Open Letter from Stephen Baskerville re ACFC

Submitted by axolotl on Tue, 2007-09-11 04:41

Full letter here.

The following is an excerpt from Baskerville's recent Open Letter to the Board of ACFC:

"In recent years, able individuals who have served in leadership positions within ACFC have departed in frustration and anger: Jane Spies, Diana Thompson, Stuart Miller, Murray Davis, David Usher, Ed Truncellito. Each cited leadership problems in his or her departure. These people quickly went from being respected and trusted friends to being anathematized as if they were enemies, much as figures appear and disappear in a Kremlin photograph."

(note: there is a single popup when first opening the page)

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Ed. note: I debated with myself re posting this submission. Then I thought it through-- an open communication from the president of ACFC, even if it is critical of its own organization, is news in the context of MRA work and so there is no reason not to post it. But it's no secret that inter-group politics and conflicts of interest and personalities are found in MRA circles-- unfortunately, that part isn't news.

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Comments

(From Stephen's letter) -- "I enumerate these shortcomings in the hope that this will lead to constructive dialogue and improvement. An organization that cannot accept constructive criticism, that purges critics, and hurls anathemas at former friends is doomed to fail."

Sadly, through "personal" 'Net experience, I have come to believe that so-called MRA web sites, organizations, and blogs are in a rabid frenzy to capture market share.

There is a perception that the men's rights phenomenon may break into the mainstream media.

So every garage band MRA outfit is dying to make headlines and hoped-for bank.

I have been banned from almost every MRA web site, simply for being by nature analytical and critical, and -- I'll confess -- once in a while deliberately provocative. (Most recently -- the esteemed Mike LaSalle informed me that I was "spoiling" his market plan....)

There is very little tolerance for heretics in the MRA blogosphere....

Not so different really than the "respect for diversity" scam that feminists proclaim.

MRAs need to find a bigger tent.

One that doesn't compel the expulsion of different voices.

Though I am completely at ease with being exiled from a band of misfits who seek profits over principles.

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Submitted by Roy on Wed, 2007-09-12 00:14

-"esteemed Mike LaSalle informed me that I was 'spoiling' his market plan"

He didn't actually use those words, did he?

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Submitted by axolotl on Wed, 2007-09-12 01:35

"I have been banned from almost every MRA web site, simply for being by nature analytical and critical, and -- I'll confess -- once in a while deliberately provocative."

I don't care what everyone else is saying about you, I still like you - even though we don't always agree. People who get to be truly smart, do so by listening to critics as well as supporters. I don’t claim to be a leader and I'm certainly not Einstien.

However, IMO, I do believe there are some self aggrandizing, egotistical, sycophants in the MRA/FRA movement who consider themselves leaders, and I believe they are primarily looking for a$$ki$$er$, who will enhance their own shallow positions.

Real leaders, IMO, don't fawn over the a$$ki$$er$ and they certainly don't dismiss the dissenters without long efforts to find common ground that the two can stand together on. At some point even leaders have a right to say, I disagree, but MRA/FRA leaders should strive not be alienators. I know some MRA/FRA guys who are leaders, and I have followed them (trusted them) to go in directions I have been apprehensive to go in.

On the other hand, I know a few, who claim to be leaders, who I wouldn't trust to lead a bedtime story. We may well be thinking of the same people. Hang in there brother. You are not alone.

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Submitted by MR on Wed, 2007-09-12 03:05