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Archiver > USGENWEB-SW > 2000-06 > 0960464348


From: "Linda Haas Davenport" <>
Subject: [USGENWEB-SW] To all Lukers on the list
Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2000 07:39:08 -0400


I have been a member of the USGenWeb project for only 3 years and normally
do not respond to the mud slinging that fills the ALL & DISCUSS & USGW-CC
lists. However, I feel that I must step out of the shadows and speak out. I
am addressing this e-mail to all of you who, like me, read or scan the
messages that appear on these lists and never (or at least very seldom)
reply.

This message will be a bit long but I would appreciate your time to read it.

3 years ago I was frustrated at the lack of information available on the web
to out of state researchers for the tiny county of Marion Co, AR. I decided
that rather than gripe about the lack of information available I would set
up or adopt a web site and make the information available. My primary
objective was to make sure the information would be available to researchers
for free and would reach the largest number of researchers possible.

I looked at the Original AR Project and some other places before I signed on
with the USGenWeb Project. I liked their goals and the way things were
structured. I also liked what RootsWeb was offering. During my 3 years as a
CC the Marion Co site has gone from a site that had nothing except queries
posted to a site that has hundreds of pages of information. This information
did not appear by magic. It is the result of a lot of hours of my time (and
money) and time of people I have begged, nagged and bullied into helping.

I'm like most CCs in that I spend a lot of time doing my job (getting info
on the site) and am not interested in the political side of things. I
believe that's what the AB is for - to look out for the best interests of
the project and the CCs.

However, during the past 3 years I have seen a small group of people who
seem intent on tearing the USGenWeb apart post to these lists. And I have
seen the Advisory Board get kicked and stomped by this same group of people.
I can understand the AB's reluctance to take any type of firm stand on a lot
of issues. After all how many of us want to wake up to a mail box full of
hateful, nasty messages. But on the other hand I often wondered why the AB
didn't stand up and do the best thing for the project as a whole rather than
trying to be the nice guys all the time. They were elected to represent the
entire project's membership not to try to please a handful of people who
will not be pleased until the project is dead and buried.

Therefore I was pleasantly surprised when Tim Stowell took a firm stand on
the Census project mess. I was and still am behind him 100%. I was/am so
glad to see someone who is responsible for protecting the project as a whole
do what was best for the PROJECT without worrying if he was upsetting a few
individuals.

And, now comes all of the grievances to the AB and the resulting upheaval,
name calling, and ruckus. If that wasn't enough along came the proposed
amendments which, in my own opinion, will sound the death knell of the
USGenWeb Project if adopted.

Unless all of us lurkers come out of hiding and make our thoughts and
desires known we will have no room to bitch and moan when we find our
project, as we know it, gone. Do any of us really want that?

I have nothing against the people who have been nominated for the position
of NC for the up coming election. However, I believe that Tim Stowell should
think about running again. He began the process of cleaning up the census
mess and he has shown he has the guts to take the heat and abuse he receives
to make sure the USGenWeb Project survives for all of us hard working CCs.
And, I believe, he should be allowed to finish what he has started.

If you feel the same will you take the time to write to Tim and tell him so?


Thank you so much for you time to read this.

And to all of you who want to flame me feel free to do so. I'm expecting a
lot of flack from this message.

Linda


Home.page http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~haas
Marion.Co.AR http://www.rootsweb.com/~armarion
List hostess for -h.a.a.s/l.e.w.a.l.l.e.n/w.a.s.h.i.n.g.t.o.n n.c

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