The Things I Do Are My Fault — With an Update Featuring Bill Schmalfeldt

Bill Schmalfeldt has chimed in below in the comments.  Since I need to do “links,” I’m going to respond at the bottom of this article.  Look for the Bold Type.

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For background check out Bill Schmalfeldt Has Agreed to Do the Right Thing or the Schmalfeldtian Dilemma.

ukuleledave@wordpress.com is a No Poop Zone. Thanks.

Suppose every morning, I woke up to find dog poop on my sidewalk.  Sometimes I walk around it.  But it bothers me.

I have two neighbors with dogs.  One is a statuesque blond named Caitlyn.  The other is a former athlete named Bruce.  Bruce wears USA running pants and an old Olympic Team Jacket.  Caitlyn never goes out without a lot of makeup and high heels.  Pretty girl, but not my type.

One night I set up a video camera, and tape what looks like Bruce and his doberman on my lawn.  I can see the dog drop a load.

The next day I chew Bruce’s head off.  Verbally.  From the safety of my livingroom.  I write to the homeowner’s association.  I complain to his boss:”Does your employee Bruce let his dog poop on the neighbor’s lawn, and is that something you approve of?”

The one thing I don’t do is pick up the phone and call Bruce.  A few minutes later I see Caitlyn, wearing her hair under her new hat, wearing a very patriotic USA track outfit, walking her Collie.  The dog takes a dump on my sidewalk.

This is very similar to the treatment of a young man named Vinnie, who Bill Schmalfeldt is convinced — or was convinced — is a part of the horde of internet bullies who keep pooping on his lawn.   Metaphorically.  Now comes these two Tweets:

Bill is sure that he was set up to discover Vinnie as a part of a grand conspiracy.

Bill Schmalfeldt is apparently convinced that his boorish behavior is not his fault, but someone else’s.  Now we could show the most empathetic emotional part of our personality, and start to see Bill’s perspective.  He was manipulated.  Again.  For the umpteenth time, somebody fooled him.

It is totally, completely Bill’s fault that he doxxed someone, contacted their employer (he is an intern) and put the guy’s picture on the intertubes.

That same picture has shown up on another website, and I have encouraged the site owner to remove it.  Here is a comment from Bill:

Bill Schmalfeldt says:

July 18, 2015 at 10:43 am 

Mr. Alexander will recall that I removed the information about “Vinnie” at his polite request, He might want to ask the same thing of Mr, Grady, who posts the lad’s picture on every post. If someone sets up a patsy to take the blame for a crime, it’s not my fault for believing it. Mr. Alexander should show the same level of indignation toward Grady as he did toward me when I removed the info after his reasonable and polite request.

I’m not sure about indignation, but I’m sure about who got this young man involved in this, and there is NO evidence that Mr. Grady, or Mr. Krendler or any of the Lickspittles and Zombies are responsible.  Sure the picture has to be taken down, but Mr. Krendler points out that the worst of it all relates to Vinnie’s employer being contacted.  Can Bill undo that?

Meanwhile, I gotta go clean poop off my lawn and apologize to Bruce.  Because the things I do are my fault.

Update: Bill has asked for some information.   I have reprinted the comments here within the post.

My Response:

After careful consideration, I have decided not to give Bill the identity of my confidential source.  The Society of Professional Journalists has many things to say about confidential sources, but primarily I am looking closely at this page, and find this passage important:

Agreeing not to attribute the information to the source and then breaking the promise has two negative consequences for journalists. First, it damages the credibility of the promise-breaker and the media outlet he or she works for. Others with important information may decline to provide information off or even on the record if the reporter is not trustworthy. 

I promised someone anonymity.  I did this because of other factors which I have not shared with you.  My promise had to do with the well-being and physical safety of my source.  (No, I don’t think you’ll do anything.)

Bill’s second comment is very telling.  As far as posting the picture, I have requested that it be taken down.  It has been left up.  I can only be responsible for my own actions, as the title of this post suggests.  This entire issue has been about owning up to one’s actions, statements and behaviors.  It is something I have addressed in previous posts as well.  I am not Krendler.  You’re not even sure Grady is Krendler.  I suspect you’re not even sure one of the Zombies/Lickspittles isn’t Kimberlin.  I sure consider it a possibility.

Hell, I could be Hoge.  Somebody’s got to be.

As for the issue with the Social Security Administration, I can only say that I pay into the fund with every paycheck.  I’m on the side of angels here.  I’m sure you can justify everything you’ve told SS about your health and your situation.  Talk to them Fed to Fed. They’ll understand.  I know I never brought to them my concerns about possible SS disability fraud.

As far as “informing the employer of a harasser…” I can’t say I’m sympathetic.  I never harassed you, but you tried hard to find something to report to my employer.  My story is not unique.  As far as Vincent is concerned, it is clear that you are NOT sure he harassed you.  If you were sure, you would have NEVER dropped your Vincent and Charlie stuff from your site and Twitter.  I actually gave you full credit for doing the right thing.  You really do NOT know that these guys have anything to do with you.  But you tried to ruin his work situation.

And then you talk to me about ethics.

On the subject of the hypocrisy of “my group.”  We are individuals with different attitudes, ideas and strategies.  Some are professional, some call you DUMBF–K.  Some carefully weight every word, and some just call you DUMF–K again.

In most cases we are not a group.  Until you started suing them, several people didn’t even know each other’s real names or email addys.  The lawsuit has drawn some people together into a very cohesive team, dedicated to document everything, and I mean everything you’ve said online which does not line up with the truth.  You did this. Just like you did the other things.

This might be the end of our cordial, yet brief agreement about Vincent and Charlie.  I have given you the benefit of the doubt, and you want more.  If you think Vincent and Charlie are actually evil individuals out to smear you wife’s name, I can’t stop you from putting them back up on your side of the internet.  Just remember: You and you alone are responsible for this:

Krendler and Alexander didn’t make you do anything.  Except maybe dance.

Another Update: Bill Visits BillySez:

You want peace? You never mention my wife’s mane in your postings or comments. She never caused any one of you a moment’s harm.

If you want war, ignore the previous paragraph. And if you think “Vinnie” got “doxxed”?

You ain’t seen nothin’ yet, Sarah … David … Dianna … and you, too, Ukulele Man, Pablo, and the various people who believe themselves protected by their “anonymity” No one is anonymous on the Internet.

I haven’t even started compared to what I could do.

Stop. Think. Realize what you are doing. You are intentionally provoking a man with self-control issues related to Parkinson’s disease (impulse control, mostly) who is grieving for his soulmate. If you poke a pit bull with a stick, is it the dog’s fault for biting you?

Where the hell do I start?  Very few people mention Gail Schmalfeldt at all over here, or at Hoge’s place.  Gail Schmalfeldt is not the Schmalfeldt that embarrasses the family.

If I “ain’t seen nothin’ yet,” I really have to wonder what hellfire Bill will bring down from the clouds.  As if he suddenly NOW is FINALLY really angry.  Lighten up, Francis.    You were mad before, you’re angry now, and the only one who can change that is you.  You will do exactly nothing to the people on your list, because there’s nothing meaningful you can do.  I think Maryland has a limit for the number of pointless lawsuits you can file as an indigent pro se….oh yeah.  Not so indigent.

Nobody wants war, but if I have to go to war, please let it be against the likes of you

We are not intentionally provoking…blah blah.  We are refusing to be intimidated by an internet bully.  Your impulse control is your problem, not mine.  The world will not walk on eggshells around you because you are grieving for your soulmate while simultaneously suffering from a disease that others bravely face without complaint.  I certainly won’t.

One more thing about diseases.  We’ve got at least one Lickspittle who was on death’s door last year.  Others who have chronic health issues.  We do not complain.  We don’t blame a disease for our behavior.  There’s a time and a place for that kind of talk.  Tell your doctor.

The worst part of you is not the bullying.  The worst part is your inability to act like a grown man.  Put on your big boy pants and quit whining.  Words hurt you so badly?  They are words.  Men and women who are grown up do not react the way you do.

We’re not poking a pit bull, we’re telling a little boy to go somewhere else.  Stop making your little boy fist, and telling us all how tough you are, and how dangerous you are.  That was cute when you were two, but now you’re north of 60.  Act like it.

Lots of people have tried to give you the benefit of the doubt, but have come to the same conclusion: You truly are not worth it.  Be well.