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OhDonna's avatar

You’re rattling their cages… keep up the good work, Walter

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Thank you for your understanding OhDonna, I wish nobody had to see that.

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OhDonna's avatar

It is absolutely a good reflection on you, you make great points everyday and they want to silence you. Go back to the waiting room, but do not take this on. Your subscribers understand and are appalled.

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Ashley Schmitt's avatar

@Walter Rhein, My apologies for whomever did this to you. I'd gathered that Mr. & Ms. Negativity & Envy are still trying to find a quick fix to ruin someone's success.

Please don't let them steal what has been yours all along. Your community of Tribal Dream-Stackers will Support you stronger than ever.

Let's gather around and build a wall without a door for them to sneak in. Together we will beaf up our security setup around you where there is no wiggle room for them trying to sneak in.

Now that you have raised awareness of such a terrible act of intentional evil doers, with the help from Substack.com and our community of fellow substackers and Tribal Dream-Stackers we will win this fight So, please stay positive, encouraged and empowered because no one will steal your Crown of awesomeness.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

You are very kind and I appreciate your words greatly. Yes, I'll figure out how to offer secure meetings. Then the white supremacy apologists will whine about how they've been "cancelled" but there will be nobody around to hear them.

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Ashley Schmitt's avatar

https://restream.io/

I have a studio on Restream and it's absolutely fantastic.

@Kelly Keith through (LinkedIn) introduced me to it and I've been part of his Restream for Beginners (Mondays) several times.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Thanks, I'll look into that!

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OhDonna's avatar

And now she blocked me so you can’t see me calling her out as Maga. CHARISSE.

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OhDonna's avatar

I blocked Charisse. I went to her page and she’s hard core maga. Now complaining about your zoom after telling you not to worry.about it. Hmmmm.

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Ashley Schmitt's avatar

Correction it's @Keith Keller he is a trustworthy associate of mine. He is also on @bsky.social. @ashleyschmitt25.bsky.social

My professional Profile is also on @https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleysangelsforever050119671206196503162022

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OhDonna's avatar

Her last name is Tyson. She might have planned it. I don’t trust them.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

What is this in reference to?

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Cnorrander's avatar

Exactly what I was thinking! Keep speaking your truth!

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Ashley Schmitt's avatar

@OhDonna I agree with you on that because I always say that when someone is lurking around the corner to make sure that they don't fall out But they always do because they don't have what we have. The secret sauce and the perfect ingredient that makes us awesome.

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Jay Warner's avatar

Don't beat yourself up for what happened. It was out of your control. What WAS in your control, and what you handled beautifully, was shutting it down as soon as you realized what was happening. Your reputation and integrity outweigh anything these awful bots can try to do to you.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Thank you Jay, that means a lot. I can't even figure out how long that was going on. I made an effort to mute the accounts and then I hit the button. It was probably within a minute or so. I deleted the video. I want to pretend it didn't happen. The next time I do a zoom meeting it will be with more security protocols. There are awful people out there.

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Charles Bastille's avatar

After you settle down a bit from this awful event, be aware that Zoom likely has a log of this Zoom on their servers. You might want to ask them for it. It will be a simple text file. I'm a software guy. I'll be happy to do some forensics for you, no charge of course!

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Thanks for that Charles. I was recording the meeting, but I deleted the file they sent me. During my scramble to mute and remove the accounts, I managed to report one, so I did send in a ticket to the platform. We'll see if anything comes of it. I'll need some more time to settle down as you say. Thanks again.

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Charles Bastille's avatar

That's great that you reported it. You never know, maybe something will come of it. Take care!

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Michelle Zaun's avatar

This is such Christian behavior 🙄. I’m so sorry to hear this happened! It’s disgusting and I’d be upset too.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

I have to make sure that everyone who attended gets my apology. I'm sick to my stomach. It's so upsetting

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OhDonna's avatar

I have been on zooms where it was bombed by freaks and weirdos, known as Maga’ts. Nobody blamed the facilitator, it just shows how they are so afraid of the truth and have the emotional maturity of 3rd graders. Those people make me sick.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Thank you. These comments are making me feel a lot better. I still feel awful though.

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Ruthy Wexler's avatar

Afraid of the truth. Yes, indeed.

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Charisse Tyson's avatar

This is the first time I've experienced something like this on a Zoom. If crap like this keeps happening, I will no longer participate in one.

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OhDonna's avatar

Just as well you don’t attend, since you are Maga and were more than likely one of the disrupters. Playing both sides is such a shady way of life…

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Alison Acheson's avatar

Walter! I am so so sorry to read this. Really feeling for you right now. Maybe as soon as you can go for a walk outside. Hang out with the girls and your dog. Fill your mind and vision with the restorative.

Hoping you're feeling the care and warmth from all here.

We're with you!!!!

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Thank you Alison, things are so ugly in the US right now. I fear it's going to get worse instead of better.

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Alison Acheson's avatar

I fear that, too. The madness and hatred has only just begun. I never thought I'd have to be fearful for a takeover of my country. In the language of gaslighting lover... how he'll "cherish" us. Ugh. How to feel grimy.

Oh maybe I should go for a walk. We should all go for a walk...!

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Yes, a walk helps. Take a very big dog with you too. :)

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OhDonna's avatar

We are all standing shoulder to shoulder with you.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Thank you!

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Charisse Tyson's avatar

Can I ask why you said Christian behavior? You surely meant unchristian. It was vile, and there was nothing Christian about it.

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Michelle Zaun's avatar

Agreed. It was very vile and unchristian like behavior. It was meant sarcastically and out of frustration because although there’s no way to know how these people who attacked this space specifically identify, so many of the people attacking our spaces online are the same ones who IRL claim to also be Christian, when their behavior clearly contradicts Jesus’s teachings in particular.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

They started with a guy in a Klan robe. That was shocking to see. They know that I am an anti-racism writer.

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Cherie's avatar

Have learned the hard way that “those people” can’t handle the TRUTH!!!

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Walter Rhein's avatar

There are people out there who deny this country is racist. Well, there are racists and they're targeting me.

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Gabriela Trofin-Tatár's avatar

I had no idea such bots existed on zooms. I immediately googled and tried to understand what was happening. It’s not your fault, Walter!

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Walter Rhein's avatar

I'm so embarrassed that you had to see that. I'm sick and I want to cry. I was not prepared for that. Thank you for your understanding.

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Gabriela Trofin-Tatár's avatar

It was really sick indeed and it just reflects the sickness of those monsters :(

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JR Roessl's avatar

Speaking for someone who was there, OMG! 😳 😱. If it makes you feel any better, Walter, we’re all traumatized. It took me a couple of seconds for my brain to say wtf and to process what I was seeing! What’s fascinating to me is how on earth did these accounts multiply so quickly into our zoom? Here we are having an informative discussion about Medium and Substack and suddenly a hailstorm of porn is raining down upon us. Just another reminder and reflection of our current state under someone whose name I shall not speak!

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Walter Rhein's avatar

The first one was the KKK video where the guy screamed racist language. I got that one muted and then they unmuted themselves. I scrambled to get it under control and then had to end the meeting. The whole thing probably took about a minute. I deleted the video. So awful. I'm so sorry that happened. I feel just sick.

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JR Roessl's avatar

I want to REITERATE that you did a great job, Walter, in shutting it down. It hit all of us without warning, like a tsunami. I guess I have a strange sense of humor, but it was all so crazy it made me laugh.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

That's a relief to hear. I was afraid that when I hit "end meeting" it would still be going live for some of you. It was a lot to process and react very quickly. Still... just awful. But I appreciate your kind words.

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Gabriela Trofin-Tatár's avatar

I just left the meeting as soon as I could; It was probably like 30 seconds.. I think the others also left quickly. No worries.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Thank you Gabriela. I will be researching how to make meetings more secure in the future. What an awful experience.

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JR Roessl's avatar

I was so mesmerized by the other videos giving us those up close and personal views that I forgot about that horrible racist rant.

And we were talking about such great stuff before we were so rudely interrupted …onward and upward until our next meeting!🙂

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Cherie's avatar

Are you able to block any of them? I use to give people chances but over that. If I see any bs comments, check them out and block the stupid weirdos immediately if anything unacceptable is there.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

I blocked the first one, and then the screen was just overtaken by many hostile accounts posting extremely graphic videos. It happened really fast so I hit "end meeting."

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Cherie's avatar

They are no life losers who have nothing better to do!

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Yeah, and it's sad the level of damage they're able to achieve. If they get caught, watch them cry and whine.

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Stix76's avatar

Just means you’re getting under their skin….

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Walter Rhein's avatar

I'm traumatized right now. It was really bad. Were you there?

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Stix76's avatar

No, I wasn’t. Hang tough, this is the crap fascists and MAGA trolls do to silence truth….

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Boho Devereaux's avatar

I didn’t see it but we all SEE YOU for the wonderful soul you are. I pray that you’re over this hack. Recently my Amazon account was hacked, they bought Xbox gift cards- this really threw me , I didn’t see it coming and am now paranoid about it happening again. We have to soldier on. Stay strong, no one blames you Walter!

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Thank you Boho! I’m feeling better about it but it’s still very upsetting. Thank you for your kind words!

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Ruthy Wexler's avatar

Sorry that happened to you. You seem like such a good person.

Sometimes I think it is jealousy of GOODNESS--and the peace that comes with it--that motivates these assholes.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Thank you Ruthy! I'm really sick to my stomach that happened. I'll have to learn how to prevent this from happening in the future. Right now I just have to stop trembling.

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Rusty's avatar

OMG! Will they stop at nothing? I’m so sorry that happened to you, and everyone. I’m glad I was unable to attend at that time, and didn’t have to see that. You’ve got them scared. Keep it up!

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Walter Rhein's avatar

It was awful. We were having a nice talk and then they had to come along and attack us.

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Rusty's avatar

🤬

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Charles Bastille's avatar

Wow, Walter, I'm sorry you had to go through that. I wasn't there, but stuff like that is never the fault of the account holder, except from the perspective that something you are doing is getting under their skin.

It is, however, the fault of Zoom. There is software available to large services like this that can detect these kinds of images. I've read that Zoom is not interested in investing in such software.

That's a different topic, of course, but keep in mind that you did nothing wrong at all. I didn't need to be there to know this. You were just trying to hold a Zoom meeting, after all. You're doing good work. We learn from their mendacity.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Thank you Charles. I'm still processing the shock of it. It's awful to have the group members have to see that. I shut it off as fast as I could but even a few seconds was really bad. Thanks for your insight, that helps a lot to hear.

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Shoshana's avatar

Know that if they attack you like that? It's because your message is annoying them. It means you're doing good work. There's nothing to apologize for you. You shut it down as best you could, but you're getting to them. It means you're doing something great!

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Thank you Shoshana. I appreciate that you felt I handled it well. I was so frantic I didn't know what to do. I was afraid that you'd still see the images even after I hit end for all.

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OhDonna's avatar

Great minds, Shoshana! I said the same thing.

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Pat's avatar

People who follow you will understand.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Thank you Pat

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Harbinger's avatar

It isn’t your fault- it’s hatred and fear from the magats

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Harbinger's avatar

It’s no consolation but most of us are sick of and furious with these people

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Thank you chimera, I still feel just sick about it

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Será's avatar

This happened at my church during the pandemic. Normally it was broadcast only, but a special guest wanted to get feedback. AV Staff warned that we weren’t ready technologically, but they were overridden. We were bombed with horrible (underage porn) content, and it was horrific.

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Just awful. I was scrambling to get it shut off. I don't even know how long it lasted.

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Carol Oxford's avatar

Don’t let it stop you from doing your important work

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Walter Rhein's avatar

They can't stop me from writing. I will figure out how to implement more safety protocols.

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Barb Vaughan's avatar

I'm so sorry this happened to you and your participants! Someone did this once to our Zoom class during COVID. Left everyone shaking!

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Yes, a couple people have said that. I guess it's just a joke to some people. What awful lives they must lead. Thank you for the kind words.

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Dr.FrancesScully's avatar

Hi Walter,

This is why I pay for a private professional Mighty Network app

I hope the Mighty Network is a little safer although it uses Zoom

This is Dr. Frances Scully , we have been exchanging on Substack. I need to get moving here in Logy Bay, Nl , Canada.

In a few hours I will restart on Substack. I will have 2 streams a ying and a yang, Ying for when we need to escape, heal, rest , recover and yang for when we are capable of facing the truth and non violently take action.

Hang in there.

Dr. Frances Scully

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Walter Rhein's avatar

Thank you Dr. Scully (Yes, I recognized you immediately). I'm making a plan to talk to Kristina about this. We can't have this kind of infiltration in the future. I'll figure something out. Thanks for the tip!

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