A short message from Fire Shelby

Fire Shelby · Status: Offline

A short message from Fire Shelby

Date: Apr 29, 2004

FS,
Your statement is beautiful and so are you. As you wrote, everyone should remember that the purpose of the hearing was to bring to light the fact that Gary and Frank did nothing wrong. That is evident, and I'm sure the settlement, once disclosed, will reveal this to an even greater extent.

The work of FS is not done, however, until Shelby Thames is out of the dome. Everyone needs to stay on top of this and on top of the college board. This end may not be met tomorrow or the next day, but Shelby will go down with continued pressure. He showed his a** yesterday, and everyone knows it. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, EVERYONE, AND KEEP THOSE LETTERS GOING TO THE COLLEGE BOARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Date: Apr 29, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by: in the know
" The work of FS is not done, however, until Shelby Thames is out of the dome. Everyone needs to stay on top of this and on top of the college board. This end may not be met tomorrow or the next day, but Shelby will go down with continued pressure.

And not just Shelby...we've got to clean out the Roundhouse!

Date: Apr 29, 2004

And the IHL board.

Date: Apr 29, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by:
"I want to thank EVERYONE for the contributions you have made to this website and message board. I give full credit to all of you. You are Fire Shelby.
We don't know what will emerge from the IHL meeting. In my excitement, I may have been too eager to interpret yesterday as a complete victory for the profs. Please don't read anything into my statements in this message. I am speaking from my heart, not from any insider knowledge, and I want to be completely honest with all of you.
We all know that the charges against our beloved professors were ridiculous. We all know that our two professors, throughout their entire careers, have exhibited the highest ethical standards. We know that this is not the case with Shelby Thames and his cronies.
But we do NOT know what kind of agreement was reached yesterday. In a perfect world, I would hope that several things occured, but I have no way of knowing whether or not MY hopes will be realized.
I have been pretty darn close to the Great Spirit throughout this entire crisis--sometimes dire circumstances prompt us to do that. I have prayed that the professors will be reinstated. I have prayed that they will be publicly exonerated. I have prayed that a very embarrassed, shamed Shelby Thames will lead a wagon train out of the dome, with Hanbury, the Dvoraks, and his other minions in tow. Let em make paint. Let em suffer the most grave embarrassment for the trouble that they have caused at USM. Let em eat fish heads for forcing so MANY wonderful faculty members to leave USM. I have prayed for integrity to be restored to my alma mater. I have prayed that I can tell people I graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi without feeling like it's something I should be ashamed of. I have prayed for catharsis, but on MY terms.
My terms and Frank and Gary's terms might not be the same. Whatever terms they agreed to, I trust in them to do what is best for them and for USM, because their love of USM has always been evident. These men won't let us down, but let's allow our expectations to be reasonable. Let's not let THEM down. Whenever the information about the agreement emerges, let's continue to support them, no matter what they agreed to. They have sacrificed SO MUCH during the past seven weeks. Again, I am speaking from my heart, not from insider knowledge.
Let's continue to buy t-shirts. Let's continue to rally for the dismissal of Shelby Thames and Co. Let's continue to keep an Eagle Eye on the functions of this university. LET'S NOT LOSE HEART.
The great effort and support of this website--which is NOT just me, it's all of US--and many others allowed Frank and Gary to get a deal they are happy with and to largely cover their legal expenses. If they are satisfied with the deal they receive, then I am happy for them. You can bet that they won't leave us high and dry--they are the essense of USM. No matter what emerges in the next few days, let's never forget the impact our activism had.
Fire Shelby, moderator"

Fs,
This message has really depressed me. I know some Shelby supports and last night they said Gary and Frank will not teach another class at USM. I laughed and took it as B.S. But today another neutral person told me very seriously that he heard from an "insider" that they would not be fired but allowed to retire. I can't believe this because the logic doesn't work for me. They could have done that March 5. However, coming home and reading this thread took away the good feeling I had from yesterday.

I asked about the defense fund yesterday because, if Gary and Frank win a settlement, they wouldn't need the fund. However everyone says keep giving. Sorry for this downer message.

Otherside

Date: Apr 29, 2004

It's all speculation on both sides. It's only natural that there will be a good deal of emotional ups and downs until we finally get to hear the results.

Date: Apr 29, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: aghast
"It's all speculation on both sides. It's only natural that there will be a good deal of emotional ups and downs until we finally get to hear the results.

"

Thanks Aghast. However, I really respect the neutral person because he never B.S.s me and called things correctly in the past. I hope his source was just speculating and didn't really have "inside" info. It was FS's message on top of everything that depressed me.

Otherside

Date: Apr 29, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Otherside
" Thanks Aghast. However, I really respect the neutral person because he never B.S.s me and called things correctly in the past. I hope his source was just speculating and didn't really have "inside" info. It was FS's message on top of everything that depressed me. Otherside "

The only people who have inside information aren't allowed to talk. There are a lot of ways of "reading" them, but that's really all we have to go on.

Emotions are running rampant right now all the way around, but other than bite our nails, there's really nothing we can do until tomorrow afternoon.

I still feel confident that things have gone in favor of Glamser and Stringer. However, I don't think anyone is going to be entirely reliable in guessing what exactly is going to happen tomorrow.

Fire Shelby · Status: Offline

quote:
Originally posted by: Otherside
" Thanks Aghast. However, I really respect the neutral person because he never B.S.s me and called things correctly in the past. I hope his source was just speculating and didn't really have "inside" info. It was FS's message on top of everything that depressed me. Otherside "

Otherside, let me assure you that I have no insider knowledge--NONE. I just think it is better to be cautiously optimistic.

Please understand that I have been on an emotional rollercoaster today, too. Not from anything that anyone has said to me, but from the natural highs and lows you experience when you wait for impending news.

If I knew anything, I promise that I would share it with everyone. I don't know anything, except that the profs were happy yesterday when they emerged from the closed-door meeting, and Shelby looked awfully defeated.

In less that 24 hours, we will know the news. I am sure we are all very anxious as we wait. Again, please know that I was speaking from my heart in the post above, and not from any scoop.

The professors are ethical enough to stand up to their promise not to discuss the settlement. Shelby may leak it, but the profs won't. Honestly, I wouldn't trust any leak that comes from the dome.

Keep your chin up. No matter what we find out, let's gather here tomorrow to celebrate or commiserate.

Unless the agreement included Shelby agreeing to step down, this website will go on. That is the paramount mission.

Don't be despondent! Let's remain optimistic!

Warmest regards,

FS

Date: Apr 29, 2004

You guys should take FS message to heart. A settlement is just that, a settlement. It involves a compromise. But just because the parties decide to compromise, it doesn't change what we all witnessed yesterday, over the previous few weeks and the past two years. Thames is a vindictive, petty and spiteful person. Most of the USM community probably already knew this, but a lot of people away from USM probably didn't realize it or think about it until they heard/saw how pathetic Dr. Thames seemed in reading and characterizing personal emails that were never intended to be public. I think it would be hard for anyone to saw that faculty are simply being paranoid in their view of Dr. Thames.

At the end of the day, G&S have to think about their families and their ultimate well being. You can trust the instincts of everyone on this board about what motivated the resolution yesterday. Any lawyer will tell you that the timing of the settlement means that it motivated by the weakness of Dr. Thames' position, but the settlement wouldn't have happened without something coming out of this that allowed Dr. Thames to save some face. When this all comes out, people on this board may be a little disappointed by the result, but G&S were clearly in the driver's seat and they wouldn't have agreed to something unless it ultimately made sense for both of them and what they thought was best for the USM community as a whole.

Date: Apr 29, 2004

Info --

Very well said. Compromise has to happen.

Date: Apr 29, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Otherside
"

I asked about the defense fund yesterday because, if Gary and Frank win a settlement, they wouldn't need the fund. However everyone says keep giving. Sorry for this downer message.

Otherside"

I fully understand your concern on this matter, but we are prohibited from providing any information on the settlement at this time. However, I can say that the word "settlement" refers to an agreement, not a bundle of money. I can also say that our legal fees total about $40,000 to defend ourselves and our livelihood. We have collected a very generous $30,000 from our supporters, and some individuals have been extremely generous.

Gary and I are working on a plan to endow an undergraduate scholarship with $10,000 of our own money in recognition of all the great support we have received from students, staff, faculty, alumni, community members and concerned citizens all over the country. However, we can not cover both the deficit and the scholarship. When we have our plan firmed up, we will ask for help. Any amount in excess of $40,000 would go to the scholarship fund.

Fire Shelby · Status: Offline

quote:
Originally posted by: info
"You guys should take FS message to heart. A settlement is just that, a settlement. It involves a compromise. But just because the parties decide to compromise, it doesn't change what we all witnessed yesterday, over the previous few weeks and the past two years. Thames is a vindictive, petty and spiteful person. Most of the USM community probably already knew this, but a lot of people away from USM probably didn't realize it or think about it until they heard/saw how pathetic Dr. Thames seemed in reading and characterizing personal emails that were never intended to be public. I think it would be hard for anyone to saw that faculty are simply being paranoid in their view of Dr. Thames. At the end of the day, G&S have to think about their families and their ultimate well being. You can trust the instincts of everyone on this board about what motivated the resolution yesterday. Any lawyer will tell you that the timing of the settlement means that it motivated by the weakness of Dr. Thames' position, but the settlement wouldn't have happened without something coming out of this that allowed Dr. Thames to save some face. When this all comes out, people on this board may be a little disappointed by the result, but G&S were clearly in the driver's seat and they wouldn't have agreed to something unless it ultimately made sense for both of them and what they thought was best for the USM community as a whole."

Thanks, info. You said it better than I did--you are 100% correct in every word.

Date: Apr 29, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Frank Glamser
" I fully understand your concern on this matter, but we are prohibited from providing any information on the settlement at this time. However, I can say that the word "settlement" refers to an agreement, not a bundle of money. I can also say that our legal fees total about $40,000 to defend ourselves and our livelihood. We have collected a very generous $30,000 from our supporters, and some individuals have been extremely generous. Gary and I are working on a plan to endow an undergraduate scholarship with $10,000 of our own money in recognition of all the great support we have received from students, staff, faculty, alumni, community members and concerned citizens all over the country. However, we can not cover both the deficit and the scholarship. When we have our plan firmed up, we will ask for help. Any amount in excess of $40,000 would go to the scholarship fund."

OK - thanks for the info. Obviously, this means that you all weren't able to get the state or Shelby to pay your legal fees. I just hope that you got everything you possibly could out of the scoundrel, including, if you desired it, your jobs back.

Date: Apr 29, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Frank Glamser
" I fully understand your concern on this matter, but we are prohibited from providing any information on the settlement at this time. However, I can say that the word "settlement" refers to an agreement, not a bundle of money. I can also say that our legal fees total about $40,000 to defend ourselves and our livelihood. We have collected a very generous $30,000 from our supporters, and some individuals have been extremely generous. Gary and I are working on a plan to endow an undergraduate scholarship with $10,000 of our own money in recognition of all the great support we have received from students, staff, faculty, alumni, community members and concerned citizens all over the country. However, we can not cover both the deficit and the scholarship. When we have our plan firmed up, we will ask for help. Any amount in excess of $40,000 would go to the scholarship fund."

You and Dr. Stringer made us proud yesterday, and we know that you will continue to do so regardless of the outcome of the IHL meeting tomorrow.

Thanks for clearing up the numbers on the defense fund. The scholarship is an excellent idea.

Date: Apr 29, 2004

RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: A short message from Fire Shel

Date: Apr 29, 2004

RE: RE: RE: A short message from Fire Shelby