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Alicen Grey's avatar

Hey MAA, I hope you don't mind me making this comment (not directed at anyone in particular) about a general trend I'm observing in the comments: I really want people to understand that what S is doing is more than just ~gossip~ -- it's slander. It's illegal. It's a criminal offense.

She's not just talking crap behind MAA's back She's actively, enthusiastically spreading the baseless rumor that MAA is a spy, and this has caused demonstrable harm to MAA's reputation. If MAA were to sue S about this, MAA would likely win, because of that demonstrated damage (and we don't even know yet how far this rumor has spread & how much damage has actually been done). That's how serious this behavior is.

So it's really concerning, that so many people are writing this off as ~just drama~ that MAA should ignore or forget about. That attitude of passivity & confrontation-avoidance is what enables people like S to ruin innocent people's lives. If it were happening to you, you wouldn't want all your friends telling you to just let it go, would you? No. You would want someone to stand up for you. That's what MAA is inspiring people to do, with this post.

If being asked to be an Upstander makes you uncomfortable, ask yourself -- honestly -- if you're triggered because you know that you're failing to show up for your own maligned friends.

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Margaret Anna Alice's avatar

While I realize it is tempting to speculate regarding the identity of S, I ask that you resist the temptation to do so in the comments as I do not want innocent individuals to get caught in the cross-fire, nor do I want S’s identity to become evident by the process of elimination were I to defend the innocent. If you know her identity or have been whispered to yourself, feel free to contact me privately by responding to this or any of my other newsletters via email.

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