Kent, please be sure I was not referring to you but to whoever it was who started the "get Fears" surge. I now wish I hadn't added my remarks, except that it shows me how easily misunderstandings can occur. Since I have read for less than a year, I must have missed a great deal which has happened in the past. I also had no idea how much you have to go through or that we had so many disgruntled members! I've been impressed with how helpful, informative, and KIND members are here most of the time. Please hold on. I deeply appreciate how often members respond to requests for clarification or information. Thank you for your patient service . Please don't stop Sincerely, Arianne Laidlaw ________________________________________ From: Mark Twain Forum [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Kent Rasmussen [[log in to unmask]] Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 6:58 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Mr. Fears' Resignation I won't ask Arianne whom she regards as a "misguided leader," but I'll remind her and other members of the Mark Twain Forum what a fragile institution the Forum is. It receives no institutional or financial support of any kind and is kept alive primarily by the unremunerated labors of the list administrator, who is constantly harassed by disgruntled members and people whose crackpot postings never make it to members' eyes. It may not be an exaggeration to say that the Forum is on the verge of collapse. So, I ask ... what's more important to you--keeping the Forum alive or allowing a disruptive member to continue driving away fellow members, while wearing out the one person who keeps the Forum alive? If anyone out there who is anxious to invite Mr. Fears back is also willing to take responsibility for administering the Forum, I suggest that you step forward now. Kent Rasmussen