At 10:52 PM 9/13/02, Tina Vickery wrote: >With leadership comes responsibility, patience, listening skills, more >patience and compromise. I am not being flip. Whatever issues that >NC is facing, this list is not the place to air them, IMHO. I see it >serving no benefit to the subscribers, and certainly no benefit to the >NCGenWeb Project nor the USGenWeb Project. > >To the NC CC's that are subbed here, with teamwork comes >responsibility, patience, listening skills, more patience and >compromise. I am not being flip. Whatever issues that NC is facing, >this list is not the place to air them, IMHO. I see it serving no >benefit to the subscribers, and certainly no benefit to the NCGenWeb >Project nor the USGenWeb Project. > >Let's see if we can all can demonstrate this concept. > >Sincerely, >Tina Vickery >==== USGENWEB-ALL Mailing List ==== >The USGenWeb Project is not a commercial project. Tina and USGW family, Bravo!! Finally the voice of moderation!! I applaud your inclination to step into this fray and say, "enough is enough." If you have been reading this list long enough, you'll recognize some of our weaker members who too often take the bait and respond to ridiculous accusations with their own invective. I confess, I have too many fallen times into that trap. At this time, I would like to apologize--publicly--to everyone who expected better of me--whether it be National, State or County. Tina, your post caused me to reflect that to be a proper leader (like Betsy, Elizabeth and Sharon, my predecessors), I need to ignore the rasping voices (see the USGENWEB -DISCUSS and ALL-L archives, last 30 days) and respond civilly or not at all. I hope I am more successful than my immediate predecessor. After the constant harassment from the verbal vultures, Sharon lost her ability to try and defend herself against them. I should have realized at the time that these sniping voices were trying to bring her down, just like they tried to bring down Elizabeth, before her. To this day, I believe, as only her Asst. SC can, that these pathetic souls were responsible for aggravating her health. Some have personally called for me to step down for "health reasons." To them, I say: "Where's the beef?" Show me what ya got! I'm here for the long haul!!!! I just wonder, how far must we go to preserve harmony? Since my election as SC began (1 July), the attacks began. They have not only increased in tone, they have been accompanied by private messages containing subtle threats. Finally, in only the last few days, have letters of support for me (AND the 65% of the voters who agree), been sent to ALL-L . To them, thanks abound. My question is how long must we take this kind of abuse WITHOUT the support of our National organization? Two months? Is that about right? Can anyone here seriously say they would rather be writing e-mails than doing GENEALOGY!!! HELLO? In Catawba County, we have a local wacko who writes to the newspaper editor several times a week. He used to rouse folks, like me, to a frenzy with his bizarre statements. When folks finally realized how ridiculous he sounded they began to ignore him. Most folks in Catawba County call him "the fruit-cake." Wouldn't it be wonderful if folks who speak with authority and wisdom would step in and HELP ME in rejecting bad behavior. Why don't we all stop responding to these negative voices? Why can't our leadership at least say, "Please behave." That's all we ask, here in the NCGenWeb Project. For that reason, Tina, your letter came at a most fortuitous time. I would certainly appreciate any help that we can get from anyone to whom this post is directed. It's time we stopped tolerating bad behavior. It begins as an irritation, becomes obnoxious and finally evolves into a full-blown destructive force. If anyone here believes the motives of the snipers are anything BUT the complete destruction of the XXGW, they are sadly and naively mistaken. Right here and right now, I REQUEST THAT ALL PARTIES REFRAIN from giving these hyenas the satisfaction of any response. Any response WHATSOEVER!!! These complainers and petty tyrants preach something akin to anarchy. Two years ago the NCGW went through the very same thing and the National leadership (anyone above me in "pay grade") never lifted a finger to help us. Praise God, we are still in existence, thanks to our own magnificent efforts--and I'm talking about our silent majority, those who signed on to provide a service and to ignore the detractors. I represent only two counties in the Great Old North State. Some CCs represent more--some less. I am intensely proud of our wonderfully productive CCs and their achievements and their service to the Project. I'm proud to be their helper and servant. They all know who they are. "Ye shall know them by their fruits." This world has all the terrorism it can deal with. We are constantly reminded of the banner on bottom of the TV which displays the state of threat we are in. Should we sit back and hope that it won't happen in our Project? Don't we KNOW where the "speed-bumps" are on an otherwise smooth road? Do we not have a mechanism to eliminate the threat of our destruction? Why can't the USGenWeb Project be the very best that it can be? Only one obstacle remains: that of opposition. Paul Buckley, ASC, NCGenWeb Project, is our list administrator. I have given him full responsibility to act in the best interests of the NCGW. I requested that he unsubscribe the unruly. He did so. Now the ALL-L list is being posted to by folks who are no longer Project members (how can that be?). They complain that I am guilty of defamatory statements. I have asked Paul to act in his capacity and unsub me from the NCGW-Discuss list, hoping that it might quiet the obstreperous. I have used a slogan that the dissenters seem to have picked up on. At least they mock it: "LEAD, FOLLOW OR GET THE HECK OUT OF THE WAY" I am, by no means, seeking notoriety, popularity, power or perpetuation. Several times, I have entertained the notion to kick it all. Who needs it? I would love to return to writing journal articles and immerse myself in migration research. If anyone with who shares my goals wants it--YOU GOT IT!!! I'm here to help you in any way that I am able. If you oppose our Project, you are taking on a formidable adversary. I will do my utmost to make this a project of contributors--not of whiners--and I will make your ouster my priority goal!!!! If only ONE-THIRD of our voters want me out---I'M GONE--NO QUESTIONS ASKED!!!!!!! This is not a business--thank God. We don't have to worry about profit, overhead, sales, or any of those things businesses fret over. Instead, we furnish a service. We may even spend a substantial sum out of our pockets to reap nothing but good will. I assume that's what we signed on for--I did. If anyone in our Project chooses to make a motion that we stop tolerating bad behavior, I KNOW that someone will second it. Folks will vote and the MAJORITY will remove any obstacles. Its that simple!! If anyone chooses to copy this to any address, you have my permission. Ethics forbid me from sending this to the mandatory NC list. If you know of someone in the NCGW Project who doesn't ordinarily have access to list messages, please forward this to them. Faithfully yours, Derick S. Hartshorn NCGenWeb State Coordinator Visit the NC home page at: http://www.rootsweb.com/~ncgenweb/