[amsat-bb] My Ballot arrived - Now what? Something to consider.
Bruce Perens
bruce at perens.com
Wed Jul 22 16:46:03 UTC 2020
One of my earlier forays into amateur radio policy was to found "No-Code
International" and lobby to get rid of the Morse Code test worldwide. We
appeared at many conferences and I even went to Iceland to lobby their IARU
vote, which was the same as that of the USA even though I had half of the
hams in the whole country in one room where I was speaking.
During this period, I expected to be punched out or spat upon by angry
hams. But I was impressed with the civil behavior of hams. Although there
were complaints to ARRL directors that my table was even admitted to the
Division conference, I think only one person cursed me out. And he very
graciously made up after the decision was made.
Certainly no one ever said it was a "hostile takeover". To treat an
election as that is truly ludicrous.
If you like the descent into mediocrity that AMSAT has been on for a
decade, by all means vote for the incumbents. We will work on the issue
over at ORI, instead of AMSAT, and don't be surprised when we continue to
get the participation and grants that were previously directed toward AMSAT.
But there is an alternative. If you want a way out of AMSAT's decline,
please vote for these candidates:
Bob McGwier N4HY
Howie DeFelice AB2S
Jeff Johns WE4B
Thanks
Bruce
On Wed, Jul 22, 2020, 7:58 AM Alan via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb at amsat.org> wrote:
> Michelle,
>
> > Describing me publicly as a “target” that you want to bomb makes one of
> us look bad... and it isn’t me.
>
> You are probably one of only two people on this list who could possibly
> twist/spin/distort what I clearly meant into what you claim. Given the
> complete ludicrousness of that, I will just wish you a good and healthful
> day.
>
> 73,
>
> Alan
> WA4SCA
>
>
> From: Michelle Thompson [mailto:mountain.michelle at gmail.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, July 22, 2020 9:22 AM
> To: APBIDDLE at mailaps.org; Alan <wa4sca at gmail.com>
> Cc: amsat-bb at amsat.org
> Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] My Ballot arrived - Now what? Something to
> consider.
>
> Describing me publicly as a “target” that you want to bomb makes one of us
> look bad... and it isn’t me.
>
> Violent responses to ordinary questions about financial oversight have
> been the pattern from the majority of the absentee board.
>
> There certainly was smoke. It lead to real fires. We put some of them out
> without anyone getting bothered.
>
> The voters are the fire department of last resort for a member society. If
> you are out there, we need your help.
>
> Fewer war-obsessed Directors would result in immediate improvement for
> everyone.
>
> Please vote for McGwier, DeFelice, and Johns.
>
> -mdt
>
>
>
> On Wed, Jul 22, 2020 at 05:19 Alan via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb at amsat.org
> <mailto:amsat-bb at amsat.org> > wrote:
> Michelle,
>
> Thanks for confirming my hypothesis on your tactics and actual
> motivations. A lightning response consisting of a dense smokescreen, or
> perhaps heavy flack, means I am over the target. :)
>
> 73,
>
> Alan
> WA4SCA
>
>
> -------------------------------------
> You can fool some of the people all of the time,
> all of the people some of the time, and that is usually sufficient.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> <-----Original Message-----
> <From: Michelle Thompson [mailto:mountain.michelle at gmail.com <mailto:
> mountain.michelle at gmail.com> ]
> <Sent: Wednesday, July 22, 2020 6:07 AM
> <To: APBIDDLE at mailaps.org <mailto:APBIDDLE at mailaps.org> ; Alan <
> wa4sca at gmail.com <mailto:wa4sca at gmail.com> >
> <Cc: amsat-bb at amsat.org <mailto:amsat-bb at amsat.org>
> <Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] My Ballot arrived - Now what? Something to
> consider.
> <
> <That is true.
> <
> <It’s a classic hostile takeover when the doors are locked against a
> minority of the Directors,
> <and when company assets are used for personal reasons.
> <
> <I add that secretly hiring lawyers to harass and obstruct elected leaders
> isn’t a hostile
> <takeover. It’s just plain hostile.
> <
> <Lying about it and trying to cover it up is offensive.
> <
> <Unlike other things that we do, this isn’t rocket science.
> <
> <A stagnant board majority that freaks out and refuses to meet is not an
> asset to the
> <corporation.
> <
> <Thanks to Alan for highlighting this aspect.
> <
> <-Michelle W5NYV
> <
> <On Wed, Jul 22, 2020 at 03:43 Alan via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb at amsat.org
> <mailto:amsat-bb at amsat.org> <mailto:amsat- <mailto:amsat->
> <bb at amsat.org <mailto:bb at amsat.org> > > wrote:
> <
> <
> < John,
> <
> < It is more accurate to think of it as an attempted hostile
> takeover rather
> < than a civil war, even though it is driven by ego and ideology
> rather than
> < money. That is important when understanding the tools being used,
> and in
> < looking at the range of possible resolutions. They are somewhat
> different in
> < the two cases.
> <
> < 73,
> <
> < Alan
> < WA4SCA
> <
> <
> <
> <
> < <-----Original Message-----
> < <From: AMSAT-BB [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org <mailto:
> amsat-bb-bounces at amsat.org> <mailto:amsat-bb- <mailto:amsat-bb->
> <bounces at amsat.org <mailto:bounces at amsat.org> > ] On Behalf Of john--- via
> < <AMSAT-BB
> < <Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2020 9:36 PM
> < <To: amsat-bb at amsat.org <mailto:amsat-bb at amsat.org> <mailto:
> amsat-bb at amsat.org <mailto:amsat-bb at amsat.org> >
> < <Subject: [amsat-bb] My Ballot arrived - Now what? Something to
> consider.
> < <
> < <One of my ham radio friends asked me a few weeks ago, "What is
> going on
> < <with AMSAT?" It's nothing short of an all out civil war. And it is
> < <nasty and it's tearing us apart.
> < <
> < <With so many posts and so many twists and turns, it is hard to
> determine
> < <the root cause of the War. You have to stand way back to have any
> < <chance of finding out. If you take the time, the real issues
> becomes
> < <clear.
> < <
> < <The War on the amsat-bb seemed to subside a few days ago when
> members
> < <started talking about the ballots they were receiving in the mail.
> < <Maybe the thought was, if I just cast my vote, the problem will
> go away.
> < < Nothing could be farther from the truth. Patrick and Michelle
> are not
> < <on the ballot and they will still be on the Board after the
> election is
> < <over.
> < <
> < <My ballot and the candidate's statements arrived yesterday. And
> so did
> < <the oversize postcard sent out by 3 of the candidates. I read the
> < <statements and have been reading the candidate's comments on other
> < <social media platforms. Some of the candidates talked about some
> of
> < <the War issues. Some said they would like to see regular Board
> < <meetings. One candidate posted that he would cast the third vote
> < <required to demand General Board meetings be held regularly!
> That's
> < <about as bold as it gets in the candidate's statements. The same
> person
> < <promised to do some other things as well if elected; some helpful
> and
> < <some not, in my opinion. But at least he said them..
> < <
> < <A while back, a member made a post about who he would vote for. He
> < <documented everyone's credentials, experience, past efforts with
> AMSAT
> < <along with comments about personal interactions, if any. Those
> are good
> < <things to consider. But what about the future? What issues does
> the
> < <candidate deem important and how does he or she plan to deal with
> them?
> < <
> < <To me. the most important issue for AMSAT is to find a way to
> bring our
> < <Civil War to an end. And that would include negotiating an
> agreement
> < <with all parties that will restore civility and respect for all
> members,
> < <a culture that is open to all ideas regardless of who is
> suggesting
> < <them, as much transparency as the law permits along with fiscal
> < <responsibility and accountability. For the past week I've
> pondered how
> < <to do this and came up with a plan that has a chance of working.
> But
> < <I'm not running for a Board position (and never will) so I will
> defer to
> < <the candidates to come up with their own ideas.
> < <
> < <I challenge each candidate to address the issue and detail a plan
> to
> < <deal with it. Forget the general statements. There are things that
> < <must happen for the War to end. And if someone with a high school
> < <education and few accomplishments can do it, all of you should be
> able
> < <to solve this problem with ease. My vote will go to the
> candidates with
> < <the best plans. I urge others to wait a bit before casting their
> votes.
> < < Let's see what happens!
> < <
> < <73, John K8YSE
> < <_______________________________________________
> < <Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org <mailto:AMSAT-BB at amsat.org> <mailto:
> AMSAT-BB at amsat.org <mailto:AMSAT-BB at amsat.org> > . AMSAT-NA
> <makes this open forum available
> < <to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership.
> Opinions
> < expressed
> < <are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official
> views of
> < AMSAT-NA.
> < <Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite
> program!
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> https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
> <
> < _______________________________________________
> < Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org <mailto:AMSAT-BB at amsat.org> <mailto:
> AMSAT-BB at amsat.org <mailto:AMSAT-BB at amsat.org> > . AMSAT-NA
> <makes this open forum available
> < to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership.
> Opinions
> <expressed
> < are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official
> views of AMSAT-NA.
> < Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite
> program!
> < Subscription settings:
> https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
> <
> <
> <--
> <
> <-Michelle W5NYV
> <
> <
> <"Potestatem obscuri lateris nescis."
> <
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org <mailto:AMSAT-BB at amsat.org> . AMSAT-NA makes
> this open forum available
> to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions
> expressed
> are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of
> AMSAT-NA.
> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
> Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
> --
> -Michelle W5NYV
> "Potestatem obscuri lateris nescis."
>
> _______________________________________________
> Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available
> to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions
> expressed
> are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of
> AMSAT-NA.
> Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
> Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
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