[Cynnabar] To Seneschal et all

[Randy Asplund]

Lord Finn,

How will this decision be made before Saturday? A poll has been  
proposed and seconded, and another person has offered to draft it, but  
t is now Thursday and we've had no word yet about how the decision  
will be made.

I ask because I am concerned that this group might make the mistake of  
using the gist of this week's emails to imply a decision rather than  
actually using a method that is impartial and non-public. We are  
already in a darker than gay area for stretching the "emergency  
decision" definition, so we should try our very best to be as fairly  
representative as possible.

The logic for using the poll system rather than looking at past emails  
is about fairness because:

1) Although many posts on this subject have been made, the majority of  
the posts have been from the same few people, which is not a fair  
representation of the far greater numbers of the Barony. In fact, we  
have not heard from most of our active membership and only (if I  
counted right) three of our local Peers. It may turn out that the  
opinion of the ones who posted the most for one side carries the favor  
of the majority, but we won't know until we have a chance to decide  
and vote in private.

2) From the first post by Gregoire, language has been used that would  
dissuade anyone who disagreed from saying so has been used. I am NOT  
saying that was intentional on anybody's part, but that is certainly  
the psychological effect. Who wants to publicly state an opposing  
opinion when it might cause them to appear ungenerous or not in  
support of Kingdom and Society, even if they thought there was a  
better way to do both? I know for a fact that there are people who  
have not posted but do disagree. They deserve to have the opportunity  
to be counted privately and impartially.

3) There are people on the list who just don't post much, but would  
like to vote. There are also members of the local group who are  
physically active but are not on the list-serve.

4) Some people have expressed off-list that they have not posted  
because they felt others had already made their points.

5) Regardless of what has been said already, we are still waiting for  
the last information to arrive, and people on either side might change  
their minds in either direction based on that information. Frankly, I  
don't even know how "I" would vote yet.

6) And who is eligible to vote ought to be stated. (Please note: This  
is not a slight to Their Graces, who live in Pittsburgh. I personally  
feel that anyone who feels they are a member of Cynnabar first and  
foremost should be allowed to vote. But we have people on this list  
who are in a grey area and others who were just plain never members of  
Cynnabar but simply want to keep aware of what we are doing).

I doubt strongly that anybody in either camp wants anything but what  
is best for the SCA, for the Middle Kingdom and for Cynnabar. The  
question is really about what is the wisest way to deal with the  
situation. The decision needs to reflect the honest opinion of the  
group's members without having anybody feel socially pressured into  
voting against what they believe.

RanthulfR

Randy Asplund
Facebook: "Randy Asplund, Artist"
www.RandyAsplund.com
Maker of Medieval books and
Illustrator of Science Fiction & Fantasy
(734) 663-0954
2101 S. Circle Dr. Ann Arbor, MI 48103

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