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1/20/98 Mr. Cobb, I have calmed down a bit since I wrote the below comments. I suppose I was venting a bit. You see I am a full time dive professional and I make my living catering to recreational divers. In Short I was offended at the language and the manner in which people were slandered. I don't believe anyone should publically be subjected to that manner of treatment. I have since been further insulted by Susan Innes. A person who does not know me and apparently does not know anything about Pensacol diving or the capabilities of our dive centers. I started to send you this in private but was unable to do so because of a lack of a working e-mail address (cobber@ci*.co* was returned to me). I really don't want to get involved with a pissing contest over this whole thing. I stand by what I felt and what I wrote. You and your flame happy freinds must also understand that a bit of the letter was deleted and that affected the context of some of the statements. I appologize in advance for some of the statements below. But, then if you can dismiss the rantings ROB (see below) I am sure you can understand how emotion can play into these things. Safe diving, Kevin J. Freeland 1/19/98 > > > > Mr. Cobb, > > > > I was not surprised to find my name mentioned in one of your > > communications posted for public consumption on the web. I feel that > if > > > > I am prepared to make a public statement I should be willing to accept > > > whatever consequence should come of it. However, I would like to > > correct you on a couple of assumptions that you have made. > > > > I am not a member of the Brett Gilliam Fan Club. How you conclude > this > > > > is understandable considering that a great deal of my letter to Deep > > Tech was ommitted from acutal publication. My actual letter would of > > none the less probably upset you because it's content was extrememly > > contemptious of your friend George Irvine, who I will refer to as ROB > > (Rude Obscene butthead). But regardless of how I feel about the > > complete lack of common courtesy and decency that ROB displays, I am > not > > > > now nor have I ever been a "Friend" of Brett Gilliam. I know Brett, > We > > have on occasion shared similar interests and I don't dislike him. > But, > > > > I assure you that my reply was not based on some admiration for Mr. > > Gilliam. My reply was based solely on my impressions of ROB that I > > derived from previous writings, interviews and postings to the Cavers > > List. You see I don't know ROB from Adam but I do know an asshole > when > > I read one. > > > > There is no excuse nor justification for the unkind remarks made about > a > > > > man such as Rob Palmer. I only met Rob Palmer a couple of times, but > I > > > > had the good fortune to sit and listen to him speak about diving both > > formally and informally and he was a nice fellow who I never heard > > utter a bad word about anyone including ROB. > > > > Before I wrote my letter to Deep Tech I logged on the net and searched > > > out more info on ROB and the project here in Florida. I also talked > to > > several people who know him and have worked with him. What I found > > disgusted me. How can someone who is obviously so talented and who > > cares about safety so much be so completely ignorant of the negative > > impact his manner has upon people. His message is being lost. People > > > will die who could of been saved and ROB will be at fault. At fault > > because he could easily influence a generation of diving pioneers > > positivly but instead he picks out an elitest group of his own ass > > kissing buddies and forms a clique who's only obvious purpose is to > > cause hate and create dissention. > > > > If you can call my letter to Deep Tech slander what do you call ROB's > > statements. Give me a break. Are you so ate up with kissing ROB's > ass > > that you really think he has the right to insult women the way he > does? > > If he spoke about my wife the way he has addressed some of the women > he > > has flamed I would kick his ass from morning till midnight. What a > joke > > > > he is. My real oppinion and one that did not make it into Deep Tech > is > > that anyone who makes comments such as his on the web is probably a > > coward. A coward who lacks the balls to confront someone face to > face. > > I also beleive that for all ROB's intelligence he is probably an > > intellectual midget resorting to insults and profanity because he > lacks > > the verbal skills to express himself properly. I suppose he thinks > that > > > > if he just puts his hands over his ears and shouts loud enough he will > > > win whatever argument he is in. Reminds me of a 5 yr. old. > > > > ROB is protected by the constitution. I believe in his right to free > > speech. I spent ten years of my life willing to put my life on the > line > > > > for his right to insult people and call them names. Likewise if I > come > > across someone who is a disgusting asshole I have the right to say so > > and I will continue to do so. I have yet to be presented with any > > evidence that shows that ROB is anything more than a loudmouthed, > > profane bully. If you are aware of any then I would be willing to > read > > it or hear it. Til then, my oppinion stands. > > > > I can understand your disgust and or hatred for Brett Gilliam. Brett > > seems to inspire such emotions in people. I can take him or leave > him. > > As a former NAUI employee I worked with him on a few projects when he > > was a member of our board. He is loud, his is strongly oppinionated > and > > > > as such will probalby have personality difficulties with many people. > > > > I won't bother starting a debate regarding tech diving or specifically > > > deep air diving. To do so would be pointless. I don't agree with > > everything that TDI does no more than I agree with everything NAUI or > > PADI or anyone does for that matter. > > > > Diving is inherently dangerous. There are no gurantees. There are no > > > single "Best Ways". There are no single best regulators. ETC. If > we > > get wet, we take a greater risk than if we stay dry. On air, on > > enriched air, or trimix on rebreather, it does not matter, we are > still > > at greater risk than if we were at home watching Montel Williams. > > > > It comes down to informed consent and a self determination of > acceptable > > > > risk. That will always be a personal choice. > > > > Our dive centers do not cater to extremists from any camp. We provide > > > traditional recreational diver support services. I have no interest > in > > catereing to rude or obscene assholes. We frequently have women and > > children in our stores and would not want them offended by the foul > > stench that flows from the mouths of ROB and I must assume his > > proteges. If people who subscribe to the advice you so freely give > are > > anything like ROB or are narrow minded sychophants such as yourself we > > > do not want or need their patronage. > > > > It is a shame that this filth spills out into the public light. I was > > > actually offended that Deep Tech published it at all. I told them so > in > > > > my letter. I thought I knew Fred Garth better than that. But Brett > > owns the magazine and I am sure his personal agendas will always be > put > > forth. It is still unfortunate that kids such as mine, 14 & 12 who > are > > excited about diving can come across this crap both on the net and in > > print. Shame on ROB for abusing his authoritative position, Shame on > > Deep Tech for publishing the profanity, Shame on Brett for using a > > public forum for a personal agenda, Shame on you for defending such > > dishonorable behavior by insulting me, Shame on me for wasting my time > > > on the lot of you in the first place. > > > > Safe diving, > > > > Kevin J. Freeland > -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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