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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Mansons2005, post: 79991, member: 121&quot;]Speaking from personal experience, I have to respectfully disagree. </p><p><br /></p><p>We still live in a society that delights in visiting the sins of the fathers unto the sons. This can make life difficult in many aspects. As a minor example let&#039;s use Anderson Cooper (whether I like or respect the man is irrelevant). He had to strive mightily to overcome the stigmas and notoriety of his family background to achieve his current position. And that struggle started the moment he was born, not when he decided on a career path.</p><p><br /></p><p>I had similar, minor issues as a youth, but it was when I decided on a career in &quot;academia&quot; that I had larger, life altering issues. They involved ancestors both living and dead, and the reasons for their notoriety were hashed and rehashed in courtrooms and newspapers for over a decade. I was immediately branded with those sins. I was denied entry into some universities on the basis of my &quot;membership&quot; in THAT family. I have seen my friends embarrassed when we were denied entry to venues because of my connections. I have had hotels deny me accommodations. I have had public scorn and absolutely ridiculous accusations thrown at me. Other relatives were denied the same as well as the purchase of co-ops and houses on that basis. </p><p><br /></p><p>The documents I refer to have been made public in some respects, many quoted in part by the media and in court. But if they were to be made &quot;public&quot; again, it would only lead to further speculation and sensationalism. Do we really need to visit the perceived sins of the past on a new generation? In this day and age responding to the the question &quot;Are you related to ??????&quot; with a (reluctant) negative is no longer an option. Records are widely available due to our &quot;connectivity&quot;.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>I am not ashamed of my family, I truly loved those who &quot;created&quot; this environment. (As a side note, I do not believe that the accusations and penalties imposed on them were accurate or justified, but that is irrelevant to the reality.) I do not renounce them, but in order to achieve some of my goals I have had to use a pseudonym to overcome that which has been unjustly imposed on me by others. Had I not had life goals that could be affected by prejudice caused by actions of others, I would proudly bear my &quot;real&quot; name. </p><p><br /></p><p>I come from a very long line of illustrious ancestors. Of course that and $2.50 gets you on the underground. But being related to (and personally knowing) some of the people who impacted the history of entire countries is an inspiring thing. But when the public opinion turns the term Famous into Notorious, one has to find the mechanisms to cope with that. Self censorship and a &quot;low profile&quot; are only two of those mechanisms.</p><p><br /></p><p>Oh, and just as another &quot;parallel&quot;, I deal with the same public perception as Anderson Cooper - that we are both rich as Croesus and can do as we damn well please.</p><p><br /></p><p>If only.................[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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