Theos-Talk Archives (April 2011 Message tt00154)

>From the early days of TS, it was very clear that lodges and Sections are
autonomous so long as they do not violate any of the rules of TS. In the
Mahatma Letters, this issue was discussed by the Founders and specifically
highlighting the fact that even Founder-President Olcott had no right to
interfere with the functioning of the lodges. This wise policy was in place
from day one, because this provided widest discretion to lodges to carry on
the mission of Theosophy and TS does not become a top-down controlled
organization with a set of fixed beliefs every lodge should pursue.

However, to provide due process in case of unwise actions of withdrawing of
charters to members and lodges, the decisions of Sections can be appealed to
the International President so that each side can present facts supporting
their side of the story and help the International President to either
concur or reject the decision of the Section.

When a due process is provided for, many times the outcome may not be liked
by one side or the other. Heads of Sections are used to make decisions
without being questioned by anyone are in a state of shock when their
decisions are reversed. This is what has happened in Orlando case. Should we
not give the International President the right to examine the facts
presented by both sides and come to an independent decision? From the tone
and content of the account in the Messenger, the Section does not seem to
think so.

If the Section has legitimate grievance that the decision of the
International President is wrong, the simplest way to demonstrate Sectionâs
thinking is to make public all the documentation submitted to the
International President and it can be done quickly and at no cost. They can
be scanned and made available on Internet. If the Section needs help in
doing so, volunteers are standing by.

This step will bolster the trust the members have in the Section leadership.
At the current time, this should be done due to recent past experience the
members had during the electioneering to defeat Radha Burnier with the
unfounded allegation that she is physically and mentally sick, in spite of
three independent physicians from two continents certifying her fitness. The
conclusions of physicians have been vindicated by the fact that she has been
traveling and lecturing in India since the election. Last year, she even
participated in the Rome World Congress and visited Krotona on the way back
to India. Added to the above, the ill fated ultra secret attempt to
disenfranchise all members in the election of the President and the members
of General Council seize the Presidency and make the President a puppet did
not add to the credibility of the American Leadership.

The Orlando ball is clearly in the Sectionâs court. Doing nothing will not
help either the movement or the American Section.

MKR


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