Date: Wed, 9 Mar 94 16:34:50 EST
From: greg@bronze.lcs.mit.edu (Greg Rose)
Message-Id: <9403092134.AA15801@bronze.lcs.mit.edu>
To: antir@kwantlen.bc.ca, carolingia@bloom-beacon.mit.edu,
        ds4p+@andrew.cmu.edu, e5@uriacc.uri.edu,
        outnews+netnews.rec.org.sca@andrew.cmu.edu, sca-reform@MIT.EDU,
        sca-west@ecst.csuchico.edu
Subject: Re:  Bearkiller on Board

Greetings from Hossein!

I just got off a 30-minute phone call with John Bearkiller.  He told me,
"if the Board is screwing the people, I'll be out of there in a hot
minute and I told them so when I accepted the job, and I give you my
word on it."  He wants input from _everybody_; he'll have net access
in about a week.  He says that he'll have the relevant materials and
try to be up to speed by Gulf Wars.

He told me that he absolutely supports creation of Board accountability
to the membership, including removal of Board members by the membership.
Indeed, he told me that people discovering that couldn't happen under
the current rules was one of the better things to happen in the current
crisis.  He is not yet convinced that representation is the best way to 
obtain accountability, but he is open to discussion.  He told me that he
believes that the books should be absolutely open to the advisory members.
He further told me that Board secrecy should be vastly restricted and
that, especially where matters involve money or policies which affect
the membership, the Board should be completely open and solicit the
opinions of the advisory membership as widely as possible.

He told me that he favors moderation, but not at the expense of the
members' rights.  He thinks that we have to get back to the core
values of our Society.  He believes that we need people on the Board
who think like "the people who make up the SCA."

I have known John for many years.  He is my dear friend.  He is the first
Board member I've personally trusted since Sigmund and Finnvarr stepped
down.  He is as honest as the day is long.  If nothing else, if the
Board continues to stonewall, he'll resign very publicly and go to
the barricades.  I have his word on this and I'd stake my life on
John's word.

Hossein/Greg