A Victory for Democracy

Last night at the BSEC Board meeting there was finally a small victory for democracy. After a discussion, the Board came to the realization (with perhaps one dissenter) that even a person who is the subject of a forensic audit which has not yet been completed and released has every right to run for the Board, and that it is up to the membership to decide, once informed of this fact, whether they want him on the Board.

It's about time such a decision was made since the President has been saying things for quite some time about not wanting to let certain people who are "out of favor" in some way or another run for the Board. That's really not up to the President!

I got a chance to speak my piece and I said there's been an ongoing fear of letting the membership make its own decisions about whom to vote for, and this goes back nearly two years already. If it can't be orchestrated so that they always win, the people in power now don't want to play. I also said that the "dirt" on this person (so far, completely unproven) has been known to the membership already for at least a year due to a telephone smear campaign that not only cast aspersions on him but on anyone associated with him.

The Treasurer kept trying to interrupt me but I raised my voice slightly and told her, "I don't want to hear from you right now -- I'm talking so you be quiet!" This gave me immense satisfaction. For once the meeting was run by a person who is evenhanded and fair, and who came down equally on both "sides" when they got out of line. Good for her: that's what our organization should be. Too bad that will all be reversed when the Prez gets back from her out of town trip.

Now on to the membership meeting and the elections. Bruce and I don't expect to be elected but we'd be pleasantly surprised if that happened. However we'll make our statements and that's that. Most likely, it will be on to better things.