Carl Shawver
12-14-2008, 07:59 PM
OK, friends, I'm getting off of the bus and changing rides.
Those of you who choose to do so can continue to exchange barbs with the thin skinned Board Of Directors (BOD) member who resents any commentary on the Boards' actions, and who lashes out with insults and invective against anyone who suggests alternative actions by the Board. It's not worth my time or attention.
What many of you don't know, but may find interesting, is that on the Former Agent's Message Board (where no posts are anonymous) I have NEVER made a post critical of an action of the BOD. I have made suggestions for change or improvement, but have never said that what the BOD did was wrong. Never! All of the old (and deleted) messages are probably archived somewhere. Ask for access and do the research. You won't find any. Further, I've never made a posting that called the thin skinned member by name and criticized anything he has done officially as a BOD member.
What's really funny is that over here on leoaffairs.com, where anonymous postings are possible, it is also true that I've not posted criticisms of the BOD actions. That may change before I complete this message. We'll see. What has happened is that the thin skinned BOD member tries to discern who wrote which critical message so he can be selective about the insults he makes. For example, he thinks that posts which include smilies are originated by me. There is a certain writing style that he thinks is mine. What he doesn't know is that there are others who also use smilies and have similar styles. When he makes posts assuming those messages are authored by me, I don't bother to respond with a denial. He's just trying to identify the author and it isn't my job to help him. :P I just grin and move on.
I think it is sad and unfortunate that an elected decision maker for the Former Agent's Association seems to be incapable of accepting constructive criticism or suggestions for improvement. He apparently perceives them to be personal attacks and feels it is necessary not only to justify the action under discussion but also feels it is necessary to utterly demolish the "opposition." This isn't done through discussion of the issues, but rather through insults, attacks, use of non-relevant personal circumstances for intimidation purposes and the enlistment of other members to post messages in support of his actions. What's really sad is that he undoubtedly feels he is justified in following this course. He isn't... Sadder still is that other members, to include his fellow BOD members, unthinkingly support his bullying approach. This is true not only by their failure to rein in his personal attacks on the Former Agent's Board but also by their criticism of me for postings on that board that did not violate the posting rules.
But --- moving on............... I will be making some general interest postings on the leoaffairs.com board similar to those I have made in the past on the Former Agent's board. Just things that might generate some commentary and foster our sense of community. The thin-skinned BOD member might do as he did on the Former Agent's board and follow my conversation starter posts with posts ridiculing the subject, but if so, I invite you to simply ignore the attempted distraction and comment on the subject.
Please note that this is a public message board and posters may or may not be Former Agents or employees of the Secret Service. That's how leoaffairs.com works and I have no problem with it. People without a nexus to the Secret Service are free to participate. I simply ask that those of us who did serve in the Service remember that there are some things that should remain "Secret" on a public board.
I also suggest that those of us who are former agents register with leoaffairs using your real names so that we can readily identify each other and further establish our connections with each other. Registration, even with a "screen name" also will facilitate exchange of Private Messages using the leoaffairs.com board.
Welcome.
:D
Those of you who choose to do so can continue to exchange barbs with the thin skinned Board Of Directors (BOD) member who resents any commentary on the Boards' actions, and who lashes out with insults and invective against anyone who suggests alternative actions by the Board. It's not worth my time or attention.
What many of you don't know, but may find interesting, is that on the Former Agent's Message Board (where no posts are anonymous) I have NEVER made a post critical of an action of the BOD. I have made suggestions for change or improvement, but have never said that what the BOD did was wrong. Never! All of the old (and deleted) messages are probably archived somewhere. Ask for access and do the research. You won't find any. Further, I've never made a posting that called the thin skinned member by name and criticized anything he has done officially as a BOD member.
What's really funny is that over here on leoaffairs.com, where anonymous postings are possible, it is also true that I've not posted criticisms of the BOD actions. That may change before I complete this message. We'll see. What has happened is that the thin skinned BOD member tries to discern who wrote which critical message so he can be selective about the insults he makes. For example, he thinks that posts which include smilies are originated by me. There is a certain writing style that he thinks is mine. What he doesn't know is that there are others who also use smilies and have similar styles. When he makes posts assuming those messages are authored by me, I don't bother to respond with a denial. He's just trying to identify the author and it isn't my job to help him. :P I just grin and move on.
I think it is sad and unfortunate that an elected decision maker for the Former Agent's Association seems to be incapable of accepting constructive criticism or suggestions for improvement. He apparently perceives them to be personal attacks and feels it is necessary not only to justify the action under discussion but also feels it is necessary to utterly demolish the "opposition." This isn't done through discussion of the issues, but rather through insults, attacks, use of non-relevant personal circumstances for intimidation purposes and the enlistment of other members to post messages in support of his actions. What's really sad is that he undoubtedly feels he is justified in following this course. He isn't... Sadder still is that other members, to include his fellow BOD members, unthinkingly support his bullying approach. This is true not only by their failure to rein in his personal attacks on the Former Agent's Board but also by their criticism of me for postings on that board that did not violate the posting rules.
But --- moving on............... I will be making some general interest postings on the leoaffairs.com board similar to those I have made in the past on the Former Agent's board. Just things that might generate some commentary and foster our sense of community. The thin-skinned BOD member might do as he did on the Former Agent's board and follow my conversation starter posts with posts ridiculing the subject, but if so, I invite you to simply ignore the attempted distraction and comment on the subject.
Please note that this is a public message board and posters may or may not be Former Agents or employees of the Secret Service. That's how leoaffairs.com works and I have no problem with it. People without a nexus to the Secret Service are free to participate. I simply ask that those of us who did serve in the Service remember that there are some things that should remain "Secret" on a public board.
I also suggest that those of us who are former agents register with leoaffairs using your real names so that we can readily identify each other and further establish our connections with each other. Registration, even with a "screen name" also will facilitate exchange of Private Messages using the leoaffairs.com board.
Welcome.
:D