Yesterday I received a confidential letter stating that I have been suspended permanently from working in the Library. The reason given was that this blog is considered to be cyber-bullying.
Cyberbullying,ive heard some good ones in my time but that is the lamest excuse ive heard,its nice to know that the board are talking about the future of the museum at there monthly gatherings and not thinking of silly reasons to get rid of "another face that doesnt fit". Here,s to the future !
I read this post on your blog with great sadness. Its sad that you had a disagreement with someone else at the museum. Its sad you did not reconcile your difference in a manner that showed professionalism. Its sad that you have dragged what should have been a private matter into the public domain. Its sad that some of your blog portrays the museum as having an unfriendly atmosphere. And finally its sad you have lost (or failed to gain) the respect of many...myself included.
I have seen many cases of cyber bullying online and can say with total certainty thsat this the author's contribution blog is as remote from cyber bullying as I can imagine.
However the comments from various anonymous posters who appear to be TMS members certainly do qualify for the term "cyber bullying".
It's all very distasteful in the extreme and shows the TMS in an appalling light. Clearly even the mildest form of comment is intolerable to them.
So we have now seen what is, hopefully, the final act in this drama. As a spectator who knows the acting persons, I can not help the impression that the entire story was about the clash of some personalities one of whom decided to drag his view of the matter into the public domain. The truth and the full truth will only be known to those who took part in this saga.
As for the comment by Rob McCaffery I consider this to be a wholly unjustified slap in the face for all those who work hard to make the museum at Crich an enjoyable place for all. It is not "the TMS" which is at fault, it is at best some society members who show as clearly what they think about some posts on this blog as the blog shows what the author thinks about certain issues at the museum.
Kind regards and a Happy New Year
Christoph
TMS member since 1993 conductor since 1994 driver since 2000
I've been leaving off commenting on this due to the fact that I do not know the full story and that it is none of my business (nor anyone else who has commented, for a matter of fact), however with some of the recent postings - anon in particular - I feel that I cannot leave my own views on this un-expressed.
I've now been a TMS member and volunteer for just over and under two years respectively, and after a rough ride at another local transport attraction I came in with an open mind, hoping for something much different. If i'm honest, what i've found at the TMS is much worse.
During my time as a volunteer there's only one department that i've felt has truly appreciated my input to the museum, regardless of the fact that i'm 16 and have nowhere near the skills that most of the others have - but to them, that doesn't matter. I always go home feeling that i've done something useful and with a smile on my face, wanting to come back again the next weekend - it's therefore no surprise that that's where most of my volunteer hours go.
Now, what's this to do with Richard, I hear you ask. And the response to that is, is that it sums up the TMS - not caring about the volunteers - the people who have MADE the museum what it is - and caring more about "everything else". Well, TMS Board, if all the volunteering "striked", you'd be a bit stuck then! If someone is offering to help - for free - the least you can do is thank them for offering and say no - however I rarely even see that.
As I say, I do not know both sides of the story, but from reading EVERY SINGLE blog post Richard has made I can see ABSOLUTELY NOTHING that can be seen as cyber-bullying by the board or otherwise - indeed, the Board comes across (note my wording carefully, as again I don't know both sides!) as the ones being the bullies here, simply wrestling someone out because they have a dislike to them - would Richard be treated the same way were he a paid employee? A customer? Of course not.
The TMS needs to stop living in the past and get into the modern world. There are few living who remember first gen trams, and therefore why does it matter if X tram didn't go to Y location? Or that A colour scheme was never carried by B tram? No-one is going to remember it, and on the now-rare occasions when i'm doing traffic turns I actually make a point of not being historically accurate, because it simply does not matter! The visitors come to enjoy a fun day out, not a history lesson and grumpy old farts. The museum's survival rests on getting more young volunteers, such as myself, and making them feel welcome and wanted in order for it to survive. Currently, it does not fulfill this, and nor will the Stone Workshop, tram restorations, new depots. I'm eagerly anticipating the re-vamped Exhibition Hall in the hope that it will engage the younger audience.
I'm moving off-topic now, but I hope you're seeing where I'm going with this.
Therefore, in response to our Anonymous posters, if you're going to slag someone off, be it Board, TMS, Joe Bloggs or Richard, at least have the decency to use one's real name instead of hiding behind a pseudonym or "Anon" - man up to what you are saying, and be prepared to face any consequences from it - if i'm contacted by the TMS asking me to depart because of this post then I'll actually be proud to leave, because i've voiced my concerns over the TMS, and such a thing would enhance those.
So, in conclusion for the long winded post, i'm siding with Richard - despite not knowing the full facts - for the simple reason that i'm fed up of the petty and downright rude comments being written by some anonymous idiots on this blog, and for the TMS seemingly being the same one that i've come across myself.
Merry Christmas everyone, yes, even you anonymous idiots.
Regards,
Jack Gordon TMS Member/Volunteer J7954/696 Tramways Monthly Editor
Thank you Jack for your Christmas wishes. I do not mind being classed as an "idiot" but I do know what "confidential" means - "private" or "not to be disclosed". Why the contents of a CONFIDENTIAL communication suddenly become divulged to All and Sundry is one of the reasons why we find ourselves in such a sorry mess!
Correct decision, because you make comments and are never ready/fail to answer critical, reasoned replies.
ReplyDeleteThat's bullying. Full stop.
Cyberbullying,ive heard some good ones in my time but that is the lamest excuse ive heard,its nice to know that the board are talking about the future of the museum at there monthly gatherings and not thinking of silly reasons to get rid of "another face that doesnt fit". Here,s to the future !
ReplyDeleteGet it right, Richard.
ReplyDeleteThe blog is not cyber-bullying, but certain items which have appeared on the blog ARE cyber-bullying.
Perhaps more accuracy and less comment from you is the way forward to an idyllic 2010. One can live in hope.
I read this post on your blog with great sadness. Its sad that you had a disagreement with someone else at the museum. Its sad you did not reconcile your difference in a manner that showed professionalism. Its sad that you have dragged what should have been a private matter into the public domain. Its sad that some of your blog portrays the museum as having an unfriendly atmosphere. And finally its sad you have lost (or failed to gain) the respect of many...myself included.
ReplyDeleteI have seen many cases of cyber bullying online and can say with total certainty thsat this the author's contribution blog is as remote from cyber bullying as I can imagine.
ReplyDeleteHowever the comments from various anonymous posters who appear to be TMS members certainly do qualify for the term "cyber bullying".
It's all very distasteful in the extreme and shows the TMS in an appalling light. Clearly even the mildest form of comment is intolerable to them.
So we have now seen what is, hopefully, the final act in this drama. As a spectator who knows the acting persons, I can not help the impression that the entire story was about the clash of some personalities one of whom decided to drag his view of the matter into the public domain. The truth and the full truth will only be known to those who took part in this saga.
ReplyDeleteAs for the comment by Rob McCaffery I consider this to be a wholly unjustified slap in the face for all those who work hard to make the museum at Crich an enjoyable place for all. It is not "the TMS" which is at fault, it is at best some society members who show as clearly what they think about some posts on this blog as the blog shows what the author thinks about certain issues at the museum.
Kind regards and a Happy New Year
Christoph
TMS member since 1993
conductor since 1994
driver since 2000
I've been leaving off commenting on this due to the fact that I do not know the full story and that it is none of my business (nor anyone else who has commented, for a matter of fact), however with some of the recent postings - anon in particular - I feel that I cannot leave my own views on this un-expressed.
ReplyDeleteI've now been a TMS member and volunteer for just over and under two years respectively, and after a rough ride at another local transport attraction I came in with an open mind, hoping for something much different. If i'm honest, what i've found at the TMS is much worse.
During my time as a volunteer there's only one department that i've felt has truly appreciated my input to the museum, regardless of the fact that i'm 16 and have nowhere near the skills that most of the others have - but to them, that doesn't matter. I always go home feeling that i've done something useful and with a smile on my face, wanting to come back again the next weekend - it's therefore no surprise that that's where most of my volunteer hours go.
Now, what's this to do with Richard, I hear you ask. And the response to that is, is that it sums up the TMS - not caring about the volunteers - the people who have MADE the museum what it is - and caring more about "everything else". Well, TMS Board, if all the volunteering "striked", you'd be a bit stuck then! If someone is offering to help - for free - the least you can do is thank them for offering and say no - however I rarely even see that.
As I say, I do not know both sides of the story, but from reading EVERY SINGLE blog post Richard has made I can see ABSOLUTELY NOTHING that can be seen as cyber-bullying by the board or otherwise - indeed, the Board comes across (note my wording carefully, as again I don't know both sides!) as the ones being the bullies here, simply wrestling someone out because they have a dislike to them - would Richard be treated the same way were he a paid employee? A customer? Of course not.
The TMS needs to stop living in the past and get into the modern world. There are few living who remember first gen trams, and therefore why does it matter if X tram didn't go to Y location? Or that A colour scheme was never carried by B tram? No-one is going to remember it, and on the now-rare occasions when i'm doing traffic turns I actually make a point of not being historically accurate, because it simply does not matter! The visitors come to enjoy a fun day out, not a history lesson and grumpy old farts. The museum's survival rests on getting more young volunteers, such as myself, and making them feel welcome and wanted in order for it to survive. Currently, it does not fulfill this, and nor will the Stone Workshop, tram restorations, new depots. I'm eagerly anticipating the re-vamped Exhibition Hall in the hope that it will engage the younger audience.
I'm moving off-topic now, but I hope you're seeing where I'm going with this.
Therefore, in response to our Anonymous posters, if you're going to slag someone off, be it Board, TMS, Joe Bloggs or Richard, at least have the decency to use one's real name instead of hiding behind a pseudonym or "Anon" - man up to what you are saying, and be prepared to face any consequences from it - if i'm contacted by the TMS asking me to depart because of this post then I'll actually be proud to leave, because i've voiced my concerns over the TMS, and such a thing would enhance those.
So, in conclusion for the long winded post, i'm siding with Richard - despite not knowing the full facts - for the simple reason that i'm fed up of the petty and downright rude comments being written by some anonymous idiots on this blog, and for the TMS seemingly being the same one that i've come across myself.
Merry Christmas everyone, yes, even you anonymous idiots.
Regards,
Jack Gordon
TMS Member/Volunteer J7954/696
Tramways Monthly Editor
Thank you Jack for your Christmas wishes. I do not mind being classed as an "idiot" but I do know what "confidential" means - "private" or "not to be disclosed". Why the contents of a CONFIDENTIAL communication suddenly become divulged to All and Sundry is one of the reasons why we find ourselves in such a sorry mess!
ReplyDelete