hate mail is over the line. Absolutely.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:iagree:

 

Was the website that tells their story something for family/friends to see? Like a blog? So that people who knew and loved this family could keep up with what was going on?

 

That's very different from "Hi! We're pregnant! Send us stuff!"

 

Either way, of course the hate mail is over the line. Absolutely.

 

Well, I guess the site is partly to help loved ones/friends keep up with what's going on, but I think it's also because they realize they're going to be up against it financially with six kids all at once, so they wanted to spread the word. I could be wrong. But it's not presented in a way that most people would find offensive, like asking outright for cash and things.

 

The kind of mail they're getting is along the line of "You'd better pray those kids are healthy before you plan to cash in on them," and "I pay taxes and I don't want my money going to support your kids," "women weren't meant to have a litter," etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does anyone think that's a form of harassment, or is everything one puts on the Internet fair game for both well-wishers and haters alike?

I would not say it was harassment, unless people starting sending things to their home, calling them, or otherwise interfering in their day-to-day lives. If you post something online and do not set up some sort of privacy features, then you may get some nasty input. The internet is like a vast stage and once you put yourself into a spot light, any spot light, you risk a face full of rotten veggies.

 

It would not surprise me if the majority of the hate mail is being sent by kids, they are responsible for a lot of the really negative comments on most other sites I use.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just think it is so presumptuous to be asking for things for your family. If people feel led to give privately, fine. But to ASK for it -on the internet!!- is way overboard.

 

Not trying to start a debate about how to justify getting impregnated with 3+ embryos.......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What I don't understand is why people feel the need to send hate mail. Just ignore the site. It's not like they're knocking on your door or sending something through the mail. Obviously it's the hate mail that's drawn attention to the situation, playing right into the couple's hands.

Blessings!

Dorinda

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just think it is so presumptuous to be asking for things for your family. If people feel led to give privately, fine. But to ASK for it -on the internet!!- is way overboard.

 

Not trying to start a debate about how to justify getting impregnated with 3+ embryos.......

 

 

I think that the time to make a list is when someone asks you for a list, however I just don't see why people have to be mean about it even if someone is presumptuous.

 

Blogs for family and friends can be made private. My db has a family website that you can't access without the password and it does not come up in a google search. So if family and friends had asked for a blog to keep them innformed, then a private one would have been better IMO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think that the time to make a list is when someone asks you for a list, however I just don't see why people have to be mean about it even if someone is presumptuous.

 

Blogs for family and friends can be made private. My db has a family website that you can't access without the password and it does not come up in a google search. So if family and friends had asked for a blog to keep them innformed, then a private one would have been better IMO.

 

:iagree:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think that the time to make a list is when someone asks you for a list, however I just don't see why people have to be mean about it even if someone is presumptuous.

 

Maybe someone did ask them to make a list? Maybe people at their church were asking how they could help, what they needed? In my family, list making is huge. If I don't make a holiday/birthday list for the kids, they might not get anything because people are actually miffed. When I was pregnant, my mom was hounding me for a list by the third month because family members were hounding her. In some families, it's just that way. I think we're presuming they're being presumptuous. (Wow, say that 10 times fast.)

 

Blogs for family and friends can be made private. My db has a family website that you can't access without the password and it does not come up in a google search. So if family and friends had asked for a blog to keep them innformed, then a private one would have been better IMO.

 

True, but the shame of it is that is even a necessity. Most of us here have public blogs. We know strangers read them. Some of us even like that. Most bloggers thrive on some public attention. Why do any of us do Wordless Wednesdays or Week in Review posts, or join blog rings?

 

Why people feel compelled to direct such negativity toward people they don't even know will always be beyond me--not that we should be directing negativity toward people we DO know, of course. But at strangers on the Internet? It's just weird. Don't people have more productive ways to spend their time than spewing hate at people they don't even know?

Edited by melissel
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...