First and Only Response to a Classic Cyber-Bully

"Is your biggest ambition in life is to f--k with someone's career who has a mental illness? Doesn't that seem well a little unprofessional on your part? Can you give me an honest answer there? What if someone likes my work that you see as a friend of yours. What would you do cut them off because my statement about Joseph McGee came from my heart?"

So, Cyber-Bully, we meet again. Really, you should find another venue to spout your bile - if Sir Lewis had not pointed out your blathering, nonsensical posting here, I would never have seen it. Surely you intended me to see it, did you not? Were you tired of attempting to hijack my website with your comments?

I will only make this one, small statement in regards to your comment about Joe. Prove he ever did anything to you. Prove it. Joe was the sweetest, kindest, gentlest man I've had the pleasure to converse with, ever. Do you want to know, Bully - I rejected a story from Joe once. I explained why, I gave him some tips, I even suggested another market, as I was wont to do for a story I believed had merit. Instead of flying off the handle and accusing me of attacking him, instead of emailing threats, tracing phone numbers and making repeated phone calls with threats screamed between cursings, Joe took the rejection and the critique like a man - a man - thanked me for my words, and wished me a beautiful day.

Joe was in life and even in death, a better man than you.

As for the rest... Not only have I done nothing to your career (how could I; nothing dumped on nothing is still nothing), I couldn't be bothered. Furthermore, I work with, am related to or are friends with plenty of people suffering from mental illness who don't use their condition as a crutch and a salve for idiotic, abrasive and abusive behaviour. Some of my favorite poetic writings come from someone with properly diagnosed and medicated Bipolar 2 - something you claim to have, yet don't attend to. Honesty is something you could never get a handle on, Cyber-Bully - you only see your version of truth. You refuse to listen to what is true if it does not suit your sick, twisted little purposes.

I've shown every one of my offline friends your available writings, not to mention sending them the link to that libelous little video rant you made about me. The only person who did not laugh out loud was my SO, and my last SO - both of whom took a decided dislike to you based solely on your vitriolic ravings. They'd like to meet you, they think they have a lot to discuss with you. My children won't read your garbage because they think you are a disgusting little troll. I don't hide things from my girls - they know what you've said and done to me. They know what you've said about them, to them and what you've called them. And they don't hide things from me either, so don't bother harrassing them as you've done to others minor children. What you've said and done already is above and beyond enough.

If one of my friends online cares to peruse your work and actually find some merit in it - more power to them.

Other than agreeing with people that you needed to be avoided on the basis of your threats of violence to minor, female children and banning your sorry arse from Suite101 years ago, I'd never said or done a thing to you. You chose to come after me because I was promoted to Editor in Chief of a company formerly owned by someone you trusted, someone who sold the company legitimately, in a normal, day to day transaction. My boss did not pull a hostile takeover, nor was J. ousted. She chose to sell, she chose to leave. So be it. Let the woman get on with her life instead of dragging her name through the mud to make a false point in your ongoing war against the world. She deserves better than that, and you know it.

You threatened me, you cyber-stalked me, you phone-stalked me, you consistently attempted to disturb my website and my work. You are the one attempting to mess with my career, for no legitimate reason. I had never contacted any of your publishers, past nor present, until you threatened me with violence. Can you say the same thing, Bully? No. You called my boss, attempted to bulldoze her into firing me and what happened? You lost, because you not only had no proof, you had no reason to be attacking me.

I hope your cousin and his wife actually get you the help you need, because you are dangerously close to angering the wrong people, and I only wish that kind of wrath on one person. You aren't that person, and I'd rather they save it up for the one who deserves it far more than you.

It's time to step back, Bully. Take stock, see your future instead of living in your past. Move on. Get help.

Mental illness is not a crutch nor an excuse. It's an obstacle that can be overcome with patience, care and medication.

****Note: Cyber-Bully has recently been monitored by his family, had his internet and phone taken away from him, and he is now under the care of health professionals. I sincerely hope they manage to give him the help he desperately needs.****