Author Topic: An Apology (Read 5769 times)

Peter Staley · « **on:** June 14, 2007, 05:01:42 pm »

Dear members:

Today, we are closing the CSI: NY forum. The forum was launched on February 14, 2007 – the day CSI: NY started an HIV-related storyline involving the character named Stella who was to be potentially exposed to HIV at a crime scene. For a refresher of why this forum was created, read my announcement thread.

At the time, it seemed like an exciting opportunity – working with a hugely popular TV show and the Kaiser Family Foundation's KNOW HIV/AIDS campaign – helping to educate a larger audience about HIV and the stigma we face. Also, I thought it would inevitably lead to more people living with HIV finding us, given the increased exposure this collaboration would bring.

Sadly, the collaboration didn't evolve quite as we hoped it might. While I do believe that discussions in the forum helped influence the CSI: NY writers' decisions about their HIV plotline, the end result was a far cry from what the community would have like to have seen portrayed – even given the parameters of the fictitious plot. In my opinion, the storyline did little to reduce the stigma we all face.

I want to apologize to our forum members for making a bad call, and express my gratitude for your patience and understanding during this experimental project.

Live and learn.

Peter Staley

Queen Tokelove · « **Reply #1 on:** June 14, 2007, 05:04:40 pm »

Peter~~

You're only human, you're entitled to making mistakes, your heart was in the right place.

Cliff · « **Reply #2 on:** June 14, 2007, 05:11:03 pm »

No sweat Peter. It's a shame the show didn't take advantage of a good opportunity. We live and learn.

thunter34 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 14, 2007, 05:27:16 pm »

Never saw the show, and read precious little on those forum posts.

It's unfortunate that it didn't work out the way it was hoped, but as you say- live and learn.

No worries about it here.

xyahka · « **Reply #4 on:** June 14, 2007, 05:42:00 pm »

I saw baileys videoblog and it was nice, here we dont have csi ny but still if the writers didnt put much attention i think it helped us to understand not everything we see on tv is right, i am sure this experience will be valuable in the future.

Juan Carlos

PS: Peter you are doing a great job.

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #5 on:** June 14, 2007, 05:47:13 pm »

Thanks for the thread Peter. Mistakes happen. Your intentions were good.

Basquo · « **Reply #6 on:** June 14, 2007, 09:24:57 pm »

Peter, thanks for this. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I didn’t follow the forum enough to judge whether it was a sucessful venture or not, but I’m glad to see that it’s not the first forum under “Off Topic,” and I’ll be more glad when forum members are comfortable enough to post avatars that might show their beautiful faces.

jack · « **Reply #7 on:** June 14, 2007, 09:34:20 pm »

I still dont understand how you could have done this to us.

Robert · « **Reply #8 on:** June 14, 2007, 09:38:22 pm »

Hey Peter.

Who knew? I certainly didn't.

Now we know.

have a great summer.....robert

Queen Tokelove · « **Reply #9 on:** June 14, 2007, 09:47:39 pm »

Quote from: jack on June 14, 2007, 09:34:20 pm

I still dont understand how you could have done this to us.

Awww, come on. Give the man a break...

milker · « **Reply #10 on:** June 14, 2007, 09:55:24 pm »

I don't think you should apologize.. the way the writers made the story by sticking to what the general public thinks of how HIV is contracted, by ignoring the people that have died of it, by stigmatizing HIV, and more importantly, by not using the real people that live with this disease every day of the year for creating a story that would not only educate people but tell the truth about how people get infected, tell the truth about living with the disease, tell the truth about the fears, the rejections, and everything that we have to deal with, makes me think that they used us as puppets, circus monsters, and not individuals that had something to share to the public.

I can see their initial meeting:

- "We need to get more information about HIV"
- "There is a website with those guys, aidsmeds.com"
- "Cool!!! Contact the owner, we need info before they die HAHAHAHAHAHA"
- "I'm on it"

Milker.

egello · « **Reply #11 on:** June 15, 2007, 12:11:24 am »

i am sorry, i had stopped watching it, what happened at the end of that hiv plot?

Razorbill · « **Reply #12 on:** June 15, 2007, 04:00:46 am »

Peter,
I guess having a well-intentioned, caring website doesn't put you in the same league as bigtime, Hollywood-schlockmeister, bloodsucking ticks. The high brush is best avoided. Thank you for your apology.
Ernie

Cerrid · « **Reply #13 on:** June 15, 2007, 04:48:31 am »

Peter, I don't think you need to apologize, there's no reason to blame yourself. I agree it's about living and learning, but this should more apply to the CSI writers who did a lousy job. Media cooperations are a great way to spread the message, provided the chosen media partners are reliable and trustworthy and are not in just for cheap thrills and entertainment. I'm confident it'll work out better next time.

You're doing a great job!!!111

Ann · « **Reply #14 on:** June 15, 2007, 07:40:34 am »

Well Peter, I've looked at it this way. At least we did manage to educate a handful of people who turned up in the forum clueless about hiv. Hopefully, they'll be like that old Breck shampoo commercial... they'll tell two friends, who tell two friends, etc.

I hope that our involvement may have saved at least one person from ending up with hiv. Too bad the CSI writers and producers can't say the same - shame on them for throwing away an opportunity to really educate people. At least we tried.

Ann

RapidRod · « **Reply #15 on:** June 15, 2007, 07:52:49 am »

Peter, trial and error, that's how everyone learns. Don't kick yourself for trying.

AlanBama · « **Reply #16 on:** June 15, 2007, 12:11:28 pm »

Next time your found, with your chin on the ground
There a lot to be learned, so look around

Just what makes that little old ant
Think hell move that rubber tree plant
Anyone knows an ant, cant
Move a rubber tree plant

But he's got high hopes, he's got high hopes
He's got high apple pie, in the sky hopes

So any time your gettin low
stead of lettin go
Just remember that ant
Oops there goes another rubber tree plant

---------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks Peter. You tried, that's the important thing....

aztecan · « **Reply #17 on:** June 15, 2007, 12:59:40 pm »

Hey Peter,

I think I only posted in that thread once, but I did peek in from time to time.

I think my signature line says it best. You tried, they didn't listen. If there is egg on anyone's face, its there's.

HUGS,

Mark

ACinKC · « **Reply #18 on:** June 16, 2007, 09:40:40 pm »

I can think of worse things to happen in ones life. Kinda like the one that brought us all here. So no sweat.

mjmel · « **Reply #19 on:** June 17, 2007, 09:52:26 pm »

So now you know, Peter.
Personally, I feel no need for anyone apologizing to me as I ignored the whole thing as much as possible--except for an accidental visit once.......butt....... if you'd be interested in doing penancing, I have some nifty ideas.

Mike

bear60 · « **Reply #20 on:** June 18, 2007, 03:59:45 pm »

Thanks from me too. Thanks for saying you made an effort which didnt work out. Hey, maybe next time will be better??

dtwpuck · « **Reply #21 on:** June 18, 2007, 07:35:53 pm »

I guess I am too cynical to think that something like a network television show could do anything but do what appeals to the mass market... and never saw it as anything but something I would avoid anyway. ... just another aspect of a world I can only live in, but not really change, so i chose to ignore it.

It's great to apologize, Peter, but the real crux of any apology is : was there a lesson to be learned, and are you a better person for having learned it? if so, then I'd say ... no harm, no foul.

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Author Topic: An Apology (Read 5769 times)