Thursday, October 31, 2024

She Died In 1866, And Her Skull Found In 1978 Is Now Identified

An artist's rendition of 17-year-old Esther Granger, who died in 1866 in Merrillville, Indiana

Mystery of Her Skull Is Partially Solved

Esther Granger died in 1866. The mystery of who she was and how her skull got there began in 1978 when a homeowner in Batavia, Illinois, ripped down a wall and found a human skull inside. It's true. In 1978, her skull was found in a wall of a home in Indiana that was being remodeled. And in case you're wondering, the only part of her found in that wall was her skull. 

The headline read, Skull Found in Illinois Home Identified as Teen Victim of Grave Robbers who died 150 years ago.

Since there was no way of identifying her back in 1978, the skull went into storage at the Batavia Depot Museum. And yes, there it sat, forgotten until workers found it inside a box in 2021. Detectives retrieved DNA and eventually tracked down a great-great-grandson to confirm the skull belonged to Esther Granger. As it turns out, her life ended as a teenager. 

"Esther was born in 1848 in Indiana, got married at age 16, and died the following year from complications of childbirth after delivering a baby girl. The skull, originally found when an owner was renovating his home in Batavia, went forgotten until March 2021, when it was finally sent to the coroner’s office. The Indiana teen, identified as Esther Granger, 17, died more than 150 years ago," that's according to the Kane County Coroner’s office.
 
The Kane County, Illinois, Coroner's Office held a press conference where they revealed the identity of the skull's owner and how they were able to crack the case by building a DNA profile.

Coroner Bob Russell told the news conference, "Esther was born on Oct. 6, 1848, in Indiana. In 1865, at 16 years old, she married Charles Granger and after a few months became pregnant with their first child. In May of 1866, Esther gave birth to a baby girl but lost her life soon after due to complications from childbirth," he said. Granger was buried in Indiana and the baby was named Esther in her honor."

"So the question remains: If she died in 1866 in Indiana, how did she end up in a wall in a house in Batavia?" says Rob Russell, coroner of Kane County in Illinois. 

It's only speculation, and Detectives can't say for sure. But they have an educated guess: Grave robbers. At the time Esther died, the practice was relatively common because grave robbers could make a nice profit by selling remains to physicians who were trying to learn more about anatomy.

It is still unclear how the skull came to be in the home, but Russell has a theory. "We will never definitely know exactly, but with records and good reason, we've come to a common sense theory: we believe Esther was a victim of grave-robbing," Russell said.

"Grave robbing was quite common in that era as it was quite profitable. The grave robbers made the equivalent of three to four months' earnings for the average person working 60 hours a week," he added.


Kane County Coroner Rob Russell is pictured with an artist's rendering of the likeness of Esther Granger as he speaks during a press conference on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 in St. Charles, III. Investigators have determined that a skull discovered in the wall of an Illinois home in 1978 was that of an Indiana teenager who died more than 150 years ago, authorities announced Thursday. (Brian Hill/Daily Herald via AP)

Officials constructed a family tree and were able to find Granger’s great-great-grandson, Wayne Svilar, 69, a retired sergeant from Portland, Oregon, through a DNA sample, as well as illustrate an image of her possible appearance.

As for Esther Granger's relatives today, Esther's newly identified descendant, 69-year-old Wayne Svilar of Portland, Oregon, said, "There is this sense of closure. I wish my mom were here so I could tell her the story, she would have loved it."



A 3D printed reproduction of a skull that was found in a wall of a house being remodeled in 1978 is seen during a press conference on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 in St. Charles, Ill. Investigators have determined that a skull discovered in the wall of an Illinois home in 1978 was that of an Indiana teenager who died more than 150 years ago, authorities announced Thursday. (Brian Hill via ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Svilar said at the news conference that he was wary at first of the news. "To be completely honest, we didn't believe a word of it," he told the news conference. "I said, 'you can keep talking if you want, but I don't believe you.'"

He also claims that the sketch has a likeness to his own mother. Svilar traveled to the internment where he gave a eulogy. Granger was laid to rest in the West Batavia Cemetery, where she has an engraved stone tower.

One report stated, "There was nothing fishy about the death of Esther Granger in Indiana in 1866."

But wait a minute, think about that for a second or two, it's not exactly every day that someone finds a skull in a wall of a home being remodeled. In fact, I'd say there's definitely something fishy, something very odd and suspicious, about finding a human skull in the walls of your home. Fishy, doesn't begin to cover it. 

Besides the question of who the skull belongs to, which thanks to DNA we know it's Esther Granger, there's the question of how a human skull found its way to a wall in a house. And please, let's understand what we're talking about, we're not talking about digging on your property in rural America and finding human remains. 

We're also not talking about finding a grave under your garage as was the case that took place in San Francisco a few years back when some workers found the coffin and remains of a child under the floor of a garage they were digging up and redoing.  A Child's Century-old Coffin Found Under A San Francisco Home

And think about this, unlike accidentally finding someone's remains when you're digging a post hole out in some pasture, which happens more than we think, the only thing that was found of her in that wall was her skull. That means someone had to remove her head or her whole body from its grave, and at some point, her head became separated from the rest of her. Unless of course, those grave robbers only wanted her head. 

And think about this, when they were done with her head, for some creepy reason, instead of reburying it, some sick individual decided to hide her head in a wall. And yes, that's where teenager Esther Granger's skull was found. Talk about ghoulish.   

Tom Correa


Tuesday, October 29, 2024

I’m a Farmer – and Know Kamala Harris would be a Disaster for American Agriculture

The bottom line: America’s farmers and ranchers were better off when Trump was president.

Story by Kip Tom 
Fox News
Published October 18, 2024 

For eight generations, my family has been farming on the same land in northern Indiana. We have taken care of the soil and produced grain that has been used to feed and fuel others all across the globe.

But our ability to do so – and to pass the farm to future generations – will be put at risk if Kamala Harris is elected president. Her policy priorities – from taxes to trade – would be disastrous for American agriculture, and raise food prices for American consumers even more.

For the last four years, under the Biden-Harris administration, agriculture in the United States has been put on the back burner.

We have seen dwindling profits, increased input costs caused by rampant inflation, and billions pumped into a misguided green agenda. Farm income has declined – by some estimates as much as 43% – between 2022 and 2024. The financial risks and regulatory burdens have grown so much that I often wonder how my grandkids will be able to successfully farm.

These outcomes are to be expected. For four years, farmers and ranchers have been ignored. And we are suffering as a result.

American agriculture depends on access to foreign markets to succeed. But, under the Biden-Harris administration, the United States has become dependent on foreign agriculture. Next year, America is predicted to import $42 billion more in food than we export.

Meanwhile, the Biden-Harris administration signed no comprehensive trade deals, doing nothing to support U.S. farmers and ranchers in exporting their products. In an economic climate where prosperity and growth depend on our ability to reach new markets, the Biden-Harris administration has fallen abysmally short.

This is in stark comparison to former President Trump, whose administration negotiated more than 50 agreements that would boost exports of American agriculture products. Just this week, Trump said calling China’s President Xi Jinping to enforce the China Trade Deal would be a top priority when he is in office. This deal alone would enable $50 billion more in U.S. agriculture products to be sold to China.

It's not just trade policies that show Kamala’s lack of support for American agriculture. The Biden-Harris administration has increased the cost of regulation by $1.67 trillion every year. As a farmer, I experience the impacts of these regulations every day.

Our farms require new seed varieties and other tools to stay productive, but burdensome regulations have significantly slowed down innovation to get these tools to the market and on our farm. American consumers feel these impacts too, at the gas pump and in the grocery aisle.

Even Kamala’s plan to address those high grocery prices (if you consider three sentences posted on X a plan), would fail. Her proposal to stop price gouging would lead to shortages on the shelf, and lost profits for American agriculture. The plan, which she claims would help prevent food insecurity, would just make it worse. At every turn, it is a disaster.

In stark contrast, Trump’s Department of Agriculture removed more than $262 million in costs every year. This reduced regulatory burden got the government out of the way, allowing farmers and ranchers to create innovative new systems and products to increase efficiencies.

Instead of supporting America’s farmers and ranchers, Kamala would throw trillions into a misguided climate agenda. As a senator, Kamala co-sponsored the Green New Deal, a resolution that cost nearly $100 trillion. These climate initiatives would fundamentally change the way we produce food, impacting yields and further raising the price of food for Americans.

It wasn’t just through reduced regulations that Trump saved farmers and ranchers money. He also implemented historic tax cuts through the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Not only is this legislation at risk during a Kamala presidency, she would take it a step further. A Harris administration could eliminate stepped-up basis, strapping each farm family with a crippling $725,000 tax bill.

The bottom line is: America’s farmers and ranchers were better off when Trump was president. From trade to tax, Trump implemented policies to support American agriculture, making it easier for us to make a living raising products that feed the world.

From her homes in California and Washington, D.C., it is easy for Kamala to think she knows what’s best for farmers and ranchers. But she’s never been one.

She does not know what it is like to work long days only for your livelihood to be disrupted by nonsensical economic policies and out-of-control inflation. She does not know what it is to build a legacy for your family, only for a high tax bill and burdensome regulations to make it impossible for your children to make a career in agriculture.

We need a president that will make it easier – not harder – for America’s farmers and ranchers. We need a president who values family business and will put policies in place to ensure our farms will be successful for years to come. That president is not Kamala Harris.

About the author:

Kip Tom is a farmer from Leesburg, Indiana, and was ambassador to the United Nations for Food and Agriculture during the Trump administration.

Thursday, October 24, 2024

Mutiny Aboard the Sovereign of the Seas 1854


The Sovereign of the Seas was an American clipper ship built in 1852. It was a sailing vessel that set the world record for the fastest sailing ship with a speed of 22 knots. She was built by Donald McKay of East Boston, Massachusetts, and the Sovereign of the Seas was the first ship to travel more than 400 nautical miles in 24 hours. On the second leg of her maiden voyage, she made a record passage from Honolulu, Hawaii, to New York City, New York, in 82 days. 

She then broke the record from New York City to Liverpool, England, in 13 days and 13+1⁄2 hours. In 1853, she was chartered by James Baines of the Black Ball Line which ran from Liverpool to Australia. It was in 1854 while making the return passage from Australia to England, that she ran into trouble. 

During the last week of June in 1854, the clipper ship Sovereign of the Seas with Capt. Warner commanding arrived in London, England, from Melbourne, Australia, with 76 passengers aboard. What should have been an uneventful trip made several times in the past was certainly anything else but uneventful. 

On the 17th of March, the clipper ship Sovereign of the Seas had a mutiny on board while crossing the Equator. The mutiny was the result of a crewman being put in irons after he was involved in a quarrel with two of the steerage passengers below deck. 

The First Mate interfered in the quarrel and ordered the seaman on deck. When the seaman refused and became abusive, the seaman was put in irons. He was put in iron at the direction of the ship's Captain.

Shortly after the seaman was put in irons, the rest of the crew mustered aft and demanded that the Captain immediately release the seaman. If not, the crew said they'd take the ship. The crew made sure their demand was delivered to Capt. Warner. The ship's Captain didn't wait to respond. He immediately took action. 

Reports say that the Captain ordered the ship's junior officers to gather together a large number of the passengers. He then told them to arm themselves -- including having muskets and bayonets at hand. At the point of a bayonet, the Captain, ship's officers, and passengers drove forward to confront the mutinous crew. In fact, the Captain, officers, and passengers, all armed, fought the crew for possession of the ship. In the fight, four of the mutineers were wounded.  

With the crew still refusing to return to duty, six were picked out and placed on one side of the deck to be in chains. At that moment, a crewman named Hall stepped forward to urge the rest of the crew to make a stand and let their shipmates be put in irons. From there, it's said Hall moved toward the Captain. He was warned, and refusing to cease and desist, Hall was shot at by Capt. Warner. 

The round missed Hall but instead hit the First Officer. Passing through the First Officer's leg, it was said to be a severe wound. Of course, while Hall was not hit, the shot stopped Hall in his tracks. After that, he and the others were immediately seized, placed in irons, and dragged below. 

On their arrival in London, the British Government declined to grant the application of the American Consul to adjudicate in the case. There was a reason for that. While the Sovereign of the Seas was an American clipper ship, most of its crew of mutineers were English subjects. Because of that, the American Consul determined to send the American crewmen to New York with the next mail steamer to New York. But that didn't happen. 

The American Consul wanted to send the American mutineers back to the United States against the wishes of the friends of the prisoners. This didn't happen because a carpenter of the Sovereign of the Seas secretly set them free to escape the ship. According to the account of what happened after that, the escaped American prisoners stayed with friends in London while waiting for the American Consulate to help them retrieve their lost wages -- wages that they forfeited when they mutinied. 

Imagine that for a moment, American mutineers tried to get the American Consul, who knew they were escaped prisoners, to help them get paid for the work that they did before the mutiny. That's incredible when you think about it, the mutineers thought they should get paid even though they mutinied. Those mutineers were lucky that they weren't rotting away in an English prison.

According to the San Joaquin Republican newspaper published on June 26th, 1854, it said that "no attempt had been made to re-arrest the escaped American seaman, and it is very probable, owing to the disputed question of jurisdiction, that they will all be allowed to get off" -- albeit without pay.

As for the fate of the Sovereign of the Seas, the majestic ship of 2,421 tons, her length of 252 ft., her beam of 45.6 ft, and her draft of 29.2 ft, she ran aground on August 6th, 1859. On a run from Hamburg, Germany, to China, the Sovereign of the Seas ran aground on the Pyramid Shoal in the Strait of Malacca between the Malay Peninsula to the northeast and the Indonesian island of Sumatra to the southwest. She became a total loss. A sad end to a great ship.

Tom Correa




Monday, October 21, 2024

What Constitutes A Hostile Work Environment For Volunteers?



In my last post about Volunteering, Never Again Volunteer Yourself, I discussed how people can have different experiences when volunteering for various organizations. Using myself as an example, I talked about how I've volunteered for a therapeutic riding group that specialized in horse therapy for handicapped children, I've volunteered with PTSD groups, the Veterans Administration, the Pacific Islanders Cultural Association, the John Coffee Hays Club, with a local American Legion post, with a local Marine Corps League Detachment, and the Calaveras County Sheriff's Volunteer Unit.

Frankly, my post must have hit a nerve since some of you wrote that you couldn't believe how volunteering could turn out so bad. Others of you wrote to say how you've had to endure the same BS that I have. 

As for volunteering at the American Legion, some of you have written to describe how your American Legion post is nothing like what I experienced. Frankly, that's great to hear. Too bad it wasn't my experience. As a Veteran, it's tough to see people who have never served or didn't even make it through Boot Camp take over an American Legion post. But, I guess that happens. 

Some of you wrote to say how surprised you are to find out that I didn't quit volunteering at the American Legion long before I did. And of course, a few of you wrote to say that you're surprised that my experience with the American Legion didn't sour me and turn me against volunteering ever again.

As I said in my other article, it all depends on what you want to do, what you want out of the group, and what you're willing to put up with when dealing with petty politics and mean-spirited people. Some groups have more than others. Some groups are small enough that that sort of thing is almost non-existent. 

But, as in life in general, as most of us know, some people are easier to deal with than others. Mean-spirited is another way of saying someone is obnoxious, spiteful, contemptuous, and malicious. It's a way of saying someone is basically a prize-winning jerk. And yes, my friends, they are everywhere! 

And as for being a volunteer, some folks can get by without letting group politics affect them. For them, they will probably enjoy the group despite the petty politics and having to put up with mean-spirited jerks. Folks who are good at ignoring the petty politics of a group are usually better than most at focusing on the reason why they're there in the first place. 

As for mean-spirited people? I've dealt with a few over the years. And yes, I'm very glad that I haven't had to deal with some of them ever again. Some of them, well let's just say I'm hoping Karma comes around and bites them in the ass! 

One fairly mean-spirited woman who I've had the displeasure of dealing with fits the mold of someone who is just an unhappy person out to make the lives of others just as miserable as hers is. She's truly a nasty individual who seems to enjoy causing harm and turmoil -- especially if she doesn't get her way. 

She's the root cause of dissent within one of the groups I've belonged to. Of course, it's not surprising that the more I looked into things the more I was contacted by other volunteers complaining about her. I found out that she was the cause of the undercurrent of contentiousness and ongoing hostility in that group.

Why is she that way? Why is she so malicious and negative? What's the reason she's the way she is? 

Well, in my opinion, she likes to be unkind and inconsiderate to others. She enjoys it. She's the sort of person who smiles to your face but at the same time is a conniving backstabber. Most mean-spirited people are like her. They are the way they are because they're unsatisfied with their lives. They're unhappy. They're full of contempt and derision for others because it makes them feel good. 

Most mean-spirited people aren't people of good character. They lack a moral compass. They don't have the values and integrity of good people. The lady who I knew was anything but honorable. And yes, she also lacked kindness and empathy for others. You can tell that every time she opened her mouth, she derides others almost every chance she gets. 

I'm sure she hasn't changed. She's contemptuous and uses her position to create a clique and collude with others. She's the sort of person who would kick someone while they're down. Believe it or not, she created division and pressured others to be non-cooperative with supervisors. 

Imagine for a moment that someone would actually sabotage things in their group just to make sure someone else fails or gets fired -- just so they will be promoted? Imagine pressuring other volunteers to be uncooperative with their supervisors just to make a supervisor look bad? That's taking being malicious to a new level -- especially when merely volunteering.  

And if that's not enough, what's really asinine about her is that she's the sort of low life, just a cheap and nasty person, who would do anything to gain power and position to boost her own lack of self-worth -- even in a volunteer organization. Of course, everything that she's done has created a hostile work environment. 

So What Is A Hostile Work Environment?

Some think that such a despicable person, someone who treats other volunteers in a condescending and demeaning way, would only harm the section she controls. But, that's not true. Such a person is never satisfied with only spreading hostility and fostering opposition in a small group.

It's been my experience that negative people, especially those with personal gain in mind, are not satisfied until they have negatively affected the entire organization. It's as if they see their mission to create a hostile work environment -- and their goal is not achieved until they make volunteering unpleasant for everyone involved. And yes, they do this by creating tension, discord, conflict, contention, dissension, antagonism, and contempt. 

In the state of California, a "hostile work environment" is defined as "a workplace that is so abusive or offensive that it makes it difficult for employees to do their jobs. It can be caused by a pattern of behaviors that are severe or pervasive and can include:
  1. Harassment: Verbal abuse, derogatory language, threats, physical harassment, sexual harassment, exclusion, submitting false accusations.
  2. Intimidation: Bullying, threatening behavior, or work sabotage.
  3. Favoritism: When employers give perks or promotions to some employees over others based on personal preference.
California law prohibits employers from creating a hostile work environment and requires them to take reasonable steps to prevent it. The Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) applies to all California employers with at least five employees. It protects employees against discrimination and harassment based on many characteristics, including race, gender, sexual orientation, and religion.

If you experience a hostile work environment, you can:
  • Report it to your employer
  • Submit a written complaint to the appropriate authority at your company. If your employer has a harassment policy, then follow the procedure outlined in it.
  • File a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD)
  • If going to HR doesn't help, you can file a complaint with the CRD within three years. The CRD will investigate and try to resolve the issue. You can also request a “right-to-sue” letter from the CRD to file a lawsuit.
  • Document the behavior. Keep a record of the actions meant to create a hostile workplace. 
  • Save any evidence of the hostile work environment, such as emails, texts, voicemails, screenshots, notes, or letters.
So Let's Talk About Some Things That Can Create A Hostile Work Environment for Volunteers. 

So let's talk about what would justify someone having the "Never Again Volunteer Yourself" attitude in the civilian world where, unlike being in the military, you can quit anytime you feel the need to do so. 

And please, don't get me wrong. While I'm all for citizens volunteering, people should recognize that volunteering and joining a volunteer group has its issues. Some of these issues become roadblocks to volunteering. Some of these issues push people to quit and say to hell with it because they don't need the hassles. 

For example, no one should put up with someone who has attacked a volunteer over his religion, who has attacked another volunteer over her medical condition, all while attacking another volunteer over his time restrictions and availability.   

Here are a few things to think about: 

Tension between paid employees and unpaid volunteers
  • There can be resentment that creates an undercurrent of tension between paid employees and unpaid volunteers. 
  • Some paid employees see volunteers as taking their jobs. 
  • Some paid employees see untrained volunteers as a hazard waiting to happen.
  • Some paid employees see untrained volunteers as "just getting in the way" and of no real importance.
  • Some paid employees have no idea why the volunteers are there or what they do.
  • On the flip side, some volunteers act as though their needs should be as important a priority as that of the paid employees. 
  • Some volunteers will wrongly demand they be treated as equals to highly trained/paid employees.
  • Some volunteers create tension and are responsible for how volunteers are looked upon unfavorably.
Animosity within a Volunteer Group
  • The animosity between volunteers negatively affects the mission of the volunteer group.
  • The animosity between volunteers negatively affects the purpose of the group.
  • There may be animosity and resentment toward volunteers in supervisory positions.
  • Some volunteers bicker and demonstrate that they're unable to get along with others. 
  • Some volunteers create dissension, tension, and strife while stirring up resentment within an organization.
  • Some volunteers enjoy creating division.
  • Some volunteers create an undercurrent of tension between volunteers. 
  • Some volunteers creates division by pressuring others to be non-cooperative with supervisors.
  • Some volunteers will foster work sabotage to make sure another fails just so they will be promoted.
Group dynamics.
  • Cliques form among various subgroups of volunteers.
  • Cligues cause dissension in the ranks.
  • Cliques may decide to shun the rules and operate outside of the rules.
  • Cliques may decide to create their own standards and practices.
  • Cliques might operate as though organizational rules and regulations don't apply to them.
Personality conflicts among volunteers.
  • There are harmful, extremely stressful, volunteer-to-volunteer relationships. 
  • Some volunteers have a sense of superiority. 
  • Some volunteers may be less than welcoming to newcomers.
  • Some new volunteers want to immediately change things.
  • Some new volunteers demand others agree with what they say. 
Personality problems
  • Problems arise with "Volunteer Know It Alls."
  • Volunteer negativity festers and grows.
  • Some volunteers are so negative that they refuse to find positive solutions to problems.
  • Some volunteers become angry over a lack of recognition.
  • Some volunteers spread dissent and dissatisfaction if they are not promoted.
  • Some volunteers demand awards and recognition.
  • Some volunteers feel a sense of "entitlement." 
  • Some volunteers demand to be treated special.
  • Some volunteers refuse to respect others.  
  • Volunteer intimidation is something that no one needs to put up with.
  • Condescension from volunteers is something that no one needs to experience. 
  • Some volunteers enjoy demoralizing and demotivating others.
  • Volunteer hatred for one another makes volunteering horrible.
  • Simple dislikes of one another and personality clashes take place.
  • Volunteers do not automatically work well together or even like each other. 
Varying Differences, Petty Politics, and Dealing with Demands
  • Some volunteers have difficulty complying with the rules of a group.
  • Some volunteers may attack a volunteer's disability status. 
  • Some volunteers are against working with volunteers of other religions. 
  • Some volunteers refuse to accept how different cultures have varying understandings of what constitutes appropriate behavior, particularly regarding gender interactions, which can lead to a clash over the one-size-fits-all standards that some see as being forced upon people today.
  • Volunteers may falsely accuse other volunteers of things concerning their religious beliefs while not knowing the truth. 
  • Volunteers may falsely accuse other volunteers of performing socially unacceptable behavior such as bullying, discrimination, using offensive language, being racist, being verbally abusive, nose-picking, standing too close to others, not bathing regularly, or using bad manners. 
  • Volunteers may falsely accuse another volunteer of threatening behavior because he or she is talking loudly.
  • Volunteers may file false accusations of sexual harassment against other volunteers for various reasons, including misunderstandings, personal vendettas, or malicious intent. 
  • Some volunteers may not understand how what may be seen as sexual harassment today for one person is the cultural norm for another.
  • Some volunteers refuse to accept generational differences, people speaking foreign languages, ethnic groups, or the cultural practices and beliefs of other volunteers. 
  • Some volunteers in unconventional lifestyles such as in a gay relationship may have discomfort with volunteers in traditional lifestyles. 
  • Some volunteers may not accept how others live and demand they change their ways to adhere to today's sensitivities. 
  • Some volunteers may not accept modern sensitivities and/or how some people identify, dress, appear to others, and behave in public. 
And yes, volunteers who've experienced any of the above quickly learn that volunteering can be anything other than enjoyable. And really, don't fool yourself into thinking these things don't exist or wouldn't be roadblocks to volunteering. These are roadblocks and do stop people from volunteering. These things can make volunteers quit volunteering altogether. And frankly, I don't blame them. 

Of course, sadly for volunteers, we don't learn a lot about a group until we've already committed ourselves to volunteering for that group. As sad as it is, I know what I'm talking about since I've experienced a lot of what I've listed above for myself. 

Because of the terrible experience I've had volunteering, I'm a lot more cautious about sticking with an organization. Today, if I feel as though there is simply too much backstabbing, way too much petty politics, too much tension and hate, a hostile work environment that can't be fixed, I start looking for an exit.

Tom Correa

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Mark Twain's Laziness At Jackass Hill

Mark Twain Reenactor In Angels Camp, California

Here's a story that you might find interesting. It's from 1854 and talks about a miner by the name of Bob Dull who struck gold on Jackass Hill in 1854.

Union Democrat (Sonora, 1854), Volume LIII, Number 10, 8 September 1906

Bob Dull Strikes Gold on Jackass Hill.

R. E. Dull, who is working a pocket mine on Jackass Hill, near Tuttletown, last Tuesday cleaned up the last of a $3,OOO bunch of gold. The lucky miner has been trying the mining game for nine years, quitting the joys and sorrows of a printing office to try his luck on historic Jackass Hill, James Gillis’ great piece of mining ground from which enough precious metal has been taken to build a golden roof over Sonora.

Dull secured a claim on the usual conditions a percentage of the gross output to be paid Gillis and then went to work. He has taken out a number of pockets, each of which ran into the thousands of dollars, to say nothing of the little bunches of a few hundreds which the genuine pocket miner accepts as a matter of course, but with characteristic disdain unless grub is running mighty low. Wednesday Bob Dull was in Sonora with 136 ounces of gold, the tail end of the pocket.

--- end of story

That's a pretty good story and a lot of gold. It had to be a lot if he found $3000 in gold when gold only went for about $30 an ounce. And think about this, $3,000 in 1854 is worth $112,607.50 today (2024).

And there's this, the California Gold Rush era cabin that famous American writer Mark Twain stayed in is found on Jackass Hill in Tuolumne County. It is where Mark Twain was a guest of the Gillis Brothers during his stay in the county.

The original cabin was built by Dick Stoker in 1850. The present cabin located on Jackass Hill is a replica of the original, rebuilt a few times over the century and more since Twain was there. It was there that while living in that cabin on Jackass Hill where Mark Twain gathered material and wrote the story "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" which made him famous.

American writer Mark Twain, whose real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens, spent time in Calaveras County, California in 1864 and 1865. The story of how his laziness stopped him from becoming a rich man is a true story.

On December 4, 1864, Twain arrived at a cabin on Jackass Hill Road between Angels Camp and Sonora, California, to stay with miners Jim and Steve Gillis. On January 25, 1865, Twain traveled from the cabin to Angels Camp to get away from the rain and loaf while he was rained in for almost two weeks. It's believed that it was during his visit to a saloon in Angels Camp that he heard a story about a jumping frog.

On November 18, 1865, Mark Twain published his story titled "Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog" in the New York Saturday Press. Twain's story about those jumping frogs was republished as "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." That story is what launched his career as a writer and brought him national acclaim. But really, if he weren't sitting in that saloon, and had actually kept working his claim, he could have been a fairly wealthy man.

Here's the story behind that as reported in the newspaper, the Truckee Republican, on March 1st, 1911:

THE GOLD WAS THERE. 
But Mark Twain Missed It by Just One Pail of Water.
With Steve Gillis, a printer of whom he was fond, Mark Twain went up into Calaveras County to a cabin on Jackass Hill, where Steve’s brother Jim. a lovable, picturesque character (the “Truthful James” of Bret Harte), owned mining claims. Mark decided to spend his vacation in pocket mining and soon added that science to his store of knowledge. It was a halcyon, happy three mouths that he lingered there.

One day with Jim Gillis he was following the specks of gold that led to a pocket somewhere up the hill when a chill, dreary rain set in. Jim was washing and Samuel Clemens [Mark Twain's real name] was carrying water.

The "color" became better and better as they ascended, and Gillis, possessed with the mining passion, would have gone on regardless of the rain. Clemens, however, protested and declared that each pail of water was his last.

Finally, he said in his deliberate, drawling fashion, "Jim, I won’t carry any more water. This work is too disagreeable. Let's go to the house and wait till it clears up."

Gillis had just taken out a pan of earth, "Bring one more pail. Sam," he pleaded.

"I won’t do it, Jim! Not a drop! Not if I knew there was a million dollars in that pan!" said Clemens.

They left the pan standing there and went over to Angel's camp, which was nearer than their own cabin. The rain kept on, and they sat around the grocery and barroom smoking and telling stories to pass the time,

Meanwhile, the rain had washed away the top of the pan of earth left standing on the slope of Jackass Hill and exposed a handful of nuggets — pure gold. Two strangers had come along and, observing it, had sat down to wait until the thirty-day claim notice posted by Jim Gillis should expire.

They did not mind the rain — not with that gold in sight — and the minute the thirty days were up they followed the lead a few pans farther and took out $20,000 in all. It was a good pocket. Mark Twain missed it by one pail of water.

The above story was originally published by The Chicago Post.

Calaveras and Tuolumne Counties were formed in 1850 when gold was discovered in those areas. Tuolumne County sits on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, with Calaveras County to its north.

In regards to that $20,000 gold strike in 1865 when Twain decided that another pail of water was too much to carry, let's just put that in perspective for today. The sum of $20,000 in 1865 would have the same paying power as $386,872.39 does today. Of course, that would have meant that he would have been considered a very wealthy man -- especially by the standards of 1865.

After all, let's remember that a Cowboy would earn between $20 and $40 a month at the time.

Tom Correa


Saturday, October 12, 2024

Organizing The 1851 San Francisco Committee of Vigilance


One of my hobbies is reading period newspapers. I love reading first-hand accounts. I also love how different newspapers report the same incident. I especially enjoy reading about Vigilante Groups. 

Contrary to how some describe Vigilante Groups, most were not unorganized mobs made of drunks. In fact, reading the news clipping below, you can see that the San Francisco Vigilance Committee of 1851 was extremely organized. 

There's a good reason for that, the 1851 San Francisco Committee of Vigilance is said to have had more than 700 members. While that's huge in itself for a city in the Old West, later the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance of 1856 would eclipse that number by having over 3,000 members. 

The Committee claimed to work in parallel with the duly constituted city government of San Francisco which they saw as inept and corrupt. During its time, the Committee performed policing and actually conducted investigations. They were mostly interested in the thievery, assaults, crimes of violence, extortion, and arson going on in the city. And add to that their concern with disreputable boarding houses.  

The Committee took a special interest in ships from Australia unloading criminals into San Francisco Bay. There were two reasons for this. First, the Australian government at the time had a policy of emptying their jails and prisons by sending their worst criminals to the United States by way of a direct voyage to San Francisco. Second, the criminal gang known as the "Sydney Ducks" was created when those Australian criminals banded together. 

Simply known as "Ducks," they were killers, arsonists, robbers, thieves, con artists, and extortionists. One of their specialties was to prey on businesses by "selling" them "fire insurance." If a business didn't meet their demands and pay up, the "Ducks" would set fire to their business -- which would also spread and consume entire sections of San Francisco. "Ducks" were public enemy number one for that reason. 

But, even though that was the case at the time, believe it or not, even though the "Ducks" burned the city and murdered the innocent, there are people today who will make it known that the Committee did not offer vicious criminals like the "Ducks" due process and the opportunity for bail. Of course, since the Committee was not a legal law enforcement agency, they didn't observe or provide criminals with the benefits of due process. 

The Committee left due process up to the Courts to provide. Of course, if the organized law enforcement and the Courts had been doing their jobs in the first place, and actually prosecuting criminals, then the 1851 San Francisco Committee of Vigilance would not have had to form to rein in the lawlessness that engulfed that city.  

As for the Committee, besides a public display of its weapons and its militia which they paraded in the city, the Committee also deported criminals attempting to immigrate to the United States, and hanged, whipped, and banished criminals. 

Of those they found guilty of capital crimes, they hanged four criminals. The four who were executed were John Jenkins, a Sydney Duck gang member accused of burglary, who was hanged on June 10, 1851; James Stuart, also a Sydney Duck gang member and murderer, who was hanged on July 11, 1851; and Samuel Whittaker and Robert McKenzie, who were associates of the Sydney Ducks, charged with "various heinous crimes," they both were hanged on August 24, 1851.

As for others caught and punished by the Committee, one criminal was flogged in public; fourteen were deported back to Sydney, Australia, back to the government that sent them to San Francisco; fourteen were told to leave California under penalty of death if they returned; fifteen were handed over to the San Francisco County Sheriff; and forty-one who the Committee apprehended were set free due to lack of evidence of committing a crime.

Reading the newspaper clipping below from the Daily Alta California, Volume 2, Number 185, 13 June 1851, you can see for yourself how the famous 1851 San Francisco Committee of Vigilance was organized. 

The Daily Alta California, Volume 2, Number 185, 13 June 1851
Organization of the Vigilance Committee.

Whereas, It has become apparent to the citizens of San Francisco that there is no security to life and property, either under the regulations of society as it at present exists, or under the laws as now administered, therefore, the citizens whose names are hereunto to attached, do unite themselves into an association, for the maintenance of the peace and good order of society and the preservation of the lives and property of the citizens of San Francisco, and do bind ourselves, each unto the other, to do and perform every lawful act for the maintenance of law and order, and to sustain the laws when faithfully and properly administered.

But we are determined that no thief, burglar, incendiary, or assassin shall escape punishment either by the quibbles of the law, the insecurity of prisons, the carelessness or corruption of the police, or laxity of those who pretend to administer justice. And to secure the objects of this association we do hereby agree:

First, That the name and style of the Association shall be the Committee of Vigilance, for the protection of the lives and property of the citizens and residents of the city of San Francisco.

Secondly, That there shall be a room selected for the meeting and deliberations of the committee, at which there shall be some one or more members of the committee, appointed for that purpose, in constant attendance at all hours of the day and night, to receive the report of any member of the association, or of any other person or persons whatsoever, of any act of violence done to the person or property of any citizen of San Francisco. And if in the judgment of the member or members of the committee present, it be such an act as justifies the interference of this committee, either in aiding in the execution of the laws, or the prompt and summary punishment of the offender, the committee shall be at once assembled for the purpose of taking such action as a majority of the committee, when assembled, shall determine upon.

Thirdly, It shall be the duty of any member or members of the committee on duty at the committee room, whenever a general assemblage of the committee is necessary, to cause a call to be made, by two strokes upon a bell situated ———, which shall be repeated with a pause of one minute between each alarm; the alarm to be struck until ordered stopped.

Fourthly, That when the Committee have assembled for action, the decision of the majority present shall be binding upon the whole Committee, and that those members of the Committee whose names are hereunto attached, do pledge their honor and hereby bind themselves to defend and sustain each other in carrying out the determined action of this Committee, at the hazard of their lives and their fortunes. 

Fifthly. — That there shall be chosen monthly, a President, Secretary, and Treasurer, and it shall be the duty of the Secretary to detail the members required to be in daily attendance at the Committee room.

A sergeant at arms shall be appointed, whose duty it shall be to notify such members of their detail for duty. The sergeant at arms shall reside at, and be in constant attendance at the Committee room. There shall be a standing committee of finance and qualification, consisting of five each, and no person shall be admitted a member of this Association unless he be a respectable citizen and approved of by the committee on qualification before admission.

S. E. Woodworth, S. Brannan, E. Gorham, Fred. A. Woodworth, George J. Oakes, Frank S. Mahoney, Francis E. Webster, R. D. W. Davis, James C. Ward, Wm. N. Thompson, Wm. H. Jones, R. S. Watson, Clinton Winter, Edward A. King, Geo. Mellus, James B. Huie, W. H. Howard, J. D. Stevenson, B. Frank Hillard, Henry Dreschfeldt, Chas. R. Bond, S. W. Haight, James Ryan, B. B. Arrowsmith, George H. Howard, William Browne, S. E. Teschmacher, Caleb Hyatt, Robt. Wells, C. H. Brinley, Samuel R. Curwen, H. D. Evan, J. W. Salmon, James F. Curtis, John Y. Bryant, Benj. Reynolds, L. Hulsemann, E. Kirius, A. W. Macpherson, A. G. Randall, John S. Eagan, Thos. N. Diblois, J. C. L. Wardsworth, N. T. Thompson, Stephen Payran, William Hart, N. Reynolds Davis, C. Spring, George M. Garwood, Gabriel Winter, A. Wheelwright, M. B. Lucas, R. S. Lamott. James Shindler, B. F. Fourgeaud, Jesse Southam, J. W. Ryckman, H. Jackson McDuffie, Z. H. Robinson, W. L. Bromley, P. D. Hedley, George R. Ward, H. Ottenheimer, S. B. Marshall, C. L. Wilson, B. H. Davis, Hazen Hazeltime, Wm. H Tabor, P. Frothingham, W. Iken, Isaac Bluxom, Jr., G. E. Schenck, George D. Lambert, Lathrop L. Bullock, Geo. Austin Worn, John P. Haff, John W. Rider, E. Betteher, Jos. T. Hanem, Thos.W. Walker, Theodore Kulhman, Samuel Marx, J. Seligman, Joseph E. Dal, Dan'l J. Thomas, Jr., H. F. Von Leugerke, Julius D. Schultze, J. E. Farewell, J. C. Derby, J. Pratt Sevens, Jacob P. Leese, T. J. West, Thos. McCahill, Edgar Wakeman, Wm. T. Coleman, Wm. Peake, A. Wardwell, J. S. Clark, Jonas Minturn, Sam. H. Sloan, C. H. Clark, F. O. Wakeman, H. F. Teschemacher, J. Thompson Huie, John W. Jackson, W. L. Hobson, Wm. Meyer, Jos. R Curtis, W. H. Tillinghast, John G. McKaracher, Wm. H. Graham, J. F. Hutton, John Raynes, J. H Fisher, Horace Morrison, John H. Walson, Joshua Hilton, F. L. Dana, J. Quincy Coale, James Pratt, A. P. Sutton, George W. Douglass, Wm. G. Budger, A. J. Ellis, Chas. H. Vail, S. J. Stabber, Henry M. Naglee, Wm. Forst, Wm. J. Sherwood, Olin F. Sawyer, A. L. Tubbs, E. W. Travers, W. N. Hostin, N. D. Hill, Wm. Langesmen, Eugene Hast, B. E. Babcock. T. K. Battelle, L. Minturn, Herman R. Haste, J. C. Treadwell, Hartford Joy, Augustus Belknap, Wm. Barling, Jno. F. Osgood, Horatio S. Gates, Thos. N. Cazneau, E. Kemp. Jeremiah Spalding, William C. Graham, J. Meid Huxley, John M. Coughlin, Charles Minturn, Saml Morse jr, George Clifford, Howard Cunningham, C O. Brewster, Chas Soule jr, Chas L Case, Chas L Wood, Robert H. Belden, Chas Moore, Wm. Fell, N. Smith, Jas R Duff, Jas Dows, John O. Earl, E. M. Earl, E. W. Crowell, Randolph M. Cooley, J. L. Van Bocklin, A. H. Gildemeester, Chas H. Hill. Geo N. Blake, Saml S. Phillips, J. Neal jr, Dewiitt Brown, Chas Del Vecchio, F. A. Atkinson, Ed. F. Baker, Jos Post, Chas Millar, F. Argenti, James King of Wm.

The above, a portion of the Committee of Vigilance lately established in this city, for the preservation of order, punishment of vice, and for the purpose of meting out that justice so long withheld from criminals, unwilling that the names of a few of their associates should be selected by the Coroner's jury as the principal actors in the trial and execution of Jenkins, inform the public that they, with all the members of the committee, are equally responsible for the first act of justice that has been dealt to a criminal in San Francisco, since California became a State of our Union.

Our fellow citizens, remembering the escape of Withers, Daniels, and Adams; of Stuart, Windred, and Watkins, and the tardy manner in which the incendiary Lewis is being brought to justice, will see the necessity of the strongest measures we have adopted. This publication also informs those friendly to the cause that the Committee of Vigilance have nothing secret in their proceeding but such matters as would tend to defeat the object for which we are associated were they made public.

Preamble and Resolutions. — The following also emanated from the vigilance Committee: 

Whereas, The citizens of San Francisco, convinced that there exists within its limits a band of robbers and incendiaries, who have several times burned and attempted to burn their city, who nightly attack their persons and break into their buildings, destroy their quiet, jeopardize their lives and property, and generally disturb the natural order of society. And whereas many of those taken by the Police have succeeded in escaping from their prisons by carelessness, by connivance, or from the want of proper means or force to secure their safe confinement, therefore be it 

Resolved, That the citizens of the place be made aware that the Committee of Vigilance will be ever ready to receive information as to the whereabouts of any disorderly or suspicious person or persons, as well as the persons themselves when suspected of crime. 

Resolved, That as it is the conviction of a large number of our citizens, that there exists in this city a nucleus of convicts and disorderly persons, around which cluster those who have so seriously disturbed the peace and affected the best interests of our city, such as are known to the Police of the city or to members of the Committee of Vigilance, as felons by conduct or association, be notified to leave our port within five days from this date, and at the expiration of which they shall be compelled to depart, if they have not done so voluntarily within the time specified. 

Resolved, That a Safety Committee of thirty persons be appointed, whose sacred duty it shall be to visit every vessel arriving with notorious or suspicious characters on board, and; unless they can present to said committee evidence of good character and honesty, they shall be reshipped to the place from whence they came, and not be permitted to pollute our soil. 

Resolved, that all good citizens be invited to join, and assist the Committee of Vigilance in carrying out the above measures, so necessary for the perfect restoration of the peace, safety, and good order of our community.

-- end of report in the Daily Alta California, Volume 2, Number 185, 13 June 1851.

The 1851 San Francisco Committee of Vigilance was dissolved by 1853 but resurfaced to take control of San Francisco in 1856 with over 3,000 members when the city's crime was again out of control. 

Tom Correa


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Wednesday, October 9, 2024

What To Do When Falsely Accused of Sexual Harassment


I am posting this for a couple of reasons. One, I don't like the standard operating procedure of some organizations which presume "the accused is automatically guilty." Second, I don't like that someone's perception of a "sexual advance," even if it is all in the accuser's mind, completely fabricated, completely false, completely a lie, can cost someone accused of such a thing their job, their position, their home, and even their family. 

Understand what happens in many organizations that simply accept such a claim at face value. The person being accused can lose their job, have problems finding a new job, fall back on paying bills, fail to pay their rent or mortgage, and be forced to endure financial hardship and strain. It can also result in the loss of a career and even the termination of a marriage. 

Now, imagine being falsely accused.

Being falsely accused of something like sexual harassment, and dealing with a legal system that may have already convicted you -- coupled with the uncertainty of what to expect next -- can be nerve-wracking. Add to that the personal, financial, and societal repercussions of such allegations, and it can all have a significant negative impact on your mental health.

The potential legal consequences and the overarching uncertainty of what lies ahead can lead to depression, stress, anxiety, and feelings of guilt and shame despite your innocence. Being wrongfully accused can jeopardize your marriage, harm your relationships with family members and friends, and hurt your ability to form and sustain connections with people. 

After being a victim of false accusations, you may find it difficult to have meaningful friendships because you may find it difficult to trust others again. Yes, the emotional toll of being wrongfully accused is more than we realize. 

Of course, if you are a Veteran suffering from PTSD, being falsely accused can be extremely traumatic to your mental health because it can trigger PTSD symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety. And while such a thing can have you questioning your self-worth, you may also find yourself drinking too much to self-medicate, isolating away from people, and avoiding the things you enjoy. 

As for dealing with your accuser, and possibly the person who she colluded with to attack you, it is recommended you avoid contact with them. 

So, imagine going through all that while being wrongfully accused of something you did not do. That's why I say if a person is falsely accused of sexual harassment, a term which means that a person has made an unwanted sexual advance on another, they are being wronged and need to stand up and fight. 

In this case, if that's you, then you need to get an attorney and prepare to defend your name -- which may mean suing the person and the organization that wronged them. It's important to fight for yourself. If you don't fight for yourself, no one else will. 

My friends, that's why I have attorneys working for me. From my experience with lawsuits, especially being falsely accused of something, they are not fun and can be costly. But getting an attorney to start legal actions against someone who has falsely accused you of something, and the organization that presumed your guilt without looking into the facts of the accusation, is the right thing to do. Sadly, lawsuits are your only recourse to clear yourself of blame or suspicion of doing something wrong. 

No, it's not like an organization will investigate the claim to find out if there were extenuating circumstances, if it was intentional, fabricated, or simply assumed when there was no sexual advance. It's not like an organization will check to see if the accuser had other motives in mind when falsely accusing you. It's not like an organization, whether it's an employer or a non-profit volunteer group, would look into the case to determine if there was malice that the accuser may have against you the accused. And no, it's not as if an organization would issue an apology to the person who was falsely accused. 

That's why lawsuits are important. While there was a time in my life when I didn't believe in lawsuits, and frankly I thought there were too many attorneys in the world, I've learned the hard way that lawsuits can sometimes be the only way that we can get justice for ourselves. 

And by the way, I know real well that suing someone is not what anyone would consider "The Cowboy Way" of doing things. I know real well that a cowboy gets his inner strength from the Bible and knowing what is right and what is wrong. I also know real well that a cowboy is true to his beliefs. But friends, we live in the modern-day world, and not back in the day when we would be able to confront our false accuser in the public square. So whether we like it or not, in today's world, lawsuits are how the falsely accused can get justice and throw light on those who would falsely accuse someone of something that they did not do.

As sad as that is, it's why employers take sexual harassment claims very seriously.  Employers don't want to be sued. That's why employers take the side of the accuser. Of course, employers don't expect the accused to sue them to clear their name of wrongdoing. In fact, employers usually take the side of the accuser because they assume that an accuser wouldn't file such a claim if it didn't happen. They assume the accuser is honest, and usually almost always immediately assume the accused is guilty. 

But sadly, there are dishonest people in the world. And yes, some people will falsely accuse someone of just about anything. Yes, both in the workplace and in non-profit volunteer groups. 

Knowing that fact of life, we should understand that there are people who will falsely accuse someone of something that's not true. It happens every day. It's just a fact of life. There are people who will falsely accuse someone of sexual harassment or something else while knowing full well that their lie will result in the accused being removed from a position and possibly getting fired. 

And yes, just as people are very different, there are a lot of different reasons that people would falsely accuse someone. Some people would file a claim of sexual harassment against someone just so they can watch the accused deal with court costs to fight their lies. Some people would file such a claim in an attempt to create emotional distress and ruin someone's marriage. And yes, some people file a sexual harassment claim just to see someone terminated -- or see them taken out of a position that the accuser feels should have gone to their friend instead. It happens. Yes, it happens. 

There are a lot of reasons why someone would intentionally attack someone with such false claims, employee or volunteer, including the fact that the accuser just might not like you. It's not unheard of for a woman to try to ruin a man's life simply because she felt like doing so. 

If you don't think that happens, take a look at how many police officers have been falsely accused of sexual harassment and sexual assault while in the performance of their duties. Those claims are usually made vindictively with no basis -- but they're made. And yes, they can have an impact on an officer's career.

Knowing this, you should know that if someone has made false accusations against you, you need to get an attorney and be prepared to sue your accuser and the organization involved. Of course, you can sue for defamation. But you can also sue for malicious prosecution. 

So if you've been falsely accused of sexual harassment, especially if you've suffered emotionally or financially from being falsely accused, my recommendation is that you take the first step and contact an attorney. If you find yourself wrongfully accused of sexual harassment or misconduct at your place of work or while volunteering for an organization, it is crucial for you to seek legal counsel promptly. 

Remember, whether we like it or not, in today's world, even false accusations can result in severe consequences -- such as termination and even criminal charges. 

The article below was sent to me by a friend who is an attorney. It is a short article that may help you if you've been falsely accused of sexual harassment. 

False Sexual Harassment Claims: Legal FAQ -- FindLaw

By Christopher Coble, Esq. 
Last updated on March 21, 2019

Sexual harassment in the workplace is a problem, and many instances of sexual harassment go unpunished and even unreported. At the same time, not every claim of sexual harassment is legitimate.

So if you've been falsely accused of sexual harassment at your job, what do you do? In short, you should treat it like a criminal investigation: be quiet, hire counsel, and let the process play out and vindicate you. 

That may not be as easy as it sounds, so read on for a more answers to commonly asked questions regarding false sexual harassment claims.

Can I Respond to False Accusations?

Anyone's first impulse when they've been falsely accused is to deny the charge as loudly and comprehensively as possible. But, just like there are things you shouldn't say to a cop, there are things you shouldn't say in response to a false sexual harassment charge.

Remember, the burden is on the accuser and your employer to prove the harassment. So if nothing happened, you should be in good shape. As backwards as it seems, vociferous denials and explanations may only hurt your case.

There's a reason officers tell suspects "anything you say can and will be used against you." So while you should answer formal questions about the incident honestly, outside of the official investigation of the claim, you may want to remain as quiet about the issue as possible.

How Will the Claim Be Investigated?

Every company should have a specific harassment policy and process for addressing sexual harassment claims. You should follow that policy and adhere to your company's procedures for investigating the sexual harassment claim.

You should also make sure your employer follows the procedures as well, and document any deviation from the harassment policy. If your company doesn't follow their own rules on investigating and dealing with the harassment charge, that information could be useful in a wrongful termination claim.

You employer has a legal obligation to thoroughly investigate any and all sexual harassment charges. And while it may be difficult to trust that the investigation will be fair and protect your rights, fighting the complaint on your own terms, or otherwise failing to comply with the procedure may only hurt, rather than help, your case.

Can I Get a Lawyer?

We give this advice to criminal suspects and defendants all the time: you have the right to attorney, so use it. Even if you're innocent, there are legal issues and complexities only an experienced attorney can identify and understand.

In terms of our previous advice about choosing your defense carefully and holding your employer to their own policies and procedures, a good attorney will help you defend yourself and will know whether the investigation is legitimate and whether your company is playing by the rules.

And a knowledgeable attorney can advise you on what to expect from the investigation and claims process. Getting a lawyer doesn't make you look guilty -- it makes you look smart.

What Legal Recourse Do I Have For a False Accusation?

Depending on how the outcome of the sexual harassment investigation, there are counter-charging options. While we advised you to say as little as possible before and during the investigation, if you are cleared of the charge, you could file a defamation claim against your accuser.

Be warned: this type of "scorched earth" response can be risky, and should probably only be used after the internal investigation into the sexual harassment charge has been completed. The standards of proof for a defamation claim are high, and many of the elements can't be met while a company is looking into a harassment claim.

There are other problems with a defamation claim. First of all, filing a sexual harassment claim is generally considered a privileged statement, and therefore immune from defamation claims absent some demonstrable malice on the part of the accuser. 

Second, a key element of a defamation claim is publication, meaning a third party must have heard the claim. This may be difficult to prove if the investigation of the sexual harassment charge has been internal to your company and relatively quiet.

Third, you must demonstrate some injury due to the false allegation. While injury to your reputation qualifies under defamation law, it's more difficult to prove an injury while the investigation is ongoing. And finally, the allegedly defamatory statement must be false. While it may seem obvious to you that you've been falsely accused of defamation, the burden will be on you to prove the falsity of the claim, and that may be easier after the investigation is over and you've been cleared by your employer.

A false accusation of sexual harassment can be frightening and maddening, to say nothing of how it could affect your reputation at work. But responding the right way -- by thinking carefully about your statements, following the proper investigative procedures, and by having legal representation -- can minimize the negative effects of the claim.

If you've been falsely accused of sexual harassment, in the workplace or otherwise, you should consult with an experienced sexual harassment attorney in your area.

So What Do You Do When You Want Vindication When Being Falsely Accused of Sexual Harassment?

Remain calm and hire an attorney.

-- end source.

Allow me to repeat myself, if you've been falsely accused of sexual harassment, especially if you've suffered emotionally or financially from being falsely accused, my recommendation is that you take the first step and contact an attorney. 

When it comes to a defamation case, the best advice that I've heard is to stay calm, have patience, remain resolute, be honest, cooperate with any investigation, avoid making unnecessary statements to the organization, and avoid the accuser. False accusations of sexual misconduct such as sexual harassment can have a devastating impact on the lives of the accused. And really, it can happen to anyone who least expects it. The mere allegation of sexual misconduct can lead to irreparable damage to a person's reputation, career, and personal relationships.

Seeking justice when you've been falsely accused of anything is the right thing to do.  

Tom Correa



Friday, October 4, 2024

Trump Derangement Syndrome -- TDS Commercial -- Ask Your Doctor



"Trump has a lot of enemies: the Democratic Party, the state-run media mob, the deep state, government officials. Trump Derangement syndrome is very real. They have demonized him. They have besmirched him. They have smeared him. They have slandered him. They have created a caricature of him. In less than a decade, Donald Trump has gone from a billionaire and celebrity beloved by Democrats in the media, to a Republican that these same people now refer to constantly as a "threat to democracy" because his politics and rhetoric did not align with this Democratic machine. are also people who hate the former president with a passion, which has now made him, obviously, the number one target in terms of assassination in our country."  

-- Sean Hannity 

Do you want to fight Trump Derangement Syndrome? 

It's easy. Gain some All-American Independence and think for yourself.

That's all you need to do. Stop accepting the hate and the lies coming from the Democrat Party. 

Think for yourself. Open your mind and ask why no one in the Democrat Party wants to cut your taxes, lower your grocery bills, lower the price of gas, keep good-paying jobs in America, or fund the police. 

Ask yourself why Democrats gave millions of dollars to Illegals and are giving nothing to the over 2 Million Americans hit hard in North Carolina, Tennessee, and the rest of the flooded South. 

Ask yourself why Democrats are pushing Trans surgeries on children in schools, pushing a Gay Agenda in grade schools, and pushing hatred for America. 

Ask yourself if supporting American Oil is really that bad. Ask if the over 6,000 petroleum-based products that we use daily would be cheaper if we again supported American Oil companies. Yes, items like your cell phone, computers, everything plastic, and so many things that most people are completely ignorant of how they're made -- actually come from oil. 

Ask yourself, do the research, and find out how the Democrats' war on American Oil has driven up the cost of everything in our lives. Don't let the Democrats lie to you about how they aren't waging a war on American Oil while making Foreign Oil richer, research it for yourself and find out why just transporting goods like food and groceries and clothing and everything else we use daily are all more expensive because of Democrat policies.   

Ask yourself why Democrats see you keeping more of your hard-earned money as a bad thing. Ask yourself what's wrong with lower taxes and keeping more of your money? 

Ask yourself if you need the government to control your life, from telling you what appliance you can have in your home, to what car to drive, and to them monitoring your freedom to travel and live in peace. 

These are just a few things that you should ask yourself. And really, if you realize that there's absolutely no reason for you to pay so much taxes, that grocery bills should be low, that the price of gas should be half of what it is under Biden & Harris, that good-paying jobs and making things should be something done in America, that the police are not our enemy, that it's not right that Illegals are getting thousands of dollars while Americans hit in the South are getting nothing, that there is absolutely no reason that children should be taken away from their parents and undergo horrible gender augmentation surgeries, that making products more affordable is not a bad thing at all, that you don't need the government telling you what car to drive or what washer to us, then you need to vote against Democrats and for Trump. 

Tom Correa