Pat has obviously written this message with a great deal of sincerity and candor and I respect her viewpoints although I don't agree with all of them. For the moment, as Archives Representative, I will only comment on the next to last paragraph below. "Pat Sabin (by way of Teri Pettit)" wrote: > Forwarding to Board-L for discussion, at Pat Sabin's request: > ------------------------------------------------------------- > > Dear Advisory Board, > > I had planned to wait until the elections were over and the new board in > place before writing this letter, so I'll respond to the nominees for CC > board member for the NE-NC region first. > > The apathy demonstrated by the inactivity of the CC lists since the > elections certainly applies to me, too. Perhaps that's as it should be - > CCs concentrating on improving their county sites and not concerned > about national politics. > > If you only have two candidates, I would support David Young. David > certainly shows a continuing, unstoppable enthusiasm for the Project. > I think he's one of about five subscribers to the NE list, and the only > one who posts on the list. > > My concern prior to the election is still a concern. I think the > Advisory Board and the RootsWeb Cheerleading team, often one and the > same, have a tendency to dismiss opinions that are expressed by those > you have called the "Screamers." > > There are many County Coordinators (and State Coordinators) that do not > spend their time in lengthy debates on the mailing lists, but that does > not mean they do not have strong opinions. > > I think the recent growth of the A.L.H.N. is the result of *many* > disgruntled CCs and SCs, including former USGenWeb Advisory Board > Members, quietly moving their pages, or starting new pages in a > different environment. For every hysterical CC who makes a bold > announcement on the CC list, there are twenty who make no announcement, > but are quietly transferring their affiliation to another organization. > > The issue, as you know, is RootsWeb's hold on the USGenWeb Project. > Please do not make the mistake of believing that only the "Screamers" > and the banned and blocked are opposed to the extent of the involvement. > I think many, many county and state coordinators got a wake up call when > the County Cluster pages make their debut. Many, like me, while not > abandoning their GenConnect boards and RootsWeb mailing lists, are much > more cautious in that relationship. While I have not made any such > decisions, I am prepared at any moment to disconnect my relationship > with RootsWeb if necessary. I believe I am not in the minority. > > My other RootsWeb issue is the Advisory Board's acceptance of RootsWeb's > banning policy. As sick and tired as I get of all the debating and > name-calling and bickering, we're a diverse group who will express many > ideas and opinions. All CCs and SCs should be allowed to participate in > USGenWeb lists and vote without special dispensation. The existing > situation is, in my opinion, intolerable. > > I also see these folks dismissed as radical nuts who obviously can't > spend much time working on genealogy. Again, I'm not a "Screamer" or a > banned CC, but we are all multi-dimensional, aren't we? I work full > time in real estate in busy Atlanta, maintain a home on my own, serve as > an officer on my church's Board of Trustees, have friends and family > nearby, and spend an inordinate (some would say ridiculous) amount of > time on genealogy...and I still read and consider these USGenWeb debate > issues. As I would do in local politics, I want to hear all sides > before making up my mind. > > My other issue is the power struggle between the Census Project and the > Archives Project. Frankly, the debates on this issue have convinced me > to maintain *all* on my data on my county pages. This is an ugly > situation and needs attention or it will continue to erode the USGenWeb > Project. The Census problem will be addressed once the Board reaches a full complement. The vote is underway now to bring the Board to that status. I hope that everyone with an interest in the Census conflict will read and analyze the dialog that ensues devoid of personalities. For if we don't it will never be resolved. I attempted to work the problem in that vein during the last Board session without success prior to proposing Motion 99-12. I sent private emails which were snubbed or sluffed off. Not one iota of compromise could be reached. Thus, Motion 99-12. It got everyone's attention and expressed the frustration felt by the majority of the Archives file managers who play by the rules and in a democratic way help make those rules. Anyway, before I get into this any deeper let's get the Board up to strength. > > > Please consider that many CCs feel this way and are just not bothering > to express themselves. Thanks for "listening." > > Pat Sabin > New London County CTGenWeb - http://www.rootsweb.com/~ctnewlon/ > Jonesborough TNGenWeb - http://www.rootsweb.com/~tncjones/ > DuPage County IL ALHN - http://www.usgennet.org/~ahildupa/ > Washington County TN ALHN - http://www.usgennet.org/~ahtnwash/ Joe -- email:jzsed@slic.com http://www.rootsweb.com/~jzed/home.htm http://www.rootsweb.com/~ndpembin/pembina.htm http://www.rootsweb.com/~ndramsey/ramsey.htm