Several of the members of FRTM are in receipt of an unsolicited email
from Ms. Zora Toth containing a letter addressed to me.In the interests
of full disclosure, I feel some explanation is needed.This email is that
explanation.
The events in Ms. Toth's email are based upon her actions at our regular
Toastmasters meetings on April 7 and 21.On April 7, Ms. Toth was serving
as the timer/joker and as part of that role told a joke that several of
the members in attendance found to be offensive.I will not repeat the
entire joke, but the punch line involved the placement of a bomb under a
mosque.At the time of the joke, a member asked if she actually thought,
that was a joke and she replied that it actually happened.I subsequently
researched the incident and found no evidence of it occurring.
After receiving several complaints from members, I sent an email to Ms.
Toth informing her of the complaints and explaining that maybe she may
have made a mistake with her joke.I suggested to her that she should
consider an apology and I thought she could move on from there.Ms. Toth
immediately responded with an email demanding to have copies of all
complaints and wanted me to divulge all comments and complaints that had
been made by members.I refused to give her that information to protect
the complainant's identities but I did tell her that the complaints
described her joke as "insensitive, offensive and bordering on racist".A
second demand for copies of all the complaints was also refused but I
told her that if she would just send a simple apology over the
"Freelist" email system that I thought the incident would be resolved.
Ms. Toth then requested three minutes at the April 21 meeting to
"address the membership".I agreed that she could address the members
present at the end of the meeting.
At the April 21 meeting, I spoke with Ms. Toth outside the meeting room
prior to the meeting.I informed her that I was intending to excuse all
of the guests at the conclusion of the meeting and then she could have
the last three minutes "to deliver her apology statement."She thanked me
for the opportunity and we shook hands.At the conclusion of the meeting,
I excused guests and asked members to stay for a few minutes.I turned
the stage over to Ms. Toth.She took the stage a proceeded to reiterate
that the joke she told on April 7 was "hilarious".She said the joke was
British in nature and members of FRTM are too "close-minded" to
understand international humor.She refused to apologize and attempted to
blame members of the club for failing to understand her joke.She said
she should have been given feedback on her joke and complaints should
not have been directed to the president.When she was asked to repeat the
joke so feedback could be given, she refused.At the end of her comments
and before she left the room, I asked why she did not apologize instead
of blaming the club members.She accused me of calling her racist.She
said I did not allow her to finish speaking and she said I did not
understand British humor. (I lived in England for three years.). I told
her that Front Range Toastmasters is in Thornton, Colorado and not
England. Colette Smith video recorded approximately 10 minutes of Ms.
Toth's "tantrum."
As a result of these two meetings and her actions, Ms. Toth has chosen
to resign her membership and the executive committee has accepted that
resignation.
We wish her the best in her next ventures.It is always unfortunate to
lose a member, especially when the entire incident could have been
avoided with two simple words - I'm sorry.
Ray Pezolt DTM
President - Front Range Toastmasters
