Theos-Talk Archives (May 2008 Message tt00368)

Words "blatant electioneering" are used by Betty Bland, who does not
support Radha for Presidentship. It appears that both supporters of
Radha and those who oppose her are considering communication,
expression of opinion as wrong. I think both these sides don't
understand how good democracy works.
Good democratic election is like court process. In election, voters
are judge and and candidates are advocates. Judge should not give his
judgment before listening to both the sides. Advocates (lawyers) are
supposed to present all the information, details and proofs to prove
that their side is better. This way court brings out all the good and
bad points concerned with the individuals. Similarly in democratic
election there is required maximum discussion, maximum dissemination
of information, analysis so that judge, the voters would be able to
know maximum number of facts and will vote intelligently in order to
elect best candidate. Unfortunately many officers and members in TS
don't understand this process and they expect that members should
caste their votes blindly without knowledge of facts, discussion and
analysis.

Anand Gholap


--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Anand" <AnandGholap@...> wrote:
>
> In this mail you will notice that many officers holding high posts in
> TS have expressed their opinion about important issues like future
> Presiden't health, it's impact on the TS and possible solutions. I
> think they have right to express their opinion and to convey their
> opinion to others. However Radha's supporters are  criticizing such
> communication as "blatant electioneering". If TS election does not
> approve electioneering, then why do they hold elections ? If they
> think that election should be without discussion, without openly
> discussing good and bad points of each candidate, then that election
> is not real democratic election.
> 
> Anand Gholap
> 
> 
> --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "prmoliveira" <prmoliveira@> wrote:
> >
> > 11 November 2006 � Radha Burnier, President of the Theosophical 
> > Society, suffers a mild stroke at her residence in Adyar. She herself 
> > telephoned her doctor who recommended rest.
> > 
> > 26 December 2006 � Radha Burnier declares the 131st International 
> > Convention at Adyar open. The Presidential Address is delivered in 
> > part by the Vice-President, Dr John Algeo, and by the International 
> > Secretary, Mary Anderson. Mrs Burnier attended a number of Convention 
> > events.
> > 
> > 24 February 2007 � The Vice-President, Dr John Algeo, issues an 
> > electronic newsletter entitled MESSAGE FROM THE VICE-PRESIDENT, which 
> > was sent out to all General Secretaries, Presidential 
> > Representatives, Organising Secretaries of the TS world wide, plus a 
> > number of individual members. He commented on the President's 
> > condition:
> >  
> > "As you have doubtless heard, the President had a light stroke in 
> > November. It did not affect her body or her mind except for a slight 
> > and temporary memory loss with respect to names. Her doctor predicts 
> > a full recovery, which will take several months. At present she is 
> > progressing nicely and doing very well. She attended all the major 
> > meetings during Convention, although she let others do some of the 
> > speaking and presiding that she normally does. She has taken a short 
> > time off (which she well deserves) to recuperate, free from the 
> > demands on her at headquarters, but she is now back at Adyar and 
> > attending to business. While I was at Adyar in December and January, 
> > I had extensive discussions with her about Theosophical business 
> > around the world, and she is on top of all the facts and her judgment 
> > is as sharp as ever. The outlook is very favorable for a full 
> > recovery. The Adyar staff responded in exemplary fashion during 
> > convention, and all went very well indeed."
> > 
> > 1 to 18 July 2007 � Having recovered from the mild stroke, Mrs 
> > Burnier undertook an European tour, visiting and lecturing in several 
> > countries, including Slovenia, Hungary and Finland. In this last 
> > country she, together with Ven. Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche, were the 
> > guests of honour at the triennial European Congress of the TS, which 
> > included the Centennial Celebration of the Finnish Section. 
> > 
> > 19 December 2007 � Elvira Carbonell, then assistant to the 
> > International Secretary, Mary Anderson, sends out an email letter to 
> > members of the General Council, the day after official Nomination 
> > papers were issued by the International Secretary by ordinary mail. 
> > Among other things the letter says:
> > 
> > "Since there has been uncertainty about the state of our President's 
> > health and our Vice-President's willingness and ability to accept 
> > nominations for the upcoming Presidential election, several of us at 
> > Adyar feel the need to write to the members of the General Council to 
> > share the following information."
> > 
> > "We have learned that our Vice-President has been asked if he will 
> > accept nominations, and have confirmation from him that although he 
> > is not eager to run for President, he will do what seems to be in the 
> > best interest of the Society when the time comes, and he will accept 
> > nominations. We have also received confirmation from him that he 
> > feels Adyar has to remain the international Headquarters of the TS, 
> > for both practical and symbolical reasons."
> > 
> > 4 March 2008 - Radha Burnier was awarded the Chennaionline Golden 
> > Lotus Award 2008 for her lifetime achievements in theosophy at a 
> > function in Chennai. Her work inspires "human regeneration, self-
> > knowledge, truth, beauty and goodness," said Latha Rajendran, 
> > secretary and correspondent of Dr. MGR Janaki College of Arts and 
> > Science for Women. The function was organised by Chennaionline as 
> > part of the International Women's Day celebrations.
> > 
> > 12 March 2008 � Radha Burnier writes a letter, by ordinary mail, in 
> > her personal letterhead, to all General Secretaries of the TS, 
> > stating her personal views about the nomination process and 
> > highlighting the importance of Presidents of the TS to reside at 
> > Adyar. The full text of her letter can be seen here: 
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/theos-talk/message/43516
> > 
> > 19 March 2008 � Mrs Betty Bland, National President of the TS in 
> > America, circulates an email message to all General Secretaries, 
> > accusing Radha Burnier of blatant electioneering. Among other things 
> > she says: "Her memory and clarity are inconsistent, sometimes right 
> > on, and sometimes far afield�as is the case for all of us when aging, 
> > especially by stroke, takes its toll." Bland includes in her email 
> > message John Algeo's personal, and multilingual, website. The full 
> > text of her letter can be seen here:
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/theos-talk/message/43531
> > 
> > 20 March 2008 � Miss Tran Thi Kim Dieu, Chairman of the European 
> > Federation of the TS since 1995, circularizes an email message for 
> > wide distribution. Commenting on Radha's letter, Kim Dieu says, among 
> > other things: "What a pity that such a great soul now errs because of 
> > the misfunctioning of the brain!"
> > 
> > 29 March 2008 � The French TS Board issues a circular letter, signed 
> > by Mme. Maxence Ondet, to all TS members in France, which are 387, 
> > with several statements about Radha's health, including: "In November 
> > 2006, she had a serious stroke which left her unable to speak for at 
> > least a month and deprived her of a large part of her memory.  Her 
> > recovery was slow and incomplete, especially as far as short term 
> > memory and recall of names are concerned.  In conversation, she no 
> > longer understands anything but short and simple sentences." 
> > 
> > The French letter also said: "The leaders of several Sections in the 
> > world present at the Convention at Adyar in December 2007 noticed 
> > with sadness and embarrassment the great difficulty with which she 
> > delivered her principal Convention address, an address that was 
> > wandering and repetitive, and showed a weakened mind or brain 
> > damage." 
> > 
> > The full text of the French TS Board letter can be seen here:
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/theos-l/message/2275
> > 
> > 11 April 2008 � Betty Bland issues a personal letter to American TS 
> > member before the ballot papers were sent to them. In it she 
> > says: "Radha seems to be recovering physically from the stroke she 
> > suffered over a year ago, but, given her age, she still has periods 
> > of low energy and her memory is inconsistent. While I have deep 
> > respect for the wonderful service she has given to the Society and 
> > feel she can continue to be useful as a wise elder, it is for the 
> > good of the whole that the leadership pass smoothly to John Algeo, 
> > who currently serves as the international Vice-president." She then 
> > concludes: "I hope you seriously consider this information when 
> > casting your vote." 
> > 
> > According to the official 2007 Annual Report of the TS, published by 
> > the International Secretary at Adyar, the American Section of the TS 
> > has 4,072 members.
> > 
> > 19 April 2008 � The Election Committee at Adyar issues a letter to 
> > Mrs Nano (Jeannine) Leguay, General Secretary, The Theosophical 
> > Society in France. Enclosing two medical certificates from Radha's 
> > doctors that attest to her complete recovery from her mild stroke of 
> > November 2006 and that she was allowed to drive a car. After pointing 
> > out a number of untruths in the French Board letter, the Committee 
> > stated: "If the General Council and the Executive Committee of the 
> > Society had thought that her mental condition affected the Society's 
> > work, they would have said so and considered her candidature a 
> > liability. The fact that many Sections agreed to nominate her proves 
> > her suitability and not the contrary." The Committee further 
> > instructs the French General Secretary to "take immediate action to 
> > counteract the impression created in the letter from Maxence Ondet 
> > dated 29 March 2008."
> > 
> > The full text of Radha Burnier's doctors' certificates can be seen 
> > here:
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/theos-talk/message/43632
> > 
> > 23 April 2008 � John Algeo adds a Hindi web page to his website.
> > 
> > 
> > Pedro Oliveira
> >
>