USGENWEB-SW-L Archives

Archiver > USGENWEB-SW > 2002-07 > 1027531964


From: John Schunk <>
Subject: Re: [USGenWeb-SW] FW: [ALL-L] Petition
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 12:49:53 -0500
References: <3.0.3.32.20020724084700.008ba490@skpub.com><Version.32.20020724071631.00e53260@pop.onemain.com><011501c23262$674b09f0$f2a4ec0c@JANA>
In-Reply-To: <E17XONR-00058v-00@epic.mail.pas.earthlink.net>


At 10:48 AM 7/24/02 -0500, you wrote:
>I did not accuse everyone on that list of being beyond investigation. But,
>I do believe if you examine it you also see many names of people that have
>a vendetta against Teresa because she has held their actions up to
>inspection.

Hi again Don,

I'm not sure what you mean by vendetta. But this accusation seems relevant
to me only if you mean that there are people who signed this petition who
would not have signed such a petition if the offender had been some other
AB member.

I don't believe this to be true of any of the signatories. I believe if
some other AB member had committed exactly the same offense (i.e. had
posted the same closed committee e-mails to a website, and had publicized
the posting to a list containing 140+ subscribers), the offender would find
himself/herself faced with the same outrage and the same petitionary action
being taken. The behavior is wrong, regardless of who committed it.

>Actions that they evidently wish hadn't been called to the
>attention of the membership.

It's not that people don't want their actions held up to inspection. It's
just that when sensitive matters like personnel and grievances of alleged
wrongdoing are discussed, making the best decision requires an openness and
frankness that should not be broadcast to hundreds of people -- because the
objective isn't to embarrass or hurt anyone; the objective is to select the
best person/persons for a job or to make a fair decision based upon all
pertinent facts.

>I am not speaking of what is or is not legal in this country. I am speaking
>of their authority in any of our bylaws to initiate such a petition to this
>organization and to use official USGenWeb email lists to disseminate that
>petition.
>

But Don, the Bylaws don't specifically say that members have the right to
free speech on official USGenWeb e-mail lists either. The right to
petition is a Constitutionally protected right. It doesn't have to be in
the Bylaws for it to be permissible.

John


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