About the Web and Free Speech (and Forest Hills Gymboree)

Wow, I didn't realize that my reviews of the Gymboree in Forest Hills would elicit such a strong and very controversial response from readers! (see HERE and HERE).

First, let me say that we have indeed found a class with a new teacher that we love (Miss Kristi--I highly recommend her) and we are still enjoying our time at this Gymboree. That said, I must defend my previous reviews and, ultimately, my freedom of speech and my right as a consumer to seek to be satisfied with a service that I have purchased.

I find it very sad that one commenter (who commented anonymously) felt my honest review to be "appalling" and even went as far as to suggest my blog be banned and also to make a thinly-veiled threat of something negative happening to me if she ran into me at Gymboree. For a review, written honestly from my own experience, to elicit this kind of response--from a mother with a young child none-the-less--saddens me to the greatest degree! I truly hope that most bloggers and blog-readers have more respect for freedom of speech--and have more decency than to threaten a mother and her child--but, none-the-less, it has prompted me to remove my photo and the photo of my child from the front page of this blog for our safety.

I hope all you bloggers out there, though, will continue to post your honest opinions online (as I will continue to do) as they all help me in my own search to find the greatest products, services, and advice. I'm praying for us all that the majority of readers (especially parents) out there are not spurred to violence by a simple review!