Most people, casually or sometimes, anxiously, perusing the various diabetes fora and blogs will be irritated and often exasperated or just repelled by the apparent backbiting, bickering name-calling and what appears to be incessant raking over of old arguments. To many all this is totally irrelevant. Especially the newly diagnosed-they just want to learn how to deal with their condition. The 'aggro' is off-putting-they don't understand it and find it unnecessary. They need reassurance and support and hope, as well as good advice.
Here I must pay tribute to the lowcarbers who left DCUK to form ETYM. That was a golden time for the newly diagnosed, and I believe their legacy lives on. Of course, always bearing in mind those quietly soldiering on there still.
A whole new generation of posters just accept from the outset that it is necessary to reduce carbs and can't see a point in the battles. That's life isn't it? The current generation never appreciate the struggles of previous generations until, and not always then, they face their own battles.
I am not a sensitive shrinking soul I am not afraid of debate or of stating my opinion. For that reason I could never understand the hysteria which greeted Eddie's posts and Eddie's comments. Many took exception to the personal nature of some of them. I have to say that I was just puzzled by them. I didn't understand why a blog which was so influential and a source of so much excellent information also seemed to be the source of so much contention - or so it appeared. If people disliked Eddie’s blog and Eddie's opinions and if he objected to the opinions of others then why not ignore them. There you see, dear reader, the innocent diabetic encapsulated. How could I be so naive? I didn't think of myself as naive -I could spot a troll a mile off and was not taken in by private messages I received from various parties with an agenda which wasn't too obvious. But naïve I certainly was.
First of all I have learnt that Eddie and Graham do what they do - because they CARE. And they have cared for a long time. What might appear to be personal attacks are not personal at all or even attacks but attempts to correct misinformation and to explain the motivation behind it. Consider the medium here - a blog with limited space - it is essential that the point is made succinctly and quickly. No time or space for long explanations. Often the comments are no more than alerts. Eddie and Graham - and Jan too - have a great deal of experience but no time to write a comprehensive history of all the shenanigans they have witnessed and no way of making people read it if they had.
Out of curiosity I have occasionally dipped into some other blogs, which purport to be about diabetes. Sometimes it isn't even mentioned. It is all about personalities and egos. Some have tried to insinuate that this is the case here. All I can say is that they have never read this blog. I suppose basically, I just didn't understand what the lowcarb controversy was all about and the lengths to which certain people would go - for no good reason - just to make themselves important by appearing to lead an opposition group. Some even believe they are performing a public service. Some gentler and better motivated souls feel that the more vulnerable should be protected from the harsh realities, at least for a time. I don't agree with the last group, but understand that it might be the uncompromising language used by both sides which they dislike rather than the principle.
For me its quite simple. if you are in possession of some information - which is capable of saving people from premature death and/or mutilation then you have a moral obligation to share that information. Others may disagree but what right do they have to try to prevent people benefiting. Is loyalty to a friend a good reason? Jealousy? Desire for attention? I don't think so.
Many of us will have seen all of this recently in more than one other place. Those appearing or portraying themselves as vulnerable are often allowed to dictate to the majority. Many of these attention-seekers have other problems - eating and personality disorders perhaps, but are encouraged to become controlling to the detriment of those genuinely seeking help with their diabetes. Thus the truth has to be watered down or hidden lest we upset them. I am not just speaking of diet here but of every aspect of the condition. It is a very useful method of censorship. Of course most of us don't have the time to delve into what went on before but it is right they should be aware that things have not always been as they are now.
In some respects, the battle has been won, all this means to some is that they must take their activities to a different level. Lower. The casual reader-dipping into many diabetes fora may have missed the deliberate de-railing of threads, deletions and locked threads in some other places and the bias in favour of certain individuals. I don't think this is always due to lack of objectivity - it often seems to be the product of lack of understanding of the issues. Similarly extremely and overtly biased moderation has been allowed in other places merely for the sake of convenience.
It isn't easy to be a Moderator if you care about fairness and can put personal feelings and prejudices aside. Not everyone can. I have to say I was shocked by Sid's post referred to by Eddie. I hope that woman will avail herself of the Dr's offer of free treatment. Maybe we could make a block booking with him for a few others. There must surely be something wrong with those who go to such lengths to attempt to take others down with them. I know quite a few people, who while disagreeing with Sid, have been prepared to tolerate him for many reasons. Presenting this unfortunate woman as an "expert" to many who know no better and will probably look no further is a step too far. This sort of in-SID-ious behaviour [sorry] should be beneath him. As we have said before - he could help others - why doesn't he concentrate on that?
I was very glad to see Eddie explaining the CarbSane matter. It was a good opportunity to set part of the record straight. I hope that by posting this, people who sometimes baulk at the er .. "direct" language employed on this blog will read it and appreciate that this arises from concern for fellow diabetics.
Eddie and Graham deserve thanks and praise and certainly don't deserve the demonisation we sometimes see. They have worked selflessly for years and continue to do so.
I am very proud to have been invited to join the team and I know Paul is too. It makes me quite angry to see this blog and the people who run it-hard working and committed, attacked by selfish egoists who do nothing but confuse those desperately seeking help and guidance.
Kath
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