[ SHOWGSD-L ] My Take on It All
- From: "Margery Golant" <mgolant@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2007 01:01:26 -0400
Fortunately my husband is newly out of the hospital and appears to be on the
mend without surgery. It was an intestinal obstruction - scary stuff !!
Thanks to all who have emailed me privately. I have tried respond to all,
if I missed anyone, please accept my apology, and please let me know. It
has been chaos for the past week, and I may have lost track.
I have been reading through the many emails both private and on the List,
and thinking about what is going on in the GSDCA. I can see that people are
searching for explanations,. I have done that as well - I was surprised
that all Board members present were somehow gotten onboard the most recent
action against me. I don't have all the answers, but I do have some, and am
more than happy to tell you what I can to assist in the quest for answers.
As to the "situation" involving me and the rest of the Board, I now know
that Lew stood up in front of the Board in Salt Lake City a couple of weeks
ago and denounced me, asserting that he "can't take it anymore" and that he
has absolute proof that my 'meddling' almost messed up the Hunte settlement,
but that alas, he left the proof home.... I am told that Lew's conduct that
day and this performance swayed many Board members and that is why they
agreed to sign the letter asking for my resignation. I am here to tell you
that these claims are ludicrous - and totally untrue. If Lew has any such
proof, I would be most interested to see it. However, he cannot have
anything because no such thing exists, because no such thing ever happened.
I never 'meddled', I never did anything that almost disrupted anything. It
is interesting that Lew and Gary did call Hunte directly, without any prior
Board approval, or subsequent ratification on more than one occasion. THAT
is meddling, yet there are no charges filed regarding their actions. Lew
told me unequivocally on 5/16 that there was a binding contract in existence
with Hunte. I sent my personal edits to Hunte's attorney on May 24, more
than a week AFTER Lew told me in writing that a binding contract was
entered into and so it didn't matter what I did, and I did so at the express
suggestion of the GSDCA attorney. As I indicated previously, I made it
quite clear to Hunte's attorney and to the GSDCA attorney when I did so that
my edits were for the purpose of my own personal offense at the language,
that this was the basis on which I would sign it, and that I spoke on no
one's behalf except my own. The GSDCA attorney knew before and during this
process what I was doing, she was not alarmed, upset nor in any way
indicated that my actions were the cause of any difficulty. It is legally
and factually impossible that that act could have had ANY effect on the
agreement and Lew cannot possible NOT know it.
This though does provide some insight into how things have worked recently
inside the GSDCA. Many on the Board are not dishonest people. When someone
tells them that something happened, they believe them. They believed Lew.
Unfortunately, what he told them was not true and that untruth led them
astray.
I have also learned that the "coalition" on the Board (those people working
to discredit me) have been telling the other Board members that I
supposedly did something dishonest regarding the purchase back in 2005 of
computerized recording equipment for the GSDCA. I am not completely clear
on the details of these slanderous allegations, but tell you definitively
that this is completely untrue, and is a complete fabrication, a lie, total
nonsense. Apparently this was also part of the story used to stampede the
Board at the July meeting. I recently sent Evan a copy of the documentation
of the purchase which I provided in December 2005, exactly as I was supposed
to, and Evan sent it to all Board members. In December 2005, this materail
had been sent to Bill Pfeiffer, to Ken Downing and to Ginny Altman, in
accordance with the practice at that time. Lew was not even President when
this occurred.
The equipment serial numbers contained in the fax are photocopies of the box
the computer came in and the actual bottom of the sound unit and reflect the
actual serial numbers on that equipment. The other items , a set of
inexpensive headphones and a condenser mic, did not have any serial numbers.
Over time, I have purchased at my own expense a number of auxiliary items
which I use in connection with this equipment to record and play back
meeting audio. I bought them and they are mine, but I use them on behalf
of the work I do for the GSDCA. I have spent more than that to support the
Club over the years. Bill Pfeiffer sits just around the corner from me at
the table every meeting and Gary sits on the other side of Lew, two seats
away, so they could not have helped but notice the additional items and I am
quite sure they know they must know I was never paid for any of that or that
I ever asked. A totally bogus smear campaign.
I don't care who has opinions that are different than mine. Different
opinions are what make the world turn, and what create vitality and new
ideas. I don't care if they disagree with my every thought and every vote.
However, I DO care though when people lie, when they try to assassinate my
character, when they manipulate others and when they try to silence anyone
who speaks out about it. THAT is what is going on here.
Tom Langlitz said: "I'm sorry, but I do not believe that any board member
has ever worked actively with the intention of harming the club. ...This
club is wedged in the middle of a civil war, and it is time it
stopped....Mistakes have been made by every board in recent GSDCA history.
That does not make anyone evil ... It merely makes them human."
In large part I agree with Tom. I don't think these people are deliberately
trying to harm the GSDCA. What they are doing is fighting for CONTROL for
themselves - and either they don't understand that the GSDCA is being harmed
in the process - or they don't care.
Yes, mistakes have been made by every single Board member. I could list
mistakes made by Lew, Gary, Bill and Carmen, you are no doubt aware of some
of the bigger ones, but I don't see anything constructive to be gained by
that. However, each and every one of them has made mistakes, yet there are
no charges against any of them. Do you wonder why ? Don't wonder - I will
tell you - THEY are the people who are pointing the fingers, then they stick
together to deflect any criticism or heat directed at them, accuse everyone
else of being a lynch mob, when THEY are the lynch mob !
I have worked very hard to be as complete, thorough and honest as I possibly
can in the Minutes, and to provide openness and transparency in the
operation of the GSDCA Board to the MEMBERS. I worked to put together a way
that the MEMBERS can actually hear the Board meetings, even if they are
unable to travel there. My only goal is that this Club belong to the
members, not to a few people to further their personal ambitions. What
these "charges" are about is revenge against me for Hunte and to get rid of
me. The people who had something to gain by getting Hunte admitted to the
GSDCA are not happy that that went wrong, and that there were consequences
to them of that happening. They blame ME for that, and they have convinced
those Board members who voted yes that I am the cause of their problems,
that I am a renegade, that I am dangerous. I am none of these things. I am
an attorney, I know the law, I know right from wrong, and I NEVER do
anything wrong intentionally. I never cheat anyone and I never tell lies.
Rita said: "A member of the society can be punished under disciplinary
procedure if he violates the secrecy of an executive session. Anyone else
who is permitted to be present is honor-bound not to divulge anything that
occurred."
Her post provides a great deal of insight if you read it carefully, because
it gives a glimpse into the manipulation that went on behind the scenes. I
agree with Evan that there are some decent people on this Board, people who
are dedicated to doing their best for the GSDCA,and who were maneuvered into
believing they were in a "closed session" although they never voted to
close, and then told that they could not discuss ANYTHING that occurred in
that room. Robert's Robert's Rules of Order states: "Ultimately it is the
majority, taking part in assembly, who decide general will, but only
following upon the opportunity for a deliberative process of full and free
discussion." Robert's Rules are ABOUT fairness, not about gagging an entire
Board against its will and preventing its members from speaking about a
matter of critical importance to a large number of its members. That is not
the law, that is inconsistent with Robert's Rules, the By-laws and Rules of
the GSDCA, the laws of the State of New York, the Constitution of the United
States and with the Internal Revenue Code. Robert's Rules expressly
provides that a motion to go into executive session must be adopted by
majority vote. As regards the Hunte matter, there was no deliberative
process, there was no motion, there was no vote, let alone a majority vote.
There was no authority to close the session in the first place, therefore
there was no legitimately closed session and therefore there is no
legitimate claim to any secrecy at all. However, these people were
maneuvered into this position, then a big net of "secrecy" was thrown over
them and then they felt they could not speak of it. I knew that there was
no authority for a closed session and no legitimate gag on them, saw the
trap they felt they were in closing around them and tried to tell them. In
order to convince them that they could not listen to me or believe me, an
attack was made on my credibility, my honesty and my truthfulness by "the
coalition" for the express purpose of causing the Board members not to
believe me, lathough I did and do speak the truth when I say that this was
all completely improper and illegitimate. In truth, it is the people
telling them that who they cannot believe..
Terry said: "I wish that someone would tells us uninformed who the players
are in the civil war. Why is this club split? What are the beliefs, goals of
each side? How were the 2 side formed? and when? Who are the plungers
(the person who keeps the anger up) ??? I hate secrets and lies more than
anything. I have been told by many to keep quiet or I'll never finish
another dog. The way I feel right now is if I have to remain quiet to
participate in the parent club I would rather not."
Terry, I feel the same way. I don't know all the answers by a mile, but it
is evident that there is very bad blood between Ken on one side and Lew and
Carmen on the other. I don't know why although I have heard several
explanations, but whenever you are a place where they are both present, it
is very obvious. I don't know anything about what is happening now in the
WDA or why it is happening, I always liked and respected David Landau very
much. He is a brilliant man, he is highly respected at the World Union, and
I know he has worked tirelessly to gain the recognition of the GSDCA-WDA on
the world GSD scene. I was not on the Board when Ken was President of the
GSDCA, but have heard from many people that he was an excellent President.
Now though, with Carmen as the architect of it, the GSDCA-WDA is permitted
to hold AKC events, and that creates a whole new dynamic, and makes the
GSDCA-WDA now a very significant part of the ongoing power struggle.
Gary said: "Norma, unfortunately there are individuals who strive to attack
those who are known to have a high level of integrity. Half truths, blatant
lies and inuendos are what's put our club in a downward spiral. Correct and
accurate information is first and foremost to those that want the truth."
While in principle I completely agree, I laughed a lot when I read that
coming from Gary, and wondered which group Gary was including himself in -
those attacking with half truths and blatant lies and innuendos or those
that want the truth first and foremost. If he thinks he is in the second
group, then I can only wonder how he rationalizes all those lies and half
truths and innuendoes he passes around about me and others.
Evan said: "I have heard that Lew is going to run for President of the WDA,
but it is just a rumor as far as I know. I heard it second hand, and have
not asked Lew about it." And Werner said: "Patty At a Major show not to
far from you i heard the same rumor this past weekend."
I don't know if Lew is going to run for President of the WDA, or if he is
going to run for anything else in the WDA, or if it is just a rumor. I
don't mind a bit Lew's friends jumping to take issue with Evan's post.
There have always been rumors circulating at shows, and always will be.
When Evan posted the rumor he heard about Lew running for President of the
WDA, within minutes someone went to Lew and got Lew's response. Simple.
Now we know that Lew says he is not running. One of the missions of the
List is to provide information for the exact purpose of putting rumors to
bed. That is exactly what happened.
Jeff said: ".did this List cause that or were there issues to begin with and
the List made them known and gave people the ability to absorb information,
communicate, debate and even at times get nasty about it.? Are all posts
nice and productive???? Noway! But our problems are not with the List and
too much communication!!! Board members being told not to discuss GSDCA
business in public or on the List????? I am sorry but shutting down
discussion will not distract people and it's not good for our Board and more
importantly our members."
I completely agree with this. There is NO SUCH THING as too much
information. What is dangerous is NO INFORMATION, gag orders and secret
meetings. When you hear misinformation, it is easy enough to post correct
information. Opinions are not dangerous, information is not dangerous.
What IS dangerous is lies, inappropriately closed sessions, secrecy, lack of
communication, character assassination, and manipulation. How could anyone
be surprised that what has gone on in this Club during the past year or so
would cause members to be angry, particularly when added to it is the closed
doors and lack of information ?
So, as Tom said, "make up your own mind".
Lori said: "Jane, Surely you aren't suggesting that people can disagree with
one another and have different opinions, or maybe even be mis-informed and
that those same people might still be able to discuss these different
viewpoints without becoming vindictive and hateful. Possibly even with some
humor and understanding? I can't imagine that you would suggest such a
concept. Isn't that Un-American or something? Or maybe just UN-GSDCA."
Lori, I miss your calm, pleasant self so much on the Board !! You are so
right about the vindictive and hateful tone and the hostility toward people
simply because they have different opinions.. Perhaps that is why, when I
posted not too long ago here on the List that I didn't know who the
Nominating Committee had nominated, I got an email from the Chair of the
Nominating Committee saying that I don't know because I didn't call him, and
that that is what those did who really cared enough to know.. !! Would it
not have been easier and ever so much less vindictive and hateful just to
answer my question ? I do know that Gary knows how to use email, he has
proven that recently by posting to the List..
I am sorry to see the Board has been led into yet another mess. I will do
what is necessary to defend myself from these unfair, sleazy tactics. Bring
it on. I will not quit. The Board is not allowed, and will not be allowed,
to maneuver to try to remove me from the Board after the membership elected
me. Each GSDCA member should ask a Board member why they are attempting to
do just that. It should be up to the Board members to asnwer the Club
members.
Margery Golant
Recording Secretary, GSDCA
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