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An Open Letter to Joe Moore
The purpose of this blog post is to write an open letter to Joe Moore of Seymour TN. The person responsible for Celebrate Santa in Gatlinburg TN.
Mr. Joe Moore,
The purpose of this letter is to express my thanks and my appreciation to you for all that you have done for me.
I do not know how to tell you how safe I felt the two days I attended the Trade Show at your Celebrate Santa Convention in Gatlinburg TN.
I had the privilege of being the safest and most protected individual in the entire trade show. Your providing of armed guards to follow my every move while attending your trade show must have cost quite a bit of money, and I am sorry, but I do not have the resources to repay you for that.
The armed protection came in quite handy.
The first day I was there, about an hour after Kevin Scott of Cypress CA took the "Santa Claus Oath" which says in part;
Nick and I were cussed at and called names by Kevin Scott. Kevin even told us that we had to leave and we did not belong there.
Because of the armed guards I had with me all day, every day, I simply reported Kevin Scott to my personal bodyguard. The next morning, someone with Celebrate Santa informed me that Kevin Scott was "talked to" on my behalf. They must have, because the second day, whenever Kevin Scott walked past me, he did not harass me or glare at me, or say anything, like he did all day the day before.
Later on, during that second day, one of your participants in your convention, hollered an insult at me, and one of the armed guards appeared out of nowhere from behind a door, where he was following me secretly and ordered the individual to "just keep moving".
I realize that it was YOU that paid for the service and that I benefited from it, and as they say, "beggars can't be choosers", however I only wished your generosity would have extended to areas outside the convention building.
It would have come in very handy during the "The Holly and Shamrock Parade" when we were handing out toys to the people on the sidewalk.
When we were informed in your email that we were not permitted to have a float in your parade, (at least I am assuming it was you, since no one person had the courage to sign their name to that email, they simply claimed to speak for the entire "Celebrate Santa Management, Contractual Partners and Associates", which were identified in your email as all the vendors and even the hotels) we decided to follow the advice of so many of our members and also follow what you said was the theme of your convention, that is take the "Higher Ground"
We decided that a protest or a picket line was totally out of the question, since that is so "unsanta like". We knew we only had one recourse to take when we arrived. Nicholas Trolli, the President of AORBS brought with him 2,000 toys as well as some gifts for some of the Santas, and we handed them out up and down the parade route. Both before and during the parade. We knew this was the only response that would be in keeping with the spirit and "principles of St. Nicholas"
Tim Connaghan was in the last float of the parade, and when he saw Nicholas and I handing out toys, he actually called the police from his float, during the parade. Moments later, an off duty police officer from the Gatlinburg City Police, still in uniform even though he was working as a rent-a-cop for Joe Moore's parade, suddenly came through the crowd onto the sidewalk where I was giving out toys, and confiscated my toys from me.
I could not believe that someone would do that. I only wish I would have had my armed escort at that time.
Perhaps you were not aware that Tim Connaghan would have called the police from his float and had the police take "Santa's" toys away from him and stop him from giving away toys. Perhaps you were, which is why my bodyguard was not provided for during that time. I do not know.
Regardless of whether you knew that or not. I do want to thank you for your generosity. The time I had an armed guard escort following me was the only time I felt safe at your convention.
By the way, Joe, you did AORBS a great financial service. Since you hired your rent-a-cops to follow me everywhere, we were able to release our plain clothes security from duty. Even though you hired your rent-a-cops to intimidate us, God made sure you did so, in order to protect me and provide witness to the harassing and vile behavior of the "santas" in your group.
Jeff Germann
Vice President
The Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas
AORBSinc.ning.com and AORBSinc.com
Since Joe refused to meet with me at the Celebrate Santa Convention, where he took the "Santa Claus Oath", I believe he will not take any of my calls, or receive any of my personal correspondence. As a matter of fact, when I received a notice from him telling me that I would be arrested if I attempted to enter the building or hotel in Gatlinburg, Joe Moore also said that he would not take any calls or respond to any more of my emails.
Therefore I am posting it here, hoping it makes it way back to Joe Moore.
Mr. Joe Moore,
The purpose of this letter is to express my thanks and my appreciation to you for all that you have done for me.
I do not know how to tell you how safe I felt the two days I attended the Trade Show at your Celebrate Santa Convention in Gatlinburg TN.
I had the privilege of being the safest and most protected individual in the entire trade show. Your providing of armed guards to follow my every move while attending your trade show must have cost quite a bit of money, and I am sorry, but I do not have the resources to repay you for that.
The armed protection came in quite handy.
The first day I was there, about an hour after Kevin Scott of Cypress CA took the "Santa Claus Oath" which says in part;
I realize that I belong to a brotherhood and will be supportive, honest and show fellowship to my peers. I promise to use "my" powers to create happiness, spread love and make fantasies come to life in the true and sincere tradition of the Santa Claus Legend. I pledge myself to these principles as a descendant of St. Nicholas, the gift giver of Myra.Kevin Scott was harassing Nick Trolli and I.
Nick and I were cussed at and called names by Kevin Scott. Kevin even told us that we had to leave and we did not belong there.
Because of the armed guards I had with me all day, every day, I simply reported Kevin Scott to my personal bodyguard. The next morning, someone with Celebrate Santa informed me that Kevin Scott was "talked to" on my behalf. They must have, because the second day, whenever Kevin Scott walked past me, he did not harass me or glare at me, or say anything, like he did all day the day before.
Later on, during that second day, one of your participants in your convention, hollered an insult at me, and one of the armed guards appeared out of nowhere from behind a door, where he was following me secretly and ordered the individual to "just keep moving".
I realize that it was YOU that paid for the service and that I benefited from it, and as they say, "beggars can't be choosers", however I only wished your generosity would have extended to areas outside the convention building.
It would have come in very handy during the "The Holly and Shamrock Parade" when we were handing out toys to the people on the sidewalk.
When we were informed in your email that we were not permitted to have a float in your parade, (at least I am assuming it was you, since no one person had the courage to sign their name to that email, they simply claimed to speak for the entire "Celebrate Santa Management, Contractual Partners and Associates", which were identified in your email as all the vendors and even the hotels) we decided to follow the advice of so many of our members and also follow what you said was the theme of your convention, that is take the "Higher Ground"
We decided that a protest or a picket line was totally out of the question, since that is so "unsanta like". We knew we only had one recourse to take when we arrived. Nicholas Trolli, the President of AORBS brought with him 2,000 toys as well as some gifts for some of the Santas, and we handed them out up and down the parade route. Both before and during the parade. We knew this was the only response that would be in keeping with the spirit and "principles of St. Nicholas"
Tim Connaghan was in the last float of the parade, and when he saw Nicholas and I handing out toys, he actually called the police from his float, during the parade. Moments later, an off duty police officer from the Gatlinburg City Police, still in uniform even though he was working as a rent-a-cop for Joe Moore's parade, suddenly came through the crowd onto the sidewalk where I was giving out toys, and confiscated my toys from me.
I could not believe that someone would do that. I only wish I would have had my armed escort at that time.
Perhaps you were not aware that Tim Connaghan would have called the police from his float and had the police take "Santa's" toys away from him and stop him from giving away toys. Perhaps you were, which is why my bodyguard was not provided for during that time. I do not know.
Regardless of whether you knew that or not. I do want to thank you for your generosity. The time I had an armed guard escort following me was the only time I felt safe at your convention.
By the way, Joe, you did AORBS a great financial service. Since you hired your rent-a-cops to follow me everywhere, we were able to release our plain clothes security from duty. Even though you hired your rent-a-cops to intimidate us, God made sure you did so, in order to protect me and provide witness to the harassing and vile behavior of the "santas" in your group.
Jeff Germann
Vice President
The Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas
AORBSinc.ning.com and AORBSinc.com
Since Joe refused to meet with me at the Celebrate Santa Convention, where he took the "Santa Claus Oath", I believe he will not take any of my calls, or receive any of my personal correspondence. As a matter of fact, when I received a notice from him telling me that I would be arrested if I attempted to enter the building or hotel in Gatlinburg, Joe Moore also said that he would not take any calls or respond to any more of my emails.
Therefore I am posting it here, hoping it makes it way back to Joe Moore.
Add a Comment
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Comment by Santa Globe on March 19, 2009 at 11:20pm -
Mr. Germann, I understand that this is important information, therefore I have allowed this blog to be posted.
However I have no wish to make this site about the fight. What I have read about the parade, the police being called and taking the toys from Santa is truly a sad time for people involved with Christmas.
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