As most reading this blog know, I started out in the Social Media game as the volunteer editor of the "official" GFA Facebook page. Prior to taking on that role, I literally had NO experience with Social Media, and I am still learning to date. I jumped into that role enthusiastically and happily, doing my best to grow a staid little page into something much different - namely a page which would genuinely serve the Members. The reach of that page went from 10 to over 4,200 under my tutelage, so I hope I was doing something right as I tried to be positive and truthful.
Lately, the messages most frequently sent to this blog and its accompanying Facebook page are basically admonishing me for not showing what some apparently deem to be “proper respect” for the currently sitting GFA Board. OK, fair point. But, believe it or not, I actually don't just act willy nilly and reason-less, despite being not the sharpest tool in the shed. Respect is EARNED in my book, not bestowed. Although disliking them personally, I used to actually have respect for mr. fibiger's position on the board (and for the board itself). Here’s why I no longer do:
It is darned difficult for me to be disingenuous. LOTS of folks have told me I make a lousy politician because I don’t put on an act and play the game. I take this as a compliment, because I really do not put on an act and play the game. I am exactly the same to one’s face as I am behind their backs – if I don’t agree with one privately, I will not pretend to agree with one publicly. I will instead simply tell the truth and allow others to decide for themselves. This results in lots of very nice folks being rubbed the wrong way simply because they are not used to blatant honesty. I so get this. And I absolutely understand and respect their choice to react in this way; I only ask that others respect my choice to behave in my chosen way, please.
I believe both mr. fibiger and the currently sitting GFA board have been perfectly fine with:
1. Blatantly and illegally defaming me at the 2019 AGM with a nearly completely false hatchet job, without even granting me the opportunity to rebut the near totality of falsehoods and opinions disgustingly and dishonestly put forward by them as “Fact”. (found HERE)
2. Clumsily trying to conceal the true author of this defamation, instead of they being willing to stand up and honestly take the heat for what they wrote.
3. Spreading completely false rumors about my having “brain cancer” immediately prior to the 2019 AGM. I did not and do not have "brain cancer".
4. Denying me the opportunity to include in the upcoming 2020 AGM handout an eight-page document of my own, wherein opinion would be clearly labelled as opinion and “Fact” as fact, despite Mr. Banovic’s claim at the 2019 AGM that any GFA Member (presumably in good standing) is free to have any Flow-related documents distributed in the packet handed out at any AGM.
5. Doing absolutely nothing when they became aware that my postings on the GFA bulletin board (which I undertook to re-stain at my own expense after the currently sitting board ignored it and allowed it to rot for at least half a decade) were being stolen and defaced, and my property was vandalized under the cover of darkness – not even a note of query.
6. Repeatedly obstructing my efforts to bring innovations such as live-streaming the meetings (stay tuned) and instituting perfectly normal and worldwide accepted practices such as electronic and absentee and proxy voting.
7. Arrogantly ignoring the polite and simple queries of a GFA Voting Member in Good Standing; instead informing me that they will "take (their) time" and only reply if and when they feel like it.
8. Refusing to provide documents germane to the operation of the GFA, an organization which 🅴🆅🅴🆁🆈 🅾🅽🅴 of us is (click here) under court order to financially support.
9. For literally years, repeatedly blocking my efforts to build a GFA website FOR FREE (and which would be vetted and approved by the board prior to publication) to benefit all the GFA Members by granting free and unfettered access to GFA information which every single GFA Member in good standing has a right to access, and which the currently sitting GFA board has a fiduciary responsibility to provide, inasmuch as we are all (click here) under court order to financially support the GFA (a concept I agree with).
10. Making no sincere efforts whatsoever to actually increase GFA Member participation in the managing of the GFA, seemingly because the board knows that increased participation would very likely undermine their current numerical superiority in a VERY rigged system, and thereby restrict their ability to impose mandates rather than genuinely seeking engagement from the GFA Membership-at-large relative to deciding GFA matters.
11. Doing nothing to address the borderline-fascist practice of placing only ONE handpicked official “candidate” for each open position on the board, rather than allowing any GFA Voting Member in Good Standing to be included on the official ballot. Seriously, this is what they do in North Korea and Iran and Russia and such places, but the Flow is still inside the USA.
12. Whining that their unethical actions are wholly justified because everything being done is in accordance with the GFA bylaws, whilst the currently sitting “president” is holding office in blatant and direct contravention of these bylaws (more coming on this soonest, I promise).
This list needs to be MUCH longer to be comprehensive, but it’s too long already. Still, I hope from this abbreviated list of the currently sitting GFA board’s numerous missteps, one can glean why I find it impossible to respect individuals who wantonly engage in conduct such as this. I am absolutely NOT saying the currently sitting GFA board does nothing of any good for the GFA Members – they certainly do occasionally get some things very right, IMHO - Tom Rogers efforts at reaching out to and engaging with other clubs being a prime example. I am only saying what I have been saying all along – that the currently sitting GFA board members are generally interested only in serving their own self-interests, and absolutely not those of the GFA Membership-at-large. The GFA board exists to serve the Members (and that includes those Members who simply hold a differing view), absolutely NOT the other way around. This fact is even acknowledged by the GFA board in an annual filing with the US Government. But what they claim and what they do are often grossly different.
The broadly-beaming, glad-handing, back-slapping showman one saw at the 2019 AGM is, regrettably, just that – a showman. If you want to uncover an individual’s TRUE character, politely disagree with them. Be forewarned, though: Odds are pretty good you will be falsely vilified along the way, and you might not like what you uncover.
If There Is Nothing To Hide, Simply Stop Hiding.
Together, we really CAN do MUCH better.
Thank you very much for your DEEPLY appreciated ongoing support in 2020 and beyond!! :-)