Mr. Towsner-
First, the "color guideline" has been applied to many other Domains and Chapters since the MH came into force. To exempt Pittsburgh would be to grant special favors to one Domain. You may feel that you have every right to that special exemption, and some of you have expressed as much. Other people may disagree. I have not asked any of the members of the Cam Council their opinion on this special exemption, so I do not know if they would allow it or not. I do know that to not hold Pittsburgh to the same standard as every other Domain and Chapter that has entered Black Status would not be common. Is it possible that Pittsburgh would be disbanded? Yes. Is it possible that Pittsburgh would be given a special exemption? Yes. I will not speculate on which way the Council would vote in that case.
Similarly, if any other VSS in the Region had no supervising ST, then I would very seriously consider desanctioning that VSS until such time as it was back in the chain, having some ST- whatever that person is called, whether interim or elected. Again, to grant Pittsburgh an exception would be to give a special favor, and then there would be endless arguments for other VSS's down the line. Each may very well proclaim that their situation is unique and special, just as some of the members here have proclaimed that this situation is unique and special. All situations are unique, and many are special. The structure of the club means having an intact officer chain. That is not currently the case with Pittsburgh. The structure normally means having a DST locally who can oversee things, know the things that may not make it into VST reports, know the people and take them into account, and fully grasp the context of reports. The local DST can then put those reports into context, be the "local expert" for other ST's, and all those other functions that a DST performs. I am undecided whether I would be able to give Pittsburgh the special exemption, setting a very bad precedent for any other similar situation. I am hopeful that I will not have to make that decision.
> I was happy to work the matter out then, and I'm happy to work it out
> now. I think most of the domain feels the same way. But every time
> we've tried, we've been met with lies. Alex has lied about why he
> removed Jason. Jon professes to want to work with the domain, but lies
> about his powers when he doesn't want to do what we request.
> At
> every step, Camarilla officers have stonewalled, broken rules, and lied.
> Discussion isn't a one-sided thing, and a resolution can't just consist
> of accepting that Alex and Jon will break rules whenever they feel like
> it.
Mr. Towsner, I would like a retraction for these statements regarding my honesty and honor, or else for you to file for a disciplinary action request with your evidence for this charge. Lying to the members is punishable under the Code of Conduct, but- more importantly- this is a challenge to who I am. If you have proof that I have done so, then I expect you to bring it, and I will respond with my defense. If you do not, then I expect a retraction. Either way, I will not accept you casually smearing my honor in this forum or any other. You have called me a liar, sir, and I will have that charge addressed one way or the other, through proper channels.
Allow me to offer you some ways to rephrase: "Jon has said things that don't seem right or true to me." - This expresses your opinion. You are entitled to your opinion. This, or any rephrased statement that makes it clear that this is your opinion, and not necessarily a fact, would be acceptable. You may state that I have said things that were incorrect- I'm sure that I have, at some point, said something that was later found to require adjustment. In each case- such as the date of the last DST report- I have attempted to find the truth and correct my mistakes. I have no compunction about saying that I have not always stated the correct thing. I can only say that I am trying my best to work this through. Mr. Towsner, you apparently believe otherwise. If you are quite convinced that I have lied, then please write up your evidence, and file it my the Coordinator chain requesting disciplinary action, and we will have this case judged.
Failure to choose one or the other may require me to call for a Coordinator investigation against you, sir, for rumormongering against me. As a reminder, rumormongering is "spreading information at Camarilla functions and over Camarilla forums that is hurtful to other members, particularly information that is secondhand or potentially incorrect." This accusation of lying, sir, is information spread over a Camarilla forum that is hurtful to me, and it is most certainly incorrect- and provably "potentially incorrect."
You may feel that I haven't done everything I can do for you- fine, you are entitled to your opinion. You may think that I harbor negative feelings for Pittsburgh, or that I am trying to defend Alex- again, fine, you are entitled to your opinion. You are not entitled to tell me what I am feeling or thinking unless you are demonstrably telepathic, sir, and your representation of my words as lies is not only incorrect, but appears to be- in my opinion- a malicious attack against someone you cannot judge because I have not done everything you think I should to give you your own way.
Honor is the only thing a man owns, sir. Everything else can be taken from him by others- his goods, his reputation, even his life. But only you can give away your own honor. I believe that, and you have called my honor into question, sir. I do not take that lightly, and will not stand by and see it occur without response, and as vigorous a response as I can muster, at that. I do not even request an apology, since this might simply be a misstatement- but I do expect a retraction or rephrasing in some manner, or else that we take this to judgment that I may clear my name rather than being slandered baselessly.
--
Jon "Do one thing; say one thing" Herrmann, US2002021241
East Central RST
GENCON '05 ST Lead (Indianapolis, IN, Aug 18-21)
"If the thrill is gone, then it's time to take it back" - Jim Steinman
"We must be the change we wish to see." -Gandhi