please do not allow your child to let all of this get in the way of his or her graduation. Regardless of whether or not shelby thames is a terrible president, graduation is a time for your child to celebrate their accomplishments and should be treated as such, no matter what. i would really hope that no one out there, would seek to ruin something so important in these young peoples lives. that would make you no better than the people you are fighting against. there will be grandparents and parents sitting in that audience, perhaps watching the 1st person in their entire family graduate from college and it would just be a travesty if it were to be ruined for them. there may be a single mom who worked nights to put herself through school to make a better life for her children, and a spectacle would ruin one of her most shining moments. please keep in mind, that although you feel passionately about this issue, not everyone out there, who will be graduating or celebrating a graduation does and it isnt fair to bring a negative atmosphere to something that should be celebrated.

quote:

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Originally posted by: impartial
"please do not allow your child to let all of this get in the way of his or her graduation. Regardless of whether or not shelby thames is a terrible president, graduation is a time for your child to celebrate their accomplishments and should be treated as such, no matter what. i would really hope that no one out there, would seek to ruin something so important in these young peoples lives. that would make you no better than the people you are fighting against. there will be grandparents and parents sitting in that audience, perhaps watching the 1st person in their entire family graduate from college and it would just be a travesty if it were to be ruined for them. there may be a single mom who worked nights to put herself through school to make a better life for her children, and a spectacle would ruin one of her most shining moments. please keep in mind, that although you feel passionately about this issue, not everyone out there, who will be graduating or celebrating a graduation does and it isnt fair to bring a negative atmosphere to something that should be celebrated."

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What do you mean, "don't allow your child."  The students who will be graduating in May are the SAME students who have been protesting this semester.  These students--most of whom in the eyles of the law are adults--can decide if and how they want to protest Thames at graduation. I think the best way to do it is to make a comment to him when students shake his hand...after all, he wouldn't listen to them all semester--that will be their chance to say what  they have to say.

Sure, parents and grandparents and relatives of all types will be there--but the day is for the students, foremost.  Don't you think the parents and family members have seen their children suffering because of this administration?  I am sure that these students have talked to their parents about what is going on.  I know that many students with whom I am associated are SUPPORTED BY THEIR PARENTS in their actions against the president.

Whispering back a quick message to the president will not "upset" the day, unless Thames chooses to explode at the student--let's hope he has better judgment than to do that, but nothing from his history has showed that he can restrain his emotions.

By the way, are you aware that many of the students who are protesting Thames ARE SINGLE PARENTS who work their asses off to pay for their education?  And, as for a single parent in the audience, if that parent supports his or her child, why would the child whispering something to Shelby be a "spectacle" that would "ruin the day?"

Please don't use emotion-laden anecdotes to influence students.  These students are bright and most will have the support of their parents and families in whatever actions they choose to do on that day. 

Sure, graduations should be celebrated.  But the most negative aspect of that day himself will be standing on the stage shaking hands.  The very man who won't face students on campus without a police escourt.  The very man who has ripped this university apart and remade it to his own liking without input of faculty.  How do you think the students of Frank Glamser, who were left without a professor for half of the semester, thanks to Thames, will feel when they see Thames face to face?  How do you think their parents in the audience will feel when they see Thames on the stage?

Bottom line: Each student should decide how to handle that day for himself or herself.  It can be both a celebration and a subtle protest--neither prohibits the other.

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Originally posted by: JustAsking
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You rock, JustAsking! 

look fire shelby-
As my posting name states i am impartial to all this, and reserving my judgement until ALL OF THE FACTS come out in the media. As much as you may try, you do not have all of the FACTS. NO ONE DOES. I fully respect you and your opinion but how dare you belittle me for using emotion when everyone on this board is doing the same thing. Emotions are running high for everyone; arent emotions behind almost every heartfelt anti-thames post? i am sure you have very strong emotions, as evident by how quick you are to prove everyone whose opinions differ from you, wrong. the orginal post, asked for an opinion, or suggestions and i gave one. I am simply hoping people realize that not everyone feels as much passion as you do about this. I personally think shelby thames is a jerk, as i know him and his family personally but knowing how hard it was for my father to put me through school, i would want that one day to be as negative as possible and it would tick me off, if i were a student, who is just wanting to have a nice carefree, fun day to celebrate my accomplishment, and there were student demostrators, extra police and a media frenzy. Again, many of the students support you and your fire shelby board, many do not, and many just want to get the hell out of dodge with their diploma. you are right, a small comment to shelby on the stage wouldn't be terrible, but where there is smoke their is fire. and once you start advocating this type of protesting at graduation, where will you draw the line? At the stickers on the hats, or buttons? Would that be the line? What about posters and banners? Would that be the line? If you are going to be the mediator of this board, you are going to have to start being more tollerant of the posters and the differing opinions that come here...like i said, my mind has not been made up yet and i came here out of an interest to learn something i didnt know, but what you are showing me is that you are as intollerant and confronational as you claim Thames to be, so which way should i go? Oh, and i was rasied in the south, so respect for my parents was a VERY big deal. My daddy worked from 4:30 in the morning until 6:00 in the evening for me to go to school so that diploma was as much his as mine. As long as he was paying my bills, he called the shots. Quit being so nit-picky...maybe "allow" was a bad choice of words, but your reaching "fire" using that against me. I'd be willing to bet there are over 500 girls in panhellinic that would agree with me. Wouldnt 500 be a good number to add to you cause? But you just go right on and keep alientating all of us who are undecided. Last I checked there was strength in numbers and from the looks of this board you are wanting all you can get...

Thank you missi for trying to help those of us who are not quite clear undertand your side.I will take you advise. Unfortunately fire "its my board and i'll do as i please" shelby has turned me off.

Don't bother reading it fire, you dont really care what anyone else has to say, so why waste your time reading the post? I just know that there are TONS of people like me out there who just want information from your board, and are totally turned off by your lack of respect for differing opinions. Do you not know that there are more students and alumni undecided than pro thames or against-thames? Don't you want them on your side?

Second, I guess I must apologize for feeling passionately about the graduation thing...I guess YOUR board only has room for people who feel passionately AND are in agreement with you. You should amend your posting rules so posters know that ahead of time. You are making yourself look like some freak radical with a shady agenda and people "on the fence" don't trust that. What it's looking like to me, is that you don't really care about us knowing the facts. You just want us all to be in agreement with you. hum... sounds kind of like your description of Shelby Thames.

Despite your obviously intolerant and prejudiced personality, i admire your fire for what you believe in. It's just too bad that you are losing people to your cause one by one for being such a baby. I can almost see you laying on the floor beating it with your fist saying "its mine, mine, mine" much like a toddler does when he doesnt get his way. Alot of people come here that don't post because they care about USM and its future. You would do better to make them feel you care about USM and not your own agenda.

You know, I dont know whether or not Shelby should be fired and, I hope a University that I earned my bachelors and masters degree from is soon at peace again, b/c as evident by the checks my husband and I write every year in donations to one sports team, donations, the alumni association, and season tickets to football, we obviously love USM. Please fire...keep in mind that you have NO idea who I am. Don't turn me off completely by being a complete jerk. I understand you created this board, but did you do it for you, or for the public to know "the truth." Whats the point of the message board if you dont want to educate? Obviously the majority of posters here are already on your side, and you had a great opportunity to win one more, but instead, you let the insults fly and turn one away. I don't get it.

And, knowing what little i do, i realize you will need the last word so this will be my last post and my last visit to fire shelby. i will be sure to tell everyone i know they are better off reading the hattiesburg american than coming here to learn.

Impartial's comments in bold, mine in regular text:

look fire shelby-
As my posting name states i am impartial to all this, and reserving my judgement until ALL OF THE FACTS come out in the media. As much as you may try, you do not have all of the FACTS. NO ONE DOES.

I admire your ability to remain "impartial" in the face of so much evidence demonstrating the ways Thames has run USM into the ditch.  You are to be credited for being so "objective."  Let me just tell you that I have accumulated enough information to make a pronouncement--Shelby Thames is bad for USM, runs USM through nepotism and cronyism, and fired two professors in a manner that demonstrates the very reasons he should not be at the helm of this university. 

Instead of following prescribed channels of termination, instead of discussing the termination of the two professors with their immediate supervisor and the provost, he let his emotions rule.  He called them to his office to tell them they were fired, while he sent USM police to bar the professors from entering their offices.  He sent IT to confiscate the professors' computers, and he instructed custodians to change the locks on their doors.  ALL OF THIS TRANSPIRED IN FRONT OF STUDENTS, WHICH IS WHY THE CRISIS AT USM HAS BECOME A MEDIA CIRCUS. If the facts I have presented in this paragraph don't disturb you, if you can remain "impartial" given these and other details presented throughout this website, then I think you need to evaluate whether or not you are truly impartial...for you may have already decided on which side of the fence you sit.

I fully respect you and your opinion but how dare you belittle me for using emotion when everyone on this board is doing the same thing. Emotions are running high for everyone; arent emotions behind almost every heartfelt anti-thames post? i am sure you have very strong emotions, as evident by how quick you are to prove everyone whose opinions differ from you, wrong. the orginal post, asked for an opinion, or suggestions and i gave one. I am simply hoping people realize that not everyone feels as much passion as you do about this.

I am not going to comment on this except to say that I consider it funny that your way to counter my remark that your previous post was based on emotional anecdotes is to ask me how I dare belittle you.  In my honest opinion, you took my previous post as an insult against you.  It was not.  I presented my opinion.  If you didn't like it, then so be it.  But I will remark that your brand of impartiality is awfully passionate.

I personally think shelby thames is a jerk, as i know him and his family personally...

Good...glad that your personal connection to Shelby and his family aren't clouding your judgment.

...but knowing how hard it was for my father to put me through school, i would want that one day to be as negative as possible and it would tick me off, if i were a student, who is just wanting to have a nice carefree, fun day to celebrate my accomplishment, and there were student demostrators, extra police and a media frenzy.

Yeah, I worked hard to put myself through college...and that is why I am ashamed that the day that should be a celebration will instead be marred by Shelby Thames, who has made miserable choices that have hurt students ever since he became president two years ago.  The media frenzy is going to occur anyway, I can promise you.  The extra police will be on hand anyway, I can promise.  You can thank Shelby for both...had he not fired two professors in such a sensational, unfair, unprecedented manner that BEGGED FOR MEDIA ATTENTION; were he not aggravating the situation by having police "protection" (when it is not needed) with him every moment he is on campus, then your wishes for a happy, fun day might be realized. Sadly, Shelby has created the current climate of fear, pessimism, and paranoia.  Sorry, but it isn't going to evaporate for this one day, just because it would be nice if it did.

Again, many of the students support you and your fire shelby board, many do not, and many just want to get the hell out of dodge with their diploma. you are right, a small comment to shelby on the stage wouldn't be terrible, but where there is smoke their is fire. and once you start advocating this type of protesting at graduation, where will you draw the line? At the stickers on the hats, or buttons? Would that be the line? What about posters and banners? Would that be the line?

Gee...who appointed me the supervisor of student protests on graduation day?  Did I not already say in my earlier post that students ought to make their own decisions about their actions on that day? I would do the whisper, but I will leave it to others to decide how they will behave.  It isn't my choice.  Nor is it yours.

If you are going to be the mediator of this board, you are going to have to start being more tollerant   of the posters and the differing opinions that come here...

I am definitely the creator and "mediator" (I presume you meant moderator; I have no desire to mediate between Shelby supporters and opponents) of this board.  And if you will look through the other threads here, you will see that I have actually THANKED CIVIL Thames supporters for posting here.  Look at the rules--they describe for whom this message board was created.  They also state under which circumstances Shelby's supporters can post.  Don't like the rules?  Don't post here. If you take offense at this, sorry, but this isn't a general USM message board.  It has a purpose and a theme, which you may or may not share.

like i said, my mind has not been made up yet and i came here out of an interest to learn something i didnt know, but what you are showing me is that you are as intollerant   and confronational   as you claim Thames to be, so which way should i go?

Honestly, you want me to answer that question?  Here is what I suggest.  Don't make your decision because you feel that the moderator of some message board is mean to you. Make it based on the circumstances on the campus right now. It would be silly to decide to oppose or support Thames because of the way your feel I moderate this board.

Oh, and i was rasied in the south, so respect for my parents was a VERY big deal. My daddy worked from 4:30 in the morning until 6:00 in the evening for me to go to school so that diploma was as much his as mine. As long as he was paying my bills, he called the shots.

Yeah, I was raised in the South, too, and my father told me to take a stand for myself and for what is right.  I have done that throughout the crisis at USM.  Some of us were raised to question.  That's what I do. 

And, even though my father paid the bills at my house, he encouraged me to develop as an individual, to think as an individual, to respect authority but to challenge it when conviction mandated it. He knows I am the creator of this website...he's very proud of me.

Quit being so nit-picky...maybe "allow" was a bad choice of words, but your reaching "fire" using that against me. I'd be willing to bet there are over 500 girls in panhellinic that would agree with me. Wouldnt 500 be a good number to add to you cause?

Frankly, I don't care if the supporters are in panhellinic or not.  500 supporters would be great to add.  As far as panhellinic, go look at the photos from the protest.  You will see that many of your sisters were there.

But you just go right on and keep alientating all of us who are undecided. Last I checked there was strength in numbers and from the looks of this board you are wanting all you can get...

Actually, support for the two professors is growing, so, indeed, you are correct that there is strength in numbers.  As for the remark about the message board, I can only say, "Huh?"

Warmest regards,

Fire Shelby