Gene and Nicole,

are you the only authors of your posts here on this forum thread?

Using Tim as an example (and distraction), who wrote: “I was pretty spectacularly angry.”

When we are verbally aggressive and/or threatening:

• It often follows being afraid, and we feel justified…
  That person “cut me off” (on the road or in the sky), now I need to “teach him a lesson”.
  He insulted/threatened my wife, now he will have to deal with me. Will Smith moment.
• We can be reported for harassment to USHPA. Hint: They don’t like it.
• We think “I showed him”, while in fact we turned off the receiver’s listening mode, but succeeded in leaving a lasting impression that we are cuckoo.

It feels unfair, but for all the great things we do, our worst moment can be our downfall.

I’m sorry that so many of you are willing to excuse Gene’s behavior because you want to maintain his ride service.  First, his ride service still exists.  You just have to walk two or three minutes to get to him  So let’s forget that argument.  I am so glad that Jana posted the videos of Gene in action.  Those are not normal actions of a person who just temporarily loses his temper.  The actions shown, and that so many of us have been subjected to, go far beyond acceptable behavior in civilized society.  Excuses are being made for him but they don’t hold water.  Gene has acted this way for years, if not decades.  So it can’t be blamed on a period of cancer treatment.  What Gene does is criminal abuse.  He threatens peoples lives and well being.  That is NEVER acceptable or excuseable.  Any person who has been subjected to his behavior could  have had him charged with criminal assault as he clearly puts those people in fear.  CSS is a club.  Members pay dues to join the club and enjoy what the club provides.  No one is legally entitled to be a club member if they are going to create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.  The other club members should never have to worry about being subjected to such criminal behavior, or even such behavior that might not quite rise to the level of criminality.  It seems correct that Gene’s criminal threats of harm to others was not a factor in the one year ban from club property.  However, it is my strong opinion that such actions by Gene warrant suspension, even a lifetime suspension.  Since Gene and his supporters are demanding “due process”, the club should give him that process.  But there is nothing to prevent the Board members from now expanding its concerns to include Gene’s threats to so may people, threats that are well documented and indisputable.  His actions cannot be excuses and they cannot be further tolerated.  I don’t believe for one minute that Gene has written his responses to the club actions that have been posted here.  But even assuming that the did, he continues to refuse to admit to his actions, both those for which he was suspended and for those well documented actions of criminal threats.  Give me a break that I am supposed to believe that Gene is sitting in his home shedding tears over all of this.  And if in fact he is, then it’s only because he can no longer engage in his reign of terror and control on CSS property.  The Board cannot back off at this point.  If the Board does, Gene will be evermore empowered to continue with his unacceptable and criminal activities on CSS property.  Nothing he has done in the past can justify ignoring his actions.  Actions must result in consequences in a civilized society.  The Board needs to not only stand by its existing suspension but should consider more serious actions based on the massive evidence of criminal activity through Gene’s threats and intimidation.  No other CSS Board dared to cross Gene but this one has.  The Board needs member support and must move forward with its completely justified and correct actions.

Well Bille, you gave me my laugh of the day with your last post.  If you think there is something to be gained by criticizing me or questioning my pilot skills, go for it.  But this isn’t about me.

So your defense of Gene is that he is a “Great pilot.”  Again, what’s the relevance of that?  That’s the worst excuse yet.  You want facts then here are facts, straight from the recordings of Gene posted in this thread; straight from Gene’s mouth.

Speaking to Dale and Sandy, upset over who gets $20 for a ride:  I’ll put you down so ffucking fast; you’ll be fucking not breathing Dale.”  Those threats against Dale and Sandy justify a lifetime suspension from the club.

Second video from a pilot, who according to Gene, when asked by Stephen what the pilot had done, “Came up to my place hauling ass.”  Absolutely no mention of touching, threatening or intimidating Nicole.  So this is how Gene responded to this pilot “hauling ass” by his place:

“Stare at me more fuckhead.  I’m going to fucking break your jaw.  I’m going to teach you some fucking respect.  Get away from me because because I will fucking drop you.  I’ve done it all my life.  I have broken more jaws than you have ever seen.  I’ve been trained.  I’ll fucking break your knees.  I own this muther fucking place.  I’ll bust your knees.  I’ll take your throat.  I’m going to eat you for fucking lunch.  I’m going to ruin your life.  You are a piece of shit.  I built this place.”

So Bille, I don’t care if Gene is the best hg/pg pilot who ever walked the Earth, no club should tolerate a member who acts this way.  And you are correct, I don’t like Gene or anyone else who would act this way.  I’ll just go back now to sitting on launch being too “scared” to set up and launch my hg when it’s gusting over 30 at Regionals while watching an innocent tandem passenger nearly get smashed into the ground following a tandem pg launch attempt with Gene hanging on to try to anchor the pilot and passenger during launch.  I would think that a “Great” pilot might recommend not launching in such conditions.  But, for now, I’ll just wait and hope that the Board will take all necessary actions to rid CSS property from the likes of Gene.

This will be my last post regarding this issue.  Bille, you are absolutely correct.  I am worked up and I do have an agenda.  My agenda is to make the CSS property a safe and fun place for all club members.  To accomplish that goal, Gene must be banned from CSS property.  You are hyper focused on the fact that the original ban did not include Gene’s criminal threats of violence to club members and others.  But demands were made that Gene be allowed to attend a meeting of the Board and defend his actions.  My position is that since the Board members are going to hold a meeting, with Gene invited to attend, the Board should consider ALL issues related to Gene, not just horses and dogs.  In fact, the Board has made it clear that it did consider issues other than dogs and horses before it instituted the ban on Gene.  I am simply asking the Board to now consider all of Gene’s actions which clearly would include those shown in the videos posted by Jana.  The Board can do so or not do so.  That’s up to the Board.  But my agenda, my goal, is to have the Board do everything it can to prevent Gene from ever again making such criminal threats against anyone on CSS property, or even making someone uncomfortable while being on CSS property.  Is that too much to expect?  I think not.  I am worked up about that as I think all members should be.  That’s all I have to say about this.

I have always liked Gene but I find the videos disappointing and disheartening.   It’s not okay for someone to talk to another this way.    It’s gross and offensive.    All I want to do is fly and these kinds of confrontations create such a toxic environment.

In both cases, the other party tried to walk away and diffuse the situation and could not.   That is not okay, it is harassment.    Ick.