Posted on 12/04/2004 1:56:35 PM PST by SmithL
AMERICUS, Ga. (AP) --
In a characteristic act of frugality, Habitat for Humanity founder Millard Fuller hitched a ride to the Atlanta airport with a female staff member to save the organization a $75 shuttle ride.
That ride ended up costing him -- and Habitat -- a great deal more.
Allegations of "inappropriate conduct" during that drive last year led to Fuller's temporary banishment from the headquarters of the Christian home-building organization he and his wife, Linda, founded 28 years ago. Fuller says the board of directors was on the verge of firing him before he asked former President Jimmy Carter, Habitat's most visible volunteer, to intervene.
While the board eventually found there was "insufficient evidence" to substantiate the charges, Fuller says he agreed to step aside as chief executive officer to avoid an "unseemly" internal battle. In a compromise, he retained the largely ceremonial title of "founder and president."
With his 70th birthday approaching in January, Fuller knew the time was coming when he would have to make way for new leadership.
But Linda Fuller worries that the attempt to oust her husband is a symptom of a "culture change" in Habitat from a hopeful religious mission to a bottom-line bureaucracy. . . .
This was not the first time Fuller had been accused of being too familiar with female staff.
In 1990, several women at the headquarters accused the founder of sexual harassment -- a kiss on the cheek, a hug, a compliment about pretty blue eyes. Fuller was prepared to step down until Carter threatened to withdraw his support from Habitat.
Fuller says he grew up in a touchy-feely country culture and freely admits he did those things.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
This is probably the real story - the founder had become a liability. Happens all the time.
The beast!
The beast!
Apologies for the double post.
I never knew Habitat had a religious mission. In all honesty my impression was that it is a service organization that gave starting builders experience and budding buraeucrats laurels for their resume while giving homes away to whomever they thought were deserving.
What's the big deal? Isn't this just a private matter that has no effect on how he does his job? Shouldn't they just leave him alone and move on?
If someone I worked for EVER kissed me on the cheek, I would consider him to be a complete CREEP. I'm feel people can misinterpret jokes, etc, but physical boundaries are not to be crossed. He's old enough to know better, regardless of his "culture".
I respect that you feel that way, but I just don't think it's a big deal if it wasn't done to intimidate anyone.
At one time I worked for an organization that had four women working in the office, including myself, and 90 men on the work crews. I'd often have some of the older men put their arm around me while they were talking to me. They never groped me or made suggestive remarks so I didn't feel threatened by it.
I was much more offended by the openly crude remarks I'd hear while I was walking across the parking lot to my car at the end of the day. And the men that had put their arms around me were the ones that yelled at the young idiots that did it.
In 1990, several women at the headquarters accused the founder of sexual harassment -- a kiss on the cheek, a hug, a compliment about pretty blue eyes.
Oh for Pete's sake! Sexual Harassment?
Give me a break!
I happened to sit on a plane ride from Charlotte to Dallas next to M. Fuller, he read his bible until someone stopped and introduced himself and congradulated him on his work. We talked about the fact that my church had worked on a project and that Dallas had taken much of the religous background out of the program - until a group of True Believers toook it back. He was happy about that and said "This is a constant problem, to keep Christs message int his work."
I worked in a company that was high pressure and big pay. A start up. 25 years ago. We used to hug, kiss and jump up and down when we scored a contract.
And I was truly a lucsious armful back then.
Yes.
I was the ED for a Habitat affiliate for five years. During that time I came into close contact with Millard Fuller and his Wife Linda. Had lunch with them several times. Went on a tour of Plains, GA with them. He and his wife are upstanding people, but they rub some the wrong way because they push and push and push for homes to be built. Many affiliates just want to be fat and happy and build one or two houses a year. The people that work for the headquarters are challenged constantly by them also. This allegation is over stretched to say the least.
Jimmy Carter, what a man. He is ask to intervene and the guy loses his job. Jimmy still has it. Just like he had it when he was trying to wreck the United States.
Millard Fuller is a tireless giant who has helped so many. So what's his reward? To hounded out by some magpies who don't know how to handle a guy.
His good works outweigh these harassment complaints by a million to one. America needs to learn how to keep things in perspective.
your post reminds me of Mr. Fullers dream to build a thousand homes in a year - I believe it was 1999.
The "charges" are ridiculous. Did any of them ever even tell him they felt uncomfortably with it?
It sounds like a wonderful human being is being railroaded out by a pack of souless buereacrats.
I guess I can pick other chairities to support.
Worse than that! HFH will now become just another organization run by the nonprofit welfare gang. Once they remove God from this organization, they'll be no different than your local liberal welfare groups.
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