Before Chelene era, there were many early SOS good staff there. When those good folks were black-balled or marginalized along with some other common sense folks, I could see that that org was a popularity cult for just a few, then only one - Chelen Nightingale. That just disgusts me to know how hard it is to motivate folks to do things to better their neighborhoods and have some ignorant meglomaniac destroy that inniative of others.
I know of many good folks that got banned by Chelene or her 'others' and that put our efforts in the trash heap. We are still suffering from that today. Some folks left permanently.
That is why I think this matter is a cancer on our movement and needs to be cut-out and not easily dismissed (amnesty anyone?). Anyone who was party to those deeds should make a clear admission of doing so and tell all who will listen the whole hidden facts about the unfair injustice that they saw occur on their 'watch'. Then it's not hidden or censored. And the vicitms can get fairness and make a informed decision on these matters.
The main thing I have against Chelene Nightingale is how she tried to manipulate Ramos and Compean for her own purposes. She acted like she was THE spokesperson for them. She would brag to NO end on her friendship with the agents and their families, and insist that people contact them through HER, saying that she was NOT going to allow ANYONE to harm them. She DIDN'T like being REMINDED that LOTS of OTHER Americans ALSO dearly loved and appreciated Ramos and Compean and were deeply concerned about them. She even told people that they could SEND DONATIONS for the agents to HER!
When major milestone events occurred, such as the July 2008 rejection of the second appeal of Ramos and Compean or the commutation of their unjust prison terms last January, Nightingale would warn people NOT to call or email the families because of the stress these events carry (I DEFIED her ridiculous orders and phoned the Ramoses on BOTH occasions anyway! GOOD thing I DID, they were DELIGHTED to hear from me!).
However, Raymond Herrera told me that NOBODY has to go through Nightingale to contact the Ramos and Compean families, people can do that on their OWN! Mr. Loya publicized his phone number and email so that ANYONE could reach them, Ray said. Nightingale is NOT the SOLE spokesperson for the Ramos and Compean families, she is a SELF-appointed one, Ray indicated. Nightingale's false charge that Mr. Gilchrist neglected Ramos and Compean incensed me to PUBLICLY rebuke her. Of course, THAT did NOT AT ALL go over well with Nightingale. In her final email to me about my posts against her, Nightingale rasped that "anyone who uses Ramos and Compean for their personal advancement or benefit should be tarred and feathered!! They are HEROES and GREAT people may I add. I will defend the Ramos family until the end!! They are family to me and I will always be there to make sure people stop hurting them!!" (those are her EXACT words! Yet, WHO used Ramos and Compean for their personal ends MORE than Nightingale?!
HOW on earth can she possibly be FAMILY to them after the CONTEMPTIBLE way she EXPLOITED their untold personal and family tragedy!) I sure hope and pray that the nasty falsehoods Nightingale spread about Mr. Gichrist and others who care deeply for Ramos and Compean will COME BACK to HAUNT her! And last month, God blessed me to meet, for the FIRST time, Jose Compean and his lovely wife Patty. I sure hope and pray that their first meeting with me enabled them to see beyond any lies Nightingale may have told them about me. And I tried, as tactfully and yet as truthfully as possible, to help Jose and Patty realize that Mr. Gilchrist and Ray and Kingfish and other fellow patriots at the MMP are among the BEST friends Jose and Nacho and their families could have! I don't just believe it, I KNOW it!
