Resignation
rodger
FSP Board,
Please accept this email as my resignation as a member of the board of the Free State project, effective immediately. While I am still passionate about this organization and its mission, I sadly no longer feel that being a member of the board is a position I am able to hold for many reasons.
It has come to my attention that the current interim Executive Director, Julia Miranda, has an integrity issue and has tainted the organization. Today, without prompting, she contacted Ian Freeman to set up an in-person meeting with him to discuss the recent board decision to refuse the $6,000 from the Shire Free Church to sponsor ForkFest at PorcFest. She met with him and identified herself to Ian as the Interim Executive Director of the Free State Project. She then proceeded to tell many untruths to Ian about this situation. To Ian, she said she had no idea who was behind making this sponsorship an issue when, in fact, she is fully aware that her boyfriend, Marcus, and she herself are the only ones who raised the concern in the first place and that she at one point herself considered not taking the Interim ED position over this. The only complaint for this issue was from Marcus and Julia. Ian also says that she also told him personally that she has no issue with him attending PorcFest and had absolutely nothing to do with this decision, both of which are clearly not true. This shows a lack of integrity that as the Interim ED, a representative of the Free State Project, she could not even be honest in a conversation that she initiated on this subject with Ian.
I will in no way work with someone who shows such a lack of integrity, nor will I work with an organization that will pander to threats from someone who says they will take their ball and go home unless they get their way. Sadly, Jessica and I do have integrity and plan to continue our obligations to the organization as PorcFest organizers this year, as long as Jessica’s health is not an issue. I think a mistake was made on our part when we made that clear up-front and I believe that had an impact on the decision of the board this past Sunday. But, the fact that this likely had an impact on the decision is further reason why I no longer wish to remain on the board.
And, sadly, this lack of integrity by Julia appears to be a recurring theme. I have heard reports of other “taking my ball and going home” stories about her that have directly impacted the FSP, including her refusing to give over her files for the Free Stater magazine because she was upset over something else. If this level of integrity is what the current FSP board wants to pander to, then I cannot in good conscience remain a member of the board nor do I have an obligation to do so.
Every single current board member who was also a board member during the initial Ian Freeman banning decision (and there are three) has told me in private individually that the decision was a bad one and that they wished it had never happened, yet when I have tried to rectify that decision, I was completely rebuffed and could not even get a second from the board. Even when the minutes and emails regarding this decision clearly show that Ian was only banned for one year, and the board is presented with that evidence, the board refuses to correct this error. They only circle the wagons tighter.
I now fully understand what people mean when they use the term “FSP, Inc.” in the derogative. I thought, foolishly, that I could “change the system from the inside.” I have yet again proven how foolish an idea that is. I have learned that lesson the hard way many times now. Maybe this time I will take that lesson to heart.
In further regards to PorcFest, Jessica and I will continue to run the event with the full autonomy that has been discussed between us and Rachel, as long as Jessica’s health is not a concern. We will not, however, work with Julia on this event in any way, because we will not work with someone of such low integrity. This decision was made by us in a discussion with Rachel prior to Julia coming on board as interim ED, and that decision still stands. If we as PF organizers have any needs, we will go directly to the board.
Rodger Paxton
FSP Board Member and PorcFest XV/XVI Producer
“Liberty in our lifetimes!”