The Midnight Pride and Swiftpaw


For some reason Swiftpaw feels the need to go around bashing The Midnight Pride.. considering this is my group I am going to reply to all her bashing with this:

She has a page dedicated to her bashing of The Midnight Pride on her site (Swiftpaw's Tree) called "Midnight Pride". In this essay of hers she quotes the old purpose statement of The Midnight Pride which used to read this:

"The Midnight Pride is a group for the Felines of the world. It is for all forms of Felines. We are here to share and be a "family" for one another. We are Wiccan, Vampire, and Were, We are of all shapes and sizes. I hope that everyone who joins will eventually call the Midnight Pride they're family.. please show respect to one another.. though most of us hunt alone and are solitary creatures.. we still feel the need for companionship.. "

I changed the statement purpose not to long ago after taking into consideration that the group was for more than Vamps, Wiccan's, Shifters etc. and it now reads this:

"The Midnight Pride is a group for Felines.. WereCats, Shifters, etc. We are of all shapes and sizes.. we come from different religions.. Panther, Lion, Leopard.. even our small sisters and brothers the House Cat.. All Felines are welcome in The Midnight Pride.. Everyone in the Pride are treated as equals.. no one is better than the others.. Feel free to jump right in.. even if you are not real sure of your Feline side but you know it's Feline.. If you change your mind.. you are always free to leave. please show respect to one another.. though most of us hunt alone and are solitary creatures.. we still feel the need for companionship.. *note: This is NOT an RPG group if you feel the need to RP please go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheMidnightPrideRPG which is an RPG group for those who RP as were-cats and felines* Those who wish may also join my community The Midnight Pride (Not RPG)... you may find that here: http://communities.msn.com/TheMidnightPride"

Swiftpaw also states in this essay of hers that she was sent four invites.. I sent out one invite to a bunch of "Felines" from WereNet who stated on thier member profile that their phenotype was a Feline or one of there Were sides were Feline. I sent these out hoping that those who were truly had a Feline side would join and I trusted those who weren't to not accept the invite. She also states "I got curious, and then a little pissed. I'm not Wiccan, and I'm not a Vamp. Why am I getting this?"

She is an Odinist which to me is a form of Paganism.. so I figured she wouldn't of minded being here.. my mistake.. I should of added Pagan to the list.

Swiftpaw also states in her essay "Anyway, so I write her an email and she doesn't respond. All that hard work for nothing? What? And then I find out everybody else got an email and now there are several people I know on the list. Fine, I say. I'll go visit."

I only recieved one e-mail from Swiftpaw asking to be removed from the group.. and it wasnt even a very polite e-mail.

Another statement by Swiftpaw reads.. "I go on the list and sub and wow, two things are immediately apparent. There are no cats no this list, and their Leader is an idiot. Fine, so I'll leave. I can't leave. I can't unsub, and I can't post using my own email. I can't get an answer from O'All Powerful Huntress Leader, Mistress Dana. I can't get any sort of communication. I get pissed and write an email to the group asking them what the hell is wrong with them and why are they bringing in people who hate groups?"

First off there are Felines on the list.. a few of them actually.. thats what the group is for Felines.. If the lurkers aren't Feline thats their problem and I have no way to prove wether they are lying or not. And I am far from an Idiot.. those who truly know me, knws that I'm actually pretty intelligent. As for her problems with not being able to use her own e-mail or not being able to unsub I have nothing to do with that.. she'd have to take that up with Yahoo Groups.

Another quote from Swiftpaw "I got my ass flamed off and now it's horrible, they're not all Wiccans or Weres or Vamps like it says. They're not a "pack" because there is no hierarchy, there's only Dana who is listmom. And I'm horrible, I shouldn't be on the list, why'd I join, I really do want to have friends, I just don't realize it. Etcetera. I had to post that thing from Yahoo's Post button on the actual MidnightPride site. And now, I can't post from there or from my email. Why is this? Yahoo's moving servers. It's intermittent service. Fine. Dana shows up, tells me off. Why am I like this, I shouldn't be on the list, leave them alone."

Now here are the posts from the group these are unaltered in any way.. her problems with her mail server and yahoo shouldn't of even been brought up.. but I guess thats what a child does.. takes their anger out on anything and everything.

From: "asatruix"
Date: Sun Feb 24, 2002 1:44 pm
Subject: Swiftpaw

My name is Swiftpaw.

My website is here.
http://www.otherwonders.com/swiftpaws/

I'm a big cat from South America, a jaguar spelled with a regular, lower-case 'j'. I wouldn't capitalise human, why would I capitalise jaguar?

I want to know why felines are suddenly jumping around to be 'pack' when most of them are solitary and run alone, preferring only loose ties to community. And why was I invited to this when my website specifically rants on pack formation, and when I say in several articles that I don't want to be invited to this sort of thing. Is the modern "feline" in the were community unwilling to take time to read, to explore, discover, and ask questions?

Apparently I can't even post, since I've sent this twice and it didn't come through. I'm not Wiccan, I don't believe in a Goddess, but I'm not Christian and I don't believe in a God. Why was I chosen to hang out here?

My rant's over, I probably won't stay.

Swiftpaw

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From: "chesh"
Date: Sun Feb 24, 2002 2:33 pm
Subject: Re: [TheMidnightPride] Swiftpaw

> My name is Swiftpaw. > > My website is here. >
http://www.otherwonders.com/swiftpaws/

'lo Swiftpaw. nice site.

> I'm a big cat from South America, a jaguar spelled with a regular,
> lower-case 'j'. I wouldn't capitalise human, why would I capitalise
> jaguar?

>
> I want to know why felines are suddenly jumping around to be 'pack'
> when most of them are solitary and run alone, preferring only loose
> ties to community. And why was I invited to this when my website
> specifically rants on pack formation, and when I say in several
> articles that I don't want to be invited to this sort of thing. Is
> the modern "feline" in the were community unwilling to take time to
> read, to explore, discover, and ask questions?

i wasn't aware that this mailing list was a 'pack'. i thought it was another forum where we could talk to other felines about who and what we are. there's no pack structure here. sure, we have the listowner (and a very nice person she is), but she doesn't give orders or dictate our behaviour past general list guidelines that you would find anywhere.

i believe you were invited because you are a feline and your info was found on were.net. you condemn 'this sort of thing' and yet, here you are.

> Apparently I can't even post, since I've sent this twice and it
> didn't come through. I'm not Wiccan, I don't believe in a Goddess,
> but I'm not Christian and I don't believe in a God. Why was I chosen
> to hang out here?

when did a person's belief system become the basis for membership in this group? i think some folks share that information so that others can better get to know them, or maybe to get it out in the open to see how they'll be accepted. i don't care what you believe, so long as you don't try to force those beliefs on me or tell me i'm wrong for what i believe.

> My rant's over, I probably won't stay.

maybe that would be best. ya know, it is folks like you that have kept me from getting involved in 'this sort of thing.' nearly everywhere i've gone, i've seen newbies being constantly ragged on or ignored. why would i want to talk to people who are only going to tell me that i'm not were enough, or that i must not be a cat because i don't behave a certain way, or that i'm stupid for the questions i have? you may say tough shit, that it's my own issues with my self-esteem, and you'd be partly right. but that doesn't make me entirely wrong.

> Swiftpaw

*the peeved one whose lion half enjoys the socializing*
chesh

******************************

From: "blue_eyed_leopard"
Date: Sun Feb 24, 2002 4:16 pm
Subject: Re: Swiftpaw

--- In TheMidnightPride@y..., "chesh" wrote:
> > My name is Swiftpaw.
> >
> > My website is here.
> > http://www.otherwonders.com/swiftpaws/
>
> 'lo Swiftpaw. nice site.
>
> > I'm a big cat from South America, a jaguar spelled with a regular,
> > lower-case 'j'. I wouldn't capitalise human, why would I capitalise
> > jaguar?
> >
> > I want to know why felines are suddenly jumping around to be 'pack'
> > when most of them are solitary and run alone, preferring only loose
> > ties to community. And why was I invited to this when my website
> > specifically rants on pack formation, and when I say in several
> > articles that I don't want to be invited to this sort of thing. Is
> > the modern "feline" in the were community unwilling to take time to
> > read, to explore, discover, and ask questions?
>
> i wasn't aware that this mailing list was a 'pack'. i thought it was another
> forum where we could talk to other felines about who and what we are.
> there's no pack structure here. sure, we have the listowner (and a very nice
> person she is), but she doesn't give orders or dictate our behaviour past
> general list guidelines that you would find anywhere.
>
> i believe you were invited because you are a feline and your info was found
> on were.net. you condemn 'this sort of thing' and yet, here you are.
>
> > Apparently I can't even post, since I've sent this twice and it
> > didn't come through. I'm not Wiccan, I don't believe in a Goddess,
> > but I'm not Christian and I don't believe in a God. Why was I chosen
> > to hang out here?
>
> when did a person's belief system become the basis for membership in this
> group? i think some folks share that information so that others can better
> get to know them, or maybe to get it out in the open to see how they'll be
> accepted. i don't care what you believe, so long as you don't try to force
> those beliefs on me or tell me i'm wrong for what i believe.
>
> > My rant's over, I probably won't stay.
>
> maybe that would be best. ya know, it is folks like you that have kept me
> from getting involved in 'this sort of thing.' nearly everywhere i've gone,
> i've seen newbies being constantly ragged on or ignored. why would i want to
> talk to people who are only going to tell me that i'm not were enough, or
> that i must not be a cat because i don't behave a certain way, or that i'm
> stupid for the questions i have? you may say tough shit, that it's my own
> issues with my self-esteem, and you'd be partly right. but that doesn't make
> me entirely wrong.
>
> > Swiftpaw
>
> *the peeved one whose lion half enjoys the socializing*
> chesh

I agree with you chesh. I think what some weres seem to forget is that we're humans too. Oh yes, we are. I know it's hard to deal with, but just look at those things called hands that you're typing with. Ah yes, those. Well, ever see any species of cat with those? Thought not. Okay, good then. So we're human. Yes, and humans are social creatures. We mustn't forget what we are. If you let yourself get too caught up in your feline self, then you begin to forget your human self. We are a combination of the two.

******************************

From: "Dana (Huntress of the Dark)"
Date: Sun Feb 24, 2002 6:17 pm
Subject: Re: [TheMidnightPride] Re: Swiftpaw

Thank you chesh.. for sticking up for the club.. i couldn't of said it better myself.. Swiftpaw.. had i realised how you would of reacted to being invited to this group.. i would not of invited you.. this is not a pack.. packs are for Wolves.. this is a feline group.. there is no hierarchy here.. no one is better than anyone else.. we are here to share with each other.. to learn.. to teach etc.. if you wish to leave the group.. please do so..

Dana (Huntress of the Dark)

******************************

From: "olivernightcat"
Date: Mon Feb 25, 2002 7:28 am
Subject: Re: Swiftpaw

Im very confused here, I come check things out and there is a "cat fight" going on LOL. If he was so aposed to joining a feline group, then why did he come here.... to judge us. I say forget about it, your always going to run into people who dont understand you or the things you do. As a were he should have known how it feels to be judged for who you are, at least I do. Ive been called everything from a liar to a psychotic who needs mental health, and this stuff hurts. Since then Ive tried to keep these things to myself at least infront of those with small minds. Im happy to be here where I can talk about who I am what I am and what I feel with others who are somewhat if not quite a bit like me.
Thank you for inviting me and keep inviting, Im sure there are others out there who are alone or just need to talk and know what they feel is ok, and if they do come Im sure everyone will except them. We need to block out the bad element when it shows its face and keep doing what we do and being who we are.

Oliver the Night Cat

******************************

OK that is all of the posts regarding the Swiftpaw issue if you care to read her half of the story you can find her web site here: Swiftpaw's Tree It's under her Jaguar section. Actually Please do read it then write me telling me of your opinions.. I'd really appreciate it.

I'll leave the Swiftpaw issue at this.

Brightest Blessings..
Dana (Huntress of the Dark)