Re: The role of disagreement in genealogy
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In reply to:
The role of disagreement in genealogy
Larry Keith 2/25/06
Here's my reply to all those who want to whine about my barbs and shots.
Larry Keith and I have corresponded with each other off and on for most of our Genealogy Days. We don't see eye to eye on everything but we both know each other as strong researchers,
and very competant in the hobby.
One thing I have never varied from is my disdain for badly executed research. When I first entered this hobby over thirty years ago, I spent parts of the first five years going over the established research on my many family lines and quite frankly perfecting a lot of it and correcting a lot of it.
I can know in the last thirty years how many people I have helped or been helped by in this hobby. My discontent comes mainly in the last five or so years with this who new breed of individuals who rampage all over the internet stealing everyone else's work and declaring themselves Genealogists.
I demand that everyone validate and verify, as ALL of us benefit when the research is perfected to the best extent possible with the least amount of annectdotal information and speculation. I have tortured some of you quite deliberately to make you perfect what you think you have found or discovered because I know you are going to turn around and publish it and spread it throughout the community without pause, often perpetuationg what amounts to CRAP information.
That goes especially for people like Robert Keith who are banging away at a time period where I know first hand there does not exist full validating documentation. While Robert may hate my guts, he has transformed into a much more thorough researcher thanks to my taunting him. Though he still takes a few too many things at face value and fills in a few too many gaps with false logic.
That goes for a lot of the rest of you here and on other forums I frequent too. There are some of you who like Robert have perfected your skills and there are still some of you
perpetuating crap and to you I still declare my disdain and will till the day I die.
So Boo Hoo Hoo to both Robert and Teri. Hate me, despise me and curse me, I don't care. I know darn well that you are both better researchers now because of me. And that goes for a lot of other people too.
I have the confidence of thirty Plus years in this hobby and that out plays most of you. Those, like Larry Keith who have earned my respect, pretty much continue to receive it. Though that does not mean I don't still mess with them too. Just not as much.
I think what Larry keith has done for the Keith Genealogy over the years is terrific. The ONLY reason I did not include my research in his first book is that I wanted a piece of the money action that he did not want to give up. It had NOTHING to do with him in any way shape or form.
There's few people in this hobby who can claim more than 30 years experience. When you whiners reach that plateau, let me know. Until then, Kleenex is a dollar a box.