Raping Barnum. Tell a BIG, BIG Lie
And Lie and Lie and Lie
The Dossier:
Copied from the internet verbatim; Author: Karen Mitchell, State Coordinator NMGenWeb
Nothing stated below reveals a violation of the Bylaws of USGenWeb. Many of these discussions go back six years. All are irrelevant. Some were political discussions where tempers often flare. Karen Mitchell added red fonts to emphasize where I had intended no emphasis. I have never filed a lawsuit against any person in or out of USGenWeb. To this day I have not read in detail all of the statements below. They are not relevant to my dismissal. The great majority were Private emails, not on official NMGenWeb email lists. Mitchell later claimed that I was disruptive on email lists without given any specific examples. My private emails are the business of me and the person receiving them. Mitchell thrusting them into the public does not make them legitimate items to present to the Advisory Board. They Do prove that my dismissal was premeditated. I have no way of knowing if any emails were doctored. I do not save emails for six years.
About seeking legal council: The National Coordinator of USGenW
eb has used the services of an attorney for USGenWeb business. It's okay for the Project to obtain an attorney. It's okay for Members to seek counsel. I have never sued anyone for any reason. From: Scott Burow <sburow@swbell.net>
Subject: Re: [USGENWEB-DISCUSS] emails
Message-ID: <142712.30734.qm@web80605.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
The project has no assets nor funding to retain counsel, Sandy.
I consulted with private counsel and gave the information I obtained to the Advisory Board members.
Scott (National Coordinator)
LAW SUITS AND THREATS BY CHARLES BARNUM
This is a sampling of the threats of law suits in his own words. It also shows he has filed grievances against all 3 of the State Coordinators since he joined NMGW.
Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2007 13:23:43 -0800 (PST)
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Date sent: Wed, 13 Jun 2001 15:02:58 -0700
From: Charlie
Subject: Member's Official Complaint
To: tstowell@chattanooga.net
Copies to: Leon Moya , ryangb@nvbell.net
13 June 2001
Official Complaint
To GenWeb, Home Office
My name is Charles Barnum. I am the Courtly Coordinator for Lincoln County New Mexico GenWeb at http://www.usgennet.org/usa/nm/county/lincoln/
I have several concerns about the New Mexico GenWeb project.
First: I have asked to have my website inspected by the appropriate NMGenWeb Official to be sure it meets all of the GenWeb Requirements for websites. The State Coordinator via the NMgen-L message list recently stated he has a hands-off policy concerning website content. That is in direct conflict with GenWeb policy as stated below: from http://www.usgenweb.org/official/bylaws.html Section 3. It shall be the responsibility of each state organization to ensure that the state project is in ompliance with the stated bylaws of The USGenWeb Project.
Section 6. It shall be the responsibility of each state project to periodically review local-level project websites to ensure compliance with The USGenWeb Project/XXGenWeb Project established guidelines/standards.
Section 7. The state project shall have the responsibility to remove any links to websites which fail to meet The USGenWeb Project/XXGenWeb Project established guidelines/standards.
Further to those requirements it states a representative who will not or can not enforce the rules must be removed: Section 10. If a State Coordinator is unable to perform his/her duties, the Assistant State Coordinator, or other support team, shall serve until an election can take place within the state. In the case of state projects with more than one Assistant State Coordinator, they shall choose one among themselves to serve in the interim.
I request that either the State Coordinator comply with the rules or be removed. It is a fact he has been ill for months and unable to control or supervise which is evident by the out-of-control nature of NMGenWeb which used to be run smoothly.
Second Complaint: Favoritism.
A certain cliquish atmosphere has developed at NMGenWeb. On the message board for county coordinators and volunteers some people have preferred treatment. I was personally embarrassed Because I used a "signature line" which simply stated Support CAUSE. CAUSE is an anti-junk non-profit association which I belong to in the state of Nevada. I was told on the email list--in public-- by the Assistant State Coordinator that the NM mailing list did not exist to promote My special projects. HOWEVER, other members were not restricted. One gentleman uses a number of signature lines stating he collects Postage stamps for charity, he is webmaster of various websites and is the manager of the New Mexico Death Index project. He was not Admonished in public at all.
If the mailing list can be used to promote some sites buy not others; that is flagrant discrimination. A case in point is the New Mexico Death Index Project. That manager has stated it is HIS personal project and not that of NMGenWeb. Then why is he allowed to promote it using the mailing list; while I am not allowed to promote GenNetwork.org which is a non-commercial association of non-Commercial genealogy websites.
Further to that mailing list. In the past it has been used to discuss politics, religion, gun control and jokes and personal agendas. I am in extreme opposition to the list being used for political causes. The membership took a stand that gun-control was bad. I happened to believe gun control is proper for the United States Congress to address. I was eventually told to shut up. The others who were Against gun control were not told to shut up. My sixteen year old nephew was murdered by a hand gun and I have as much right to defend gun Control as they do to oppose it. I only participate in those discussions once they are brought up by other members.
Censorship: In two specific cases I sent emails to the list in opposition of the subjects being agreed upon. My posts never were aired. I can only assume some type of censorship exists. I have no direct knowledge of this nor can I explain how it could be accomplished. I only know it happened.
That concludes my Official Complaint as a NMGenWeb Member. I do have one other issue that I must seek counsel on before I proceed with a possible class action, but that is not a subject for this current email.
Your Official handling of this matter is greatly appreciated.
Charles Barnum,
ryangb@nvbell.net
cc: Leon Moya
Bcc: --
The Police State has arrived at NMGenWeb. You investigated my life, my local newspaper editorials, my family, and my personal emails. You presented one side, then twisted that.
I do not remember the above 6 year old email, but it contains no bylaws violations on my part and nothing untruthful. The National Coordinator at the time took no exception to it. Further, I will consult a private attorney any time I wish, just as the sitting National Coordinator has done, just as other members have done in this increasing hostile Police State our organization has become. I will not submit to bullies. I will stand up. I will express my opinions.
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She published this private email twice! Why tell one lie when she can tell two for the price of one? She must have really liked this one. Here it is again.
From: Tim Stowell tstowell@chattanooga.net
Subject: [Board-Exec] Now this makes more sense
Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2001 01:22:52 -0400
Subject: Member's Official Complaint
To: tstowell@chattanooga.net
Cc: Leon Moya , ryangb@nvbell.net
13 June 2001
Official Complaint
To GenWeb, Home Office
My name is Charles Barnum. I am the Courtly Coordinator for Lincoln County New Mexico GenWeb at http://www.usgenn et.or g/usa/nm/county/lincoln/
I have several concerns about the New Mexico GenWeb project
First: I have asked to have my website inspected by the appropriate NMGenWeb Official to be sure it meets all of the GenWeb requirements for websites.
The State Coordinator via the NMgen-L message list recently stated he has a hands-off policy concerning website content That is in direct conflict with GenWeb policy as stated below: from http://www.usgenweb .org/ official/bylaws.html
Section 3. It shall be the responsibility of each state organization to ensure that the state project is in compliance with the stated bylaws of The USGenWeb Project.
Section 6. It shall be the responsibility of each state project to periodically review local-level project websites to ensure compliance with The USGenWeb Project/XXGenWeb Project established guidelines/standards.
Section 7. The state project shall have the responsibility to remove any links to websites which fail to meet The USGenWeb Project/XXGenWeb Project established guidelines/standards.
Further to those requirements it states a representative who will not or can not enforce the rules must be removed:
Section 10. If a State Coordinator is unable to perform his/her duties, the Assistant State Coordinator, or other support team, shall serve until an election can take place within the state. In the case of state projects with more than one Assistant State Coordinator, they shall choose one among themselves to serve in the interim.
I request that either the State Coordinator comply with the rules or be removed. It is a fact he has been ill for months and unable to control or supervise which is evident by the out-of-control nature of NMGenWeb which used to be run smoothly.
Second Complaint: Favoritism A certain cliquish atmosphere has developed at NMGenWeb.
On the message board for county coordinators and volunteers some people have preferred treatment.
I was personally embarrassed because I used a "signature line" which simply stated Support CAUSE.
CAUSE is an anti-junk non-profit association which I belong to in the state of Nevada. I was told on the email list--in public-- by the Assistant State Coordinator that the NM mailing list did not exist to promote my special projects.
HOWEVER, other members were not restricted. One gentleman uses a number of signature lines stating he collects postage stamps for charity, he is webmaster of various websites and is the manager of the New Mexico Death Index project. He was not admonished in public at all.
If the mailing list can be used to promote some sites buy not others; that is flagrant discrimination. A case in point is the New Mexico Death Index Project. That manager has stated it is HIS personal project and not that of NMGenWeb. Then why is he allowed to promote it using the mailing list; while I am not allowed to promote GenNetwork.org which is a non-commercial association of non-commercial genealogy websites.
Further to that mailing list. In the past it has been used to discuss politics, religion, gun control and jokes and personal agendas. I am in extreme opposition to the list being used for political causes. The membership took a stand that gun-control was bad. I happened to believe gun control is proper for the United States Congress to address. I was eventually told to shut up. The others who were against gun control were not told to shut up. My sixteen year old nephew was murdered by a hand gun and I have as much right to defend gun control as they do to oppose it. I only participate in those discussions once they are brought up by other members.
Censorship: In two specific cases I sent emails to the list in opposition of the subjects being agreed upon. My posts never were aired. I can only assume some type of censorship exists. I have no direct knowledge of this nor can I explain how it could be accomplished. I only know it happened.
That concludes my Official Complaint as a NMGenWeb Member. I do have one other issue that I must seek counsel on before I proceed with a possible class action, but that is not a subject for this current email.
Your Official handling of this matter is greatly appreciated.
Charles Barnum,
ryangb@nvbell.net
cc: Leon Moya
Bcc: --
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-------Original Message-------
From: Charlie
Date: Friday, June 15, 2001 03:52:29 PM
To: mzwhiz@mindless.com
Subject: CC needs advice
Dear Arizona County Coordinator,
My name is Charles Barnum, I'm the CC for Lincoln County, New Mexico. I am writing to many CC's in Arizona because your state is a sister-state being next to New Mexico and I lived in Arizona for many years. I hope I might find a friendly Arizona CC who can help me in New Mexico.
I do not want to make a long story here, but let me say that since I questioned certain policy matters at New Mexico GenWeb I have been made an out-cast, slandered and ridiculed in the NMgen-l message boards assumably with the consent of the State Coordinator and the Assistant State Coordinator since they have taken no action to stop the personal attacks.
The issue is basically my contention that NMGenWeb must operate by USGenWeb Bylaws. The majority say we can ignore the USGenWeb bylaws. I say we must comply with them fully.
If you have any advice how I can proceed or can recommend an attorney to help stop the slander against me, please get back to me.
Thank you.
Charles Barnum, CC Lincoln County NM
This email was sent to several fellow CCs including Pat Bennett who is a CC in Grant County. It was a private email and does not violate the Bylaws nor contain any untrue statements. Notice the date? 2001 --It's not relevant. As you can see, the slander was going on as far back as 2001.
Remember Mitchell's heading on this web page:
"LAW SUITS AND THREATS BY CHARLES BARNUM" There is no threat here.
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Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2001 10:59:34 -0700
From: Charlie ryangb@nvbell.net
Subject: Thank you, Aveli.
To: tstowell@chattanooga.net
Aveli,
I do appreciate your kind remarks, thank you. However, I have no personal friction with any individual. It is an unresponsive system with which I have problems.
I will no longer use the NMgen-l for communicating except for strictly official business.
I have received some private emails containing vulgar language and which were vicious. This has saddened me so much that I'm currently under heavy medication.
After I regain my composure, I have decided to form an Independent Association of Gen Web County Coordinators. This will be a non-profit world-wide association of any CC who wishes to join. Its purpose will be to assist CC's who feel they have been mistreated in any manner by elected officials, or if their complaints--which entrenched elected officials, refuse to address. I realize this will be very expensive to set up messages board and association homepage, but the cost is many thousands of dollars below what a CC would have to spend in order to take his complaint to a legal court. My advisor told me yesterday it would cost a minimum of $30,000 for me to bring suit for slander. So you see, most CC's are at the mercy of the elected officials who have the backing of a very powerful GenWeb. CC's need independent representation.
Thanks again,
I may contact you in the near future concerning our association. I will eventually contact every CC in America and then reach out to other countries.
Charles Barnum
I do not remember this email, but I remember the events. I started an independent email list so CCs could exercise free-speech.
Remember Mitchell's heading on this web page:
"LAW SUITS AND THREATS BY CHARLES BARNUM" There is no threat here.
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From: "Charlie and Janet"
To:
Cc: ;
Subject: Re: Remove my Copyrighted material (Pat #136887)
Date: Saturday, October 20, 2001 9:47 PM
Subject: New Mexico Lincoln County Archives Project
Rootsweb.COM Help Desk:
Thank you for your reply, Pat. I do not understand what "authored by the USGenWeb," means in your statement below. It was created by Gina Heffernan who I thought was associated with rootsweb.COM is some officail capacity. Regardless, The archives site is on the rootsweb.COM server, not USGenWeb or USGenNet.
For Susan Bellomo's information who is the new SC of NM, my original email to rootsweb.COM help desk stated I did not want any material from my Lincoln County NM GenWeb site displayed on any web page associated with Gina Heffernan, who appears to be in charge of that rootsweb.COM sponsored web page.
My Lincoln County web site is on USGenNet's server, a non-profit organization, at http://www.usgennet.org/usa/nm/county/lincoln/ (not rootsweb.COM or USGenWeb) My web site happens to belong to NMGenWeb which I suppose if part of USGenWeb, but I fail to see what USGenWeb or USGenNet has to do with rootsweb.COM.
The NM Archives web page is on Rootsweb.COM at http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/nm/lincoln.htm which is a commercial organization (rootsweb.COM) which is owned by MyFamily.COM, a commercial company.
SUSAN: If your are in charge on New Mexico GenWeb now, please direct Gina Heffernan to remove all Lincoln County NMGenWeb material from the archive site, UNLESS that action would mean I get kicked out of NMGenWeb. I do not wish to correspond with Gina, because in her last email to me she called me a bigot and said she was going on the list to tell everyone I was a bigot, which I am not. I have been waiting for her to make that charge in public at which time I intend to respond with every legal means available to me.
If you must wait until January 1, 2002 before you officially take charge, I am willing to wait until then, as we both know Leon is no longer active in NMGenWeb business. He is reportedly ill and should be left in peace.
As I mentioned to you earlier, I do not wish to use the NM List further, and want all of my business with NMGenWeb to be kept confidential, because I have no desire to exchange heated words with any associate of NMGenWeb which may lead to legal action.
Copy: Susan Bellomo
Charles Barnum, Lincoln County
I barely remember this email regarding material copied from my web site without permission. I have a right to defend my web site from pilfering.
What is the point of Mitchell here? There is nothing untruthful, unlawful nor a violation of USGenWeb Bylaws in the message. Like the others, it is 6 years old and not relevant. It shows only half of the issue, not the part which created my response, i.e., the removal of data from my personal web site without permission. If anyone at NMGenWeb does not like the fact that I stand up to defend myself, they can kiss a donkey's ass. Again this was a personal email, not on any email list. Cute trick removing the email addresses!
Remember Mitchell's heading on this web page:
"LAW SUITS AND THREATS BY CHARLES BARNUM" There is no threat here. I said I wanted to avoid further heated words.
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Delivered-To: sbellomo._.starband.net@gilat2home.prontomail.com
X-CustomSvr: 1.0
Date: Fri, 05 Apr 2002 16:04:43 -0800
From: Charlie and Janet ryangb@nvbell.net
Subject: email slander
To: sbellomo@bigfoot.com
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000
Hello to all NMGenWeb CC's and assistants and volunteers.
This is Charles Barnum. Recently I sent an email to a person who had contributed a cemetery survey to the archives. The CC of the corresponding County sent an email to me. Here is part of that message with all names and extraneous text removed.
Quote: ___, this guy's is a LARGE pain in the butt. I already told him no, because he is duplicating the work Rootsweb has already accomplished. He just thinks that no one can put up a better web site than he and he's done a much better job than Rootsweb. It seems funny to me that the most ignored and neglected county in New Mexico, is such a bur under this guy's hide.
About Charlie, I'll talk it over with my New Mexico GenWeb friends and see just who and how to answer him.
End quote:
My Original message will be provided upon request. Here is my answer to the person who sent the emails about me. Since he said he would be contacting NM CC's, I feel it is a must that I also contact the CC and all volunteers. The individual who wrote that email to a third party, has a duplicate website of his county. I assume it must be okay for him, but not for others.
Hi xxx xxxxxxx,
To answer your charges in your email which you sent to a third party:
1..I have never received an answer to my request from the person mentioned in your email.
2..Sorry you think I'm a pain in the butt. But I have no control over your emotions.
3..I don't agree Lincoln County web site is the most ignored site at GenWeb. I help researchers everyday. Your statement is a lie.
4..I will continue to ask people to donate material to a private web site. This is not a matter for NMGenWeb. I send private emails to people each day asking them to donate material and people have donated a large amount of material to the other site. I obtained their email address from public web sties. Your statement about talking it over with your NMGenWeb friends (your words) to do something (about me) has no validity or force. This is not a matter for NMGenWeb to consider.
5..As for the statement on the root$web.com cemetery archives, It is very confusing. But, I do not appreciate your telling people I'm a pain in the butt, that my website is rundown, or inferring that I've done something wrong or against the NMGenWeb bylaws. Or telling them I have a bur under my hide because my NM GenWeb Lincoln County web site is inferior. All that is a lie.
6..I strongly reject your inference that a CC has authority to say "no" to a submitter of material to the archives preventing him/her from donating that material to another party or website. If that person does not wish to donate it, that is his choice, not yours. Your statement that you already told me "no" in this matter is a lie.
7.. Your statement, "He just thinks that no one can put up a better web site than he and he's done a much better job than Rootsweb." is a lie.
Just so you will understand, I will continue to vigorously solicit material form any sources I wish.
I will send the person in question another email. I do not need your permission to email anyone.
I will also send this email to the other NMGenWeb CC's and all volunteers. This is still a free county where free speech is practiced. Further, I don't want you sending emails to the CC's slandering me without my input. I have said several times I would cooperate in any way possible with other webmasters to help NM researchers. I will not let you or anyone else send emails to third parties without answering your false charges. There have been several instances of people sending emails to third parties slandering me, and I'm growing tired of it. But if you think I'm going away, think again.
Have a great day XXX XXXXXX. If I can help you in any way concerning genealogy, please let me know. Otherwise, kindly keep your nose out of my business.
Charles Barnum
I vaguely remember this private and personal email to Pat Bennett. Here is the dirt on this. The clique at NMGenWeb had their own private communication system. In this case, dummy Pat Bennett stupidly put my email address in the blind copy. She was stirring up the shit reaching as many people as possible.
So? She attacked me and I responded in a private email. So What? Again, What is the point? There is nothing untruthful in the message. Since this was a private email, why is it here? Why not show her email too? Why remove her name?
Remember Mitchell's heading on this web page:
"LAW SUITS AND THREATS BY CHARLES BARNUM" There is no threat here.
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At 02:29 PM 6/1/2002 -0700, Charles wrote:
Charles wrote it where? What was it in response to?
The Tax ID issue can get confusing, and as far as I know, no state GenWeb organization has incorporated. Two states have obtained Tax Id numbers in the mistaken belief that it created some type of ownership for the project. That was done to keep an individual from claiming ownership of the state name when he obtained a domain name for it as .com, and .org. and .net. Getting a tax id number in the state or with this IRS merely assigns that number to the organization and does nothing more.
In that one particular state, a non-member did in fact obtain all of the available domain names for that state (and 30 more!). That does not establish ownership of the stateGenWeb organization at all. Obtaining a tax ID (EIN) or trademark or servicemark does not establish ownership either. USGenWeb owns the rights to all of the xxGenWeb organizations.
There can be no doubt about ownership, and in that state I mentioned, they have now realized that the tax id numbers and servicemarks were not necessary. They should have obtained an attorney's opinion to explain the facts before getting into those areas. It had been an issue for two years in that state causing tremendous hard feelings because some members objected to getting the Tax ID and servicemark in the first place, especially since it was obtained under the name of a member.
The liability issue will be tested one day. In most states an association can be liable because of the actions of its elected officials while acting as officials. It does not matter if they are a club, association, or are un-incorporated. But If they are incorporated, the civil action will extend only to the corporation, but individual officers can be held accountable, such as in the case of Enron. But no share holder can be sued for the acts of the officers if incorporated.
Someday there may be a suit against a state organization if the elected representatives allows or participates in slander or name calling of a member, or if they do not take steps to stop it from occurring on their official discussion-list. I'm sure there are 6 million attorneys who'd love to take a case against an organization with hundreds / thousands of members who may become liable.
There have already been a number of slander lawsuits filed against other organizations and individuals where message boards and forums were involved. One may not say another person is dishonest on a forum, nor harass him/her just because it is on a message board or forum without risking civil action.
Next issue: I've seen the following statement floating around as if it proved that the states MUST get an ID number:
According to United States Code, any organization or affiliate making such a claim should register with the Internal Revenue Service and proclaim its "filing status". i.e. obtain a tax number.
Okay, where does it say that in the code? I have read the Code and spent considerable time with an IRS agent. I have the book at my side of my keyboard at this time. The regulations are 29 pages in length. Taking a few words out of the tax code as was done above, is what got the other state in trouble. Is above a quote or just someone's opinion? Don't believe everything you read, including me.
The point I want to make is, that statement above has been quoted as the requirement to register and get a tax number. HOWEVER, no organization MUST make a claim to the IRS or to the state they represent. It is voluntary. Neither the IRS nor the State cares if an organization wishes to be recognized as a non-profit organization. That is the organization's own decision, and it is not mandatory, nor do the USGenWeb bylaws say it is mandatory. Even if a stateGenWeb organization registered, what purpose would it serve? We do not collect money, nor buy and sell products.
My two cents worth. Two cents doesn't buy much however.
Charles B.
This an example of Karen Mitchell twisting the facts again. This was a discussion of the merits of incorporation and tax ID status. No place in this email do I even hint that I am suing anyone. I was exploring the merits of incorporation. She placed letters in red on every word remotely associated with law suits as if I were suing some one.
She is an Ethical Degenerate. Also, this was dated 2002! What does it have to do with 2007?
Remember Mitchell's heading on this web page:
"LAW SUITS AND THREATS BY CHARLES BARNUM" There is no threat here.
=========
Email address please, how about a date and heading?
Thank you for sharing your research, Charles. It points out the difficulty in taking something out of context.
You did a thorough job of explaining possible consequences and the experiences of a couple other states.
Litigation is not something we want to contemplate, and I am confident that NMGenWeb volunteers have no intention of creating cause for a suit to be entered.
I appreciate your diligent research. Thank you once again.
Susan
What is the date? What is the point? I can see the author smiling when she wrote this knowing there was a plan in place for "Open Season" on Barnum. Who said volunteers had an intention of a suit? No one. This was a self serving insertion of a statement that had nothing to do with my post, but was in support of the secret war on Barnum to be used later. Is the Advisory Board so stupid that they can not see through this crap? This email was written by Susan Bellomo, not by me!!! Karen Mitchell in her continuing bending and misleading, highlighted in red Susan Bellom's remarks in red, trying to push them off as a threatened law suit by me.
Remember Mitchell's heading on this web page:
"LAW SUITS AND THREATS BY CHARLES BARNUM" There is no threat here.
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Hello!! Another email with no date or email address? The Advisory Board of USGenWeb accepts crap like this? Apparently so.
To Richard Wilkinson and Patti Pennington:
date 2002
Hi,
My name is Charles Barnum. I own the website New Mexico Genealogy.org. I was informed today by a volunteer that our official logo was being used on your Eddy County NMGenWeb page. I own the copyright and trademark to the image displayed on your Eddy County website at http://www.rootsweb.com/~nmeddy/eddyfiles.html which you list as image http://www.rootsweb.com/~nmeddy/NewMexicoLogo_2.gif . I paid a professional artist to design that image specifically for NMG.org. My web site carries ample warning that all images are copyrighted. I'd appreciate it if you removed the image promptly.
Thank you for your attention in this matter.
Secondly, the bat image which you use is same image from my Eddy County website. Your image designation http://www.rootsweb.com/~nmeddy/Bats.gif , my designation is http://www.newmexicogenealogy.org/~nmgeddy/BAT2.GIF
I entered into an arrangement with the author of that image in order to display it on my Eddy County Web site. I have no way of knowing if you have compensated the author to use the image, but if not, since I have entered into an agreement with him it would be best if you either got permission from the author or removed the image.
Again, thank you for your attention concerning this matter.
Charles Barnum
CC Eddy County NMGenWeb
Co-CC Eddy County NMGenWeb
Copy, SC NMGenWeb
Blind Copy: President AHGP
Blind Copy: Webmaster, NM AHGP
Blind Copy: Owner, Bat2.gif
I do remember this one. I spent about $200 on a professionally made logo for my private web site. What is the point of presenting it here by Karen Mitchell? How many years has she been Cyber Stalking me? Does she condone logo stealing? Why make this private email Public?
The answer from the State Coordinator in this matter was this,
"Some people do not like to share."
To that I say, some people do not like their logos stolen.
Remember Mitchell's heading on this web page:
"LAW SUITS AND THREATS BY CHARLES BARNUM" There is no threat here.
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----- Original Message -----
From: Gen
To: nmgen-l@usroots.com
Cc: Charles
Sent: Sunday, August 03, 2003 11:31 AM
Subject: NMGEN-L: List Administrator / Complaint Violation of Acceptable use Policy by Karen Mitchell:
This is a formal complaint concerning the recent posts to this email list by Karen Mitchell.
Her posts violate the Acceptable Use Policy required by Ancestry.com. Her calling me a liar on this list violates the Acceptable Use Policy for these lists.
Her reproducing private emails from me in part or paraphrased without my permission on this list is in violation of Ancestry.com acceptable use policy. Reproducing posts on this list or any other list that were taken from any other email list is a violation of Acceptable Use Policy required by Ancestry.com.
Using the email lists for personal attacks of any type is a violation of Ancestry.com acceptable use policy.
Her original post asking for people to contact me because of an alleged problem that I sent her repeated emails was in itself in violation of the acceptable use policy of Ancestry.com. She had other ways to contact me without going public. She could have even contacted me using the Taos Email List which she claims I was not banned from, but she instead used this email list for a wider audience since it is more widely subscribed. She is in fact the List Administrator for Taos Co., but chose not to use it. Also, I did answer all her private emails but she was deleting them as she has stated in her previous post. That was a problem created by her, not me.
I'm asking that the list administrator instruct Karen Mitchell to stop all slanderous emails about me immediately. I ask that she be instructed not to refer to me directly nor indirectly in any further correspondence on this list or any other list owned by or operated by rootsweb.com or Ancestry.com, nor to reproduce, misquote, or paraphrase any further emails sent privately to her or any other person in part or whole or refer to them in any manner without my expressed permission which I do not give. Doing so is not only unethical but a violation of the Acceptable Use Policies of Ancestry.com.
A copy of this request will be sent to the legal offices of Ancestry.com and to rootsweb.com. as a courtesy with a copy for my personal attorney.
Thank you for your consideration of my request to stop any further attempt by anyone to turn this email list into another bickering list. These lists are to be used exclusively for genealogy researcher under the Acceptable Use Policies of Ancestry.com.
Charles Barnum
Why is this presented here by Mitchell?
Remember Mitchell's heading on this web page:
"LAW SUITS AND THREATS BY CHARLES BARNUM" There is no threat here.
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----- Original Message -----
From: "nmgen"
To: "Bosque Lover"
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2003 5:35 AM
Subject: Re: Election?
Hello, Bettie.
This time we haven't had the threats of lawsuits and legal action yet. This individual wants his way. People are afraid to speak up on mailing lists for fear of attack. He has aggravated almost everyone in NMGenWeb and cannot work with anyone unless he is in complete control.
Remind me again, when did I ever threaten a CC with a lawsuit on the NMGenWeb Email list? I'll print it here.
Susan Bellomo, I ask you this question: You pretended to be my friend over the years, never once expressing discontent in any manner toward me as the State Coordinator, exchanging cactus plants by mail, accepting help with databases from me, and generally having a cordial relationship. This statement I make to you in plain English, I do not back-stab people. If I have something to say, I say it to their face and resolve the problem and move on. That is not how the Clique operates in NMGenWeb. They secretly declare an Open Season on individuals. They slander, lie, cyber stalk and misrepresent with intent to harm.
Before I could consent to any mediation, I would want the approval of the rest of group. He wants to halt the election until we agree to do what he wants the way he wants. He must dictate, not cooperate.
Nonsense. I have always wanted elections above board and not decided in secret.
He has overseen the loading of a lot of valuable data for researchers to use online, and I've lauded him publicly for his accomplishments. However, I do not know of anyone who would serve on a committee with him (I'm included in that group.) unless it's the two new CCs that he brought in as co CCs when Pat Smith left, having discussed turning over his two counties to Charles beforehand.
I thought you were the State Coordinator. Two CCs I brought over? I do not assign CCs. The State Coordinator does.
Pat Smith did indeed turn over his web sites to me. Pat was the State Coordinator. Would he turn over his sites to me if he had reservations? No. He and I got along fine. I later added thousands of names to those web sites, fixed them up and turned them over to others because I cared about NMGenWeb.
I think it would be less divisive of the group as a whole to let him have his right to free speech, but to proceed. His diatribes push people away from participation, and this I regret deeply. He's an angry person just waiting to erupt, in my experience.
What diatribes? Send me the diatribes and I'll print them here. I have used the NMGenWeb email lists less than three dozen times. It usually consisted of welcoming new members and making suggestions on improving NMGenWeb such as the Tombstone Project which was rejected. I went ahead with it on my own web site and now have 20,000 photos online. NM researchers have gained by my work.
How do you think I'll explode, Susan, like a balloon, like a pop-tart or like a popcorn fart?
NMGenWeb is a smaller, more independent group that is willing to do anything to help our customers, but most are not enamored of procedure and ritual in governance.
That's my view.
He had threatened to take it to the AB if we didn't listen to him and comply.
Susan, do not degrade yourself with big fibs. If you have an statement from me saying, "I will take this to the AB if you do not listen to me and comply," then produce it. I'll print it here.
OPEN SEASON ON BARNUM, it sure is. Pathetic and disgusting.
Thank you for your comments.
Susan (Bellomo)
This email was sent to Bettie Wood who is the County Coordinator Representative in New Mexico's region. As CC Rep, she has a responsibility to represent and communicate with the CCs. This was not done. A CC can not respond to an email he never sees. How about this, let's say stuff behind members backs so they won't know what's going on. Kinda like a secret Open Season on 'em.
Remember Mitchell's heading on this web page:
"LAW SUITS AND THREATS BY CHARLES BARNUM" There is no threat here.
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From: Charles
Subject: Re: [NMGENWEB] the other NM website
Date: Wed, 23 Jun 2004 14:09:41 -0700 (PDT)
In-Reply-To: <40D9CB6E.E3450633@kingmanaz.net>
Hi Glory Bee,
My new email address is jcnreno@sbcglobal.net
I'd be happy to answer any questions concerning any web site created by me via private email. However, I have not created any new web sites recently.
I am currently building a new web site that will become effective after the close of the election. It is for the discussion of USGenWeb issues to find solutions, not scapegoats. It is for discussing ideas without the personal attacks, intimidation and slander that some people use to silence new ideas. It will have a moderated email list to filter out slander, personal attacks and character assassination. This will be an alternative to an existing email list that promotes hatred, lies, slander, personal attacks, and sorted bigotry against USGenWeb and individuals.
Election:
I highly recommend that voters consider voting for Don Kelly. Don is a proven leader, a man of integrity, honesty and is one of the hardest workers in USGenWeb with considerable experience in USGenWeb government. He does not associate with known haters of the Archives and rootsweb.com who wish to tear down USGenWeb. Don will make a great National Coordinator. This is an extremely important year for USGenWeb. Don't throw your vote away by not voting, or by voting for a person who can not win. Consider Don Kelly for your new NC.
Recent news:
I have for some time been in a discussion with rootsweb.com concerning discrimination by some county email list administrators. A minority of those county list administrators mistakenly believe that the county lists belong to them or belong to USGenWeb. But other people have joined in my complaint and we finally got a just ruling. Here is that ruling:
From:
To: Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2004 12:42 PM
Subject: Purpose of County Lists This is a reminder to everyone who maintains a county mailing list at RootsWeb: RootsWeb does not create county lists that only promote one or two projects. Our county lists are for all projects to post relevant information. AHGP, ALHN, USGenWeb messages, etc. pertaining to the county, are permitted on our county lists. If this is not acceptable to you, please email listmaster@rootsweb.com with the name of the list(s) and and we find a new list administrator for the RootsWeb list.
--
Vicki Thauvin
RootsWeb Staff
vicki@rootsweb.com
(end quote)
I welcome this ruling. Finally, once and for all, it declares that the county lists are public lists and not the personal toys of a few. I'm happy to know that the great majority of NM county list managers do not discriminate against any other projects like NM ALHN by misusing or restricting their lists. I do have a concern that some of the current NM County email lists currently have a tag line that reads, XXCounty, NMGenWeb. I hope all those taglines are removed or else they also include a tagline for NM ALHN and AHGP and W.O.W., NMGS, and all the other genealogical organizations in NM. Failure to do so is a form of restriction for which I will file a formal protest with rootsweb.com in due time to correct.
These county email lists are not to be confused with Project Lists, such as this list. Project lists come under different rules. Project Lists are for a particular Project; County lists are Public lists.
Charles Barnum
So? Another political discussion about the email lists. What is the point? I have a right to use the public email lists for my private web sites.
Remember Mitchell's heading on this web page:
"LAW SUITS AND THREATS BY CHARLES BARNUM" There is no threat here.
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----- Original Message -----
From: Charles
To: Susan Bellomo
Sent: Monday, June 28, 2004 10:08 AM
Subject: Re: Courtesty Copy NM email lists
Susan, I assume from your email that you are the list administrator for Lincoln Co. The fact that the Lincoln Co email list has a tag line for a NMGenWeb related web it favors USGenWeb over the other projects. That is exactly what rootsweb.com states is not allowed. I'll appeal to rootsweb.com. Nothing personal here. I wish you well. Charles Barnum
So? The email County lists are for the Public to use, not exclusively for NMGenWeb.
Remember Mitchell's heading on this web page:
"LAW SUITS AND THREATS BY CHARLES BARNUM" There is no threat here.
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----- Original Message -----
From: Charles
To: Susan Bellomo
Sent: Wednesday, October 27, 2004 7:18 PM
Subject: Advisory, Web Site
October 17, 2004
To whom it may concern.
There are some vicious individuals who have been waging a war against me since I brought up the logo issue. I am proud that I brought up the logo issue. I still do not believe in merged county or state web pages.
As for the web site( http://onebatcave.blogspot.com/ )now being contributed to my authorship; I am in no way associated with that web site, directly or indirectly. It is not mine. I had no knowledge about it until the accusations began flying at me today. If it were mine, I'd put my name on it.
As for being denied the position of County Coordinator in any state currently or in the future, I intend to press ahead with all of the strength and tools at my disposal. I will spare no effort to counter those illegal actions of Discrimination because of my political views or opinions.
Article IV makes it clear that discrimination by USGenWeb is forbidden:
ARTICLE IV. MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. The only requirement for membership in The USGenWeb Project is a desire to assist in gathering and disseminating genealogical and historical information for free online access by researchers.
Section 2. The USGenWeb Project is an equal opportunity organization and will not tolerate discrimination in any form because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, etc.
end quote:
Notice the words: "will not tolerate any form..." and the final word "etc". These are all inclusive against discrimination, unequivocally.
The wording of this anti-discrimination bylaw applies to any and all discrimination including political discrimination. I meet all of the above requirements to be awarded the County Coordinator positions for which I have recently applied. I am a member in good standing, I have a desire to assist in gathering and disseminating genealogical and historical information for free online access by researchers. I have been active in genealogy for 42 years. I am competent in building web pages for the purpose of disseminating free, non-commercial information.
Charles Barnum
Permission is granted and I request that this message be displayed on Board-L and to all forwarded Advisory Board Members.
CC Council
http://www.rootsweb.com/~nmlincol/cc_council.htm
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ccouncil/
So? Another political opinion. I do not like discrimination in any form. What is the point? The logo issue was a hotly debated issue by many people. It involved foreign logos on some member's web pages. I do not approve of that. I have a right to express my opinions regarding political question. If anyone does not like my opinions, they can go fish.
Remember Mitchell's heading on this web page:
"LAW SUITS AND THREATS BY CHARLES BARNUM" There is no threat here.
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Susan Bellomo"
To: "jcnreno"
Sent: Saturday, May 20, 2006 10:59 AM
Subject: Re: [NMGENWEB] Professional Elections
Every volunteer has the right to ask questions and make requests. When "requests" are not met, taking it to the national level as a demand for action and doing what the requestor deems is right does not foster cooperation, and it certainly creates stress for people involved.
It is my opinion that more people do not enter into discussion because they do not have an interest in politics and they do not want to get involved in interchanges that have involved threats of lawsuits in the past.
Intentions and effects are not the same thing. It is one thing to express an opinion and make a request. It is another to make demands and escalate them when no one else has expressed consensus.
I've only been around since late 1996 or early 1997 when I took over Otero County. The Wild Bunch in NMGenWeb, in my opinion (based on the 9 years I've communicated with our volunteers) prefers to limit the bureaucratic underpinnings of the organization in order to use time and energy to help researchers and to put available information on line.
The request has been made and noted. Now, let's get back to New Mexico genealogy on the list.
One of the things I love most about our volunteers is the wide variety of talents we have and the amazing contributions we have made!
Susan
So? This is Susan Bellomo speaking. Not me.
Remember Mitchell's heading on this web page:
"LAW SUITS AND THREATS BY CHARLES BARNUM" There is no threat here.
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X-From_: jcnreno@sbcglobal.net Sat May 20 11:09:23 2006
Date: Sat, 20 May 2006 10:10:29 -0700 (PDT)
From: jcnreno
Subject: Character Assination on Puiblic email list Q
To: Angela Lewis
Off List:
Personal and Confidential:
Angela Lewis,
Your unprovoked public personal attack and character assignation of me as expressed in your post below will not be tolerated. Monday, I am seeking an attorney. I request that you either provide me the mailing address where my attorney can send you a letter of notification or provide the name of your attorney so my attorney can contact him.
I will remind you that the NMGenWeb email list by previous orders of the State Coordinators is to used for NMGenWeb business. I will not stand by any longer to suffer personal assaults on my character on this public forum and the resulting mental anguish it has caused.
Please Provide the address as I requested by any method, phone, email, or mail.
Thank you,
Charles Barnum
1068 Pinewood DR
Sparks, NV 89434
email jcnreno@sbcglobal.net
775 331 3679
Copy: USGenWeb County Coordinator Representative
There is nothing untrue or a violation of the Bylaws in that private post.
For the last 10 years I tried to prevent personal attacks on me on the NMGenWeb email lsit. I asked all of the State Coordinators repeatedly to put a stop to the personal attacks on the Official NMGenWeb email list. Every other state in USGenWeb has rules in effect to stop personal attacks, but not NMGenWeb.
Remember Mitchell's heading on this web page:
"LAW SUITS AND THREATS BY CHARLES BARNUM" There is no threat here.
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----- Original Message -----
From: jcnreno
To: Karen Mitchell
Sent: Sunday, May 21, 2006 10:05 AM
Subject: Re: Your post
Karen Mitchell wrote:
Mr. Barnum,
You said:
" I know of no lawsuit involving NMGenWeb prior to today."
Would you please explain that statement? It leads one to believe that someone has threatened to sue you. As the NM SC, if another NM CC has threatened to sue you, I need to know about it if it is in relation to what you have said on the NM list. I have zero tolerance for that type of intimidation and it will not be tolerated. If my assumption is correct, that person will be delinked from NMGenWeb.
I may not always agree with you, but I will not condone anyone threatening to sue you based on anything you have said on the NM List.
Please excuse me if I have made the wrong assumption, but if you re-read your message you can understand why I came to that conclusion.
Karen Mitchell
New Mexico State Coordinator
Remember Mitchell's heading on this web page:
"LAW SUITS AND THREATS BY CHARLES BARNUM" There is no threat here.
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----- Original Message -----
From: jcnreno
To: Karen Mitchell
Cc: Bettie Wood ; Charles Barnum
Sent: Sunday, May 21, 2006 12:24 PM
Subject: Re: Your post
Karen Mitchell,
New Mexico (NMGenWeb) State Coordinator
Date: May 21, 2006
I received your email this morning. It took me by surprise.
To answer your question about the lawsuit, Susan Bellamo mentioned on the NMGenWeb Internet email list yesterday a “threat” of lawsuit. I had not heard anything about a lawsuit prior to her reference. I asked her what she referred to. She said she had seen an email at some point about some vague suit. I concluded her statement was hearsay and of no importance. I had no knowledge of it.
Your email comes one day after my decision to obtain legal counsel regarding the continued personal attacks on the NMGenWeb email list that is provide by rootsweb.com for the business of the NMGenWeb Project. A few members have used that list for personal attacks against me for years. For instance, Harold Kilmer, a NMGenWeb County Coordinator compared me to the Terrorists that blew up the Twin Towers on the NMGenWeb list after the twin towers attack. That was a disgusting character assignation. The list administrator took no corrective action in that instance and issued no list guidelines. Failure to control personal attacks on the list fosters continued personal attacks.
Yesterday, a member of NMGenWeb posted an unprovoked personal attack against me, stating I ran off Leon Moya, a founder of NMGenWeb. This was a blatant character assignation and it was completely false. After her post, Harold Kilmer said she was 100% correct. Her post followed my praising the previous State Coordinates for their contributions to NMGenWeb.
I will no longer accept business as usual on the NMGenWeb list. Members should not use it as a platform for character assignation and for destroying a person's reputation with inflammatory and false accusations such as the charge that I ran-off the most beloved State Coordinator NMGenWeb, Leon Moya. That email list is available for reading by the public.
Leon Moya--the State Coordinator I referred to, stated on the email list at that time (years ago) that he would not run for office again because he wanted to spend time with his grandchildren since he had a serious heart attack. He did not say I ran him off; Nor, did I. I did inquire about holding an election as required under Section 10 of the USGenWeb Bylaws after Leon Moya became incapacitated.
A USGenWeb Advisory Board Member who I had contacted for guidance informed the NMGenWeb Project that elections were a requirement under the Bylaws. Some members opposed having an election for various reasons. The Assistant State Coordinator actually sent me a personal email saying, “You are f... stupid.”
Currently, the new members of NMGenWeb would assume from the personal attack yesterday on the email list that I "ran off" Leon Moya and caused his heart attack. These false and poisoning remarks were improper and did not involve NMGenWeb Business. Those types of vicious posts should not be allowed on the NMGenWeb list and it is a violation of the terms of use set forth by rootsweb.com.
I decided to obtain an appointment with an attorney regarding this matter. I will no longer endure having my reputation damaged by hateful remarks posted on the NMGenWeb email list. The person who made those remarks on the email list will be notified by my attorney in accordance with the State and Federal law as it exists in Nevada regarding character assignation, Internet stalking, harassment and intentionally inflecting mental anguish. I will discuss with him my rights of bringing action in the Fourth Circuit District Federal Court, which is located in Reno Nevada. My attorney will notify the person involved in a lawful manner of his intended actions.
Back to your statement that members will be de-linked (expelled) in they threaten a lawsuit. Am I to understand that my seeking legal counsel to protect myself against further character assignation and damage to my reputation by continued irresponsible personal attacks on the email list shall result in action against me by NMGenWeb?
I have not threatened anyone with a lawsuit, I am pursuing legal recourse and it will be up to my attorney to decide the best course of action or to seek monetary damages for the mental anguish that person has caused.
I'm taking a copy of this email to my attorney after the appointment can be arranged. I'd appreciate knowing before the appointment if you are going to expel me from NMGenWeb for my seeking legal counsel and any subsequent legal options taken, so I can also discuss options with my attorney regarding this issue.
Charles Barnum,
Member in Good Standing of USGenWeb
County Coordinator, Lincoln County NMGenWeb, 1996-2006
CC: USGenWeb County Coordinator Representative
So? This was a private email.
Remember Mitchell's heading on this web page:
"LAW SUITS AND THREATS BY CHARLES BARNUM" There is no threat here.
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Charles claim to the EC that he had resigned from NMGW: SHOWN THE DOOR: In other election news, our old friend Charles Barnum has been formally notified by the Election Committee that he is ineligible to run for office because of his brief accidental resignation. Apparently, the EC was unable to get timely confirmation on Charles' status from his SC and kicked the issue of his eligibility to the Board. The Board has decided to apply Sturgis, which is not an accepted parliamentary authority in any state but OHGW [as far as we know], to Charles' case and has determined that his resignation as a CC in NMGW and elsewhere was effective immediately upon receipt. We were unaware that Sturgis' rules were in effect in the sovereign states, but apparently they are. This could have most interesting repercussions should the Board choose to pursue its new-found authority
I DID NOT WRITE THE ABOVE STATEMENT. Why is the date and source stripped away?
Karen Mitchell saying I wrote it, is a lie. The part, "Charles claim to the EC that he had resigned from NMGW:" was added by Karen Mitchell. She is a liar. I never made any such claim. I'm not responsible for what others write in their Blogs. The source of that material did not come from me.
How many other messages has Mitchell altered?
When am I going to see an actual violation of the Bylaws charge?
Remember Mitchell's heading on this web page:
"LAW SUITS AND THREATS BY CHARLES BARNUM" There is no threat here.
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Signed this date, July 11, 2006.
Karen Mitchell
New Mexico State Coordinator
Is that it, Karen Mitchell? That is all you could drag up on me? Disconnected private emails? Pathetic cyber-stalker, pathetic.