My Clash with the MCIFA

Please note: when I refer to the MCIFA throughout this letter, I mean specifically the ruling elite of the organization and the policies pursued by them.

Dear Friends,

Since early summer of 1997, I have been engaged in an extremely unpleasant dialogue with the powers-that-be of the Michael Crawford International Fan Association. Although I indicated my state of mind on my site in August, when I quit the organization, I chose then to keep the details private. I had placed a restrained note of warning next to the advertisement for the MCIFA, but I quietly removed it when I came to the conclusion that even that much of a warning did not do justice to how very little I would recommend them.

But now I believe I owe the truth of my experience, as I know it, to all of you. First, to everyone who has ever visited this site, since apparently the MCIFA has tried to have my entire site removed from the Net (more on this to follow), which you all would notice! And, secondly, to all of you to whom I now regret ever recommending the MCIFA. As I provided you with my positive experiences of them before, so now I feel the just cause to share the negative as well. You have a right to hear the complete truth of this from me, as I know it.

In approximately May of this summer, I received an e-mail from the MCIFA. No mention was made of the address for the MCIFA, which had been plugged at the very top of the "Other Info" area for over a year. Instead, I was told my site had been "reviewed" (without my invitation or permission). I was accused of stealing information from the Hotline email for my site--specifically, the birth announcement of Michael's grandson Charlie. After a lecture about such "infractions," I was told to remove the newsclip.

I did not--the birth announcement is still in the News, you'll note. Although I was extremely irritated at being tried without defense and lectured in that tone, I wrote back cordially to explain the situation. The notice about Charlie had appeared in multiple media outlets beyond the MCIFA; the birth announcement was, after all, a matter of public record. I cited my source and said that as I felt it morally wrong to leech news of the Hotline email (I never used the phone one, for long-distance charges), no item on my News page had ever come from the MCIFA. I therefore rejected the command to take down the birth announcement.

About a month and a half later, I heard a response. An apology was relayed indirectly from "Bobbee Cline, Executive Director" explaining that the MCIFA was not aware that the birth announcement had been reported elsewhere when the accusation was made against me. But, a new charge was levelled against me: that an image in my Photo Files, one of a weary-looking Michael in a blue sweater in his dressing room, was copyright of the MCIFA. I was again favored with a lecture and now the demand that the image be removed.

I was, as you might imagine, quite indignant over this. I've studied copyright as a journalist and for one of my majors. In my humble analysis, the MCIFA's claims to this image were legally bogus and ignorant--just as ignorant, I knew, as their legally impossible claim to copyright raw fact. Beyond the ignorance, I was infuriated by what I perceived to be simply a petty attempt to control my site--Can't make her back down on the birth announcement? Well, let's find something else to drive her crazy!

So I promptly quit the MCIFA. The aggravation and harassment did not cease. In another missive, Cline sent me a snail mail note demanding removal of the picture and "all other materials copyright of the MCIFA." Let's recap: they accused me twice (the birth announcement and the picture), they apologized once (the birth announcement), and now they dare to imply I've more of their "property" on my site? After a year of free advertisement for the MCIFA (placed at my own initiative), assistance in locating MCIFA members on the Net for their e-mail hotline (a service I'd volunteered), the promotion of their Phantom auction last year, and other support? I hope you can see why I felt this to be very offensive.

I wrote back offering no argument, merely requesting that they send me some documentation of their copyright (as the image was not marked with accreditation or copyright). This ownership was, after all, only what they'd have to show in court if they were so determined to bounce around legal terms. Either they'd shut up and quit harassing me, or they'd show their reasons for the claim and I'd remove the picture as obligated, I figured.

I received two responses. My server, OneNet, contacted me. Apparently the MCIFA had begun to harass OneNet as well, threatening litigation if they didn't discipline me. Apparently, the MCIFA had failed to do the basic research required to discover that neither the picture nor the pages linking to it were ever on OneNet. I explained this to my ISP; an offer of assistance was put forth. As I was then waiting on the response to my note, I declined the offer.

Eventually, they did respond. Yet another month or so after my note went to them, the MCIFA e-mailed me, pretending to be sending a legal notice. (E-mail can't serve as a legal notice, gang.) This time, they insisted they had "no obligation" to provide documentation of copyright, that places of copying said their logo on the image was enough (no logo on my image), and summed up with a reference to "counsel" and a veiled threat of a lawsuit. A week after that, I have now discovered they put pressure on OneNet to apparently kick me off the service and close my site (which the ISP with one of the highest user satisfaction ratings in the nation absolutely rejected--thanks, OneNet!) Their reasons--the picture, and that I was "flaming" them. Apparently, it's a violation of free speech to express the fact I was disgusted with them and quit the organization, the only comments on the MCIFA I had posted publicly.

Anyway, after consulation with others and deep thought, I chose to take down the picture's link. I have no doubt I am in the right; I have very, very, very strong reason to believe the copyright holder of this image is not the MCIFA, whose alleged multiple in-house copyright violations have been listed for me by others. I believe firmly that any court would find the MCIFA's claims as ridiculous as I do. But the question was, did I want to expend the time, money, and energy in a defense? If these people had no idea by now how stupid this entire saga was, they would not blink at spending money otherwise earmarked for charity in harassing me further over this pettiness or trying to get my sites thrown off my servers. When it all boiled down, I came to the conclusion I could not do that to myself. I am a full-time student, a triple major (Honors) with a 3.97 GPA, I work two jobs, I'm trying to figure out what to do when I graduate in May, I'm fighting for my health (note: I'm not ill, for those of you who would ask :), and beyond my leisure activities, I keep up these Web sites which thousands have enjoyed. I just can't take on the additional burden of fighting these people off in court. Instead I am posting this story for all of you to see. This will be all of the free advertising for the MCIFA I shall ever post on my sites again.

There are those, I know, who will take the stance that Michael is the MCIFA. I see no reason to believe he's even in contact with them to give them basic updates, let alone to draft policy; I am no news hound, but just by listening to all of you, I have managed to beat the MCIFA news in reporting every single major story of the last year (MC's departure from EFX, the California and Sydney concerts, the new album). That is without having Michael Crawford himself as a source, as the MCIFA claims to have. As he is a person who has been known to have exited at least one job on a matter of principle, I cannot imagine Michael being unsympathetic to my story.

The issue of "hurting Michael" ties in with another expected argument, of staying silent "out of respect" for the organization and my friends still in it. The point of this, however, is that I have not a shred of respect for the MCIFA any more. They have single-handedly destroyed any positive impression I ever had of them (which I did once have). As to respect for my friends and potential friends within the association, I respect them enough to want to give them my story, so they can be fully informed about what sort of organization they are in. This is not just about Net policy, although I've heard complaints from multiple forums along the same lines, and I believe it would be of tremendous harm to Michael if the MCIFA had had its way in destroying the largest Michael site on the Net. I am speaking out on behalf of Michael and of his fans. From the huge mail response I received after announcing my quitting the organization on my site, I am convinced there lurks out there a significantly-sized body of fans who also have been alienated by the regime of the MCIFA. Michael's fans are being disaffected by his own so-called fan association.

Notice, I am not requesting action on your part, my readers. You can do what you like with this information--be it share the story, write the MCIFA, write Michael (c/o of his management, I'd hope), leave the MCIFA or stay in it, as you choose. I do not intend to lead a campaign--frankly, I've better things to do with my time than waste more time on these people, as I'm sure you'd understand--but I do intend to tell the truth. I have attempted to tell my story as plainly as possible, that you might draw your own judgements. If you have friends thinking of joining the organization or are yourself considering joining, I hope you will take in my story as an example of one of the many cautionary tales of the MCIFA I have been told. In my humble opinion--as is all of this essay--I should never have wasted a penny on that organization and I am absolutely better off without them. Certainly, my site, which is still up despite their attempts to throw me off the Net, is better off!

Krista

P.S. Due to the overwhelming burden of my schoolwork at the moment, I will be unable to personally respond to the mails about this situation. I have enough on my plate currently just keeping up with the normal site mail. Thanks for understanding!

P.P.S. Isn't free speech a beautiful thing?

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