Lies, damned lies, etc.

A long time ago, Brian Ast shared the following observation with me in Adams County: Never call a man a liar until he lies to you.

I've always thought that was a pretty good philosophy.

Thus, I'm not going to call anyone a liar today. (I'll refrain from the almost overwhelming temptation of adding "the hell I'm not.")

Life's too short.

In fact, I really do not feel like addressing this latest – and absolutely unnecessary chapter – in the Highland County Historical Society ongoing saga, as the Society attempts to right itself.

With new leadership from Mr. Robert Hodson, the Society – with sufficient membership support – is about to embark on a new beginning, if you will.

Again, that is up to the HCHS membership. Society members can listen to and heed the advice of an honorable man and founding member like Mr. Hodson.

Or, members can listen to some crackpot with Facebook muscles.

For reasonable individuals, that seems a rather obvious choice.

This morning, a good friend sent me this posting from an online site called "Save the Historical Society:" "The entire conflict in the Historical Society was created and promoted by Midge Rose, Margaret Van Frank and The Highland County Press."

Really?! Two nice ladies and the only locally owned newspaper in Highland County conspired to create "the entire conflict."

Good Lord.

The aforementioned crackpot then adds this gem, perhaps written from his taxpayer-renovated palatial estate: "The museum has always operated in the 'red' and operates on withdrawals from the savings funds. This is nothing new and was only used as a 'false dilemma' and as a weapon to take over the society."

You don't say, Big Boy?

This is a shameless and barefaced lie. (Note: I didn't call anyone a liar. Yet.)

For the record, and as prior Society board members and fiscal officers can attest, the accusation that the HCHS "always operated in the red" is simply not true.

In prior years, the Society has operated on the INTEREST earned from the HCHS investment portfolio, along with membership dues, usage fees and donations.

In more fiscally responsible years, the Society did NOT make withdrawals from the investment portfolio and it always presented a balanced budget.

Don't believe me? Fine. Ask those board members who served prior to this out-of-towner's self-promotional controversy.

Ask County Commissioner and former Lynchburg Mayor Jeremy Shaffer. He reviewed the numbers. So did the past two fiscal officers/treasurers.

The Facebook aficionado also states: "The museum has been closed since July. Was that explained to you before you voted?"

What part of "everything stops" don't you understand? In a clear and direct statement on July 15, 2013, Mr. Hodson said "Everything stops." Understand?

I will address just one more item in this crackpot's 8-point piece of propaganda.

In Item No. 6, he writes: "The motion to dismiss the board and the director was made by someone who is now nominated to the board? What is the relationship of this person to the group who created the conflict in the first place? Was the July meeting organized by leaders and members of a political party as an official function?"

I could be wrong, but I will presume that this crackpot is referring to my mother, Rosemary Ryan.

God forgive her, Mrs. Ryan did, indeed, make a motion to restore some semblance of sanity to the Highland County Historical Society by making a motion to disband the former board.

Dwight Crum then nominated a man (Bob Hodson) who has done as much or more for Highland County as anyone I know.

Again, my business was accused of creating a conflict. A conflict with an organization that my sole association for the past 23 years has been to provide free publicity.

(No good deed goes unpunished.)

Was the July meeting organized by leaders and members of a political party as an official function?

Well, from my observation at the July meeting, it was a bipartisan crowd that leaned about 60-40 to the right. Is this person saying he has issues with the Highland County Republican Party? That really would be something, since a goodly number of local Republicans have been marching to the tune of his, how do the young folks say it? BFF? Man, it must be hard for some Republicans to look in the mirror these days.

Oh, and once again, for the record, Mrs. Ryan was a five-time elected Republican office holder in the city of Hillsboro. 

Let me conclude with this, shortly after The Highland County Press coverage of a meeting of the Highland County Historical Society, this same individual who now casts aspersions and makes unfounded accusations, wrote to The Highland County Press: "Thank you for being there and covering this topic so thoroughly."

This was followed by: "It (The HCP report) was accurate and complete and reflects your journalistic heritage."

You're damned right it was accurate and complete, Sir.

Highland County's only real local newspaper does its level best to provide accurate coverage of the community's news. We are by no means perfect. We do not rely on corporate resources from many states away. But we do, By God, try to be fair and accurate, as we have been with our reports on the Highland County Historical Society.

You, Sir, owe us – and others – an apology. While I do not anticipate such, I assure you that your agenda-driven … nonsense will not deter us. Not one damned bit.

Rory Ryan is publisher of the only locally owned newspaper in Highland County.