Last night I had a huge headache from the days turmoil and took the evening off to watch my TV shows. I have been following this mini-series called The Slap. It's the story of one family and their friends and the events that happen at a birthday party. We bear witness to the pivotal moment, when a bratty little boy is slapped inappropriately by an unrelated family friend and the progression of this singular act is told each week, as perceived by each member who witnessed it.

I have found the show a very interesting exercise in its analysis of human nature and perception. But last night as I watched the show, I didnt realize the parallels it would have until I went to close NT down for the evening before going to bed, and found a meta article that left me feeling bewildered. After reading the article and the comments made by the author and the members, I felt as if a massive slap was laid on the site, and although each member of NT had their own perception of recent events on the site, the perspectives were just as complex and diverse as the characters on the show.

I guess my role here is the sites matriarch. The person that people go to for advice, complaints, anger, ideas. I am also the person who tries to mitigate the various slaps and the damage they cause on the site. But just like the family matriarch on the show, I can only offer advice, listen and sooth. I cant make anyone do anything they dont want to do that is outside the scope of the CoC. And just like the adult children and friends in the show, the members will do as they please, despite any pleas from me to the contrary.

But what I can tell you about the various slaps that go on, is that they happen on both sides of the political spectrum. I know since they are told to me in confidence daily. So I am well aware that the slapping goes both ways. People are slapped in so many ways, and each slap actually feeds the next one. What are these slaps? Members feel slapped when they see an inflammatory headline. When theres no real discussion on an article, but rather comments that derail. When they get one line snarky remarks that do nothing but add rancor. When they receive personal insults and innuendo from another member. These are just a few ways that members are slapped. And with each slap there is fallout. Some slap back in kind, but others will take to non-participation, since lets face it, no one likes to be slapped. Eventually things begin to unravel, and that is where we are at. We are a family on the brink of not talking to one another. So I guess the question is, does only the matriarch care about the family, or do the adult children care about it, too? Do they not think about how to make their family, NT a better place or are the willing to tear it apart over their petty differences? I cant answer that.

At the end of the day, left or right, we must be able to air our differences and work together if we really want to keep the site together. To all the naysayers I say, if you are not willing to fix the problem, then you are the problem. To those of you who just watch, I understand why. To those who are willing to make a change in the interaction here on the site, I know you care about NT.

Our family is years in the making, and just like any family, we are always going to have our differences. This is normal. But slapping each other never ends well. The outcome is usually people deciding it isnt worth it. I can try the my hardest as the matriarch to keep us together, but we are all adults here and people must understand that they alone are responsible for their own actions and not blame the other person. So look inward and ask yourself, who have I slapped? That would be a good start.