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Re: CNCS Statement to OAH (fwd)



 

Peter Kurilecz wrote:

On Sat, 5 Feb 2000 19:01:42 -0500, wosh <pw1@IS.NYU.EDU> wrote:
<snip>
Economic retaliation, after all, always constitutes a more effective form of protest than the carefully crafted statement, the high-minded sentiment, and the lofty verbiage that academics and professional associations often substitute for direct action.
<snip>

Granted economic retaliation is effective, but in this case who is it more effective for? -- the hotel or the association. Richard Cox's message noted that a cancellation will cost an association a good bit of money, plus the hotel can rent the rooms.

Indeed. I read Mr. Duffy's posting with great interest, but somehow I'm unable to reconcile the logic involved in his organization's decision. His organization chose to break its contract in order to inflict "economic retaliation" (as Peter puts it) on Adams Mark, but if I understand Mr.  Duffy correctly the parties who will suffer the most from the action will be the Adams Mark service employees and the "local social service efforts" (quoting Mr. Duffy) what would otherwise have been funded by the $1,200,000 in cancellation fees. How can one cause hardship for  those presumably the least able to bear it (the service employees) and deny help to those who presumably most need it (beneficiaries of the social service efforts) so an economic statement can be made? This simply does not compute.

I did have the benefit of reading the letter that started all this. But I am not willing to assume guilt on the basis of reporting that is second-hand, third-hand or even further removed from the facts. It seems to be getting easier and easier to start an uproar by making accusations of discrimination, whether those accusations are true or not; the shrillest voice, the most sensational and outrageous statement, gets the attention nowadays, whether what is said is truth or falsehood.

If it turns out that the charges are false, then are those who punish the falsely accused any less at fault than those who file false accusations? I think not, for they join in the harm done to innocent parties. Let the charges be proven in court, then take action if such action is justified.

Many thanks, Peter, for taking a professional approach to this matter. The truth will come out.

Best wishes,

Thomas Berry, Archivist
Historical Construction Equipment Association
Bowling Green, Ohio

On another note after reading some of the stories from the Daytona newspaper I find it interesting that only 5 people have sued the hotel out of an estimated 100,000 BCR attendees.

Peter Kurilecz
pakurilecz@aol.com