Official Update Regarding Riley Robinson

Andra Mikolan

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I don't have much to say about this. Except that with this update on the proceedings I was surprised at the strength of my anger even two years later. He didn't just steal from his friends. He stole from Family. My Family. :indifferent: That's the end of it for me. He deserves all the legal consequences coming to him.

When it was discovered I think I blocked all that and focused on my amazement for this community and it's members. We were rocked to our foundation, greviously wounded and reeling. Stop gaps were laid, and the healing and rebuilding began with a speed and generousity that still stuns me. Now, two years later, some of the bandages are still hanging around, evidenced by the hurt so many of our members still feel. Yet the Tower Stands. I am humbled and grateful to be a part of something like that.
 

Sela Narian

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Deoan said:
Better analogy: that person was a person you trusted, you gave them a key to your house to feed your cat while you're away.

Better analogy: You gave them a key to your house and the combination to your safe because they earned your highest level of trust, and they cleared out your life savings, all the furniture and electronics in your house, and probably that afghan your grandmother spent a season knitting for you. They did this systematically over months or years. You never caught on until everything was gone and you were left without anything but your wits and the charity of others and a ton of bills to pay. This person makes noises about perhaps giving it all back, sorta, and how they feel bad about it, and then they go off on a vacation with their family with their new electronics and new car.

Look, I'm not about to amass a mob and hunt down Riley in his castle, torch in hand (certified 99% chance of plummeting off a cliff to my spiraling death; I know my Disney films and absorbed their valuable lessons). I'm just saying there is a reason the law exists, and it's to ensure that people who lack a conscience and disregard morality to steal from those who trusted them must answer for their uncivil actions. It's worth noting that there are five tiers in New Mexico when it comes to punishment for embezzlement, and he qualifies for the worst level, number five. (Yes, I used the Google.) We have legislative policies that say his actions qualify for the worst degree of embezzlement that exists in his state. This is objective fact.

Riley is a pathological liar whose conscience allowed him to embezzle nearly the entirety of the Tower's funds, which were donated by its members over many years. I know some of you want to see good in him and I'm sure he can mimic goodness very nicely, but he is not a good man by any definition of the term. He hurts people and betrays those closest to him. He holds his closest friends at so little value that he can't even afford them the respect of not stealing from them, repeatedly, nor does he hesitate to lie to their faces for years as they continue to place their highest trust in him. He took advantage of that trust ruthlessly and often. For years, he paraded this fake personality of graciousness and benevolence, all while stealing from us every penny he could manage without getting caught.

I love many of you and he hurt you. I will never forgive him for this, and I will stay angry, and content in my anger. My anger is not a flaw, and it does not harm me. It is an indication of my regard for those who deserved better. I expect decent conduct from those I trust, and I expect others to treat those I love decently, and when that is violated, I am not gratified by a soft-hearted response. Hoorah for everyone who finds it within them to do whatever in a nice manner and be at peace. I am also at peace. The only thing that could disrupt this peace inside me is for us to be denied justice if he avoids jailtime.
 
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Cool. For all the people who say that jail time isn't necessary, I would be happy to be your personal accountant. I promise at some point I'll feel bad about any of the money I took.
 
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*shrugs* I never expected my opinion to be a popular one.

No worries, I'm with ya. Or rather, I don't think American law uses sanitation, so I guess I'm not with you entirely. He does deserve punishment for his crimes. I just won't feel all good and victorious about it like most people here seem to indicate they will.
 
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Sabriane Diamodred

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No worries, I'm with ya. Or rather, I don't think American law uses sanitation, so I guess I'm not with you entirely. He does deserve punishment for his crimes. I just won't feel all good and victorious about it like most people here seem to indicate they will.

I expect I'll feel about as victorious as he probably did when he thought he was getting away with it.
 

Ealandrelle Melyma

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This is a very emotive issue (yes, I have a talent for stating the bleeding obvious). Everyone is going to have their own feelings and opinion on what happened, and what should happen next. When it comes to peoples' own feelings on the matter, there is no "wrong" answer, and everyone is entitled to an opinion without being taken to task for it. No-one needs to be beaten around the head with loads of reasons why they are "wrong" for wanting/not wanting jail time; for deciding to forgive/not forgive.

At the end of the day, whether someone feels that Riley should get jail time or not is not down to the individual members of this community; it will be the decision of the American Justice system.
 

Autumn Sapphira

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... When it comes to peoples' own feelings on the matter, there is no "wrong" answer, and everyone is entitled to an opinion without being taken to task for it. No-one needs to be beaten around the head with loads of reasons why they are "wrong" for wanting/not wanting jail time; for deciding to forgive/not forgive.

This. You can disagree with someone, but trying to make them feel bad about how they feel only discourages anyone from putting their opinion out there and disables communication.
 

Yelenia Hylraren

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I suspect how you feel on the issue may tie strongly into how long you have been with the community and how close you were to the inner workings of the site at the time (via position or closeness to someone directly in position, etc)
 
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Ealandrelle Melyma

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That's not my point. My point is that everyone is entitled to their opinion and feelings, no matter what is influencing it/them. Telling (or implying to) people that they are wrong to not feel the same as you because they don't share your personal history/experience of the event isn't going to do anything but ruffle feathers in what, so far, has been a fairly amicable thread.
 

Yelenia Hylraren

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I'm not disagreeing with you?
 

Yelenia Hylraren

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Identifying a factor in what may be driving the extremes of opinion in no way negates the idea that every one is entitled to one.

Looking for a fight or assigning a negative meaning from someone you disagree with may be a larger factor on the second post regarding this issue. :P
 
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Alyria Ess

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Personally, I feel we should judge each other more when we express how we're feeling about this topic. It's incredibly productive and brings us closer together as a group.

Furthermore, there should be more attacks and snide remarks. It's so heartwarming.
 

Raeviendha al'Toma

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Everything Sela said. +1
 
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Personally, I feel we should judge each other more when we express how we're feeling about this topic. It's incredibly productive and brings us closer together as a group.

Furthermore, there should be more attacks and snide remarks. It's so heartwarming.

Ugh won't stupid that woman I just quoted ever shut up?

(like that? :D)
 

Ealandrelle Melyma

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Looking for a fight or assigning a negative meaning from someone you disagree with may be a larger factor on the second post regarding this issue. :P

I'm not entirely sure what you're trying to say here. Fair enough, I misunderstood what you were saying in your first reply to me. It sounded like you were saying those who were "closer" to the epicentre of the whole thing were entitled to be hostile in presenting their opinions. I appreciate now that's not what you meant, so /bygones.

And for the record, I'm actually of the opinion that anything the law can throw at him, throw it. So I'm not disagreeing with anyone who feels he should be hit with the strongest arm the law has to hit with. I understand not everyone feels that way, but I (1) don't feel the need to try and change their mind and (2) would appreciate not having anyone try to change mine :p
 

Alyria Ess

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To clarify...

I understand that there are those who feel more hurt and more bitter than others. Those folks may perhaps feel defensive when others show empathy about the situation.

I can see nothing fruitful in being critical of others whose opinions on the matter differ from your own. It's ending in more hurt feelings.

Musings on what or what should not happen on the legal side of things are just that - musings. It's not like a judge is going to peer into thread and take our opinions into consideration.

Just a call for peace between us, is all. I apologize for my sarcasm earlier; I was frustrated.
 

Sela Narian

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Personally, I'm not trying to change anyone's mind. Believe whatever you like and I'll do the same. I feel strongly about this subject. I've been here eleven years and have put a lot of myself into the Tower in various ways. I have any number of people here I love and to whom I'd donate a kidney or half my liver without hesitation. I feel very protective of these people and this community. I'm sure many others do as well.

My response was more to share my own perspective than anything else. It concerned me when I saw a number of people thought so differently from me; sure. As a result, I spoke up to present a perspective contrary to others'. Then I spoke up again when I saw cause. I'm a wordy little bitch who won't shut up; that's true. I don't see anything wrong with that. If you deserve a voice in this discussion, so do I.

Perhaps the strong sentiment I feel for the matter was misconstrued by others to be some kind of quarrel. It's not. I am fully confident in my position and if you are as well, you shouldn't feel pressed by anything I say. :)
 
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