Ok folks…here I am back from a hiatus because someone decided to rub me the wrong way.  Generally, I prefer to be a nocturnal quiet person, minding my own business and going about my life.  But there are some people who waste their time and energy taking exception.

Let me get one thing straight.  If you have a problem with my Facebook post/comment, ignore it just like 99% of the population.  Secondly, do NOT tell me my posts are stupid, offensive, violate “your rules”, or broadcast to that effect.  And lastly, I am sorry to say but if the truth hurts, too bad; don’t censor me for that!

I was kicked out of a group on Facebook called Cochlear Implant Experiences.  I was kicked out for what they perceive to be brand bashing.  Someone posted a satirical version of my cochlear implant competitor’s attempt to demonstrate their device can match mine in the water.  Quoting from the competitor’s website as an asterisk to their comment about “IP57 water-resistent rating”…

“Submersible in up to 3 ft of still water for up to 30 minutes at a time. Not intended for swimming. With rechargeable sound processor battery option.”

The post took a satirical stab at that marketing ploy.  I took more of a reactive route.

Here is what a group administrator said:

“While Nuclues 5 Sound Processor is not waterproof as it cannot be submerged in the still water for more than 30 minutes, Cochlear recipients can definitely play in the sprinklers, take a bath and go in the pool with their sound processor as long as they are not putting their head under the water because the Nucleus 5 Sound Processor is indeed water resistance, meaning that it can be very well splashed and it can be dropped under the water by accident without being ruined. Cochlear will definitely NOT void the warranty if they find water in a broken Nucleus 5 Sound Processor. I have personally gone in the pool with my Nucleus 5 Sound Processor several times and even accidentally dropped it in the pool and yet, it still worked like a miracle.  So, what Cochlear has advertised is not misleading at all and is a very true reality lifestyle of many Nucleus 5 recipients.  (blip), please consider your post as a warning because should if you post another post bashing another brand and spreading misinformation, you will be removed from the group.”

Here is my comment:

“(blip)…I beg to differ but how do you tell a kid that “yes, you can go in the pool but you can’t go underwater?  As a matter of fact, I just got a request to meet with the mom of a kid who is anxious to learn more about the Neptune. It turned out that the kid already has a Freedom but wants to upgrade to the “submergible” N5 but also wants to learn more about the Neptune. It turned out that the school’s audie was not aware that one brand’s processor with not work with another’s internal.

(blip)…while (blip) may have been a little too extreme, the real issue is with CA’s marketing practices. Their website has a lot of bending and twisting of the truth. Can you find any of this on the AB or ME website? If so, please point them out.”  (NOTE: (blip) never pointed them out.)

Here is the group administrator’s reply:

Sam – There are pools where kids can stand and wade in the water, and even sit in the water without having their head being under the water.  We’re not going to play games here. The bottom line is that we are asking everyone, not only on this forum, but also on all forums including (snip), to respect other people and other brands. We need to set ourselves as good examples for the cochlear implant community.

Later on, the group administrator who kicked me out:

To everyone : As an group admin, I had to remove Sam Spritzer as his latest comments were offensive , and us Greeks say, ‘throwing mud’ to everyone, when it is not acceptable here.We are all a group that has a common thread – that we can HEAR again via the miracle of Cochlear Implants, and let’s not mire that with petty arguments.  Thank you.

Ok…is there anything offensive in my comments?  As of this writing, the satirical post is still showing up in Cochlear Implant Experiences.  A group administrator who is extremely loyal to her brand already mentioned something about her brand that distorts the truth and defies common sense logic!  How convenient and hypocritical!

• Submersible in up to 3 ft of STILL water for up to 30 minutes at a time – seriously, I’ll be darned if you can find me one person who can stand still in with their heads in 3 feet of water for 30 minutes.
• Not intended for swimming – how do you explain that to a kid?  “Johnny, you can go in the pool but you can’t swim”.

Seriously, does anyone see anything logical here?  I mean…do you honestly think anyone is going to remember those caveats?  Thankfully, the brand’s warranty says they will replace it if water damaged.  Whereas with mine, you don’t have to worry about that.  Do we call that brand bashing?  I don’t think so….more like truth in advertising, perhaps?

Lets get back to the rubbing me the wrong way.  I will tell you this…I make a lousy politician.  I am too honest.  If I see blatant bullshit, I am going to point it out.  I might do it in a reactive way but that is just the way I am.  If you don’t like it, too effing (as badly as I want to say it, there are people that I know that I respect that abhor the word so I won’t say it) bad.  But don’t ever deny the fact that 9 out of 10 times, I mean well.  I don’t do things like this for attention.  I do them because of my beliefs.  I do them because I feel its the right thing.  This way, no one can ever say “he didn’t give a shit”.

If you don’t like my comments or posts, no one is making you read them.  But when you tell me in front of a dozen people they are stupid, that rubs me the wrong way.  Even better, that leaves you open to being the stupid one because you had the audacity to say it in front of others.  If you don’t like me because I am “loud”, I give you a lot of credit for paying attention….what a waste of time and energy, that is all you’re gonna get out of it.

Let me make one more point…look at yourself in the mirror.  Put yourself in my shoes.  Think about how you would feel if I were to mimic you.  Shitty, eh?  Good!  And please don’t tell me “THEN DON’T DO/SAY IT! because you know what, it’ll be too late!  So do me and yourself a favor, accept the fact that I am me, you are you and…move on!

And to the administrators of the Cochlear Implant Experiences group…you can go eff yourselves……