SCN: Meeting: "It's not a dumb lawsuit."

[J. Johnson]

Ooops, sorry, Kurt.  I wasn't certain just how you had meant your
question, and my guessed interpolation ("[to scn]") was meant to have a
question mark.  Well, that's why we have public discussions, to fix up the
little details.

I, too, suspect Rich feels "stuck", but in regards of the suit he
certainly isn't.  He can retract it.  It might be galling, he might have
to give up some cherished griefs, even provide compensation, but he is the
one driving it into the wall.  As to feeling he had no other alternative,
well, that's a personal problem.  

Kurt suggested "fork[ing] off another e-mail training experiment".  Way
back whenever (two years ago?) I suggested that.  I had no problem, nor
would now, if Rich wanted to set up the "Littleton Academy of Fine
E-mail".  But Rich didn't want that.  He wanted to run the _SCN_ e-mail
classes.  He wanted to be leader, the respected authority figure in
charge, but using the resources and results and reputation of others.  Now
the eight or so of us that had developed the course were willing to let
him join us, but then he wanted to do it his way.  He was absolutely sure
of himself that his views on the matter, from his single and limited
perspective, were superior to ours.  Well, he was welcome to start his own
Academy, but, no, he wanted to muscle in on our work.  

The underlying problem there was that you can't have two separate groups
purporting to be the same group.  Which gets back to another issue Kurt
raised, the culpability here of the Board of Directors.  The Board could
have saved me, Jim Haskins, and themselves a whole lot of grief if they
would have resolved, or provided a basis for resolving, who was authorised
to speak for SCN, and what the ground rules are.  But the Board has
repeatedly failed to take any responsibility for that.  Those of us trying
to do things are expected to work things out between ourselves.  Which is
fine-- until there's a problem, and then everything collapses because it
turns out there was no foundation, all the collegial, inter-personal
working relationships having been built on sand.  All of our castles
crumble every time the tide comes in, and every time some arrogant kid
drives by in his 4x4.  Sure, Rich is out of hand.  But it is not his fault
that the Board does not provide solid footings.

And if Rich wants to set up his own e-mail classes, and even call them
"SCN E-mail class", and tell the library that he handles the e-mail
classes--well, there would be problems, but if the Board fails to act the
only alternative is "turf wars", fought by whatever means are efficacious.
Which includes law suits.

=== JJ =================================================================

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