... meeting the "owner" of Sahara Coins on the first day of the convention. I did speak to the person manning the table, who had his dealer name tag turned face in so the name could not be read (when I asked him about this during a subsequent visit, his response was to the effect, "why do you think?").

I was advised of your post, Mark, after I made my earlier post and this is my first visit to the board since. To the extent that I was in error, I apologize. However, the only inaccuracy in my post was in referring to the "owner" rather than the "person manning the table".

In further response:

>> I have, to the best of my knowledge, never met Jim Rielly. (sic)

At least I spelled your name correctly, Mark.

>> He did not meet with "the owner" at the show.

Now that I know it was not you at the table, I think this statement is correct. To the best of my knowledge, we have not met. I take it from your comment below that the person manning the table was your father-in-law. I did meet him and went back after being told of your post and apologized for having mis-identified him as you. I MUST SAY, HOWEVER: I wonder why you didn't have gumption enough to show up yourself, rather than letting your father-in-law suffer through the show.

>> Also The individual who is manning our table has been
>> there from 9:30 to 6:00 and has not left early.

This statement is not correct. I was there; he wasn't. Neither (apparently) were you. Your table was closed early on Thursday, as stated in my original post.

>> I have spoke with a few collectors and dealers
>> about their thoughts on the subject and have
>> heard everything from one extreme to the other.

This I don't doubt.

>> I even heard that one well known dealer came by
>> the table and told my father-in-law that "Mark
>> Scott sure as hell wouldn't be in the show next year".

Personally, I would have no objection to your being there to sell unslabbed chips. I do, however, hope that our newly elected board takes action to prohibit the sale of slabbed chips at next year's convention. Furthermore, I stand by my pledge as stated in the list and will not personally do business of any kind with you as long as you are selling slabbed chips.

>> You must be kidding me..... Sometimes I feel
>> that There is a compound in Idaho with a few to
>> many empty bunks.

We are a private organization. We can allow (or not) the sale of any item we choose. Sale of coins, for example, is already prohibited. You may choose to insult those of us who feel this way, but you do yourself no public relations favors in doing so.

>> In our industry ...

Chipping is a HOBBY, not an industry. Every time a slabbing proponent uses the word "industry" I simultaneously cringe (because I don't want my hobby to become an industry) and chuckle (because such references do nothing to advance your cause with the chip hobbyists).

>> What I am trying to say is, Why all the obvious hate?

I don't hate you (or anyone else associated with slabbing). I just don't like what you are trying to do to my hobby.

>> I respect whatever you do as long as it is ethical and legal.

Then, you must respect our opposition to slabbing, as there is nothing unethical or illegal about our beliefs or activities.

>> Let each person make up his or her own mind
>> when given the option to buy a raw chip or a
>> certified chip. (They can do it all by
>> themselves, I promise).

I wouldn't presume to tell anyone whether they should or should not buy a slabbed chip. I have no problem, however, in saying that I won't permit it to happen in my home. Or, by extension, at our convention (which I consider my chipping home away from home).

>> People in this country have fought many wars to
>> preserve our right to choose freely what we as
>> individuals deem is right for us.

If you knew me at all, you'd know I was one of those individuals. And I have freely chosen to oppose slabbing and to do everything I can to help prevent it from taking hold in the chip hobby.

>> I ... spoke with a new member who had joined up
>> about 3 months ago. I asked him how he felt
>> about slabbing and he said he really did not
>> know much about it but felt that he was
>> leaning toward the "list" because he felt so
>> much peer pressure at the show. Wow! The
>> Bullies are back in the schoolyard!

"Peer pressure" does not imply "bullying", as you have suggested. Did you attend the slabbing seminar? Did it sound as if I was bullying anyone? Did you visit the Slabfree Chapter Table? Did you introduce yourself to any of the known opponents of slabbing?

No one was being bullied. We provided information and encouraged club members to join the chapter and sign the list. Furthermore, this was done in a calm, friendly, professional manner.

>> I was talking to another member in line who
>> told me he signed the list in the beginning and
>> now had second thoughts. I asked him why he was
>> doubting himself and he responded:"why should I
>> care? I can make up my mind about what I want
>> and who I want to get it from".

Anyone who has signed the list and wishes to remove his name is free to do so. All he has to do is post a message here to that effect OR send a private email to Andy Hughes, me or Pete Sanders (president of the slabfree chapter). We will see that the name is promptly removed.

>> I walked around the show and spoke to 15 or 20
>> people about anything other than chip slabbing
>> and found some real nice people. People that I
>> would like to get to know better in the years
>> to come (we can never have enough people that
>> we look forward to spending time with) ...

This is a great hobby with great people.

>> ... and it saddens me to think that we can't sit on the
>> same part of the bus or use the same drinking fountain.

One of the reasons it's a great hobby is that we don't generally see or hear comments like this from our members. It's a false analogy and a baseless slur on the people who have spent a lot of time, effort and money to protect our hobby from what we perceive to be a threat to its very nature. We don't care if you drink from our fountain, just don't expect us to let you p*ss in it.

----- jim o\-S