It’s not a violation of board policies to discuss public statements and behavior, court proceedings, etc., related to professionals in the industry, as they relate to news stories, current events, etc. However, a reminder to please exercise good judgement in not letting those tangential topics overtake the main point of the thread or devolve into personal commentary unrelated to the industry issues being discussed.
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Her medical history is what caused the car crash (she had a seizure and fainted - those are medical issues). The article she wrote was about her childhood history of being molested by her trainer as a minor. When you are commenting on those events, you are commenting on those histories, and I do not think that is at all fair game because she wrote an article in a blog about the name of an event.
I’ll refrain from any further comment, both because I don’t think you and I wish to go back and forth anymore, and because @Moderator 1 has asked us to stay on topic.
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I understand where you are coming from.
The only thing I was intending to highlight in the paragraph I quoted from the 2017 editorial LW wrote a d EN published was the specific line about fantasizing about stepping on the accelerator, and driving a car off the road. And then eventually following through on that fantasy one evening, after experiencing prolonged traumatic stress, resulting in a single vehicle automobile accident.
ETA: The reports concerning the 2012 car accident and 2013 plea agreement with respect to involuntary manslaughter all indicate that the car accident occurred because of the driver experiencing a personal medical issue, which led to a loss of consciousness, which caused one Sri we to step on the accelerator, and then her vehicle traveled off the road, and another vehicle was hit, and someone died. Those are widely reported facts, that were investigated by authorities, and backed up by testimony from professionals, and are all part of both a public and legal record.
I think in light of the public and legal record pertaining to the underlying causes and facts involved in the 2012 car accident, it was a striking decision to write some of the very specific things that LW did in her 2017 essay, and striking that EN published it.
Leslie is currently the editor in chief for EN. John Thier is the publisher. Leslie does sometimes both write different articles/editorials/blog posts for them, as well as edit others’ work. That is her professional role at EN. I’m not sure if she was the editor in chief back in 2017, but it is public knowledge she wrote that essay. At the time, it was widely considered a controversial essay, because of the decision not to “name names” with respect to certain folks referred to in that particular piece of writing. I can understand why names weren’t named, and will refrain from criticism of that aspect of the piece and their editorial decisions. But for the record, that issue was already discussed widely in the eventing community back at the end of 2017 and beginning of 2018 about that essay/editorial.
However… the particular portion I highlighted wasn’t discussed much at the time, to the best of my knowledge. I’m scrutinizing it now, because the controversy pertaining to the latest essay/editorial from the folks at EN with respect to Plantation Field, and the facts and circumstances and roles multiple parties involved
played in terms of communications, actions, and decisions made behind the scenes, prior to publishing “The Problem with Plantation” on September 16… well… I and many others think that the editorial decision making of the folks at EN, and choice to publish that September 16th piece ARE actually the key issue with this Plantation Field situation, and are why EN was asked not to cover the event, and are at the heart of why the venue was lost. Add to it,the fact that after that September 16 piece hit the internet, and Cuyler Walker’s decision to cancel the lease became public, and the outcry on the part of so many in the eventing community with respect to the loss of the venue became apparent, Leslie still chose to provide comments and background information on this particular editorial and situation to the NYT. The NYT then went on to publish the article, “Estate’s Racially Divisive Name Threatens Future of Premier Equestrian Event” on September 21st. I think that ENs decision to provide commentary to the NYT also merits a close look at the issue of editorial responsibility, and whether folks at EN have conducted themselves responsibly in this situation, and in the past, as a journalistic organization or a popular social media blog with a substantial following in the US eventing community. I will leave out of it whether they are more journalistic organization or SoMe blog… and just focus on the issue of “responsible conduct.”
So back to that 2017 editorial piece. It is my opinion, after reading it, and reading reports about the actual 2012 accident, that a good, professional, competent editor SHOULD and WOULD typically sit down with a writer who had the specific legal history of the writer of that piece, and edit out the portion about fantasizing about stepping on an accelerator, and driving a vehicle off the road years and years ago, prior to publishing. It’s a no brainer. The issue to me isn’t whether any of it did or didn’t happen… or anything else related to any of that. The issue is that if the family of the actual victim involved in the 2012 accident happened to read the 2017 editorial that a specific writer at EN actually wrote?
There are all sorts of unintended consequences that might come from that. The family could have their very personal and painful wounds reopened, and be retraumatized. There also might be legal grounds to reopen certain civil issues pertaining to the fallout from the 2012 accident. A professional, responsible editor and publisher who were aware of their own writer’s background should have stepped in and edited that piece of writing prior to publication. They could have left the story largely the same… and just edited a few key lines. It would have made a significant difference, and easily eliminated the troubling associations and coincidences I am now pointing out.
But they didn’t. They sent it to print (so to speak… they are an online outlet). And the timing coincided with a national furor over both MeToo, and the issue of sexual abuse/exploitation of athletes by coaches and powerful figures in a variety of sports. Those are both very serious issues, and media has played an important and serious role in how society reacted to stories related to those issues, and how we have evolved in our thinking about these issues. And for that reason… it’s INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT for media outlets to be cautious and thorough and responsible prior to publishing anything related to these topics. Very messy fallout can result if they aren’t.
So think about that, and look at the most recent situation with EN and Plantation Field. Even if we take on board your speculation that it is possible BIPOC involved in the sport actually came to Leslie and EN in late June with complaints about the name of this venue, and thus this whole story/editorial was not created by the folks actually working for the media outlet that wrote about it… even if that is true… Leslie and John were both well aware of Mr. Walker’s fears about getting unfair treatment in the media with respect to the venue name, his family history, and the motivations behind the name, and becoming an actual target of BLM protesters because of the increased focus on his property that might result from coverage. As of September 16, Leslie and John were both aware the fallout from this situation had already resulted in Mr. Walker deciding to cancel the lease with PFEE, and make this the last year that an FEI event would happen on that property. EN had already run their planned editorial speaking about the insensitive name issue. So why then provide additional commentary to the NYT so that they could go on and publish the Sept. 21st article… the exact sort of article Mr. Walker feared would be written? Leslie commented to the NYT at the same precise time as folks at USEA were apparently desperately attempting to speak with Mr. Walker, make amends, and get him to reconsider canceling the lease and withdrawing his longtime, substantial support of USEA competition. I think it was not responsible or wise for anyone who claims to have had no intention to unfairly smear Mr. Walker and draw negative msm coverage with implications of racism to him and his family property to have cooperated with the NYT on that article. And I think it was not responsible or wise for anyone who claims to wish to support the growth of the sport of eventing, and make the eventing community a more inclusive, kind and welcoming community to have cooperated with that NYT article, and drawn that sort of msm coverage to this venue and the sport in the way that Leslie and EN did.
Like the 2017 piece, I think this piece was rushed irresponsibly, and a major part of their decision to rush, involved the broader societal story going on right now. And I think it’s a very irresponsible and troubling.
I know you don’t wish to argue. Neither do I. We just are looking at this from different vantage points I think. I have decided to go back abd edit this particular comment of mine extensively, to explain why I have highlighted what I have highlighted about the 2017 editorial, and why I think it IS, in fact, directly relevant to the current EN situation with Plantation Field and their most recent editorial. Good intentions do often pave the road to hell. I see a track record on the part of EN now, which involves some really troubling editorial decisions involved in both stories, and it goes beyond just journalistic ethics to other questions as to whether they are acting like a responsible media outlet/popular SoMe blog.
I hope that clarifies where I am coming from.
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I originally hoped that a compromise solution could be reached to bring the venue back. And perhaps Brian O’Connor will be that mediator you seek. His move to take carloads of PF participants to the landowner’s house to thank him was pretty shrewd.
However, after all the discussion over the last few weeks, my current (unrealistic) hope is that another landowner/organizer in the region will step up to develop an equally good event and name it something that abbreviates to BLM.
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Correction: She claimed her medical history was what caused her to run off the road.
For the record, VHM, I agree with you. I can’t imagine the shock and pain the deceased teacher’s family would feel if they read that passage in her essay… they would be left wondering if something else lay behind the “accident” that killed their loved one. At best, it was rather tasteless to include that, and perhaps indicative of a pattern of not being particularly sensitive to other people’s feelings.
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And a good example of not thinking thru what the final result of your ramblings might be.
(Your = the discussed EN editor, not Horsegirl’s Mom.)
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Hi, it’s Leslie Wylie. This thread was brought to my attention. I am, as one kind poster pointed out, an actual human. Whose willingness to be vulnerable, share deeply personal experiences, and take a chance at doing some good work in this world, is all being publicly laid at my feet now in a smoldering heap of blame, shame and cruelty. To lay out some facts, so you can take a break from speculating: Yes, I was sexually abused by my trainer as a minor. I had a medical event that caused a fatal accident, and it haunts me every day of my life. I’ve attempted suicide, actually more than once if you want to know the truth about it. My dad and mom were in an accident earlier this month: my dad died and my mother has been in the hospital in critical condition ever since. I’m actually typing this from the waiting room while she is in another surgery. I’ve had a lot of accidents and tragedies in my life, so I don’t blame anyone for not getting the timeline or details quite right. I don’t tell you any of this to earn pity points. I’m just telling you where I’m at. At this point, I don’t really have anything left to lose, do I. Furthermore, you’re welcome to say whatever you want here or anywhere else. Even to my face – feel free: 865.414.9313.
Things I don’t regret: Working in the service of the sport I love, that has saved my life in a lot of ways, for the past 10 years. Sticking up for people whose stories aren’t believed, or whose voices are overlooked or ignored completely. Not kneeling down to people just because they have money or power. Being kind even when people aren’t kind back. Being honest even as people tell point-blank lies about you. Being part of a team that does the right thing, even when it’s the hard thing, because they truly love the sport.
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Also, I heard you guys really wanted to read some emails. Enjoy. Talk amongst yourselves. I’m sure you will.
The following represent EN’s ONLY direct email communications with PF parties and board. If you can identify ANY examples of bullying/threatening verbiage or behavior, as has been the widespread claim against EN, please call it out.
Date: Monday, August 24, 2020, 5:46 p.m.
From: Denis Glaccum
To: Leslie Wylie, CC: Cuyler Walker, Mary Coldren
[In response to a phone conversation with PF’s sponsorship coordinator, in which Leslie Wylie expressed for the first time directly to a PF party that EN was seeking an alternative way to reference the event.]
Leslie;
You will receive this notification in a more formal manner, however, please be advise the Plantation Field Equestrian Events does not want any coverage from Eventing Nation in the reporting of its competition. We do not want any mention of this competition. We forbid your publishing any results or schedule. Failure of you and Eventing Nation to comply will lead to additional actions. Let me be very clear. We don’t want anything to do with Eventing Nation! Nor will we allow your distortion of history be tolerated. Shame on you. Again not only are you not allowed no third party representative of Eventing Nation will be allowed on the grounds.
I also suggest that in order for you to gain some education you look up the word Plantation in Websters dictionary! As I did on the phone the other evening, with you. I reviewed that this was a Quaker area and they were abolitionists. I would urge you to take this notification seriously.
Date: Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, 6:55 p.m.
From: Leslie Wylie
To: Denis Glaccum, CC: Cuyler Walker, Mary Coldren, Max Corcoran, Rob Burke
OK.
Leslie & the EN Team
Date: Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020, 11:51 AM
From Leslie Wylie
To: Denis Glaccum, CC: Cuyler Walker, Mary Coldren, Max Corcoran, Rob Burke, Jenni Autry
Hi Denis,
I want to be clear about the reason why EN is not comfortable publishing the word “Plantation” on our website and has been seeking an alternative way to reference the Plantation Field event.
America’s reckoning with systemic racism is now forcing a more critical look at the language we use. Nationwide “plantation” place names and the word itself are under new scrutiny. By definition “plantation” can refer to any farm, but for many it conjures images of large farms staffed by slaves in the antebellum South. We understand the innocent and well-intentioned origins of Plantation Field’s name and are aware of the area’s abolitionist roots, which should be celebrated. However, we are also aware that the word “Plantation” has painful and racist connotations for people of color and is at odds with the message our sport is otherwise trying hard to project, which is that minorities are welcome, included and safe in eventing.
We will honor your request that EN not provide any coverage, schedule or results of the upcoming event, nor will any representative from EN be in attendance. However, we do respectfully ask that event leadership reconsider its current nomenclature. As our sport navigates this and other issues on our path toward being a more welcoming space for people
of color, we are fortunate to have some great resources available to us including the USEF and the USEA’s new Diversity & Inclusion Committees. Should you wish to reach out to them I’m sure that Rob and Max from USEA and Jenni from USEF, all CCed on this email, can point you in the right direction.
We would love to applaud Plantation Field for updating its name in a way befitting of the area’s abolitionist history, and we know that the eventing community at large would as well.
Go Eventing,
Leslie & the EN Team
Date: Friday, Aug. 28, 2020
To: Boyd Martin, John Thier
From: Leslie Wylie
[In response to a phone call from Boyd to John Thier, in which he expressed interest in hearing some alternative nomenclature options to present to the board.]
Hi Boyd,
Leslie here from Eventing Nation. Thank you for reaching out to John today and offering to help get this smoothed out. We have always been big supporters of the Plantation Field and are excited for the 2020 edition. But we’re in a pickle because we also want to make sure we’re being sensitive to eventers of color, for whom the word “Plantation” may have connotations of racism and slavery. “Plantation” place names all around the country are grappling with this right now.
Additionally, as journalists we take seriously our responsibility as stewards of our sport’s public image, which in this moment of nationwide racial injustice reckoning could easily be jeopardized by PF’s name, however well-intentioned. You’re on the board, think about it: Mainstream media catches wind that there are a bunch of fancy white people galloping horses around at this place that was never actually a plantation yet is culturally appropriating the word into its name … they’d have a heyday. Lord help us all if Maya Black wins again.
The issue has been brought forward to the USEA’s new Diversity & Inclusion Committee so I’m sure they will offer a helpful perspective. Ultimately whether the event changes its name is up to the event and its governing bodies; at EN we’re just trying to do our job ethically, which means that although we’re happy to support the event we can’t in good conscience use the word “Plantation” in doing so.
In lieu of a name change we thought that coming up with another reference could be a good workaround. For years dozens of media outlets elected to refer to the Washington Redskins as simply “Washington” to avoid printing the racial slur (the team finally dropped “Redskins” from its name in July). John said you requested some alternatives. We feel very comfortable with following the FEI’s lead of “Unionville.” Or Pennsylvania, or Pennsylvania International, or The Field? PFI, possibly, but that is still just the shorthand of Plantation Field. We are open to other suggestions. All of this, of course, pending approval from Denis who has forbade EN from covering or mentioning the event.
Let me know if you have any questions, and thanks again. We’re just trying to do right by everyone. I hope we can get it sorted. Glad you put yourself in time-out this summer to mend!
Leslie
From: Boyd Martin
To: Leslie Wylie, John Thier
Hello Leslie,
Thank you for spending the time writing this email. Firstly, I would like to apologize if Denis wrote you an email that was worded harshly. Denis can often come across as a little rude and outspoken. He is often not the true voice of the committee.
I wrote the committee today, telling them that you are sticking with your stance. I also sent them the list of various names that could be used to report the event. I will keep you posted in what they agree upon.
Personally, the issue of the name doesn’t worry me either way. My only real concern with the name change is that it is very much infuriating the property and land owner. The worst case outcome for us in the Eventing world is that if the land owner gets so offended With this issue that he decides to kick the event off his land and we loose the venue for the sport we love and need.
Boyd
To: Boyd Martin, Leslie Wylie
From: John Thier
Thanks, Boyd. I’ll just add that I think there are many worse outcomes for Eventing in the US than losing the PFI venue, such as the sport not standing up for what is right. I totally get what you’re saying and we really want this to go smoothly, but part of the point is that change is slow when other things are prioritized.
Notice: This e-mail and any of its attachments contain Nation Media LLC’s proprietary information, which is privileged, confidential, or subject to copyright belonging to Nation Media LLC. This e-mail is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed. You are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, copying, or action taken in relation to the contents of and attachments to this e-mail is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful.
[Email was subsequently shared by a non Nation Media party with the Chronicle of the Horse, which shared John Thier’s quote in an article]
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Thank you for joining the thread, Leslie.
I do have a question for you. Multiple sources have reported that the landowner, Cuyler Walker, was deeply hurt at implications that he and/or his family are racists for not wanting to change a name given to their property decades ago for an innocuous reason. Meanwhile, many many eventers have been hurt by the loss of a venue they had come to love.
My question is, have you done anything to reach out to Mr. Walker to try to repair the hurt this situation has caused? Have you done anything to try to help restore the availability of this venue to eventers?
I hope you will consider such actions, which you could pursue even if you continue to hope and believe the name of the venue/event may/should be changed down the road.
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My question for you is: Has the landowner done anything to reach out to the eventing community to repair the hurt that his white fragility has caused?
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I am so sorry, Leslie. Wishing the best for your mom with her surgery.
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I am absolutely disgusted by the discussion of Wylie’s past happening here. You guys are so hell bent on holding on to this racist argument that you’re going to bring up the worst events of someone’s life? You are all terrible and should be ashamed. I cannot believe CoTH is allowing this thread to stay up. The name is racist, EN acted professionally and for once a white man was asked to consider how his actions were seen by a broader audience and he threw a temper tantrum and now professionals are kowtowing to him to try to get a venue back rather than exhibiting a little backbone. Disgusting, absolutely disgusting. To think eventers used to be seen as the most welcoming and down to earth discipline. This is truly disgraceful.
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There’s standing up for what is right, and there’s demanding that it happen right this second. John Lewis described good trouble. The march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge was a powerful moment. Blowing up the bridge would have been bad trouble.
Yes Denis’ email was strident, angry – but he is the one with the power in this play, and Leslie you reply with a flippant ‘OK’? In what professional world is that reply not a huge ‘BITE ME, ASSHAT?’ -
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I agree that her personal life and history should not be discussed- it’s petty and tacky and irrelevant.
The name of the event is not racist.
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Yes because making sure the people in power are always comfortable is definitely the way to bring about change. You do know John Lewis was beaten almost to death for marching across that bridge correct? https://theconversation.com/how-the-images-of-john-lewis-being-beaten-during-bloody-sunday-went-viral-143080
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Yes, of course I know that about John Lewis. I’m sitting about 100 miles from Selma.
I know that change is hard and change takes time. The change we got was to lose an incredible venue, so eventing shrank, it didn’t grow. Where’s the win for anyone?
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I’m quoting my own words, from post #1110 at this point.
“I have not once criticized her medical history, or her childhood history with respect to any of the experiences she has publicly written about and shared.
I am criticizing her decision as a writer and editor to publish the quoted paragraph in her December 2017 essay, in the wake of the car accident, resulting legal cases, and related facts that are part of that situation (all of which have been public knowledge for many years and discussed and reported on extensively in the local community in abc around Winchester).
My opinion is that particular paragraph is a very curious thing to write and publish after the other car wreck. I am not saying that it is untrue, nor am I criticizing anything to do with anyone experiencing extreme depression and feeling suicidal… those are VERY serious issues in and of themself, and I have a great deal of sympathy and compassion for anyone going through that. Statistics indicate something like 25% of the American public will experience clinical depression at some time in their life.
I am pointing out one particular narrow issue that is part of that paragraph that she wrote… and if you are familiar with the widely reported facts pertaining to the 2012 accident and legal case… it’s a stunning thing. emphasize again, why the essay folks with EN penned and published at the end of 2017, and a prior widely reported on legal matter was raised as part of this discussion.”
I’m sorry for any pain raising the issues related to the 2012 car accident, and the 2017 essay you wrote has caused you Leslie. That was not the intention. I’m very sorry to read about your current personal family situation, and hope your mother’s condition improves.
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Sigh. God forbid we disrespect the angry old white men by saying “OK”.
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I do think it is kinda disrespectful to lecture someone who has provided access to his private property for a very popular event. Sorry. This isn’t a public square.
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A shame the emails were posted and deleted before a quote but saying “god forbid Maya Black wins again” to further support her argument is just stupid.
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