From Bowen Barrs' Office:
"I give my resignation notice to the Correllian Nativist Tradition and all corporate entities attached to it. I do so because the leadership broke the basic tenets and oaths we swore to uphold in our initiations into clergy.
But why did I leave?
In an interaction with Phoenix, I asked him why he considered someone’s condemnation about how he was speaking to a fellow High Priestess was seen, by him, to have a “racist vibe”. Phoenix immediately turned his anger towards me, saying I was part of the problem for the way I had tried to control his freedom of speech. Within a very few exchanges, he called me an ignorant white racist. He went off on tirades when several people spoke out in this thread saying they, too, were racists and were all condemning him for his skin color. I had spoken out about his referring to Stephanie as Hitler-like in her actions prior to this. I did so publicly and in private messages. I have also spoken out when Don and Alyssa commented in ways I thought inappropriate. There was no singling him out.
When I said it had nothing to do with his color but rather his aggressive bullying, he labeled me as violent, using words that “get black men killed”. He called me an ignorant and violent white racist who used words that can kill men of color, because I disagreed with his behavior in his first days as the regent of Don Lewis. He was very upset no one was praising or congratulating him for taking on the role (paraphrasing his words). He thinks the disagreements and comments were all because he was “the only black man in the conversation.”
Phoenix claimed he was giving “like for like” energy. Really? Me pointing your attack on Stephanie was horrific for the very specific terminology you used, and disagreeing with you calling someone racist is equal to being labeled a violent white racist using words that kill. That’s your equal?
You, a professional counselor, and trained priest know the power of words and labels. You threw out the race card at least three times at various people with alarming speed. Hurtful, nasty, dangerous words by your own standards. I was being violent? You know nothing about me. We’ve never even met. Worse, Your snarling responses to anyone calling you out were loud and clear. No one will be allowed to tell you your behavior is wrong while you spew venom from your mouth with the darkest of intent. I guess freedom of speech is a one-way street in your world.
And let’s talk about violence. How do the people that believe in you and follow you without reservation now view me? I am someone you verbally abused because I stood up to your total lack of leadership skills. You want praise and respect? Earn it. I believe the true authority behind you, Donald Lewis, has said on video that leadership is a gift given to you and respect must be earned. You call me all those names then demand respect? Fealty? Obedience? That’s not ever going to happen.
You bluntly refuse to listen to many who raised voices of concern about your tactics. But then, you were following a coordinated attack lead by Don with his “I was stabbed in the back by Stephanie Neal” video. Your coordinated postings were a purposeful volley designed to blow up the membership’s stability. I understand, now, it was to separate the wheat from the chaff.
Don has been at the game of Pagan politics for many years, he does nothing without intent and purpose. So why suddenly break his vow of serenity and toss away all the years of peaceful resolution behind the scenes? Why release you, Phoenix, upon anyone remotely dissident in discussing your grossly negligent behavior? To divide and purge the old organization. They’ve already started a new one with him in the seat of ultimate power. I suddenly understood. Now is the time to remove any people deemed as “chaff”.
You see, wheat sustains and feeds your basic needs. It nourishes you and provides comfort for you. That describes the obedient and loyal followers who never question why something is done. They turn their backs on foul deeds and surround the leader with unquestionable loyalty despite any wrongdoing. They are the most malleable and amenable to being manipulated because they do so willingly.
The chaff is problematic. An irritant that blows in the wind and is hard to pin down. It holds no value. This describes the unhappy followers who are suddenly faced with leaders acting in complete opposition to everything we have been taught. The difference is startling to them, and they begin asking why? Like chaff, they can’t be controlled. But they can be removed from the grain and discarded. I am chaff; Useless and no longer providing in an expected way. I no longer have value.
For those of you who don’t know me. Let me give you a brief rundown of what my value was before your regent’s ugly condemnation of me.
Joint head of Chosen Path Church, Joint head of the Order of Web Weavers, Member of Order of Artificers and major contributor to all of our fundraisers, member of the Remote initiation team, I helped edit classes for the new Witchschool website, I Anonymously paid for student’s clergy fees when they could not afford them, Temple mentor with 6 students, I produced videos for the great crystal web rituals, received the Golden Wand award for my dedicated work for the Tradition, I cut Don’s hair while he lived in Jacksonville, I publicly spoke about our faith and Tradition 3 times to various UU denominations, I personally motivated people to sign up to Witchschool, I appeared at Pagan Pride in Jacksonville as part of the Correllian family, and I represented my temple and our tradition to the best of my ability at all times.
I, too, at one time, believed in the oaths we took of treating each other like family. Of vowing not to break the serenity of our bonds with one another. Phoenix, after eviscerating several people, had the nerve to write a letter with Alyssa and declare his love for each and every one of us. Really? You’ve condemned me to be viewed as a vile member of the tradition. In what way does that show love? Your words hold sway, and you used them as a weapon. You are no leader. You are a puppet who will use whatever means he has in his possession to squash all opposition. You acted in exactly the same way you accused Stephanie of acting…Hitler-like.
And, as any good manipulator does, you squash the opponents and leave fear and trepidation among those who still follow you. Their voices are stopped out of fear that you will direct your next salvo of ugliness in their direction. Do you know how many people reached out to me privately and told me how appalled they were at your treatment of me? And yet…and yet, your unjust accusations silence them into submission. They dare not speak out for fear of your wrath. It’s an amazing tool used by many dictators and manipulators in the past. Of course, you would have studied this in your field of expertise as a licensed counselor.
The ones who cheer Phoenix on for his attacks have no doubts and stand proudly next to him. I worry for those whose hearts hurt silently but only take a moment to feel pity for me before continuing on behind the very leader that left me on the side of the road. Your silence and lack of reaction shows you’re almost at the point of blind obedience. Once you’ve accepted my fate, it’ll be much easier to capitulate and be utterly silenced.
Bowen Barrs".
