[idan]

Correct, sorry I thought this was pretty obvious but in retrospect maybe not.

I'm not encouraging Mitchell to stay, I'm saying that my version of his post is about _me_ staying to make a brighter future, and adding my context on why I still believe that.

And finally I closed with "I hope we win you back" to be extra clear about it!

[gilrain]

The problem is that you decided the correct place for your “version of his post” was in the comments to his version of his post. This rhetorically implies you’re offering your version as an alternative to his, and it explicitly sets up your version as a comment on his version.

And then you claim your version is only about you. Why post it as a reply, if that’s true? It would be off topic. But it isn’t off topic; because actually you are talking about OP in addition to yourself.