warning....not really a rant, but possibly an offensive post ahead

I go into chat a lot. I havent been here since last Monday, but I got back on Sat night and went into chat on Sunday afternoon and chatted with someone i really like a lot as a friend. I guess something happened the day before in chat that hurt someones feelings and the person I think of as a friend was involved.....

Well, I'm not going to comment on what happened between them, but I know that as a result of whatever happened, at least one person has gone off and said bad things directly to my friend who had nothing to do with the situation, which is why I'm making this post. So, to my friend.......

(name edited), don't let ignorant people bug you. I think you're great, and I want you to know that. I wouldn't like going into GA chat as much if you weren't there. I don't know if anyone has told you that, but I am. You make it fun to be here, and I hope you always stick around. Like I said, I don't know what went down, but I don't care. I don't have anything bad to say about you or the person you had it out with. I just want you and everyone else to know that I like you a lot and that I support you. I'm proud to call you my friend and I want everyone who reads this to know that. Don't pay attention to haters who call you names, especially since they have no idea about what actually went down.

Personally, I think it sucks that someone wants to leave GA because of what happened, but that's his choice. He'll be missed, I'm sure, but there are lot's of other authors here, and there's the new hosted authors here, too. GA will survive, I'm sure. If we're lucky, though, he'll change his mind and stick around.

But, no matter what happens, I just think it's important for my friend to know that he has my support and that I'm down to stand by his side till the bitter end.