oh yes something did happen, and it wasn’t mike quitting - it was him pretending to quit so we’d give him more attention and say he was important, but it turns out he was bluffing (of course) - he lied about me, very openly, and then tried to take it all back so he could go back to abusing and taking advantage of people in the group
> ...
I never said what he did was RIGHT, but how this is being handled is WRONG. If you just tell him, to his face, instead of in secret IRC channels behind his back or whatever, or public tumblr posts, he’ll probably stop. He might put up a fight but I’m sure he’ll stop. He doesn’t have the same sense of right and wrong as a lot of people. I learned that from actually talking with him patiently and not just getting pissed off. If PK’s method of handling things is to get mad, then take out the anger some other way. Let people experience Mike themselves instead of dealing with the confusion of word-of-mouth. Its not fair to him. He’s a human being just as much as PK, just because he’s done some wrong doesn’t mean he deserves this. This just shows how spiteful and unforgiving you all are.
I’m not replying to this any more though, I just wanted to get out there how frustrating it is to see this constantly brought up. Maybe Mike and PK need to find some closure privately or something or just, I dunno, ignore eachother because this is just ridiculous.
You didn’t say it was wrong, either. You carefully phrased it as “you didn’t handle things the best way either” and “you have every right to be angry with him”. But Mel, well, you have no problem labeling her reaction as disgusting bullying for which she’s lost your respect.
(What on Earth would it take for Mike to lose your respect, I wonder?)
If even you can’t bear to state plainly that Mike did something—anything—wrong, then what hope do I have that Mike himself (who has an off sense of right/wrong) thinks he did anything wrong, and thus has learned anything from it?
Not fair to him? What’s fair to Mel and everyone else? To just suck it up and forget about it, while Mike’s friends actively work to mitigate any backlash he might suffer because oh no it would make him feel bad? I remind you that, to the best of my knowledge, he never made the slightest attempt at reparations or even an apology to a single person.
He still clearly considers her the bad guy in this story. Again, how does that show he’s learned anything at all, if that’s how he regards the person who exposed his “mistakes”?
He’s even still, to this day, with this recent Pommy adventure, weaving tales that aren’t quite complete lies to fit his story of how Mel is a bad guy. So what you’re really asking for is this: Mel should never say anything bad about Mike because he might cry, but Mike can continue twisting the truth to spite Mel until the end of time.
“Spiteful and unforgiving” my ass.
This is, thus, not public shaming. This is a warning.
Because Mike is manipulative and delusional. He refuses to admit his shortcomings or seek help for them. He continues to paint anyone who doesn’t pat him on the back as a villain, and ropes his friends into doing the same. He is a corrosive person to be around, and his genuine demeanor makes him all the more dangerous. And people should probably know about that, so they can stay away before they get suckered in.