ALT-GENEALOGY-L Archives

Archiver > ALT-GENEALOGY > 1999-06 > 0928238280


From: Ann MacKay <>
Subject: Re: IMPORTANT Dangerous Information! Please Be Careful
Date: Tue, 01 Jun 1999 08:58:00 -0300


I think it may be important to note that when dealing with searches for
living family members, we're dealing with potentially a whole lot more
than just a friendly genealogical endeavor. I think it is necessary to
be extremely prudent when giving help and advice in these situations
because certainly more than one life is being affected. A standard
genealogical search usually leads to dead relatives. These requests for
information (like the previous post made on this group today "Please
help me find my family" made by somebody named Melissa) deals with
living people. People who may not want to be found. Since we don't
know the circumstances of the estrangement, I don't think it is our
place to give direction. I believe there are capable organizations out
there which assist family members to find each other, particularly if it
is for medical reasons. These organizations would hopefully assess the
situation, know the history of the person doing the search and be able
to care of the situation much better than we can.

So I'm with Jess. I think the most we should be doing to help these
living searches is to direct the searcher to an organization which will
perform the search in their area. Let the experts take it from there.

Ann MacKay
Wolfville, NS

Alvie Davidson wrote:
>
> I know we all want to be careful about passing out helpful information but
> we cannot get to filled with paranoia and just close up all help for all
> folks and that is where we might go if we begin to scrutinize too carefully.
> I am a professional genealogist who also works as a private investigator
> and I am always helping in all aspects of research and investigations.
>
> --
> Alvie L. Davidson
> Lakeland, FL
> http://www.concentric.net/~Tracer
> ICQ 713074

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