There isn't any use for rudeness. I don't care how many books you have validated or scanned. I think that some times blind people can be very rude. Its like there is a chip on their shoulder that they use to be rude to others. I wouldn't post to the list if I got a rude response. In fact I didn't post to this list or others for a while because of rude comments that were directed towards me. Melissa Green Without Christ I am nothing, Without me Christ is still God. It's because of Christ I am able to stand!!! ----- Original Message ----- From: Amber Wallenstein To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 2009 1:03 PM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: resigning from the volunteer list I have a question for you all to consider here. Please do not think I have gone half-cocked here, for I assure you this is not the case. I have spent hours thinking of the best way to put this and I put the question to the volunteer community as a whole. Let us say I'm a new volunteer. I am excited about joining Bookshare's volunteer team, but I don't really know what I'm doing. I decide to join the BKSVOL list to get some tips. I write in with a series of questions. Meanwhile, I am also seeing messages from others flying back and forth across my screen. I as a new volunteer may not know what it means, but I am smart enough to get the tone of the message. Some people seem very friendly, but there are those whose messages seem rude, to put it frankly. Then the answers to my questions start coming in. Some seem OK but then there are others, like E.'s messages that we all know about. As a new volunteer, maybe I now feel like I shouldn't write into this list anymore for advice. After all, if I get a snarky response to my first question, what will happen when I submit further queries? Let's face it folks. We were all newbie volunteers at one time or another. In fact, some of us still are. Why are people not being treated as they should be? Are we saying it's OK for rude and "brusque" and I put that in quotes behavior tolerated? Aren't all volunteers afforded the same right to be treated with courtesy and tolerance? Why is it that a few people can be rude and intolerant, scaring off dozens of volunteers over the years.. Why is that OK? Because they proof hard-to-proof books? Don't we as a community have more respect than that? No matter how hard one works, or what books they tackle, is that an excuse for rude and off-putting behavior? Aren't we as volunteers doing a huge disservice to those who have joined? Saying to a newbie, or heck, anyone, "Well you know what? Their messages are rude, or brusque, but don't worry, they have gotten better, and you should just ignore the behavior"... That's enabling. We as a volunteer community are enabling rude behavior. We have ignored the problem for years. Has it gotten better? No, it does not appear as it has gotten any better. The rude behavior is continuing, with no end in sight. and with the "ignore it and it will go away" attitude most people here seem to have, the behavior is being enabled. Now the behavior has been addressed and you are begging rudeness to return? Why? \ If this person were someone we worked with, and every time you came to their desk, if you got a "brusque" response, would you continue to come back? Probably not, at least I know I would not. I don't know why volunteering is any different. Volunteers are being driven away, and this is OK? I beg to differ. If we are adults, as so many on this list have said, why are we not acting like it, curbing out words, thinking about what we say, and treating others with COURTESY and respect? Amber Book blog: http://community.livejournal.com/book_cuddler/ I have accepted a seat in the House of Representatives, and thereby have consented to my own ruin, to your ruin, and to the ruin of our children. I give you this warning that you may prepare your mind for your fate. John Adams E-Mail: amber.wallens@xxxxxxxxx __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 4411 (20090909) __________ The message was checked by ESET Smart Security. http://www.eset.com ____________________________________________________________ Track your weight loss! Click now for precision scales. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/BLSrjpTFnwkdLrgxo0rfrmRPzYPBk9pjP9xZlrSIvP8C0MuiBvIZNiLH8VC/