While I may have been sitting on the sidelines recently, I have not been away from this site. I had actually been sitting in a self-imposed suspension for my first contributions to the site (see my previous submissions "Kyle vs. The World", "Kyle Crystallized", and "The Bleeding Jewel" for the complete story). I limited myself to answering questions from readers through the Questions and Answers Form and posting them in the Q&A Responses.
I read Ken Kincaid's offer to Lance Wagner in his article last week ("Unfinished Business"). In case you didn't read it, Ken offered to drop his lawsuit against Lance (which stopped Lance from publishing any more of Raychel's poems) and allow Lance to publish all of Raychel's poems and the lyrics from her songs. In return, Lance would have to allow all of Raychel's friends and acquaintances the opportunity to submit material to this web site.
As soon as I read Ken's offer last Sunday, I called Lance to get his first reaction to the offer. I already had an opinion on the matter. However, Lance was not home, so I left a message. When I called back on Monday, I left another message. After leaving a number of messages, I understood. I was being ignored while Lance contemplated the offer unobstructed by other opinions. So I left one more message on Lance's answering machine on Tuesday, asking the opportunity to schedule this week's addition to the web site. I received a return call from him on Saturday morning at 2:00 a.m. confirming that I was responsible for this week's article (when he knew that I would be working at Safehaven). Unfortunately for him, he never asked what I would be writing about. Too bad for him!
I decided to write my article about my reaction to Ken's offer. Sorry, Lance, but since you didn't want to listen to me on your answering machine, I'm going to send my opinions to you through your web site. And since I am sending it to you with no time to either re-edit my article or write your own article to replace this one, you have to publish it.
In my opinion, you should accept Ken Kincaid's offer. In fact, it would be foolish for you to decline the offer.
I already know the arguments that you would use to explain keeping the web site the way it is. There would be too many contributors with too little to say. The site would lose its structure. The site would move from being about keeping Raychel's memory alive to self-glorification. Your most fervent argument, however, would be that the site would become bloated with lies.
"I know when a fight cannot be won and this is one of them. In this case, the path of least resistance is the best way to proceed." |
All of the arguments -- even if they all come to pass in the worst possible ways-- don't outweigh the benefits of accepting Ken's offer. The arguments themselves don't even hold up in light of your current control of the web site. You currently administrate the site smoothly, limiting the site to one major update per week while posting any Q&A Responses received during the week. There is no reason to lose this structure. In fact, if you accept Ken's offer, it is the way you will maintain the site's integrity. If the site loses its structure, you can re-design the site. If the site becomes more about self-glorification or filled with lies, you (or anyone else) can take the opportunity to rebut the lies when they write articles. While the scope of the site may increase extensively, you will still have control of the site. You lose nothing by accepting the offer.
The ability to publish all of Raychel's material without fear of future legal action from Ken Kincaid is reason enough to accept the offer. I know that you do not have the means to fight Ken in the courts while Ken has the legal resources of an entire company at his immediate request. I have refused to help you previously to fight Ken in this battle. I know when a fight cannot be won and this is one of them. In this case, the path of least resistance is the best way to proceed. In the Poetry section, you stated that Raychel's poetry is her greatest contribution to society. If that is the case, Lance, then why do you not wish to publish it as soon as possible? Even if you won the court case, why would you want to have this material held up for months (years?) in court on appeals when you could easily have it for the price of one simple agreement?
In addition, you stated in "The Secret Smile and Everlasting Embrace" that you learned more about Raychel from reading other people's perspectives than from your own writing. If that is true, wouldn't allowing all of Raychel's acquaintances the chance to submit material give you an even greater pool to draw from? By opening up the site to all of her friends, wouldn't the true Raychel be more truly reflected than by a limited series of views with their own potential agendas coloring the view? If you limited the site to your own memories of Raychel, do you think that the real Raychel would be shown to your readers? Or would they only see her as you saw her? If you limit the number of contributors, you will allow the writers to develop their limited views of Raychel or create a "tunnel vision" limiting their own views of Raychel.
I myself was drawn into this "tunnel vision" in my opening articles. While I understand that you are a more experienced writer (although we share the same number of published works), the tendency for this tunnel vision is a human one. Being as drawn to Raychel as you were, I expect that writing about her allowed those passionate feelings about her to grow again. While it may seem like inspiration, it can cause a personal agenda to creep into your work (even if you do not intend to).
I understand that you don't like most (perhaps all) of the other possible contributors to the site should you accept the offer. However, I am sure that they each have an opinion that would be beneficial to the site. If you wish to truly make this site a living memorial, how could you deny these people (who were so significant in her life) the opportunity to tell others why she was so special to them?
I understand you hate Kyle McAllister. My prior writings have already betrayed my hatred for him. However, he was a major force in Raychel's music career. By including him, we might learn more about the last year of Raychel's life. We might also learn what happened to Raychel when she was kidnapped by Kyle.
"I know you have been trying to get Raychel's brother, David Vanderhoff, to contribute. However, he's kept you at a distance for a reason: I asked him to." |
Having Geoffrey MacIntyre contribute to the site would hold Kyle McAllister in check. Since the two seemed to have a number of run-ins with each other during the recording of Raychel's unfinished album, we could learn what actually happened during the process. The question would be, who do you believe?
As Raychel's bodyguard, Sharon Wolfe is absolutely crucial to the web site. She might be able to tell us what happened on the day Raychel was murdered, as well as answer why she was not at Kyle's apartment when Raychel was murdered. I know you have had a serious problem with her, but her unlimited access to Raychel may give us a more complete and unbiased view of her than any single one of us could give.
I know you have been trying to get Raychel's brother, David Vanderhoff, to contribute. However, he's kept you at a distance for a reason: I asked him to. I probably have had greater access to Raychel's family than you. But if you accept Ken's offer, I believe I can convince David to begin sending you articles.
I don't believe you have ever heard the name Anna Fantiani before. That would not be a surprise. Anna knows a great deal about you, though. I won't tell you why, but I think you'll be very interested by what she has to say. If you accept the offer, I will contact you regarding any submissions Anna may make in the future.
I have met Sergei Brosovsky only once, and in passing at that. However, he has claimed that he knows a great deal about Raychel's music career. He should, he was at Terror Trax every day that Raychel and company were recording the album. Hopefully, he can shed further light on what happened during that time.
I am sure that I can also help you in your efforts to convince any other significant members of The Bleeders to tell their own stories about the Raychel that we knew before she entered the music business.
"You were trying to manage the way that Raychel is viewed by the readers. I understand it, but I also think that it was one of the reasons Raychel was murdered." |
I would expect that if any of these people took the opportunity to contribute to the site that they should also follow the conduct followed by all current contributors. Each person should contact you to schedule a week for their submissions to be due. It should be forwarded in time for you to format it and post it on the web site on time. Of course, each person should complete your 10 Questions survey before contributing to the site.
In return for this continued behavior, you should also accept a code of conduct for yourself to follow as webmaster for the site. I request that you follow one simple rule which you have already allowed Ken Kincaid in his articles: STOP EDITING OTHER PEOPLE'S WORK! I am not talking about correcting spelling. I am talking about your removal of portions of my previous contributions. I understand what you were doing. You were trying to manage the way that Raychel is viewed by the readers. I understand it, but I also think that it was one of the reasons Raychel was murdered.
Perhaps we can begin to expose some of the goings on in Raychel's life that only a few people knew about, or we refused to acknowledge. While it may be painful for some of us to say, those things may have led to Raychel's murder. Raychel had too many secrets and they dragged her down. I was surprised a couple of weeks ago when you admitted that Raychel was a junkie. I didn't think you would ever get around to that. If we can use the site to expose some of those secrets in her life, maybe we can uncover a murderer while we are at it. That is reason alone to take up Ken on his offer. . . unless you're afraid of what we'll find.
I urge anyone who reads this letter to write to Lance Wagner through the site's Questions and Answers Form to ask him why he has not already accepted Ken Kincaid's offer. I have already stated my opinion, please express yours as well!
