American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

Captain Smith: As Generals Mallory and Nelms have said, the cabinet has been working on this. We posted less then 48 hours after the start of the thread. Communicating via email among seven people is not easy and very time consuming, particuliarly on workdays when we all have real life jobs and evenings and weekends when we all have real life family commitments. You may have these commitments yourself.

I regret you've concluded there's been tardiness on the cabinets part. If you wish to change things, get involved. Many ways to do this beyond simply posting here. For example, two cabinet seats will be available at the end of the year. Many other volunteer positions abound. Ask how you can help.

Also, as already noted, Larry Quick has nothing to do with your ability to post on this board but I can see how his note below could have been misintrepreted.

Regards,

Gen. Doug Burke
Cabinet Member

There are 5 posts on this thread from Cabinet members. I just suggested that Cabinet members add that they are a Cabinet member in their signature. I think that a higher profile for those that are not familiar with the names would be of great benefit. I am sure most don't know or remember who are in the Cabinet.

I always thought that this type of thread discussion causes harm to the Club, potential new members, and current members as alluded to by Captain Smith. I would ask General Golen to remove this thread so that no further harm would arise. There are inaccuracies and wrong conclusions are being drawn about the club, about its administration, its members, and are a direct reflection on whom and what we are. The Cabinet will keep you informed as to the process and decision. Although the intentions are good, the threads tend to degrade and become de-moralizing to all.

The current ACWGC hosting of the main club pages and these forums are provided free of charge and have always been so. We started with Bravenet and moved on to wargame.ch servers. Since 1997, its conception year, the Club has been on free hosting servers. Over the years we have moved servers due to higher and higher bandwidth needs (which would have cost a fortune, the fancy graphics on posts for example use up an enormous amount of bandwidth) and have sought servers. I have to thank Alexander Cuva and his wargame.ch for all of the work he does for the ACWGC and for many of our sisters club over the last several years. He has spent an enormous amount of energy, personal time to help me keep this site up. He never asked for anything, except put up a paypal button (without asking for contributions or advertisement), to help coax the host servers to fix problems. He is a genuine hero of this club. You know what; he is not even a member he just loves the hobby, go figure. If there was an indispensable person that supports the club, and no one is, he would be it.

Any money spent by members is of a personal nature for personal reasons and agendas. There is no need or requirement by the club administration to do so. Alternative free solutions are available including hosting a database. No one asked Mr. Quick to spend money or create the www.acwgc.org site; by the way it is causing confusion to potential members. We may be thankful to those that spend money that add useful and time saving applications but it was not asked for or expected.

Thank you for your time in reading this post.



Best Regards,

General Pierre D.
CSA Reserve Corps
President, ACWGC
Cabinet Member

In fairness to Capt Smith, he has already volunteered his services, and I expect he will be an asset to this club. I'm sure a lot of us Rebs who quit the Union when Mr Lincoln got elected know a bit about responding emotionally to issues.

Respectfully,

MG Mike Mihalik
1/III/AoMiss/CSA

Pierre,
I mean this as respectfully as possible, please take it in the manner it is meant. Removing this thread would be another huge mistake.....There was a tremendous backlash last time when the forum was censored.....that in my opinion was the single most damaging thing that was done in the whole affair.....it gives an impression that those in power do not want an open, honest, and fair forum. I am not implying that indeed, that is the case, but I am stating that it does give that impression. If there was one issue that really bothered me during the conflagration, it was the censorship that occured.....it still bothers me that it occured. As to the issue on that situation, I never took sides, I really did not care one way or the other about it as I did not have the information I needed in order to decide what I felt was right (if there was a right or wrong), and besides, as I recall, it was a Yankee thing anyway!!!! LOL.....Nevertheless, censorship, in any form, is still censorship and not something we need at all!!!!!! If you really have the best interests of the club in mind, please do not make the same mistake again.....Regards, Hank

Hank,

I was just asking the original poster of the thread to delete it as others have I believe. It's his choice to keep it or remove it. I think he has that right. You should be addressing him not me. I don't know why you are attacking me for censorship and bringing up past issues. Any past censorship was a collective decision. I do not have a right to my opinion? Do you realize that internal bickering is by far the No. 1 reason why clubs dissolve? That I am sensitive to it is not a bad thing. I just think it is not a good image to present the public about the club. The points have been made, and recognized. Time to move on.

It seems that every post requires a replique that have the potential to degenerate, as you well know. Some are not as calm and thoughtful with their comments.

People; make sure your profile signature is on when making posts. You wouldn't want the dictatorial, ego driven, personal fiefdom regime that controls this club to limit your freedoms now would you.


Best Regards,

General Pierre D.
1/3/I, AoG
President, ACWGC
Cabinet Member

Pierre,
I will temper my earlier statements, by stating that I have now been informed that you asked Don to remove the thread, and that he is not a moderator....so that would not be the type of censorship that bothered me so much the last time....it would merely be a person in a high position "giving" the weight of his opinion, combined with the possible weight of his high position, in order to apply some possible pressure on thev author......believe it or not, I support your right to do so, as long as you do not abuse the power of your high position, by finding a way to force the involuntary removal of the thread.....Your opinion has the same right to be heard as mine....or anyone else's opinion in the club. I read the post earlier to mean that you were asking a moderator to remove the thread.....I stand corrected on that fact....just for your info, Notso informed me of my error, and asked me to be fair about things....I am posting this in order to do so...

Pierre,
I hit the post button on my last post, before I finished the post....I will address, the last thing you said first by mentioning that I said none of the things you implied there.....I am simply saying that I hate censorship, and that putting a proper face on the club, at the cost of having to invoke censorship, is simply not worth the price......I would guess that you disagree with my opinion on this, but that is indeed your right. I did not attack you personally for censorship, unless it was you alone that made the censorship decisions at that time.....I simply stated that the censorship was what bothered me about the whole thing....I don't like buissiness conducted in private as that allows for the appearance of impropriety. I am not saying there was, I am simply stating that cencorship delivers exactly the wrong face to the club....it delivers a face quite the opposite of the one you are trying to deliver when censoring....So please understand, I am not personally attacking you, nor do I even view this as an attack....I view this simply as my pleading one who is in power, not to create a situation where things can be percieved as corrupt.....I will now ask Don, to please NOT remove this thread!!!!!
Lastly, I have no idea what you are referring to when speaking of a profile signature, so if that was aimed at me, I would sincerely ask for a clarification.
Regards, Hank Smith

Hank,

I was aiming at everyone that does not use a proper signature which is your name rank and organization. It makes it very hard to know who we are addressing. You did add Hank so I knew to address you.




Best Regards,

General Pierre D.
1/3/I, AoG
President, ACWGC
Cabinet Member

Pierre,
I did not take offense earlier....I just was not sure of what you meant....thanks for the clarification.....I will try to do better in the future, but you know that we Southrons are too good at all this soldiering stuff....Regards,
BG Hank Smith
A of G
Either 1st or 2nd Corp (I think)
Division commander of one of the divisions
in which ever Corp it is that I am in!

Just to be sure, the above was meant to be humorous and tounge in cheek.....

Honest truth is I can't ever seem to remember all them there numbers though.....cypherin has always been so durned tough!!!!! I do known that my Corp Commander is Patrick Carroll, and he seems to be a really dedicated, good guy!!!!!
Regards, Hank

Pierre,
One more question......do you know what happened to the original "Fight The War" thread which dissappeared a while back? I am asking on here because you have been watching this thread......I don't think anything underhanded or smacking of censorship happened to it as I don't think there was anything the least bit controversial there....in other words, I am not thinking anything along lines of a conspiracy theory.....lol.....I was just wondering if you knew as I have not found anyone who could explain it? If anyone can, you are likely in the right position to do so.....
Thanks in advance,
Hank Smith

As other cabinet memebrs have already responded, I too shall chime in.

I want to talk about the perceptions of the "Cabinet". My perception of the cabinet in the past was much like some of the opinions being expressed here. I thought they wielded too much power with no controls and were looking out for themselves first (a "good ole' boys club". I have found, since being selected for the cabinet, that is no where near the truth. The cabinet is made up of members of the club just like you. No one is looking for power and I don't see any political hobbiest among us. Some of the slander that has been slung at the cabinet in this thread is way off base. I certainly am not a Nazi demanding members get in ranks and start goosestepping and resent the implication that I am. But, again, I guess stuff like that comes with the territory being a cabinet member and here at the forum in threads like this one.

The cabinet shares the same concerns you do about the club and follows the forums just as closely for opinions being expressed. When this thread appeared an email was immediately sent out between all the cabinet members alerting them of its presence. We all started watching and reading the posts and began communicating with each other our feelings and concerns, much as was going on here. No assumptions should be made on what the cabinet was thinking or doing or not doing during a time like this. It takes time to get a concensus on what the "Cabinet" response to anything should be. I cannot sit here, nor Mark or Pierre, and say anything in the name of the cabinet without full approval of the cabinet. If I do, I am sure it will be pointed out rather quickly by other cabinet members that I spoke out of turn and they will set the record straight, as well they should. A concensus was reached and the post by Mark Nelms, in the name of the Cabinet, is here for all to read.

As a piece of inside information, the discussion included how should the cabinet (club) treat anyone, not just this particular case, in resolving a membership problem of this sort. The solution should not be different for different people. It should be the same for all. Different situations might create a need for different responses, but everyone that leaves the club, voluntarily or involuntarily, should be treated equal when asking to return. A procedure to be followed should be established that is clear to all and that is what is being done.

You should also know, because I know this has to be on several peoples minds during this discussion, that the cabinet has not forgotten the rule change suggestions and all. Ernie Sands, the head of the committee that looked at the rules last year, is now a cabinet member and the rules are definitely being looked at. Everyone knows that changes are needed and hopefully we will start seeing some of those changes put in place before too long. And to alieve your concerns, the club will decide, not the cabinet, what the rules and guidelines will finally look like.

Last,I would like to address this particular thread and Larry Quick. I hope Larry still shares the same good feelings I have about our meeting at Antietam and the good times we shared there. During the turmoil that ensued in the time following I spent a lot of time communicating with Larry about the club, his web site, and, yes, the scoundrels on the Cabinet. However, when his troubles started to escalate, he knew I didn't approve of what he had done, as he stated in one of our emails. We, at that time, distanced ourselves from each other by simply stopping communication directly with each other. Speaking strictly for myself, I would love nothing more than to see Larry come back into the club and become a productive member again. He knows what will be expected of him, I am sure, and if he is truly regretful of his past actions and is sincere about wishing to return to the club and abide by the club guidelines and use common sense and courtesy in dealing with all club members, I am sure he will be welcomed by all.

You should also know, as Den McBride can tell you, that since my first day on the cabinet I have been pushing for more communication between the cabinet and the club. It was Pierre that came up with the recommendation of the organization of the Department of Communications. His concept was to have general club information about games, etc, included but also, one of the main parts, to be a monthly?? Cabinet report that would keep members informed about what the cabinet had been doing during the past month. I am a firm believer that much of the myth of the Cabinet and its purported "power mongers" will fall away as the membership in general is kept informed of what is going on at the Cabinet level.

Lt. Gen. Don Adams
5th Texas "Lone Star" Cavalry Brigade
I/III ANV
Cabinet Member
http://www.rootsandsaddles.com/index.htm

Don,

I can't disagree with much you have said here....I think we basically agree on much of this.....I will even say that it is commendable that this thread has NOT been censored! Shows an improvement in things right there. Strangly, I see this a bit as a microcosm of the war itself....should all power be heavily centralized, vs will freedoms and rights of the individual be respected.....one of those, being the right to speak out....OK so it is an admittedly loose analogy....lol.....Personally, I would likely not throw anyone out who did not break the law if I were in power......each to his own I always say.....but I guess that is the Southern in me......live and let live......don't tell me how to live, and rest assured, I will never attempt to tell you how to (except where it abridges my rights).....
Regards, Hank Smith

To clarify Hanks' position for anybody wondering, he is the CO of the 1st Div, II Corps, AoG.

Lt General Malcolm Hunt
II Division "The Grey Immortals"
II Corps
AoG
CSA

Gents

I have every confidence that, as a result of last years' debacle, this club from the Cabinet on down has learned and moved forward in a positive manner. I think the various levels represented are more transparent than before and members at all levels are more committed to making this club something to be proud of.

Notso has continued to be a part of the club throughout, although behind the scenes. I have every confidence that he has figured out that he did something unacceptable. The time has long passed for explanations, justifications, etc for what he did and the punishment imposed. IF he has made sufficient reparation to those whom he offended, or has made every reasonable attempt to, it is time to decide if he should be allowed to return as an active member or not. I have room in my command to take him in and will be the first person to kick his bony a** out if any repeat performance occurs.

Respectfully,


BG Jeff Bangma
Commander, I "Fighting First" Corps
Army of the Potomac