Its sad 'Yojsouth' -- A.K.A. ??? has caused a injury serious to this list.
He's gone beyond the limits of professional conduct and should be removed
from this list. He should be identified, as should all members of this list,
in fact no alias should ever be allowed posting. He should loss all
professional privileges to all library service. In my opinion, his conduct
is now no better than that of a robber. He's actively limiting our
collective exchange of information.
Ronald Seagrave
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ray, Tom (LVA)" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2008 11:44 AM
Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] Yojsouth
I respect my colleague's decision not to censor the postings to the list
even though I disagree in this case. As many of my other colleagues know
only too well - no one at the Library believes in free speech more than
I.
In my opinion the postings by "J South" are a form of bullying. No one
else on the list has ever denigrated individuals based solely on sex or
race. And for what purpose? I was under the impression that such
personal attacks would not be tolerated on the list. Even though the
attacks are not directed at list members they are directed at
significant historical individuals, primarily women. I find this
offensive in the extreme.
I was also under the impression that list members were expected to use
their real names. It has been my experience that bullies such as "J
South" lose some of their venom when forced into the public. "J South"
is not only a bully he is a coward.
I will unsubscribe to the list as soon as Brent posts this message. I
have been a member for many years because I consider it a professional
obligation to offer assistance to Library patrons in any format
available. I have most often done that off-line as some of you know. It
is not my obligation to be subjected to crude, insulting behavior as
exhibited by "J South." It has gone too far.
Current list members are welcome to contact me for assistance with
research involving Va. newspapers, with bibliographical questions, or
for collection assistance.
Sincerely,
Tom H. Ray
Collections Management Coordinator
The Library of Virginia
-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tarter, Brent (LVA)
Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 3:43 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] Yojsouth
Yojsouth's message earlier today about Thomas Jefferson and Sally
Hemings has brought me several private requests and demands that he be
expelled from the list.
Va-Hist has always operated with as much anarchy as possible. The
sponsors at the Library of Virginia have believed that the best remedy
for improper speech is more speech. We have encouraged a civil dialog,
that being the best way for intelligent discussion to proceed.
It is not a violation of any unstated Va-Hist rule that your know what
you're writing about (John Smith did not marry Pocahontas; Sally Hemings
could not legally have married anybody).
Or that you can't believe that "an educated, cultured" white widower
might have had a sex life.
Or that you be free of prejudices (Sally Hemings, an enslaved African
American woman, has not been shown to be "skanky," which the dictionary
defines as repugnantly filthy or squalid or of low or sleazy character,
although perhaps yojsouth believes that is the default condition for
women of one-fourth or more African descent).
Or even that you not gratuitously publish an assertion as if it were a
known fact (nobody here as asserted that Sally Heming could not keep
track of the fathers of her children, although perhaps yojsouth believes
that is a common condition for women of one-fourth or more African
descent).
We cannot require that people hide their defects if they insist on
parading them.
Please do not let these comments unnecessarily goad us into equally bad
or worse behavior.
I, for one, do not propose to respond to yojsouth (who does regularly
violate a Va-Hist rule that we used to state from time to time that all
postings be signed with the author's real name), and I hope that other
people will not, either.
You don't have to read him. I, who am the list moderator, do.
Brent Tarter
The Library of Virginia
[log in to unmask]
Visit the Library of Virginia's Web site at http://www.lva.virginia.gov
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