[Mccoypottery-talk] Poor Patti's Pitiful Predicament

[Mark Jennings]

I started this e-mail with the intention of sending it directly to Patti's 
own e-mail address. But before I finished, I decided to send it to the 
list. *Please* don't anyone (of the good ppl) be offended by this. That's 
not my intention at all, and I can promise you that this is not directed at 
anyone in particular. Remember - I'm still new to this list, and I barely 
know 5 or 6 people by name.

Hello Patti,

I've thinking about you. I read the e-mail that you got. Don't worry, 
Patti. I'm with you, and I think there are many more who are, too, even if 
they don't say it publicly. I'm a beginning collector and still have much 
to learn. Therefore, I appreciate you "going after" the bad guys. And don't 
let them make you believe that they are anything *but* "bad guys" !  It's 
very typical for someone like that to twist it, or "spin it" as Bill 
O'Reilly says, trying to make it sound as if YOU are the bad person. That's 
ridiculous, and at times it can be maddening. Anyone who swindles somebody 
out of their hard earned money is disgusting. Yes, "swindle," I said. Is 
there a nicer word for misleading someone into believing they're buying 
something authentic, and then splitting hairs, saying "I never *said* it 
was authentic in the description" when confronted?

I'm so glad that you exposed what they're doing. As a beginning collector 
with a growing interest, and learning all I can about pottery (McCoy in 
particular) it really lets the air out of my tires to discover that there 
are people who are preying on me. That's takes so much of the fun out of 
it. And isn't that what collecting is really all about? Fun? It just makes 
me wonder ... is there *any* area left in life where there's not somebody 
waiting to rape us financially? If so, would somebody please point me in 
that direction?!

Hold your chin up, Patti! Don't be intimidated by these people. Also, don't 
let it bother you that there are truly ethical collectors/sellers who think 
you're not doing any good when you do this, and that you're only "making 
waves." They're entitled to their opinion, of course. But as my grandmother 
says, "I'd bet a farm in Georgia" that many of them would love to have 
said/did what you did. Sure, there's a difference in being a witch hunter 
and legitimate investigation. It can be a fine line sometimes. But let 
people call it what they want. Are you a "busy-body who needs to get a 
life?" Fine and good. Do you need to "mind your own business?" Great. I 
appreciate being steered away from sellers of fakes and reproductions as I 
have to WORK and EARN my money in an honest and legitimate way, and can't 
afford to WASTE it by being swindled.

Maybe there's something (maybe lots of things?) going on that I'm not aware 
of. Maybe it's because I don't personally know many collectors yet, so I'm 
not in a clique. (Maybe I'm blowing my chances of ever being in one by 
writing this e-mail. LOL) Maybe I'm simple minded. Maybe all of the above 
is true, but I, for one, am not afraid to say this.

Mark Jennings