Very interesting. As one of the founders of MidwestBlogs, I can say this is not affiliated, although some of the goals and activities are strangely similiar. Perhaps I should’ve protected my own intellectual property!

Liz, I didn’t realize that you invented all of social networking, nor did I realize that protecting bloggers rights from exploitation were conceived solely by you. My apologies. Did you also invent the internet? As I recall, all of these ideas were submitted by area bloggers who were rudely shooed away from their own ideas when they tried to help with Midwest Blogs. I believe they still have those emails, if you’d like to take a trip down memory lane. These ideas are not original to, nor were they conceived by you, and I don’t appreciate the insinuation otherwise or your attempt to defame the characters of those involved.

This absolutely is not affiliated because unlike Midwest Blogs, we encourage and support the input of other bloggers. We don’t stalk them across the internet leaving hateful emails on various blogs or media outlets, we don’t threaten to “fight them” or anyone else who rightfully expresses opinions or ideas. I expected a little more cordiality from someone who works with an area PR firm, especially towards members of a community you claimed to support.

I’m exhausted by your continued hostility towards myself and other bloggers. Please stop. We’re tired of the harassment.

Woh, who’s harassing whom?

I do believe I said the word “some” when referring to the ideas and goals that were common. The only person rudely shooed away was me because I suggested having sponsors support our meetups so we could all benefit from free appetizers and drink specials. And because I was *gasp* friendly with the mainstream media.

Bring forth the emails, Dana. I have all of them as well. You’ll see the only time I ever used the word “fight” was in an email to you when I told you all of the goals and programs we had planned for MWB and I said, and I quote, “steal my sh*t, and I will fight you.” Clearly, that wasn’t very intimidating.

What in the world could I possibly be harassing you and these so-called other bloggers about? Did you notice I’ve even been on a blogging hiatus for the last few weeks? I think the St. Louis Writer’s Guild is great! SOME of the ideas were formed by myself and member of MWB, so of course I think it’s great. I never said otherwise, so really the only person being defamed here is me, by you, Miss Dana.

I’ve also never left a hateful comment on anyone’s blog. Unless you count the above comment I made hateful, which I don’t, especially in comparison to yours. And I’d appreciate it if you’d stop accusing me of things that are completely unfounded and untrue.

Liz, no one had a clue as to what you were up to, not even your co-founders. You told me, and I quote, that you were “not interested in advocacy,” that you just wanted to have a good time and do meetups. People wanted more than a blogroll and free drinks.

Every blogger associated with your project bailed because they were upset at the way you snapped at them when they offered to help; only after our ideas were ALREADY formed and in motion, did you “come clean” with your actual intentions. Then, and I quote, you said: “Try and steal it and I will fight you.” WTF? Even then, your goals and ours were never the same and when others told you this you had a fit. End of story.

I think it’s sad that your comments don’t support your claimed support of this organization.
I have nothing else to say to you.

Liz,

When you use the words “strangely similar” and claim that you should’ve protected “your own” intellectual property, you are making some harsh allegations and should expect those of us whom you are attacking to respond with the truth:

Midwest Blogs failed because many area bloggers chose to opt-out of the project; and they chose to do so because of your unprofessional behavior, mean spirited words, and elitist attitude. Many area bloggers tried to help with the project; they tried to make suggestions; they tried to be a part of the MWB community . Unfortunately, their ideas, help, and suggestions were met with scorn and sarcastic emails from you. That is no way to build a community; and that it why it failed, and did so rather quickly.

It’s funny you say that you say these were “your” ideas and that we are now (in your words) “stealing your sh*t” (very professional, by the way). You may have had some ideas, but they were just that: ideas. They never came to be because of your rude behavior toward the community you claimed you were trying to involve. However, many, if not most, of the ideas were from other area bloggers. It appears you wanted to use these ideas but credit them as your own. Many of our other suggestions were rudely brushed off and left unconsidered as they interfered with your agenda.

Also, I must note one very big and defining difference between MWB and the Guild. You made it quite clear that MWB would have no part in standing up for bloggers’ rights. You did not want controversy, nor did you wish to jeopardize any potential gains for yourself personally. You wanted no involvement with any of the serious issues that many bloggers care about deeply. The Guild, however, does not just wish to promote the work of bloggers; the Guild is committed to protecting this work as well. The Guild recognizes that you can’t have one without the other.

The two projects are quite different in another fundamental way as well. The St. Louis Bloggers Guild recognizes that the only way the it will be successful is by including the thougths, advice, skills, and unity of area bloggers. We are seeking to further build our blogging community, not tear it apart, as you continue to try to do.

Liz, we can start pulling out emails and chat history if you really wanna - but I don’t think you do any more than I do so why don’t we just all put the claws away before anymore less than friendly things get said. Everyone involved with the early blogger meetings gave input - it was a group collaboration- if I recall correctly the ideas that were yours still are - you can continue with them as you had planned, you can continue to much on the sour apples, or we can just bury the hatchet - preferably not in anyones back and move on. You were focusing on your real life anyway, surely you don’t have time for this.

Are we really going to do this here? Ok fine…

“Every blogger involved” with MWB did not bail. Four out of forty resigned membership, three of which have now commented here.

The St. Louis Bloggers Guild and MWB are indeed different. It is true that I was merely trying to build a better blogging community - coordinate better meetups, help local bloggers better connect with each other, and serve as a general resource with blogging tips and such. I was not willing to take on the role as protector of blogger rights. Not because I didn’t believe in it, but because I didn’t have the resources or the knowledge necessary. I just wasn’t qualified to do that. Nor was I willing to completely shut down the lines of communication with MSM, namely the Post-Dispatch, which is what the three of you wanted me to do and as a side note, I find it quite ironic that we’re having this conversation here.

The way I see it, the new St. Louis Bloggers Guild is what some wanted MWB to be. Unfortunately, I wasn’t capable of leading that effort. It was, after all, just a hobby for me, but I realize that it’s more than that for some of you. Still, I certainly wish you the best of luck with this. It was never an effort I disagreed with, it’s just something I couldn’t lead. I always said I would make a better back-up singer than a lead singer.

Whether a few of the ideas you incorporate to use for the STL Bloggers Guild were intended for MWB originally or not, it doesn’t really matter. I would love to see them come to fruition and honestly, I would’ve liked to participate in the Bloggers Guild effort despite everything that happened with MWB and the personal attacks I received from all three of you, because in the end it doesn’t matter who’s leading the effort, just as long as it’s happening. At least that’s the way I look at it.

Hmm. So I’m a “so-called” blogger now? Interesting. Perhaps that should be my new tagline. “So-called blogger.” What do you think, Kurt? It has a nice ring to it.

Liz, no one pushed you out. You asked local bloggers to give you feedback about what they wanted from a bloggers’ organization. When the vast majority of those bloggers responded with ideas that didn’t fit your personal business plan, you shut down the site. So be it. No one made you do it.

I’m sorry that your feelings were hurt, but frankly, if you want to claim to represent a group, you have to represent the interests of that group. Sometimes that means taking advice you don’t like to hear. Sometimes that means listening to people whose views you don’t care for. Sometimes it means changing your mind.

And certainly, it means sharing the responsibility AND the spotlight associated with representing a community with other members of that community who bring ideas and effort to the table.

Oh, and for the record, no one I have spoken at MWB OR the Guild with has ever wanted to shut down all communication with the Post or the MSM, or we wouldn’t BE talking about this here. Many of us simply did not want to be SPONSORED by members of the MSM, which is totally different from not wanting to TALK TO the MSM.

And as many, many people tried to explain to you at the time (and as I am sure Kurt will be interested to know) the reason for this was not some sort of petty grudge against the Post, as you imply here. The reason was that we did not want members of a bloggers’ community organization to misperceive any conflicts of interest. We wanted everyone to understand that such an organization would be committed to bloggers first and foremost, and having a permanent sponsor relationship with a major MSM news outlet might have called that commitment into question.

And now we’ve heard from the fourth blogger…

Jaelithe, there was no “personal business plan.” I wasn’t making money off of this. I wasn’t even collecting dues, like the St. Louis Bloggers Guild does. I was truly in this for building a better blogging community. I’m not sure why that is so hard to understand.

I asked a very small group of people for their opinions. You, Dana, Rebecca, and Raquita were included in that group. I incorporated the ideas that made sense, but there were some I either disagreed with or just wasn’t capable of implementing. (I do wish the forum would’ve been thought of then. I like Raquita’s forum that’s being used.) I took some of the advice provided by the four of you even though I disagreed with it. (recall the media sponsor removal?) So it’s not that I didn’t try. I never intended to represent the group. I don’t think anyone should, as it defeats the purpose of bloggers having individual voices. I don’t want anyone speaking for me, do you? I just wanted MWB to serve as the megaphone for those voices. Now, hopefully, the St. Louis Bloggers Guild will serve that purpose.