Fwd: Re: The Summers Theory

["Wes Copas" <wescopas@TENET.EDU>]

Greetings to all!  I was hoping this Summers Theory thing would die down
on its own, but a couple of posts I have read on the list indicate
otherwise.  I am attaching a post that I sent to another listmember a
few minutes ago, in hopes that the rest of the list will understand what
happened and take the appropriate action.  Toying with, attacking, or
antagonizing this young lady will do no one any good at all, and might
cause real harm.  Please - let's all let this one end...

Wes Copas

>
> I'm not sure who the "gentlemen" you are cautioning are, but I have
> exchanged a few private posts with Brittany Frederick, and perhaps a bit
> of background knowledge will help you understand what has happened.
> 
> Brittany Frederick is a Middle School student, and the Summers Theory is
> her own.  As you have already noted, it is not a particularly well
> thought-out theory, as can be expected from a young lady who is going
> into 7th or 8th grade.  She demonstrated considerable courage by
> advancing her own thoughts in this rarefied atmosphere, and she is to be
> commended for that courage and for the obviously original ideas she
> proposed.  I don't think she knew how many toes she would step on by
> claiming to be a published professional paleontologist, and I will not
> hold that against her.  She's a very intelligent and brave young lady,
> and as she learns more in school she will understand her errors.
> 
> I was only brought into this public discussion as a result of a mistake
> with the "send" key (not my mistake - I posted to another listmember in
> private, and his response to me, which was intended to be private,
> somehow got out to the list.)  I figured out that Brittany is a young
> person pretty quickly, and Sean knows about it now, too.  He has posted
> privately to Brittany, too, and we have both asked her to resubscribe.
> Apparently, she got a lot of harsh criticism privately too.  I think
> perhaps we should let this one go, lest we cause any serious harm to a
> bright young lady.
> 
> Later,
> 
> Wes Copas