The following is my Facebook comment on my encounter with a person who has a key role in the “coalition” and the alumni council, The leader of those two groups recently touched off a smear against me resulting in false rumor and innuendo against my character.
The good news is in response to my Facebook comment I finally got some words of
support. The
following was my Facebook comment on the matter – followed by the supportive comments.
Depicted is an example of the kinds of smear that was touched off by the head of those two organizations.
My Facebook Comment:
Recently in one of the efforts I am involved in - the head of two prominent
groups involved in that same effort felt a need to publicly distance their
group from me personally. It resulted in one forum a piling on including much
smear, character assassination, rumor and innuendo - falsehoods.
The organization did nothing
to dispel the rumors and innuendo their public pronouncement touched off.
While I disagree that there
was any need for them to make the public distancing statement - I had made
clear - even in a paper I printed that I am fully and solely responsible for my
own views - I could understand that they felt a need to do it.
However - as these were my
former colleagues - once it touched off the venomous reaction - even one person
saying "he must be stopped " (lol) - they should have stepped in to
clarify that they had not intended to unleash such wrath - that what was being
said
was false - and then they should have deleted the thread all together - none of
that happened.
Yesterday I was able to talk
to a top member of this group - not the one that started the public on-line
bashing. She took umbrage to me raising it openly with her - denied any
connection to the bashing (which I concurred - her name was not connected to
it). She said that I should take it up with the person that started it (I did but there was no reply).
However - I do believe that
if you are part of an organization and the head of your group - inflicts such
harm on behalf of your group - you can not just say you have "nothing to
do with it" because you do - if you are a spokesperson for the same group
- you hold collective responsibility for the actions of those who act in the
name of your organization.
The following is the positive feedback I have received.
I have great appreciation to you for supportive words!
Elizabeth Faraone
Anyone who rejects you rejects
that which is good. 
😘Love you!
Vincnt
Todaro
Bob: I don't know what happened with your associates there. But I will say you
are one of the VERY FEW people I see who posts on social media and also engages
in TRUE activism. Most of what I see is masturbatory and cowardly (faux
activism). Social media is infamous for being a place where nut jobs, assholes, and idiots run
free. There is no filter. So perhaps you should take what is said with a grain
of salt, or just lambaste these people. Whatever makes you feel better and sets
the record straight. Funny, just tonight I was out and bumped into a classmate
of mine, whose wife had been a bitch to me on FB. I got the feeling I was not
wanted by either for conversation, but I don't know for sure. But the bottom
line is, I really, truly don't care (Last year she took umbrage with my praise
of Colin Kaepernick. She told me he was a "jackass." I found this
confusing considering this is the same woman who advised me to stop being
"so negative' on FB. She twice tried to engage me by calling Colin a
jackass, and I told her I had already written about 5,000 words on social media
about Colin and I was not going to waste my time going over things I had spent
so much time on. For this, she unfriended me, but not before one of her
typically sub moronic and nasty responses. Anyhow, be well and solidarity.
Name Withheld for now.
I agree completely. Be
prepared to defend public statements made by group members or get out of
leadership position. Also-I'm sorry you've got to deal with shittyness.
No-backbone cowards are the reason we're in ALL the messes.
Elizabeth Faraone
Maybe the organization that
smeared you is infiltrated by the FBI.
Bob Witanek
Sometimes that is not even a necessary component for counter productive character assassination to be attempted.
Elizabeth Faraone
I know. Only big egos are needed.
Name
withheld for now
No good deed goes unpunished!
Illegitimi non carborundum.
Name withheld for now
Oh my. Bob, how many times has this happened to me or someone near me. once
they start circling the wagons and shooting inward....get the hell out of the
middle of it. The do gooders are just as programmed to be contentious and
disagreeable as the bad doers.
We all should unite around these demands:
