Hello All, 

I want to begin by saying a couple of things in the interest of full disclosure.  First of all, I was recently asked to be a regional director for the OOS for East Central Ohio.  I accepted the offer and was elected to the position in November of 2017.  I am looking forward to working with this group for the good of Ohio birds, birders, and, most importantly, bird conservation.

NOW…I am NOT speaking on behalf of OOS, the OOS Committee, or in any official capacity.  This is my PERSONAL view of this mess.

I want to acknowledge that by making this post I am, theoretically or literally if you choose to see it that way, breaking some of the rules set out on the parameters of this medium, but I am not going to sit on my hands any longer.

The hyperbole on this Listserv has been tragic.  Many have felt free to comment and make all kinds of generalizations without the benefit of factual information.  Does anyone actually believe that “one offensive word” would be sufficient cause to take the action that was taken so far?  Has it not occurred to anyone that there were AMPLE opportunities for the parties involved to rectify this situation?  

The Ohio birding Listserv is not Huckleberry Finn and is certainly not a barometer of the right to free speech.  These sentiments are straw man arguments and are not worthy of any comment beyond that.  This is supposed to be a place for sharing sightings and information about birds, birding, and conservation, not reconciling the past.

On a personal note, Bill Whan and I have had a complicated relationship over the few years that I have been a birder and used this service.  I have challenged his ideas on eBird and other “chase related” criticisms.  I have been angered by him many times, but that is human nature.  I have also been the recipient of his kindness and knowledge.  He was incredibly kind to send me valuable information about the history of birds in Carroll Co.  I was immensely grateful and was sure to thank him in my write up on the county survey that I wrote up for the Cerulean.  I still hope to meet him sometime and maybe bird together a bit.

Unfortunately, Bill transcribed something that was offensive to many people.  That is a fact.  He had the choice to edit that post, but he clearly chose not to do that.  That was HIS CHOICE.  When the blowback began, he had a chance to make it right, as I would like to think I would have done, by stating that he could have been more sensitive to readers by omitting the offensive word and then providing a link, or other reference path, for those who need to fulfill their word fetish.  He did not do this.  Rather, he doubled down as he has done other times in the past.  I have witnessed this personally and there isn’t anyone reading this now that can honestly say that they have not witnessed this as well, regardless of how one feels about him personally.  Then, even worse, he used a surrogate to share a private message and blow this whole issue into a scorched earth battlefield.  This is not the behavior of someone who wants to find a solution or is thinking about what is best for the Ohio birding community.  This is the method of a provocateur who wants to be right more than to be effective.  It’s sad that a keeper of so much good historical knowledge and a person who has been a HUGE part of the Ohio birding community for many years has taken to an earnest effort to destroy one of the state’s resources for sharing knowledge.  I have no doubt Bill is a good person.  I am confused and sad that he chose to take this path.

Sadder still, at least in my mind, and what was in many ways worse, was the public shaming of him here.  There are clear protocols in place for grievances on this medium.  I tend to think, as is the case on Facebook sites like Ohio Chase Birds, and Ohio Rare Bird Alert, that people do not take the time to read the guidelines and then just start typing.  I have been personally attacked by a former member of this medium and dealt with it via the administrator of the Listserv.  It would have been easy to just react and hit the send button.  If you want to leave the Listserv on your principles, then I respect that.  Why advertise?  I don’t get it.

Now I see that folks have decided to crucify the OOS over this mess.  Has anyone considered what it must be like to deal with the fallout of this kind of situation?  Reacting is easy.  Dealing with the problem is hard.  If you think you could do a better job, then please sign up and show up.  Talk is cheap.  I cannot speak for any other member of the OOS, or board member, but this has been a tragic, and in some ways traumatic, start to a 2018 that holds great promise for doing GOOD CONSERVATION-BASED WORK with dollars raised by OOS.  NOBODY who has commented on this medium is privy to that knowledge, yet the attacks come without a second thought.

PERSONALLY, I think that it is in the best interest of the OOS to have NOTHING to do with this Listserv.  Let someone else try to herd these cats.  I may not have personal experience that goes back to Vic Fazio administrating this service, but I know many who do and here is a news flash for everyone:  IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A MESS.  Vic gave one warning and if you did not comply, you were gone.  You cannot make people be decent no matter how hard you try.  It’s the same problem with administrating other social media sites.  Some folks are just willful and want to stir up the muck and watch the show.  People derive pleasure from this.  It’s just how it is.

As I write this, I would rather be birding.  I would rather be out with my friends looking for species and keeping track of it in eBird so that the data lives beyond me and the nonsense we have seen here over the past week.  Yesterday, I had an amazing day with my friend feeling joy at seeing birds.  Birding is such a privilege.  Maybe that is where we have lost our way.  We don’t realize that it is a privilege to do this.  But here I sit typing away, tired of reading posts and dealing with this via my choice to be involved in an organization that cares and ACTS to do things to help birds and birders.  What a waste of energy…precious energy that we only have so much of in our lifetime.

Finally, as we consider the future, I would hope that folks realize that the future belongs to our young people who are developing birders, ornithologists, naturalists, and scientists who will commit themselves to dealing with the mess we leave them.  If you find yourself working too hard to defend the past, you are sure to miss the future that is all around you.  You cannot see the road ahead looking in the rear-view mirror.

Again, this message is from ME and ME ALONE.  It does not represent the views of ANYONE else at OOS, or any of my close friends or other birding associates.  This is ALL ME….FROM ME….TO YOU.

Respectfully,


Jon Cefus
Stark County

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