| NCCA
"Forum" Out of Control? Allowing Such Negative Rhetoric Embarrassing to all Chess Players by NM Leland Fuerstman I feel it to be my obligation to report how organized chess is being represented by certain zealous outgoing officers and members of the North Carolina Chess Association. Imagine a complete novice accessing www.ncchess.org and reading the messages on their "Forum?" ... including a message where "ThrillerFan" (Patrick McCartney) makes disparaging remarks about NM Pat Sciacca's devotion to the Christian religion? ...and refers to others, including myself, as "liars and imbeciles." According to their own "rules of usage," such personal attacks are a form of "defamation of character" and could be a violation of the law... and are strictly forbidden to be posted. The problem is, their "moderator" has failed to control nor remove any of those inflammatory messages. In fact, they do not even identify who their moderator is; but evidence indicates that Rudy Abate, Gary Newsom and Cha Cha have access to their "Forum." The problem is, renown chess bully Gary Newsom is their most prolific abuser!? Negative personal slurs such as the ones which are posted are a violation of their own rules. Furthermore, as the official "Affiliate" for the USCF, they are required to abide by the Affiliate's rules and regulations of the USCF which include honoring the "state laws" of each affiliate. Unfortunately, their refusal to control their "Forum" has allowed contributors to freely slander and libel other members without fear of retribution, even though, as a registered non-profit organization, such statements may be a violation of state law. Hence, the right to maintain their USCF affiliation should seriously be brought into question... Last year, I protested to the USCF Ethics Committee that I was prevented from participating in the NC State Championship for "personal reasons." The current NCCA President Rudolph Abate, is again repeating the same violation of my rights by rejecting my NCCA membership fee and preventing me from participating this year? One must bear in mind that I have violated no rule of chess nor civil law. The very reason that Abate is denying me the right to participate is because I published my "opinion" on my own website! And just like the Editor of "Chess Life," I have a right to my opinion. The continuing problem is, instead of ever answering any of the pertinent questions, they invariably sidestep the "issues" by assaulting me with personal slurs and false innuendo. Now, I am being referred to by Newsom as "a "cancer" which must be eliminated? For the past many years, the NCCA attorney has handpicked the officers by the "questionable" use of "proxies." Many years ago, this same individual authored the NCCA "Articles of Incorporation" which has been marred by a number of curious changes since it's original publication. One of those changes is the fact that the members no longer have the general right to vote and can only vote for the election of officers. Furthermore, they can not present any motions nor participate in the meeting except as spectators??? No one in North Carolina ever remembers any such discussion nor vote to give up our right to vote!?? Finally, I wish to address some of the blather which has recently been posted by Chess Bully Gary Newsom. He proudly announces a "New Age" of chess in North Carolina! And, that we should not revert to the "Dark Ages." So, let's examine this a bit; by hook or crook, a member becomes President of the NCCA. He promptly forms a company which, of all things, organizes and directs chess tournaments. He then, as President, "farms out" the future NC Open and Closed to the highest bidders!? (or, a pool of other theoretical organizers who might be interested in running these annual events and paying back a fee to the NCCA). Finally, curiously enough, the winner of the "bid" is his own personal company, Carolinas Chess Initiative, owned and operated by Newsom and a partner. (Again, I will state, there is absolutely no reason to "farm out" any of these tournaments when the NCCA already has so many Directors and Organizers within their own circles). The twisted "tea party" idea that the business owners should also be the officers of the organization in control violates all democratic principles??! The result is that a bunch of greedy zealots can design all of the agreements for themselves and line their pockets with revenues which should at least be shared by the NCCA. The fact is, NCCA membership was not even required in the recent 2014 Greensboro International Chess Festival (or NC Open) organized by Newson's company, and there has been no proof of any revenue gained by the NCCA from that event. Furthermore, the upcoming NC Closed this weekend, will again be organized by another profit making chess company owned and operated by NCCA Vice President NM Peter Giannatos. And, according to the Dictator, Rudy Abate, the NCCA will not share any of the revenue??? (Does no one else see any conflict of interest here?) Newsom must be referring to the "Dark Ages" when altruistic people volunteered their services for the good of the entire organization, for absolutely no compensation. Unfortunately, those "dark ages" are long gone. Now, it is obvious to see what this thing has degenerated into. Newsom is all about the money. Furthermore, had it not been for his benevolent partner who has personally lost over $7,000 because of someone's bad planning, extravagant spending and mismanagement, Newsom would have "gone out of business" long ago! The fact is, the Bully has proven himself not to be a very good manager of anything at all. He often waits too late to make legitimate arrangements and ends up stepping on the toes of other organizers who may have already chosen his dates!? (that has happened 3 times to one chess club and 4 times to the CCC?) Once, because of poor planning, he ended up recruiting a group of poorly qualified "Directors" from Atlanta who were listed as Chief Tournament Directors but actually played in every round of the event? He often makes bold statements about things that he intends to do, but rarely, if ever, gets them done. Remember the so called Jackie Ryan Memorial when he didn't even come to the gathering, and never followed up to do anything - the FM Ron Simpson Memorial where he made such a bid deal out of selling T shirts after I pointed out that they were using his name to make money on a tournament but giving nothing back to the family!? The "Gambit" which he promised to revive and published exactly one issue before abandoning? His failure as a Tournament Director to send in accurate results which resulted in NM Dominique Myers Drawing "Wild" Bill Connell back in 2011 when in fact Connell won the game. It is my understanding that Connell "E-mailed Newsom 5 separate times after that" asking him to make the change, "but he never did?" And, his famous "privatizing" of the now defunct Queen City Chess Club which resulted in his converting all of the club funds (appx $5,000) into his own personal bank account?! The only thing that Newsom seems to be good at is grabbing a few cheeseburgers and a case of beer, sitting down at his keyboard and blasting out 100,000 words that all add up to a bunch of incomprehensible blather where he regurgitates his prejudices and fears and never addresses the issues at hand? His real problem is that, because of his lack of formal education and his fragile ego, he simply can't stand any criticism?! He has proven over and over that he is unable to describe his ideas in writing without personally attacking someone? His recent outrageous remarks that NMLF is a "cancer" just because I have an "opinion" is utterly disgusting and must be censured. Right now, with so many folks jumping off of it, the wheels on Newsom's bandwagon are beginning to wobble! "To imply that my messages harm every member demonstrates some twisted notion that in his self ordained majesty, Newsom mistakenly believes that every member owes absolute allegiance to him?? Because, he is the NCCA!? The fact is, most of them are sick and tired of his negative rhetoric. And worse, is the insane idea that if any member has even the slightest association with NMLF, they are branded as traitors and even disqualified from running for office?! What a sick puppy this guy is. If anyone needs professional help, it's Gary Newsom." NMLF Msg566 I just want to remind everyone that had I not given up my life membership in protest back in 2009, I would be the the longest existing member of the NCCA! (Joined in 1970!). I only hope that the new officers will conduct their business in an open a transparent fashion. There are many problems which must be solved. If the right people solicit my advice, I will do my best to help restore it to the honest and well run organization that it once was! I remain, NM Leland Fuerstman Past President of the NCCA |