Removal of Jada and Luis Diaz from ConCarolinas Committee

Remove him

Clearly what needs to happen is for the current Royalist regime of running dogs be eliminated. Then we return the con to its rural roots and move to Halifax County just outside of Enfield. There we can nurture the future by engaging in manual field labor and growing rice. By using advanced Cambodian techniques we can reduce the size, height and number of congoers to more sustainable numbers. And as long as no one questions cadre or brother number one, then all live in a spirit of equality.

I’ve been incredibly disappointed with the direction ConCarolinas has taken in the last couple of year, to the point that I didn’t attend in either 2017 or 2018. This has nothing to do with politics, uninvited guests, etc.

If they step down I will return.

You're a bunch of idiots and it IS about a political situation, your losing political situation.

I looked up epic fail in the dictionary. It had a link to this petition. Right now you are over 3,000 signatures behind David Weber’s counter petition. That is before you remove the signatures of your supporters like A. Hitler and Himler and of course China Mike’s anonymous bots.

I did not attend this year due to other commitments. However, given the lack of diplomacy, the interference with scheduling and panel assignment and the seeming lack of empathy towards much of their core participants and long time con goers, I will not be returning to Con Carolinas until these issues are rectified, up to and including the removal of the Diaz's.

Yes, I have signed this and I am aware that there are going to be a lot of hurt feelings. Please read this in full before passing judgement. I took my time writing it to make sure that I presented a well thought out statement. Unlike many others who chose to sign anonymously I have nothing to lose. My livelihood will not be affected by doing so, and I have no fear of those who threaten violence in any way shape or form. I have signed this petition as the con is no longer what it once was, and not in a good way. When I first attended the halls were crowded, the panels were numerous and varied, the activities abundant, and the general excitement to be there was palpable. That has changed significantly. The halls this year were fairly quiet. The dealer’s room was partially empty. The panels were pretty much the same, thus unimaginative. The excitement level was nowhere in the air. The general atmosphere was depressed. Many people stated to me that they would spend their money going to another con next year, because ConCarolinas was far too disappointing, and they did not see it getting better. None of which had to do with free speech or John Ringo. When Jada and Luis took over they had the best intentions, and I am sure they still do. I have no doubt. But, I think it is time for new blood to take over and create changes that are needed, bring new ideas and possibilities to the con, and reunify our geeky community. It is only through change that growth can happen, and has to happen so that this con survives. The fault does not lie in their actions and inactions alone, but as the heads of the con the buck stops and starts with them. The vitriol and discontent the has come to a head this year is not solely about the John Ringo incident and the fallout on both sides from it. It is about the culmination of failures on many levels that have escalated over the past few years. This discontent is not mine alone, but shared by many others. Many of whom have voic

What constitutes ugly language is entirely subjective. Considering I am Combat Veteran and a former sailor, this is me being civil in the face of petty tyranny.

FWIW, David Weber has called for CIVILITY. Those of you using ugly language are not helping, no matter which side you support. Cut it out!

Correction: I have been advised that Ryan Patterson was NOT carrying, concealed or otherwise, at ConCarolinas. That was a misinterpretation on my part.

Had this petition called for submitting legitimate complaints to the ConCom, rather than removing two members of it that recently threw water on the Book Burners fires, I might be able to agree with you. Their courage in taking a stand against the Lynch Mafia Goons, is admirable. Anyone who doesn't see that is probably a member of the Thought Police. All the thousands that have signed the other petition in support of Jada and Luis see this for what it is, the desperate wailing of spoiled children who are angry because they didn't get what they demanded.

Most of the people who signed this petition, did so based on their feelings about John Ringo, among others. That can be seen by all the anonymous comments about sexual harassment and feeling unsafe because they don't like sharing with others. Talk about cowards! Those feelings are of course based on lies and gossip. People who like these authors are not idly going to stand by as their characters are the victims of Leftists attacks. Your Leftist tactics may work in other areas of Society, but bookworms will not be so easily intimidated in going along with your groupthink.

Try it on someone else, Karen, we know what this is really about. It doesn't take a genius to connect the dots and see that this a petty act of revenge by people whose bully tactics failed to get them what they wanted. Basically, those who sign this are sore losers who miscalculated their actual numbers.

Shame on you

Wow, some of you are really ugly. The ones with the ugliest comments seem to entirely missing the point. This was not ever meant to be a competition with an author's fan base petition. I have tried to stay quiet, but am truly astounded at the amount of willful ignorance going on here. If you have never been to ConCarolinas, I'm not even sure why you are weighing in on the discussion. And for the life of me, I can't figure out why so many people are determined to weigh in on a local convention's lopsided balance of power in decision making, and equate it to social justice. There is no political agenda except for the internal politics of the convention itself. This petition was DESIGNED to be small, to meet a small criterian, to be circulated among a small number of people that are directly associated with and affected by the convention and leadership thereof. This is not a popularity contest. It is a business discussion. Please keep your rabble-rousing out of it.

PoS SJW can bite me.

I forgot to add that Brian is a first responder/volunteer fireman. Both the hotel AND the off-duty police officer were aware that they were armed and were/are OK with it, so stop calling the hotel trying to get ConCarolinas kicked out. Also, the Concord Convention Center appears to be geared more towards for-profit organizations/businesses. Which ConCarolinas is not and never has been. Any money made goes to next year's con.

About the move back to the Hilton University. Yes, it's smaller, and more convoluted, BUT they are far more willing to work with the con, and they don't nickel and dime a customer to death. When the con first moved to Embassy Suites/Concord Convention Center in 2015, the bank account was very healthy, due to having George RR Martin in 2014. (I was treasurer then, as well as head of registration.) After paying their exorbitant fees for every little thing, including individual electrical outlets and (crappy unreliable) wifi in the convention space, the account wasn't quite as full, but we tried it one more year. There were all kinds of issues with the hotel/convention staff, including contractual guarantees not being met, last minute changes on their part (esp the food truck issue), and so on. The choice was essentially to move back to the Hilton, which has been greatly refurbished and expanded (such as Fountainview, which was formerly just the restaurant), or go bust. If there is a better choice in between, it has not yet been located. Oh, and for the record, Jada WAS NOT CARRYING. She did not work security, and given her current fragile physical state, she is too smart do that anyway. Only three, that I know of, were carrying, Luis, Brian Chappell, and Ryan Patterson, all of whom have CCPs and a good bit of range experience. Plus Brian is ex-Army and Ryan works as an ARMED security guard in a hospital.

The tone they have taken when speaking to people, the insults they have lobbed has been disgusting. They did not even pretend to consider the issues of people. They ended communication and made themselves the victim. You can believe you are.. but you can not take it out on the paying attendees of your convention. . I have no faith in their abilities and will no longer be attending while they are in these posistions.