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Now I'm in no position to point fingers or name names, but it is my right as a NC Chess member to stand up for what I believe in. I don't know all of the details of what went down at the NC Scholastic tournament, and frankly I don't want to know all of them, but I thought we were supposed to look out for whats best for NC Chess! Firing Tom Hales from webmaster of the NC Chess website, was a (Stupid) decision to say the least! Tom Hales has done a great job with the website, as well as his work with the previous NC Gambit. I have not seen a harder worker then Mr. Hales, to do so much research and investigating that he put in the latest Gambit. Mr. Hales not only worked around the clock on the NC Chess website, but put the NC Chess website, before his own!! I thought we were supposed to look out for the best interest in NC Chess, but I can see that has failed. Now I've known Mr. Hales for many years, and I can tell you that Tom would be the last person to falsely accuse someone. Mr. Hales has informed me, that he was just "asking questions" about the matter at the Scholastic tournament, and was not pointing fingers or "calling someone out". Firing Tom was definitely not in the best interest for the NC Chess Association and I hope you will come to understand this. I hope the officers reconsider their harsh conclusion, and as Leland said it himself "Step down" and let others take over. I'm sure the NC Chess Association can replace them with people that actually want to make a "good change" in NC Chess. This has taken a step into complete craziness, and this matter needs to be resolved quickly and professionally..