Posted by Elaine on October 04, 1999 at 09:45:56:
In Reply to: Have I Got A Non-Fiction Story To Tell!!! ... Part One posted by Elaine on October 01, 1999 at 11:12:48:
~The Early Days~
When we first decided to put up a web site it was for one purpose only, to sell our guide book to LOTM film locations. Having already gone heavily into debt to have the book printed, it was time to market the book & attempt to make back our money. The Internet appeared to be the best vehicle for such an 'advencha.'
We started out with a small site ... sample pages of the book, the gracious letter sent to us by Daniel Day-Lewis ... we soon added a message board & our Mohican Musings section. Still a small site but beginning to grow. We received quite a lot of e-mails & letters that encouraged us to continue. Little by little we started to expand the web site. Curtis Gaston (Soldier #1) contacted us & offered his own contribution. We began to further expand the site by adding more & more Musings, our History Section, etc.
These were the days when all was relatively quiet. The Internet seemed a positive thing. Working on the web site was fun. Getting to *meet* people was fun. Providing information & a place for interaction was fun. We had no idea how much it could be otherwise. Who could have imagined then the basest of human nature would present itself in the most vile form it has?
These were the pre-Eric Schweig days. How strange this place has become since we first undertook the marketing of Eric Schweig's art!
Some of you have been around for a long time & will remember the questions posted here regarding the "love scene" between Uncas & Alice. The script had called for a fairly graphic scene but the film had nothing of the sort. The questions led to someone forwarding an interview with Eric Schweig in which he referred to the love scene. We decided to post the interview.
This is when we had the first taste of ericitis. To post the interview meant also that we had to post a short commentary. We added a mild follow-up to various statements that were made that were incorrect.
BANG!!!!!!!! Immediately, trouble brewed. We were visited here on the board by one "energia." Remember? She was quite offended that anyone would dare criticize or question ANYTHING said by Eric. She called us racists, remember this? She also, as many others have done, assumed that all parties involved, including every one who posted on the board, were "white." It wasn't a relevant issue really as her FALSE assumption of non-Indian ethnicity of all these people she knew NOTHING about was made with the added insult that non-Indians were not permitted to speak of or about "native" people or "issues." With the notable exception, of course, of *ss kissing, wannabees such as herself.
Prior to this the only *problems* we had related to Eric Schweig's *fans" had been when one Elizabeth Horton posted a reprimand to ladies who had JOKINGLY started a thread about Uncas. Her 'ladies, ladies ... Eric likes older intelligent women. Trust me, I know ...' post was an attempt to receive some sort of applause & royal treatment because she had "met Eric." Such praise was not offered & I assume this was the first offense against Elizabeth Horton. Shortly after, a copy of our LOTM press release appeared on the now missing vampire site. (Our first experience with cyber-theft!) This release was put up without knowledge by the webbie (I think it was Elizabeth. It contained little content other than her ... ahem ... "interview.") that the SIC following Mohawk was added by us. Soooooo ...... we asked the site owner to please ask in the future before copying material from our site & to please note the source of the release. Was this our second offense against Elizabeth Horton? I do believe it was.
At any rate, I had forgotten of the existence of Elizabeth Horton, as most others probably had as well, until she resurfaced in January '98. I had no care of Elizabeth Horton either way at this point. We had no *relationship* & she was but one of many, many people who posted on our board.
The ONLY action I recall ever taking, other than the press release correction, regarding Elizabeth Horton was the removal of some mocking posts made by a couple of people about her & her web pages. I was protecting HER by removing the posts. We did not then, nor do we now, permit our board to be used for personal attacks against anyone who has not provoked another. Obviously, Elizabeth & others have since engaged in a campaign of deceit & are guilty of malice & vicious schemes against us & all who post here. Consequently, they have brought upon their own heads public humiliation by their OWN words & their OWN deeds.
Their malice & conspiracies will be adressed openly. Their words against us & the contradictions they themselves reveal will be posted openly. If they are uncomfortable with such openness, they ought not to have woven their web of deceit. All things come back to each of us. Good returns good, evil returns evil.
This is a lesson all would do well to learn.
As a result of the "energia" phase, we were pressed & challenged to do our own interview with Eric Schweig. Our response was to contact Eric's agent & inquire whether or not he would be willing to be interviewed.
Enter Deidre Sam ...