[SCA] Can I say this?
May. 19th, 2008 09:18 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
newman(This isn't going to mean a lot to you if you're not in the SCA. Even if you are, it may not mean a lot to you)
A short note came across the wires this morning from Hal Simon (Chairman of the BOD) regarding the invalidation of the reign of the current King and Queen of The Middle because of a 3-day lapse in membership due to some unusual circumstances. At the conclusion of the brief letter, Mr. Simon (as ever) indicates that "Questions, suggestions and comments can be sent to [email address snipped]". This is the note I'm considering sending; do I bother?
Dear Mr. Simon:
Upon reading your recent brief note concerning the invalidation of the reign of Lutr and Tessa, I was struck by the fact that The Board of Directors seems increasingly hidebound, interested in enforcing the letter of our laws, regardless of the cost or of the original intent of those laws. Interest in the S.C.A. from senior members (such as myself) is waning, and The S.C.A. has not been able to increase new member recruitment. My question, suggestion, and comment are
1) Why aren't the Board of Directors focused more on improving the S.C.A. and less on preserving some perceived status quo?
2) Please increase the transparency of our government. Much of the Board's actions are in a sealed Star Chamber.
3) If the Board of Directors does not make some drastic changes in the next few years, the S.C.A. as an entity will cease to exist. It already has largely ceased to exist as an organization I wish to be part of.
Alternative text for #3: If the Board of Directors does not make some drastic changes in the next few years, the S.C.A. as an entity will cease to exist. It is already well on its way to becoming an organization I would not wish to be part of.
Signed,
me, with all the titles and O.P. stuff that apparently makes me worth listening to ;-)
A short note came across the wires this morning from Hal Simon (Chairman of the BOD) regarding the invalidation of the reign of the current King and Queen of The Middle because of a 3-day lapse in membership due to some unusual circumstances. At the conclusion of the brief letter, Mr. Simon (as ever) indicates that "Questions, suggestions and comments can be sent to [email address snipped]". This is the note I'm considering sending; do I bother?
Dear Mr. Simon:
Upon reading your recent brief note concerning the invalidation of the reign of Lutr and Tessa, I was struck by the fact that The Board of Directors seems increasingly hidebound, interested in enforcing the letter of our laws, regardless of the cost or of the original intent of those laws. Interest in the S.C.A. from senior members (such as myself) is waning, and The S.C.A. has not been able to increase new member recruitment. My question, suggestion, and comment are
1) Why aren't the Board of Directors focused more on improving the S.C.A. and less on preserving some perceived status quo?
2) Please increase the transparency of our government. Much of the Board's actions are in a sealed Star Chamber.
3) If the Board of Directors does not make some drastic changes in the next few years, the S.C.A. as an entity will cease to exist. It already has largely ceased to exist as an organization I wish to be part of.
Alternative text for #3: If the Board of Directors does not make some drastic changes in the next few years, the S.C.A. as an entity will cease to exist. It is already well on its way to becoming an organization I would not wish to be part of.
Signed,
me, with all the titles and O.P. stuff that apparently makes me worth listening to ;-)
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no subject
Date: 2008-05-19 03:20 pm (UTC)If the target of your letter is the Board's reaction to a three-day lapse in membership, this single issue could be considered too small to be worth your time and effort.
If the target of your letter is the overall trends of the BoD as law enforcers, senior members' waning interest, and lack of new member recruitment, I think your letter would need more data to support your statements. The statements about senior members' waning interest sounds like a generalization: "I have waning interest, and my friends do too, so therefore it is a wide trend." Were I reading this, I would expect to see data supporting that statement, or I would discount it as a generalization. Sorry, but I would. Unless others have already done the work for you, building your case would require time and effort, and I think you have far better uses for your time and efforts.
So, if you do send the letter, I think you should choose which target you are aiming at, and decide whether it is worth your time and effort.
Who knows? This one small issue may be a tipping point in the relationship between the BoD and the SCA membership. It may be a tipping point in your personal activity with the SCA. It may just be worth putting in the time and effort. You decide.
no subject
Date: 2008-05-19 04:46 pm (UTC)This is the BoD - I would imaging keeping and reacting to such data is part of their job. If they are doing their jobs, then they already have it (and either do not care, or are not capable of positive action on the data). If they aren't doing their jobs, the letter isn't going to move them.
Such a letter, with data, made to the BoD and to the SCAdian community might have impact through raising awareness. But that's engaging on another level.