Messenger Attacked, Again?!                            3-18-10 by NM Leland Fuerstman First, I wish to thank NCCA President Gary Newsom for promptly posting my most recent message, "Where Does All of the Money Go?" on the NCCA Message Board. This is an opportunity for many members to read a very informative and well written article about scholastic chess in America and decide upon it's merit for themselves. Over the past year, I have written many messages criticizing NCCA Officers as well as the conduct of various events which have taken place in North Carolina. In each case, important questions were asked and issues were addressed which pertained to the protection of the rights of the individual members of our chess community. And, in keeping with their trend of secrecy and self preservation, none of the questions were ever answered nor have their books been opened to scrutiny?! The NCCA officers have a responsibility to explain why they do what they do. And, considering their non-profit status, everyone has a right to ask. However, once again, instead of answering any of the questions which were asked in my last message, I have been subjected to unwarranted personal attacks and slurs by both President Gary Newsom and ex-President Randy Wheeless. (25 years ago, I was President before Newsom even moved to North Carolina). And, once again I will point out that such attacks are absolutely forbidden on the NCCA Message Board. (However, since the President is one of the perpetrators himself, who is there to stop it?) It seems somewhat of a paradox that Newsom would refer to me as "non-member Leland Fuerstman" when according to the NCCA membership Roster, neither President Gary Newsom 0210, VP Jessica Martin 1109 nor ex-President Randy Wheeless 1109 are current members of the NCCA either??! (One would think he would check his own credentials before making such a derogatory remark?!)   What the "newbies" aren't aware of is that for years Newsom, Wheeless and his 2 talented daughters and I had an excellent relationship! For more than 5 years they gladly participated at the CCC. I was even instrumental in Wheeless becoming elected President of the NCCA! Now, contrary to what Newsom has reported, I will reiterate what I have previously stated. In a recent phone conversation prior to the 2010 event, promoter Bill De Army stated to me that he was "running the tournament for himself." He made no mention of any organization. He only stated that "if the tournament is a failure, he would "personally" lose money." He also stated that he was required to pay $9 per entry to the NCCA!? (Last year I thought it was only $4 --- but, I can't seem to find that in the bylaws?). The statement which Newsom made indicating that he was conducting it for the Triangle Chess Association seems more like another after-the-fact cover-up. (You know, like the so called virtual meeting they had?!) Instead of scurrying to patch things up, why not just do it properly in the first place. You know, like a written contract and a requirement that a verified balance sheet of the results be published immediately after the event. Then, they  wouldn't have so many people asking questions. In his response, as usual, instead of addressing one single issue, Wheeless uses literary diversions like "rant, BS, ill-informed and pointless." I seriously doubt that any intelligent person who reads the message would consider it to be any of those things. The problem is that I am too well informed about what goes on! And, I am surely troubled by much of what I have learned... It seems that Mr. Wheeless continues to wallow his way to a level to which I refuse to stoop. I ask you Randy, when will the charade end? I know what you did, you know what you did, and G-d knows what you did... Regardless of the findings of judge/jury/executioner/PR man NCCA Legal Adviser WW, whereby no certified public accountant was employed to review and sign-off on his decision, the receipts which you submitted indicate that you made a profit of over $4,000 on the 2009 event (See Message 0385); a fact which has caused some to believe that you are both a liar and a hypocrite. You know, Randy, if you had just shut your mouth like you were instructed to do, probably none of this would have been stated. But, I'll be damned if I'm going to idly stand back and allow you to attempt to damage my reputation and that of the Charlotte Club without defending myself. As a result of the many negative statement which you and your confederates have made, attendance at the CCC has been down significantly. When you state that "I am so far removed from scholastic chess it boarders on the absurd," you seem to have forgotten the litany of young Champions who worked their way through the ranks of the CCC to include Frank and Josh Mu, Keven Huang, Samuel Xin, (who was my personal student) Dominique Myers, Laura Lee, Amelia Wheeless, Colette Wheeless and so many others I can't remember them all. I resent that you give people the idea that I am not associated with scholastic chess. And, as you know, your recent negative e-mail to the Library complaining that we were charging a $10 entry fee has caused us to lose the use of that facility?? Therefore, I have 4 recommendations for you which would surely make the rest of your life much more bearable: 1. repent 2. apologize 3. make restitution 4. beg for my forgiveness. Only after you do that will you again be welcome to join us at the Charlotte Chess Club. Because, I don't hold grudges and I truly believe that people can change. NM Leland Fuerstman