A recent Facebook post by Mike Luoma implied that NEARA “tolerates Neo-Nazis”. This assertion was made in reaction to a field trip announcement that referenced a magazine article for the purpose of debunking the claims made in that article. Because the magazine cited was edited by someone known to be a Neo-Nazi, Mike Luoma accused NEARA of tolerating Neo-Nazis.
NEARA does not condone or tolerate behavior that is supportive of Neo-Nazi, white supremacist, or racist views. At no time did any member of the NEARA Board of Directors endorse the views of Francis Joseph Collin.
In fact the private email to NEARA members that referenced a decades-old article in Collin’s magazine was there for the explicit purpose of debunking the claim made there that a site was a 5th Century church. NEARA believes that it is important to examine the evidence behind claims made about old stone structures. In this case, the field trip will actually show the evidence contradicting those claims. We believe that the best way to counter false claims is to hold them up to the light.
And this is mine: This post from NEARA is wrong and constitutes an attempt at character assassination. But read this carefully. They admit to my accusations - this is no False accusation.
No, NEARA, you cannot both condemn a Neo Nazi and use their work. Not in my view. The fact this doesn't bother you - still - is telling.
Adding "(Or Not)" to the headline of an article from a magazine which you admit was "edited by a known Neo Nazi" is not sufficient context to explain you are using material generated by a known Neo Nazi. Planning to explain the actual origins of the structure on the Field Trip, when few of the members who receive the mailing will be on that trip, is irresponsible.
(They have edited this post to now make it appear one thing simply led to another. No. I asked that we don't share Neo Nazi Work. It was the reception of my request that we not share Neo Nazi work which led to my resignation. )
I have No Tolerance for Nazis or Neo Nazis. Would you have prefered I said the organization tolerates Nazis more than I do? Has a little more tolerance for Neo Nazis? What would not have struck you as false?
This post is also disingenuous as it omits the fact that a non-Board member on the email list responded to my request not to use Neo Nazi work by saying they were offended by me, the subject of my email, and my supposed attacks on the Neo Nazi. I was offended by THAT. And that is when I resigned.
Mike, I’m sorry you had to leave NEARA. But I fully
understand your reasons. I remember you and I discussing this very issue when you visited our property. I knew something was off with this group of researchers when I first joined but I couldn’t place why. Since then I’ve noticed the true nature of a lot of its members. Especially with their comments on some of my posts in your FB “Ancient Stone Mysteries” profile and others that are similar. I first started to snooze them, but now I just block them. I’ve also started to diligently check out negative comments or emojis by members who have joined your page as well as others that I belong too. Believe me when I say I’ve found a hell of a lot of TROLLs. Trolls whose profiles are new and have no history of posts. And trolls who’ve locked their profiles. These people have nothing nice to say. So I don’t want to deal with their hatefulness and negative comments.
Thank you, Art. I think a lot of people in that community have grown too used to having a Neo Nazi in their midst, and have had a long time to adopt a nuanced view, whereas someone like myself who started 5-6 years ago gets in deep and then discovers this and it's like a Neo Nazi bomb goes off, and it's shocking, but the community reacts with dismissive confusion. They're too used to it.
This was NEARA's statement. See https://neara.org/
False Accusations
A recent Facebook post by Mike Luoma implied that NEARA “tolerates Neo-Nazis”. This assertion was made in reaction to a field trip announcement that referenced a magazine article for the purpose of debunking the claims made in that article. Because the magazine cited was edited by someone known to be a Neo-Nazi, Mike Luoma accused NEARA of tolerating Neo-Nazis.
NEARA does not condone or tolerate behavior that is supportive of Neo-Nazi, white supremacist, or racist views. At no time did any member of the NEARA Board of Directors endorse the views of Francis Joseph Collin.
In fact the private email to NEARA members that referenced a decades-old article in Collin’s magazine was there for the explicit purpose of debunking the claim made there that a site was a 5th Century church. NEARA believes that it is important to examine the evidence behind claims made about old stone structures. In this case, the field trip will actually show the evidence contradicting those claims. We believe that the best way to counter false claims is to hold them up to the light.
And this is mine: This post from NEARA is wrong and constitutes an attempt at character assassination. But read this carefully. They admit to my accusations - this is no False accusation.
No, NEARA, you cannot both condemn a Neo Nazi and use their work. Not in my view. The fact this doesn't bother you - still - is telling.
Adding "(Or Not)" to the headline of an article from a magazine which you admit was "edited by a known Neo Nazi" is not sufficient context to explain you are using material generated by a known Neo Nazi. Planning to explain the actual origins of the structure on the Field Trip, when few of the members who receive the mailing will be on that trip, is irresponsible.
(They have edited this post to now make it appear one thing simply led to another. No. I asked that we don't share Neo Nazi Work. It was the reception of my request that we not share Neo Nazi work which led to my resignation. )
I have No Tolerance for Nazis or Neo Nazis. Would you have prefered I said the organization tolerates Nazis more than I do? Has a little more tolerance for Neo Nazis? What would not have struck you as false?
This post is also disingenuous as it omits the fact that a non-Board member on the email list responded to my request not to use Neo Nazi work by saying they were offended by me, the subject of my email, and my supposed attacks on the Neo Nazi. I was offended by THAT. And that is when I resigned.
Mike, I’m sorry you had to leave NEARA. But I fully
understand your reasons. I remember you and I discussing this very issue when you visited our property. I knew something was off with this group of researchers when I first joined but I couldn’t place why. Since then I’ve noticed the true nature of a lot of its members. Especially with their comments on some of my posts in your FB “Ancient Stone Mysteries” profile and others that are similar. I first started to snooze them, but now I just block them. I’ve also started to diligently check out negative comments or emojis by members who have joined your page as well as others that I belong too. Believe me when I say I’ve found a hell of a lot of TROLLs. Trolls whose profiles are new and have no history of posts. And trolls who’ve locked their profiles. These people have nothing nice to say. So I don’t want to deal with their hatefulness and negative comments.
Thank you, Art. I think a lot of people in that community have grown too used to having a Neo Nazi in their midst, and have had a long time to adopt a nuanced view, whereas someone like myself who started 5-6 years ago gets in deep and then discovers this and it's like a Neo Nazi bomb goes off, and it's shocking, but the community reacts with dismissive confusion. They're too used to it.