Theos-Talk Archives (November 2008 Message tt00068)

The system of election of the international President, which John
Algeo camp is suggesting, will make TS much more vulnerable to
corruption, horse trading and consequent hijacking of the TS and it's
objects. It must be rejected by all.
International President must be elected by popular voting by all
members of TS. 
Reason given for disenfranchisement was members don't know candidates.
This is quite incorrect. 
Radha is in TS for 50 years and has been International President for
around 25 years. Obviously members know about her more than anybody
else. John Algeo is also in TS for many decades and still if members
don't know him, John Algeo might ask them why they don't want to know him.

Anand Gholap

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Anand" <AnandGholap@...> wrote:
>
> The system of election of the international President, which John
> Algeo camp is suggesting, will make TS much more vulnerable to
> corruption, horse trading and consequent hijacking of the TS and it's
> objects. It must be rejected by all. 
> International President must be elected by popular voting by all. As
> proposal has come just after the election, JA party was obviously
> saying that members don't know Radha Burnier and so they elected her. 
> Radha is in TS for 50 years and has been International President for
> around 25 years. Obviously members know about her more than anybody
else.
> 
> Anand Gholap
> 
> 
> --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Anand" <AnandGholap@> wrote:
> >
> > These General Secretaries often have just 100 to 300 members in their
> > Sections, but they enjoy voting rights in the GC equal to large
> > Sections like India,. Disproportionate rights given to them is one
> > major cause of problems in TS. 
> > There is no transparency in TS. Some General Secretaries say members
> > don't have knowledge of Presidential candidates. But what have these
> > GS' done to disseminate knowledge and inform members? First they keep
> > members in darkness and then they say members don't have knowledge to
> > vote in the election. GC should show and execute some plan to
> > disseminate information and bring transparency. 
> > Members should find some way to show their strong opposition to
> > disenfranchisement. They should remember that disenfranchisement is
> > the first step towards decline of the TS. You don't know what they
> > will do next after disenfranchising members.
> > 
> > --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, MKR <mkr777@> wrote:
> > >
> > > In a comment on www.theosophyforward.com (Website is no longer up),
> > Susan
> > > Kaschula, GS from South Africa wrote:
> > > 
> > > "The votes of the General Council should carry more weight as its
> > members
> > > are in a better position to ascertain the true situation. From my
> > > experience, members did not know who to vote for and said they would
> > vote
> > > for the person the Section nominated".
> > > 
> > > The GS represents the small  South African section and reflects the
> > mind-set
> > > of a typical GC member. I surmise that with the low retention
rates of
> > > membership outside India, ignorance of members about the candidates
> > is the
> > > logical result. Combined with downward trend of membership outside
> > India,
> > > the situation is going to become worse unless attention is paid to
> > diagnose
> > > the membership bleeding problem on a priority basis and try to
> increase
> > > membership.
> > > 
> > > Due to the decentralized autonomous setup of the TS, the key to any
> > growth
> > > of the organization is the lodge members' commitment and grass roots
> > > activity. It is the responsibility of the elected General
> > Secretaries to do
> > > everything they can to vitalize lodges in their countries.
> > > 
> > > Instead of recognizing the serious membership problem in the
> > backyards, GC
> > > members are busy secretly attempting  to disenfranchise members and
> > > radically change the rules.
> > > 
> > > I am yet to hear from anyone (1) how the membership bleeding is
lowest
> > > priority ignorable/ignored issue and (2) how the secret attempt to
> > > disenfranchisement and radical changes to the rules is the highest
> > priority
> > > issue.
> > > 
> > > More silent the GC members are, coupled with the secrecy
> surrounding the
> > > proposals and decisions, more vigilant all of us should be, since we
> > do not
> > > know what is cooking we may be in for a surprise not in the best
> > interests
> > > of the members or TS or theosophy.
> > > 
> > > Again, let me add, without our most powerful ally - Internet -
coming
> > > December we all would have woken up to find we are all
> > disenfranchised and a
> > > clique of handful GC members seized the power and made the
> International
> > > President a puppet.
> > > 
> > > 
> > > MKR
> > > 
> > > 
> > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> > >
> >
>