Sun City Anthem Board will Address "Bullying" at May 24th Board Book Meeting

Have You Been the Victim of Cyber Bullying?

Subject will be on Sun City Anthem Board Book Agenda May 24th

After receiving a preliminary notice of the Board Book review meeting set for Tuesday, May 24th, at 9:30am, we noticed that ON THAT AGENDA is an item addressing the subject of BULLYING.

Anthem Opinions has made several attempts to address this issue and in certain cases made attempts to FILE formal charges against those who have made statements that needlessly DEGRADE, DEMEAN, and BULLY those who live within our community.

We believe "bully" actions have CONTRIBUTED TO CREATING A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT for a number of residents....

And...Sun City Anthem has finally decided to address this issue which became THE LAW in Nevada under NRS 116 regulations on October 1, 2013.

In addition, many of our new residents may not be aware of a procedure that existed a number of years ago referred to as "Code of Conduct" violations and procedures. 

The individual who was the #1 one person that INCURRED THOSE COMPLAINTS....was a blogger....who happened to be married to the then President of the Association.

One such action actually included this MAN picking up a chair and physically threatening another resident...A WOMAN.

And...it was during that administration THAT PROCEDURE WAS SUDDENLY  ABANDONED.

Have you been a victim?  

Do you believe the time has come to LAWFULLY stop such behavior toward senior citizens who moved to Sun City Anthem in anticipation of a retirement experience WITHOUT FEARING SUCH cruel behavior?

I personally have been such a victim being referred to as "demented", "a sore loser" (with demeaning graphics), "a bully", that I have "no level of social engagement or accomplishment with fellow residents", that I "am socially maladjusted", that I am "hateful", and that I specially target women for criticism......

...ALL MADE BY ONE BLOGGER within the last 5 weeks.

In addition I have sustained comments such as "crawled out from under a rock" and have been accused as a "thug", and am "crude".

The list goes on and on.

This same individual has in the past had NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS for such actions from other residents by referring to some as "slippery",and a "clown", just to mention a few.

This same individual has falsely written statements that inferred a club was responsible for a man's tragic suicide.

He has constantly demeaned residents Bob Frank, Kay Frank, Tim Stebbins, Mary Lee Duley,  Forrest Fetherolf, Valerie Lapin, Norman McCullough, as well as, fellow bloggers again and again over the years, just to name a few.

Yet...that same individual CLAIMS others are BULLIES, when he is not able to provide PROOF of any such activity...other than providing his own personal definition.

This individual is NOT ALONE in this behavior. 

Comments made on other blogs have been EVERY BIT AS DEMEANING.

If you are of the belief YOU have been bullied or believe these actions MUST STOP, we urge you to attend this meeting on Tuesday morning at 9:30am in the Delaware Room of the Anthem Center.

Make your comments aware to this new board and to our new General Manager in order that Sun City Anthem may finally adopt a procedure where residents may expect EXISTING NEVADA LEGISLATION to be ENFORCED, and allow residents to live in peace without fear of incurring the wrath of a BULLY.

Perhaps board action to SANCTION bloggers and COMMENTERS who make such BULLYING REMARKS may hasten discontinuing such offensive behavior. 

Anthem Opinions, despite what others may have said, has NEVER bullied any individual, and we would be most happy to participate in any BOARD ACTIVITY WHICH WILL ESTABLISH A SENSE OF DECENCY.

Our blog policy has been and WILL ALWAYS CONTINUE to EDUCATE and ENTERTAIN, NOT HUMILIATE.

Here is the law in Nevada which we sincerely ask each and every resident to support. 

NRS 116.31184  

    Threats, harassment and other conduct prohibited; penalty.

       1.  A community manager, an agent or employee of the community manager, a member of the executive board, an officer, employee or agent of an association, a unit’s owner or a guest or tenant of a unit’s owner shall not willfully and without legal authority threaten, harass or otherwise engage in a course of conduct against any other person who is the community manager of his or her common-interest community or an agent or employee of that community manager, a member of the executive board of his or her association, an officer, employee or agent of his or her association, another unit’s owner in his or her common-interest community or a guest or tenant of a unit’s owner in his or her common-interest community which:

      (a) Causes harm or serious emotional distress, or

the reasonable apprehension thereof, to that person; or

       (b) Creates a hostile environment for that person.

       2.  A person who violates the provisions of subsection 1 is guilty of a misdemeanor.

       (Added to NRS by 2013, 2529)

 NRS 388.122  

“Bullying” defined.  

“Bullying” means a willful act which is written, verbal or physical, or a course of conduct on the part of one or more persons which is not authorized by law and which exposes a person repeatedly and over time to one or more negative actions which is highly offensive to a reasonable person and:

      1.  Is intended to cause or actually causes the person to suffer harm or serious emotional distress;

       2.  Exploits an imbalance in power between the person engaging in the act or conduct and the person who is the subject of the act or conduct;

       3.  Poses a threat of immediate harm or actually inflicts harm to another person or to the property of another person;

       4.  Places the person in reasonable fear of harm or serious emotional distress; or

       5.  Creates an environment which is hostile to a pupil by interfering with the education of the pupil.

       (Added to NRS by 2009, 687; A 2011, 2245; 2013, 1655, 2138)

NRS 388.123  

“Cyber-bullying” defined.  

“Cyber-bullying” means bullying through the use of electronic communication.

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

As you can see, this law now makes harassing comments toward another person a CRIMINAL OFFENSE; and as a result, those who choose to make such comments, not only subject themselves to CIVIL litigation, but as of October 1, 2013,  CRIMINAL PROSECUTION as well.

Do you feel that Sun City Anthem should reestablish the "Code of Conduct" provisions?

Do you feel bullying should be curtailed and the law addressed?

Does bullying in any way create a hostile environment?

Should those who are found to have BULLIED sustain a suspension of membership amenities?

Send you comments to: 

scaopinions@gmail.com

1. 
   May 22, 2016 at 1:02 PM

   From Robert Nusser...to...Anthem Opinions
   
   I've talked to many neighbors, and NOBODY was aware that this topic was to be addressed on Tuesday 5/24....
   
   Why such short notice on a topic that affects EVERYBODY????
2. 1. 
      Dick ArendtMay 22, 2016 at 1:42 PM

      Actually Robert, I'm hoping a number of those who have made such derogatory comments will have the courage to be at that meeting and identify themselves, using their real names in order for people to look at them for what they are, namely cowards.
      
      The world should know who they are, especially those who will hide behind an alias in order for people to recognize them.
      
      What kinds of people destroy the good names of others who hide behind an alias in order to ridicule individuals?
      
      Mentally warped and rude people who have little to do with their lives other than beat people up with words, destroying their good name, while believing they will be able to hide their identities....
      
      ...that is...
      
      ... until they face internal association and if necessary, legal action, by way of a subpoena of a blog owner who is fully responsible for the content of the bullying messages.
      
      One would hope that this may be curtailed by way of a Board adopting some form of decency policy; perhaps similar to one that once existed that would deny access to various association facilities for a period of time and/or financial fine.
      
      The potential ramifications of ignoring such activity, namely knowing a problem exists, and an organization in turn, doing nothing to address it, may make the association liable for allowing the "creation of a hostile environment".
      
      Do bloggers really want to create this problem for themselves and the association?
      
      Wouldn't it be easier and MORE MATURE if subjects were addressed and comments made without resorting to such character assassination?
      
      We certainly hope that will be the case...for all parties concerned.
      
      All it requires is simply ACTING LIKE AN AN ADULT.
   2. 1.         May 22, 2016 at 3:18 PM
      2. From Bud McQuillan...to...Anthem Opinions
         
         This can be a bag of worms.
         
         A clear or implied threat is one thing.
         
         If I disagree with your position or action, and you construe that as bullying, who arbitrates, whose opinion prevails.
         
         When does a threat to be sanctioned as a bully silence free speech?
         
         Given the history of SCA Boards it doesn't take imagination to see where is will lead.
      3. 
         Dick ArendtMay 22, 2016 at 3:47 PM

         Good question, Bud.
         
         Disagreeing is one thing, and if ones says "I disagree" and then say why they do, would be a perfectly acceptable response.
         
         ...and I believe if that were the case, this topic would not have even taken place.
         
         However, when one calls a person "demented" in the explanation, that is NOT.
         
         I guess the words "respectfully disagree" would not have any objection.
         
         It's the name calling and literal character assassination that is unnecessary, unacceptable, and bullying.
         
         Cyber-bullying...
         
         .... is the act of harming or harassing via information technology networks in a repeated and deliberate manner.
         
         According to U.S. Legal Definitions, "cyber-bullying could be limited to posting rumors or gossips about a person in the internet bringing about hatred in other’s minds; or it may go to the extent of personally identifying victims and publishing materials severely defaming and humiliating them.
         
         Telling the truth is NOT cyber-bullying.
         
         For example, referring to an individual as "a librarian" is far from bullying or hateful, nor is referring to them as part of a "political machine"...
         
         ....especially when they eventually vote to maintain what has been determined through careful documentation of OFFICIAL RECORDS a part of a system that has brought financial drain to our community....
         
         ...as another blog has stated.
         
         HATEFUL and BULLYING is calling an individual a "woman hater" or other terms when, as the definition clearly states, will "severely defame and humiliate them."
         
         Saying an individual is "socially maladjusted" or "has no level of social engagement or accomplishment with fellow residents" is GOSSIP ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL WHICH BRINGS ABOUT HATRED IN OTHER'S MINDS...and IS cyber-bullying.