PROBLEMS WITHIN GOAL NY

[bluepride]

Now now, Jon...be nice! I think the owl is kinda cute!!

[burner]

Ah, yes. When one thought things couldn't get any worse, or any sleazier, one should have realized who were included in the sordid cast of characters running GOAL today.

At GOAL's August 14, 2007 General Membership meeting President Carl Locke, aka "police officer" Locke for some strange reason (I always thought the title was reserved for those who UPHOLD the law), had his hand-picked rubber stamp friend, Alice Muniz, "elected" to the position of Sergeant At Arms. This, notwithstanding the fact that she did not meet either of the two solitary qualifications for office: (1) being a member in "good standing" for at least six months prior to election (or appointment) to office; and (2) having attended at least three membership meetings within the six months including and immediately prior to the meeting at which an election is held or appointment is made. That's just the back story. But now the ballots for December elections have been received and we learn the latest in the ongoing saga of deceit, deception and destruction.

A fraternal organization's president is the "face" of the organization. His (or her) responsponsibility is to represent and speak for the organization in private or in public as is necessary or required by the circumstances or events. When one is under the cover eating cheese it is difficult to fulfill this obligation, but choosing between one's job or giving up the power and the glory is never an easy thing to do. But if you can find a hand picked rubber stamp to take the title while you continue to pull the strings it's as close to having your cake and eating it too as one can hope to get. And now that the ballots have been received we find... SURPRISE!!!!... Alice Muniz is the candidate for president and Carl Locke is candidate for his former job as VP. That's Alice, as in the one who during a previous stint on the board was so lacking in responsibility that GOAL ended up losing the post office box it had held for 22 years! That's Alice, as in the one who, after that debacle, wasn't seen at another meeting (and hadn't paid dues) for 16 months. That's Alice, who rejoined GOAL just in time to be "nominated" by her friend, Carl, to fill a vacancy via an illegal election, while lacking the qualifications even if the election WERE legal. That's Alice who... and I've said this before... is a very nice, charming and personable individual... but whose ability to carry out the responsibilities of the office is questionable at best and who, in my humble opinion (shared by others) will be no more than a figurehead, a puppet whose strings will continue to be pulled by Carl Locke.

And, my friends, GOAL's former president, George Farrugia, predicted this scenario over six months ago! ...with but a minor twist. In his original prediction George said that once he had been forced off the board, and replaced by Carl Locke, that Carl would "appoint" Alice as Vice President, that Carl would then resign and she would move into the presidency, and that she would then re-appoint HIM to the vice president's slot. I'm sure that the only reason this scenario didn't happen exactly as George predicted was all the questions of illegality and impropriety that I raised were enough to make them think it would be better to let the atmosphere cool down, lest they be charged with an even more egregious act of criminal usurpation of powers.

This house of cards will not and should not stand, and while I will do nothing to undermine it, other than speaking the truth about its leadership, I will do nothing whatsoever to support it while they remain in power. With this in mind I'd like to note that FireFLAG/EMS is holding its 2007 Holiday Party on Saturday night, December 8th from 7:00pm to 11:00pm at Mercantile Grill in lower Manhattan. Tickets are $40 and include full buffet dinner and a 4 hour top shelf open bar. GOAL is holding ITS Holiday Party the same night. If I go anywhere that night it will be to support FireFLAG/EMS!!!!!! If you want more details, go to www.fireflag.net

[bluepride]

Carl Locke and Alice Muniz

I haven't been to a meeting since July, when PO Carl Locke, after forcing an effective President from office, was caught in a web of lie after lie. GOAL has been and continues to be irrelevent and non-credible. The most recent maneuverings have been predictable but I was surprised that PO Carl Locke was actually running for Vice-President. I had thought he needed to be off the board entirely, to protect his undercover status. But the lure of "stardom" is too great, I guess. Heck, he may as well have run for President! Oh well. And they have someone running for Sergeant-At-Arms (Michelle Martindale) who apparently joined GOAL since August, making her ineligible to run anyway. But as the group says, "We don't care about state law".

Some people actually received ballots this year but GOAL's tradition of defectiveness continues. There is no mention or space provided for "write-in" candidates. (I was going to write-in Governor Eliot Spitzer for President!) And now people are receiving e-mails describing an error in directions on how to sign and verify your name on the ballot and/or envelope. (I never received this e-mail, BTW. Selective notification once again!) What a SHAM! They can't (or won't) do anything right! No wonder Governor Spitzer and Attorney General Cuomo didn't bother attending GOAL's 25th Anniversary Dinner.

I'm looking forward to going to FIREFLAG's Holiday Party again this year. It will be nice to once again socialize with adult professionals as opposed to a few GOAL members and a bunch of hangers-on and cop groupies! Yes, I know this all may sound kind of bitter but as I said earlier, they're irrelevant and non-credible. Maybe we are just, as Treasurer Charlie Blaha described us in a rare lucid moment at the Rhode Island Conference (to ex-goalli), "crybabies".

[Deleted]

The bottom line is, GOAL is supposed to protect and defend it's membership. GOAL is supposed to focus on the needs, issues and concerns of it's membership. GOAL is supposed to advocate for it's membership. GOAL is supposed to represent GLBT criminal justice professionals all over New York State. GOAL is supposed to help and encourage LGBT recruits in all law enforcement agencies. GOAL is supposed to participate in planning for future conferences. GOAL is supposed to teach LGBT issues at ALL academy training including correction. GOAL is supposed to always stand up for it's membership when they report being discriminated against based on sexual orientation. GOAL is supposed to provide ongoing counseling and crisis intervention to all of it's members. GOAL is supposed to work with chapters around the country, and around the world, to maintain mutual support systems to benefit us all.
GOAL is doing none of these things. So what are they doing? I really have no idea!!!!

[maxwelldaemon]

Yes, the bloom is off the rose as far as GOAL NY is concerned. Is it worth spending all the energy to continue wringing our hands over this disaster? I think not! Look at where the past efforts have brought us:

Those of us from the NYC area have connected and made lifelong friendships. Out of these friendships, we have taken our desire to help other LGBT law enforcement folks around the world! We have morphed into a global organization!

People have posted on this board of now being able to be comfortable in their departments; some have spoken out when injustice rears its head. Others are now sought out in their communities as "mentors." Others are speaking out and influencing legislation at all levels from local to national.

This very site; BLUEPRIDE, was born to help unify, educate, and inspire others.

I've said it before: the wake for GOAL NY is over! We are doing the mission brought forth by Charlie Cochrane and company in ways no one ever imagined. That is where our efforts are best spent.

[Deleted]

Jimmy, you're so right. It's time to just move on. We all see lots of new talent coming into the struggle, and some of it is right here on Bluepride. Besides, after working within Florida LEGAL, I don't have much energy left to put into worrying about GOAL NY. I say, let the chips fall where they may. In the meantime, we have already started to plan our conference for 2011. Look out Orlando, we're going to kick ass!!!!

[Deleted]

Does anybody know what the election results were in the GOAL New York election?

[bluepride]

Everyone who ran, ran uncontested with the exception of the position of Executive Director. No one even wants to run for office or be on the same Executive Board with the current mob. That's how bad things have gotten. Anyway, Verni won over Cox. The thing is Cox never had a chance anyway. Even if he had 100 votes, they would've found a way to disqualify or override them. Democracy at work! They simply don't want him.