What happened to the HAYDEN Banner???

What is disgusting is how you, Rich, and Wendy and Lucille could take a beautiful act motivated purely by empathy and generosity, and drag it down into the mud. The way I see it, you misinterpret others' motivations, attributing them to self-serving interests, because that is where evidently your motives emanate.

*Sighs* and *sighs* some more.

Isn't it a shame that politics had to enter into this thing too? I guess there is a fair question to be asked as to why it seemed necessary to hold "competing" auctions for the same benefit. Of course there will be many versions of the answer to that question. None of them are likely to be the unvarnished truth however.

what some people don't realize is that this isn't all about fauna. fauna isn't some great little haven in a world full of reptile sites anymore. its full of all kinds of crap nowa days. this was for kelli, why would we need to consult someone about where the auction would be held as long as it got the job done. Also i think one auction would be enough. If people were around any herp sites they would see the banner and come to help. I think rich is trying to turn this into a big power struggle for fauna but its not. fauna may drift out of many people's "favorite" herp sites but it won't be the end of the world just because some people realized how ridiculous this is getting.

Isn't it a shame that poisonous thoughts had to enter into it. I was there the night we (the leo community) heard about Kelli's son. I know how the idea for the auction started. I know what went on. And when the larger reptile community started hearing about Kelli, and responding, and another auction started up, Chris's (sincere) response was, good, two auctions better than one.... for the Hammacks. Whereas, Rich (and sycophants') reaction was, HEY dont compete with MY auction.

Kelli, this is the poison we were trying to shield you from.

Originally Posted by leaftail

Isn't it a shame that poisonous thoughts had to enter into it. I was there the night we (the leo community) heard about Kelli's son. I know how the idea for the auction started. I know what went on. And when the larger reptile community started hearing about Kelli, and responding, and another auction started up, Chris's (sincere) response was, good, two auctions better than one.... for the Hammacks. Whereas, Rich (and sycophants') reaction was, HEY dont compete with MY auction.

exactly. as if they think people will really care about signing up on another forum to help kelli. think again. most of us here would have gone thru a whole day of screening to help kelli.

i was also there the night this started and saw how it went. everything was perfect until someone chose to turn this into a power struggle whoever that may be...

Laura-

It's ok sweetie. I am sorta smart and was already figuring it out. It was just that I was in shock and disbelief that someone or someones would worry more about their website stats and traffic, and competition among websites than they would about the loss of Hayden and trying to help. The reason it took me so long to figure it out is that I don't understand people like that. Selfishness and self serving behaviour is just not something I will ever understand.

Thanks again to everybody, more thanks to come very soon. Right now I am trying to get caught up on my gecko work. Now I understand a lot better how when I would bug the crap out of Hayden to clean his room he would tell me he had a very hard time getting started. It's really overwhelming.

I am very, very sorry to those that have had to read through all this crap. Be back soon-
Kelli

i'm sorry this had to happen at this time kelli. some people would have taken chance of whatever opportunity they got and they did. websites don't matter to those of us who really care for you. we miss you greatly and are looking very much forward to your return.

Obviously everyone is going to form their own opinions. That's just par for the course. I can only state the facts as I see them and the opinions I have formed from those facts from my perspective, which other people will do as well from their own perspective. Everyone else will interpret them as they see fit and act accordingly.

I stand behind my private communications with Chris Johnson. That he obviously chose to make this a public issue is unfortunate for Kelli to have to witness, but I have no control over those past actions. He obviously has his reasons for what he did. If there is any error I can see on my part, it is that I did not anticipate his reaction when I really should have, knowing his past responses to criticism in any form. My likely illogical hopes had been that he would assess what I was saying to him and we could have a reasonable and rational private discussion about it. It did not go as I had hoped, obviously.

This is all unfortunate, but it is here, nonetheless.

As for the claim about competition, please, don't be silly. Please find ANYONE at all who I have refused to run banner ads for or allow them to put links in their signature area to their website. Even just ONE, please. Even sites that are running message boards much like this. Certainly if competition were high on my score card, I certainly would not be helping them by allowing them to advertise here, now would I? Chris himself ran banner ads and text line ads specifically inviting people to visit his own forums, and I did not think a thing about it. But perhaps THOSE facts are irrelevant to some people's opinions.

So anyway, I am sure this is going to continue as a dull roar for a rather long time, so all we can do is take each day one at a time. I am sure the raw emotions are going to be hard to keep under control, but let's at least try, please.

Chris didnt' make this public, Rich, YOU DID. On this thread. Chris did his utmost to keep it from going public, during this time when all our thoughts are on our grief and concern for Kelli and her family. He deliberately avoided defending his honor to spare them your poison. He's my hero this week and for a long time to come.