Significant Moments: "Difficult, Verbose and Dangerous"

Alice Miller, Masson explained, was his only remaining supporter. "I am persona non grata in the analytic world, a pariah," he said, with the air of one stating a mildly irksome and yet somehow not unamusing fact. He continued, with a rush of words, "Analysts won't speak to me anymore. They avoid me on the street. They are afraid to be seen with me. . . . ”
Janet Malcolm, In The Freud Archives.
Wherever I turn I am shunned, condemned;
Richard Wagner, Lohengrin.
“ . . . A year ago, they were fawning on me—they were giving me huge grants, they were inviting me to speak at their institutes. But when Anna Freud and Eissler dropped me no analyst would touch me. . . ."
Janet Malcolm, In The Freud Archives.
Word was spread that I was "difficult, verbose, and dangerous."
Gottfried Wagner, Twilight of the Wagners: The Unveiling of a Family's Legacy.
" . . . When I was fired from the [Freud] Archives, Alice Miller, who shares my ideas and therefore can no longer call herself a Freudian analyst either, was the only person who had the guts to come out for me."
Janet Malcolm, In The Freud Archives.
She helped me through this and subsequent crises and soon became my second mother. Since then she has taken an interest in all the essential professional and private events of my life.
Gottfried Wagner, Twilight of the Wagners: The Unveiling of a Family's Legacy.

__________________________________________________

When I was fired from my job at the DC law firm of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld I was described as "difficult to supervise" and "potentially violent." I was not described as "verbose" but I was curbing my verbosity for legal reasons. I'm normally verbose. Typically, people whose ideas or knowledge threaten The Powers That Be are described as difficult and dangerous.

MEMORANDUM

TO: File
FROM: Dennis M. Race [initialed DMR]
DATE: October 29, 1991 CONFIDENTIAL
RE: Gary Freedman

________________________________________________________________________

In the course of investigating Gary's complaints about working conditions (none of which, by his own admission, involved activity or conduct which had a direct impact on him), I concluded that Gary's inability to work or interrelate with others is a substantial problem for the firm. There is only so much work that can be done without any interaction among our staff (which is what he requests) and his continued presence in the firm has been extremely disruptive. Reported outbursts and arguably bizarre behavior have made it uncomfortable and sometimes disruptive for many of his co-workers -- women of whom have voiced fear in working with or nearby him. In additional he is very difficult to supervise.

Malcolm Lassman and I have also discussed this matter, including Gary's work habits (as well as his habit of putting negative meanings to even trivial events i.e., "ideas of reference") with two outside consultants and both concurred that termination was the sound approach to take. One outside consultant also cautioned about the possibility of violence.

Accordingly, on the basis of disruptive work habits, unusual behavior and discussions with outside consultants, I believe that termination is warranted. Indeed, to do otherwise may prove to be negligent. I have discussed this with representatives of the Management Committee and our Administrative Staff and everyone concurs.

Gary will be given an additional two weeks severance (a total of four weeks) not only to cover extra time to look for alternative work but also to help cover insurance costs which will be borne directly by him upon leaving the firm.
________________________________________________________

Question: Why is it that in a CONFIDENTIAL memo to himself did Dennis Race fail to identify the name of the "outside consultants" with whom he spoke? Why does he fail to identify the fact that one of the consultants was even a psychiatrist? Isn't the purpose of a memo like this to memorialize specific facts for future reference as an aid to recollection? Call me crazy, but this memo reads as if its purpose is to conceal from others rather than record for oneself for future reference. Why is it that in the Response to Interogatories dated May 22, 1992 did Dennis Race again conceal the name of the psychiatrist with whom he spoke? It's as if this oblique memo was tailor-made for the similarly oblique pleadings.

Why was it only in the Supplemental Response, in response to a direct question by the Department of Human Rights, submitted by Akin Gump to the Agency on May 18, 1993, did Dennis Race finally come up with the name Gertrude R. Ticho, MD? (record at 123)

So many peculiarities!