[DML] The DOA's "lawsuit", from the target of such

["James Espey" <james@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I've followed these latest posts about the DOA and tip my hat to Josh for
putting forth the effort to try and re-make the DOA into the organization it
needs to be to serve the owners and enthusiasts in the 21st century.

 

The fact is, DOA bashing has been going on since the beginning, and in
earnest since I founded the DML back in 1995. Giving DeLorean owners and
enthusiasts around the world a forum to share their thoughts and experiences
with the DOA, Ed B and the rest of the board only made the bashing more
noticeable and less easy for the DOA board and Ed B in particular to stifle.
Creating the DeLorean Owner's Directory was a project I started when the DOA
refused to publish a membership directory, partly out of protectionism. Did
you know that the internal membership lists that were passed around the
board were numbered, and seeded with the names/addresses of people who would
report back to the board if they received a solicitation for a
club/service/etc? 


In any case, in the spring of 1997 after I resigned from the DOA board,
there were a lot of postings that 'called out' the DOA on some of the same
things that they are accused of here now, almost 14 years later. As the
moderator, I allowed these postings, and encouraged them and posted about my
own experiences as a board member. I wanted to see the DOA change to benefit
all the DeLorean owners and enthusiasts. IMO at the time, they were stuck in
the 80's.

 

There were a lot of postings through the spring and summer of 1997 that
asked pointed questions about the DOA, and also had many unflattering things
to say about the president at the time, Ed Bernstein. Reading the DML
archives, and skimming the subjects from March through Aug/Sep of 1997
provides interesting reading for those that weren't around then.

 

As the then sole moderator of the DML, I was targeted by Ed B in the form of
a letter from the DOA's attorney (paid for my membership dues). I posted it
to the DML for all to see and it's still in the archives here:

 

http://www.dmcnews.com/backissues/aug97files/dml269.html

 

Of course, back in the early days of the internet, no one really knew how it
could play out. Now we all know that threats like this are pretty empty.
Posting that letter from the lawyer inflamed the board (at least Ed B) even
more and I got another nasty letter after that which I didn't post. Over the
next several months, a lot more people chimed in with their opinion. For one
reason or another, I never heard any more from the attorney.

 

I felt obligated to post because for Ron to post his comment that I have
pasted below smacks of the same attitude we saw from the DOA then. An
unwillingness to accept criticism and blame. Ron, you weren't even there -
anything you have "personally heard" was hearsay. I was there, I was the
object of the threats from the Board, led by Ed B. And Ron, the truth
*always* matters. I'm not without my faults and mistakes, but I've owned up
to them in the past and the lesson that I took from that was that the truth
always matters.

 

All that said, it *was* 13-14 years ago now. Ed Bernstein is gone from the
DOA board after, IMO, gutting the organization by running off the vast
majority of the people who cared about the MEMBERS more than the illusion of
POWER that the organization had. DeLorean One is also a shadow of its former
self, though I hear from new customers that he still runs off a number of
people who call him. One can only wonder how many people have been turned
off on the marque because their first phone call was to D1 and he blew them
out as "too young" or not well-off enough to own a DeLorean. Thankfully now,
this seems to be less and less of a factor. But the animosity towards the
DOA remains.

 

I no longer hold any grudge against the DOA. JZD was asked once in an
interview something to the effect "if he held any ill will towards GM" after
his departure. He replied something like how he loved GM, but there were
some people there he didn't like. I wrote In July of 1997 that I thought the
concept of the DOA was fine, but the reality left a bit to be desired:

 

http://www.dmcnews.com/backissues/jul97files/dml264.html

 

I applaud Josh for sticking with it as long as he has. I wish him well and
am pleased as part of DMC (Texas) to support the DOA by including one-year
membership in the DOA for buyers of cars from DMC (Texas). There are too few
people like Josh with the tenacity to stick with an unpaid volunteer
position taking digital abuse from several sides, but these are the kind of
people the DOA needs now more than ever.

 

James Espey

Founder, DeLorean Mailing List

 

From: dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Fergy, or "The Yank"
Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2011 5:07 AM
To: dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [DML] Comments about the DeLorean Owners Association

 

 (SNIP)

A long time ago, there had been action in the form of a lawsuit. I've
personally heard from many who witnessed it, and understand there was more
going on than "a Board against one person". Some acted inappropriately, on
BOTH sides. Nobody was innocent. In the end, the effort was frivolous and a
waste of money. I don't ever expect to know the full truth, but then also do
not think it matters. That was then, this is now, so move forward.

(SNIP)

Regards to all,
Ronald Ferguson

 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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