Theos-Talk Archives (February 2004 Message tt00132)

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, Bart Lidofsky <bartl@s...> wrote:
> walkinsnotwelcome wrote:
> > "Well-meaning", lovely. They dissolved abruptly, in a 
conspicuous silence, after declaring that their convention activity 
was only preliminary to a campaign in the next election.I'm 
inquiring into what happened with that. 
> 
> Once again I will not name names, but the one or two on the 
Board whose purpose was more to tear down than to build up more or 
less ruined things.

Hey,

As an early participant in the group who resigned within a few 
months, I'd concur. 

Also there was the fact that the only thing that really united 
> the group was a dislike of the then-current administration.

Also would agree with that. One bone of contention among many was 
whether or not to focus on the ES as a problem. Everyone started 
out regarding the cryptocracy behind TS governance as a very serious 
obstacle to reform; somehow it was decided that we dare not mention 
the problem because it would "turn people off." Yet members did get 
turned off by the negativity of the ACTivist-- at least that was the 
feedback I got in Baltimore. Whether pointing out the elephant in 
the living room-- ES subversion of the TS-- would have helped or 
hurt, who knows?

I really 
> believe that some of their suggestions would have been adopted had 
they 
> been worded more reasonably.
> 
The bottom line IMO is that democratic process in the TS has been 
corrupted to the point that *nothing* can salvage it. Radha is 
president for life, member of a family that has dominated TS 
governance for all but a few years of the last 7 decades. The high 
handedness that comes from dynastic governance leaves no room for 
democracy in any meaningful sense. As above, so below: national 
sections are democratic in name only too, more often than not. At 
least that is what one hears from insiders.

Cheers,

Paul