Re: NCH practicing character assassination?

Virginia Sellner (wych@tcd.net)
Tue, 23 Dec 1997 16:02:19 -0800 

FOLKS, LISTEN to Anitra -- she knows what she is talking about and she can
say it so much better than some of the rest of us.  Good for you Anitra --
once again you hit the nail on the head.  V

At 12:49 PM 12/23/97 -0800, Anitra Again wrote:
>On Tue, 23 Dec 1997, Wandering Bear wrote:
>
>>  I would Like to see an end to This War between N.C.H. and the American 
>> Homeless Society.
>>  A House divided cant stand.Bouth have the main goal of speaking out for 
>> homeless rights.What is the problem?
>> Work it out!
>> Peace Love and Light:)
>> Wandering Bear
>
>Wandering Bear, on the surface this sounds great.  But conflicts are
>not truly resolved by refusing to face facts.  And the facts are that
>there IS no war on the part of NCH.  The "war" is wholly and absolutely
>instigated, fueled and maintained by the American Homeless Society.
>It is impossible for the NCH to "reconcile" with someone who is
>determined to fight with them.
>
>When Ruben and Sharon show the ability and willingness to talk with --
>instead of at -- and to work with others, then you can ask others to
>work with them.  But you are going to have a lot to do with Sharon and
>Ruben first, before you reach that point.
>
>Ruben and Sharon have an amazingly fluid definition of "free speech".
>They characterize their own vicious attacks as "mild constructive
>criticism", and howl whenever they are told to lay off.  But my offer
>to publicly post any documentation anyone has to refute Sharon's
>charges they call "character assassination".  When I posted
>documentation refuting Mike Lee's charges against SHARE, Sharon took
>the brave stand for free speech of refusing to accept any posts from
>me any longer, and objecting when my posts showed up on other mail
>lists. 
>
>I will always call anyone on inaccurate statements, especially if they
>are malicious inaccurate statements.  This is not "war".  This is
>responsibility.
>
>It is not pacifism to refuse to call a lie a lie.  It is not love to
>let people continue destructive and self-destructive behavior without
>calling them on it.  It is not productive to the homeless/activist
>community to let people spread false and malicious charges and not be
>called on their behavior.
>
>This *will* happen, repeatedly.  This has not been the first time that
>someone has tried to make themselves out to be a hero by dragging
>someone else down, and it won't be the last time either.  The cleanest
>way to deal with it is not by "negotiating", but by clearly stating
>the facts.
>
>The only reason I commented on Sharon's post was to keep any innocent
>bystanders from being misinformed.  That is the intention of everyone
>else, including Chuck Currie, Virginia Sellner, Michael Stoops, myself
>and Tim Harris -- prevent the spread of false information, and make
>source information available -- the kind of thing that can be independently
>verified, a standard Sharon and Ruben notably lack in application.
>
>I do agree that this fight is uneccessary and harmful.  Therefore I
>suggest you concentrate on getting the American Homeless Society to
>find a more productive use for its energies.  The rest of us already
>have.  In spite of its monumental size in the world of Ruben and
>Sharon, this "war" of theirs occupies very little of my life or that
>of any of their named "enemies".
>
>There is no way short of the heat death of the universe you are going
>to please both sides in this conflict.  Don't try.  Take the stand that
>you believe is right, and take responsibility for following through on
>it.
>
>_________
>WRITE ON!
>~~ Anitra
>http://www.speakeasy.org/~anitra/projects.html for a full list of websites
>and webrings because if I list them all here, you will be SO mad at me ...
>
>
>

Virginia D. Sellner - Wyoming Coalition for the Homeless, P. O. Box 1232,
Cheyenne, WY 82003-1232,   email:  wych@tcd.net.    URL:
http://www.tcd.net/~wych