John's Open Letters Vol. 1 #24

April 12, 2002

Having received many e-mails lately I find Skronen266a@a... is at it again. This e-mail address is not me. It is an impostor deliberately set up to make you think I am the sender. It is even signed "Johnny". No one has called me "Johnny" for years and the one that did was a nice lady I used to run errands for when I was a small boy. I was called worse, but not Johnny. Some people will try anything if they are desperate enough. Remember "266a" is a phony, not mine.

Now to more important issues. Mr. Sherman Pratt of 'no third term' fame has written, "so I will cast my vote for Harley even though I am unsure of the legality of doing so = I have ruled that he is not eligible to run under the bylaws" How can a man vote for Harley Coon after he states he is not a legal candidate? Some will go down with the ship even though they know there are lifeboats to use. This is another one I can't figure out.

I sent an e-mail to Ed Buckman, President of Chapter 270, Texas. I was asking for the proof to some of his false accusations. I got back a fragmented reply which I feel I must send to you because it was sent to me personally. I asked, "How did you get the list before it was officially published?" His reply: "I have not seen the list as of yet, for your information, hopefully the Graybeard will tell us all who is running." More double-talk. This was after he said in another e-mail: "The vote this year would have grave consequences if the wrong people got control of our organization". He said he did not see the list but he named candidates who are on it. Then he condemns my letters as misinformation. Does this sound like someone else who we all know? Then he asked me, "Do you promise to support Harley if he wins?" As I have said before, "I will respect the Office of the President of the K.W.V.A." I do not have to support him if I think he is an illegal candidate or not running a clean ship. I thought Ed was smart, now I know better. He can support who he wants.

Here is another direct quote from Ed Buckman, "By the way my name is BUCKMAN and I go by Ed and I am from the only legal chapter in Texas. The two others, one has never paid dues to National they call themselves "The Lone Star" and a group of us organized a new chapter because the Chapter 215 would not allow us to vote last year. So to my knowledge the "Sam Johnson Chapter 270" is the only one". My comments: This man is lying by putting out untrue statements. first, there are six legal Chapters in Texas, with one pending. Second, Chapters don't pay dues to the National, and Third, the vote was in reference to being part of an arrangement involving the White Light Casket sales which Chapter 215 wanted nothing to do with. He further states they are fighting every step of the way against two people rumored to be running for Director and I would assume he is talking about Texas. There is only one person from Texas running for Director and that is Mr. William "Bill" MacSwain. Bill is a gentleman and has nothing to do with Chapter 270 and its 18 Members. I find this another example of a Coon supporter with bold faced lies to put down the other Chapters in Texas to serve his own personal needs. Mr.. Coon took the liberty to swear in this Chapter after he was instructed not to do so by the Chapter Formation Chairman. I don't know all the particulars and I don't care to communicate with a spreader of lies.

From Don Anderson, who wrote: "Just out of curiosity, I sent an e-mail to the Skronen266a@a... and requested the identity of the sender. I included my complete identity as an Officer of a Chapter and a Life Member. Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway)I got back an "undeliverable" message saying the address was unknown. Obviously someone made up the address just to send spurious messages and then cancelled out. This is cowardly and unbecoming to any self-respecting KWVA member." Thank you, Don, for your efforts even though futile.

Several of my incoming e-mail and phone calls wanted to know how to vote. I told them the Ballot should be in the Mar. / Apr. Graybeards. One new Chapter President said he met Harley and thought he was a nice guy. Now he is not so sure for all he knows is in the magazine. He said he will not vote for Harley in this election. I want to thank all who sent me nice e-mails thanking me for my refreshing words in my last letter. There are a lot of very nice people in the K.W.V.A. Now to get nice people in office. That would be refreshing.

A letter to Harley J. Coon from a founder of two Chapters: "My reason for this message is two fold, first from personal experience in dealing with the national administration and being completely ignored and bluntly told that chapters have no connection to national and should be run strictly on there own." My comment about this is that Mr. Coon also told me he did not get involved in Chapters for he had more important things to do. This proves to me he does not care about the Chapters. The writer of this e-mail to Harley J. Coon says, "It is quite obvious from the Ad-Hoc messages from a majority of members that you have failed to comply with the by laws of the Association and have used your position only to satisfy your personnel ego. There is not space to continue to list the abuses that you have enforced within the organization. You have personally taken it upon yourself to dictate the contents of the Graybeards Magazine, you do not have the right to do so. It bothers me to think that as a free p o w you have lost the ability to understand that you are only one of many under the same tent. It is my belief that you should withdraw your name from the ballot and go out with some respect and not continue the destruction and the unrest within the Association." I want to thank Bob Mildenberger for writing this strong message to Harley J. Coon and hope he will accept that I have had to edit some of his e-mail so I can have room for other e-mails. Bob, you write a good letter.

The Texas Lone Star Chapter 76 voted a resolution of support for President Coon some time in the past. Since that time events have occurred that suggested this Chapter take further action. The following is what happened. "Last night, April 4, 2002, our officers and board of directors met and, after some discussion voted unanimously to withdraw our resolution. I am authorized by the board of directors to direct that our resolution of support for President Harley Coon be rescinded and declared null and void. Signed by Howard Nathan, Past President, Texas Lone Star Chapter." I commend you all for your intelligent decision. I feel it was wise and no damage was done.

I must remind you that this two-hundred strong Chapter in Houston, Texas was reported by Mr. Ed Buckman to be non-existent. I think Ed needs an education and he should realize there is no room in the great State of Texas for lies, false statements and casting blame on others. Next thing I'll be hearing is that somebody stole a horse or is it now a pickup truck with a gun rack and beer cans in the back. I love Texas. Been there and done that. Good job, Nathan.

E-mail: "John. letter 3 21 will be printed and disseminated as widely as I can manage. Furthermore, your list of candidates will get the same treatment! Here's hoping the coming elections will put an end to the dictatorship of "papa doc " Coon and cohorts! Pat Sullivan."

Since my e-mails and letters that I have sent out, encouraging our Members to vote and to get others to vote, I have had a lot of replies. Some did not know how to vote and wanted to know who counted the Ballots. It seems they were worried and I put them at ease when I told them a C.P.A. tabulated the votes. They were afraid someone in Coon's backyard did the counting.

Recently Mr. Buckman from Chapter 270, Texas called me a thief and a liar. I am neither and I take this very personally. I ask him for proof and he puts in a nice e-mail from a lady about her feelings but avoids proving what he said. I question his insults about me when I know the Chapter that he is a Member of was formed from another Chapter when he was an officer there. Mr. Buckman is a liar and twists his words to make him look good. Again this sounds familiar. I am repeating this in the letter to try to explain to some who don't like the in-fighting between Members of the K.W.V.A. To that I will apologize. If Mr. Buckman would not have sent his e-mail calling me a thief I would not have made my case. My letters started on Aug. 29, 2001, and all the addresses were sent "to me" except for some e-mails forwarded by other concerned Members. His letter about the blood drive was Sept. 12.

To the Members who have become disgusted I want to say I am sorry, but please stay the course and vote whatever your wish may be. The first shot has been fired: the list of Candidates. The second is: deciding who to vote for. And the third is: counting the Ballots. Our vote is the most important for a change. It is time for a change. Never underestimate the opposition. Get out the vote.

After trying to get over the fact that our Judge Advocate and Legal Advisor is voting for Harley Coon, I read in the Mar. / Apr. Graybeards where under the Editor's Pen" Mr. Krepps voices his "personal opinion" endorsing Mr. Coon. I find this very disturbing for Mr. Krepps is a contract employee of the K.W.V.A. who is being paid for his services to be the Editor of the Graybeards magazine. Mr. Coon is his boss and retained him to that job. I never thought Mr. Krepps would stoop this low by his exclusive use of the Graybeards. He needs to be replaced by someone with honor and fairness to all. This also shows a continuation of the restrictive use of the Graybeards by the general Membership from Mr. Krepps. Was anybody asked to use the Graybeards for electioneering? The answer is no. This might be permissible if other Members were permitted to put letters of support for their Candidates in the Graybeards. There should be an Open Forum Section for this purpose. I feel Mr. Krepps has done an unethical act by not allowing the Members to use the Graybeards for this purpose. By doing so he is extending an unfair advantage in his support of Mr. Coon, his boss, and has shown disrespect to the other Members who are running for National Office.

More of our Members are getting involved because of my Open letters and many complaints are being voiced about some of Mr. Coon's appointments and replacements. What we need is people who will not lay blame on the Members because of their own shortcomings. I have heard from at least five appointed Staff and Committee Members who I personally think lack the ability and leadership that this organization, the K.W.V.A., needs and deserves.

Several members wrote in the past we need a clean sweep and that should include others who are appointed. The K.W.V.A. is becoming the laughing stock in Washington.

One of Mr. Coon's supporters, who is running for Office, has instructed his Chapter Members to bring their Ballots to their meeting so they can mark their Ballots en mass. This is probably not illegal but being from the ranks of an independent voter, I find this as an intrusion on my right to choose my Candidates without holding school to do it. This appears to be another sign of desperation.

Remember: Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Please pass my letters on to others by whatever means you have at your disposal. Copy if you wish.

Freedom is not free and it never was.

Respectfully, John Kronenberger