NOTE: THE STATEMENTS MADE HEREIN ARE PERSONAL TO US. THEY REPRESENT OUR OWN EXPERIENCES ONLY AND MAY NOT REPRESENT THE EXPERIENCE OF THE MAJORITY OF SILVERLEAF OWNERS.
Let me be clear. Through the years we, as have many thousands of others, have had numerous grievances against Silverleaf Resorts, Inc.. They’ve had a typical back lot car dealer approach to sales and marketing. We’ve been disappointed repeatedly because Silverleaf failed to live up to promises. But we stuck with them and endured their endless assorted shenanigans because, in the end, up until they were taken over by Cerberus there was sufficient value to our purchases. Unequivocally we were treated unfairly. No question. But on balance, our access to the resorts and the opportunities for family recreation, and the desire not to disappoint our children, kept us in the mix.
All we ever wanted was simply to be able to provide our children with vacation opportunities and recreation that was not otherwise available. With the takeover by Cerberus, however, and subsequent actions we believe were clearly prompted by that corporation, we recognized all that we’d invested in was in the process of being destroyed. Limits and restrictions to access and availability, among other things, indicated to us that there was no longer any value in our investment. Furthermore, the very reasons we held on to our property was specifically for access to resorts that is now denied or heavily restricted. We chose to take the course of action we did because of those limits and restrictions, and because we knew, based upon the actions of Cerberus in the past, where our investment was likely headed.
There should be a distinction between the pronouns “we” and “I” on this blog. Silverleaf has done considerable harm to my family, in my personal opinion. My wife and I make decisions regarding our finances and so forth together. “Our story” is, indeed, the story of my family and I. But it has been I, alone, who chose to create this website and bring awareness to the public of what is contained herein. I am the writer and journalist, not my wife. She has not contributed to these writings and have not reviewed all that’s contained on this site. It is I alone who hold not only the obligation but the determination to tell the truth and to reveal to the public facts and information that are important to their lives. Silverleaf Protest is my work alone and I stand fully upon every single word and letter. I have provided the truth as I can verify it and offered editorial and opinion otherwise.
There is far more to this situation than my own personal difficulties. The millisecond I learned that I owned a deed that was tied to a property which has come under the ownership of Cerberus Capital Management, LP., I knew everything had changed. I have investigated, reported and written upon the corporate state for years. I’ve conducted in-depth research into the dealings of companies like Cerberus, Bain, and others. And I knew that our problems with Silverleaf had become most likely insurmountable. Suddenly everything that had taken place for the past few months made total sense. It’s all about the money. Profit. We and countless thousands were and are in the throws of a company which has no regard for citizens, owners, families or individuals whatsoever.
For me, it is not about the money. There are no doubt many former owners who simply started throwing their bills in the trash and hanging up on collectors and allowed their property to be taken back for sale to someone else. They, as we, lost a considerable amount of money in this situation–considerable to us at least. But it is not such an amount that would cripple us financially. I chose to develop this website and take such actions as I have on my own because it is not within me to simply sit in silence while many thousands of people suffer losses at the hands of a company such as Cerberus. If I have had any purpose in life, such as it may be, it is to stand upon and speak the truth and speak out against injustice in any way, shape, form I can. I have done this often in the past and I will continue to do so. I have no choice. It is who I am.
I am nobody. I am a redneck on the front porch of a mobile home. The squeak of my tiny little voice has so little volume that virtually nobody hears it at all. As I write this piece today I know the number of people who are likely to read it–outside the snooping eyes of Silverleaf’s law firm–can probably be counted upon two hands. The statistics I read about the hits on this site indicate that of the tiny little number of total hits, around 1500 to date, a very large percentage originated from computers at Silverleaf or their legal represenation’s offices. But still I write because I give a damn. It is a quirk of my nature that I care about people. I care when people are hurt. I care when people are defrauded and abused. And I am incensed when I see bullies mistreating others. I will not stand for a bully. And if at all possible I will always defend the victims of bullies. I will not be the victim of a bully without doing anything in my power to protect myself and my family.
So, again, let me be absolutely clear. My family has suffered from this ordeal with Silverleaf but it is I, alone, who chose to reveal the entire truth regarding Silverleaf and their owners, Cerberus. There is nothing vindictive, conniving nor misleading in this effort. This is information people need to know. This is Truth that should be revealed. I, alone, have done it.
I have done nothing wrong. In fact, I have done something very right. I have taken the soap-box with a clear conscience. The machinations of capital management companies has destroyed millions of lives over the past decade. Cerberus, Bain, and others, seem to operate with impunity. They use the power of money like a club to beat profits out of the pockets of innocent Americans to fill their accounts. I have known this for years. I never dreamed it would be my pockets they would be picking, however. But now it is. And I have called them on it and I have spoken out against them. And they don’t like it. They have come after me and my family. They want to shut me up. They want to deny me the absolute right I have under the Constitution to tell the truth. As meager and obscure as my voice may be, I write as a proud and determined member of the press, not merely as a “disgruntled owner.” This is my right and I will not give it up.
Finally, I have made appeals for input and support on this website. Some have offered such. No one has contradicted or complained or said that what is written here is not fact. I continue to ask for input. Furthermore, I ask for support. There are many hundreds, thousands, of owners who are in the same boat as we are. We all, like customers, employees and interest holders of Chrysler, Mervyn’s Department stores, NewPage Kimberly Mill workers, Stewart Healthcare Systems, and countless others have been, are under the thumb of Cerberus Capital Management, LP.. Will we let them once again have their way without doing what we can do to stop them? I cannot carry banners or take the time to travel and protest. I cannot afford expensive law firms to take our case. There’s not much, really, that I can do. The only power and right that I hold is my power and right to speak the Truth. That I shall do, if I have to do it entirely alone.
Ted Gresham
October 17, 2012
Silverleaf Protest 