Posted by Robin A. Harrison on January 12, 1998 at 11:49:49:
The time has come for me to draw the line and make my stance very clear. I value my participation on The Islet Foundation Forum and wish to reaffirm my support of TIF as a positive resource to diabetics who are joined here for "A Final Push in the Cure..."
Totally unrelated to The Islet Foundation, I am severing my association with the Capitol Campaign for a Cure (CCC). I intend to get back to work on the items that are important to me as a diabetic. Knowing that everything I wish to work on is directly related to bettering the plight of diabetics like me, I am comfortable with my decision. As a single parent and diabetic myself, I do not have the time or energy to answer every need and demand of the entire diabetic community, and I'm exhausted from the effort.
Back in November, I joined the organizing committee of the CCC. Unfortunately, lots of zeal without concurrent careful planning did not bode well for us in the pursuit of a cure. Several organizers resigned, new volunteers were brought on. I worked in earnest to design and plan an event that could be realistically be carried out at the Capitol in May.
A hand-full of Gray Ribbon Campaign advocates who were instrumental in the development of the GRC were invited to join the CCC committee for the purpose of preserving ribbon integrity and intent, something that had become an issue of hot debate. Martin MacArthur was one of the GRC principals who joined the CCC committee. At the time, it seemed as if his quick wit and eloquence would be an asset to the CCC. It never occurred to me that these seemingly positive attributes could just as easily convert to what I consider a huge liability in embarrassingly public settings.
Advocacy and organizing is an *extremely* non-linear process and there are few, if any, "how-to" manuals or numbered check lists by which to do so. I felt that an effort of CCC's magnitude could be best accomplished by a synchronistic team using effective communication and reasoned decision making, with the ultimate intent of strong execution. I did not realize that some committee members might not have been up to the task. No one is perfect, but a proclivity for poor judgment and lack of discernment are the antithesis of my idea of what a team player should reflect. I have no choice but to disassociate myself from people or groups who repeatedly exhibit such characteristics.
Thus, I am washing my hands of CCC and Martin MacArthur. This is not an easy decision for me to make. The fact is, I like Martin very much and have enjoyed most of my correspondence with him over the years. However, pandering to an apparently erroneous perception of Forum participants' "rage" and the seeming impression that TIF is a "fanatical arena" couldn't be further removed from bringing us a cure for diabetes. Similarly, Biocontrol and the Diasensor are of remote relevance, if any, to the goal of a cure. In light of Martin's obstinate refusal to retract and/or apologize for his inappropriate words, I am left with no choice. I find such a fiasco by association in my effort to implement a sensible campaign to be totally unacceptable.
Clearly, I have also made many mistakes in my advocacy efforts. For that, I can only extend my sincerest apologies to everyone. I apologize to Al Gordon and The Islet Foundation for what has occurred here. Thank you, Al, for having provided us a place like this to share our thoughts and ideas. Friend or no, I cannot condone or accept excuses for inappropriate public "rants" from individuals who found this board thru me.
I would also like to extend a personal apology to Melissa Davis for any inappropriate comments I may have made to or about her during the stressful CCC organizing period; and to Sue Huson for having to endure the same embarrassment that I experienced as a TIF participant and CCC organizer when private committee communications were released to the public without our having been notified. Both of you have gone on to organize positive campaigns of your own. I applaud your efforts and truly wish you both the greatest success.
I too, am now branching out on my own. I've increased my knowledge about cure research and the issues involved 100-fold from my participation on TIF, and have likewise gotten quite an education on the politics of diabetes both here and in my unrelated advocacy efforts. Altho there have been some very painful episodes in my saga, I wouldn't know anything that I do now without the valuable ideas and contributions of each and every one of you. In the future, I hope to return a small portion of what you as my fellow diabetes advocates have blessed me with. For now I will be taking deep cleansing breaths and preparing a focused and sensible attack of the ISSUES that are important to me as a diabetic.
Peace,
Robin