Felbeck Attacks Candidates
Publication of any candidates essay prior to publication of all candidate essays is inherently unfair. The reason that the Bylaws require all candidate essays to be published at the same time is to provide a level playing field for all. The Election Committee has striven at every stage to provide the fairest possible election procedures for all candidates.
So what has happened? At least one pirate website has *already* published the essays of five candidates. The only people who had access to these essays were the Election Committee, the printers, and the candidates themselves. One must therefore conclude that all of these five candidates have willingly provided their essays and willingly participated in an effort to obtain an unfair advantage over the other candidates. One must further question the dedication to MCRGO of these five candidates when they are willing to use irresponsible tactics in order to gain an unfair advantage.
I am disappointed that the following five candidates--some of whom seem to be making an issue of ethics have themselves jumped the gun in a process the Election Committee and Board have worked hard to implement: Ken Cooper, Barbara Stockford, Richard Dillard, Ian Kinder, and Anthony Hogrefe, whose essays have already been published elsewhere in advance of the formal simultaneous publication of the essays of all candidates. I urge all candidates to limit their campaigning to where all MCRGO members can see what you are saying and can ask questions. The use of outside means for campaigning is inherently unethical because it is apparently limited to a "chosen few" and not to all candidates. In contrast, we have provided here an open forum for this purpose; lets use it. All pre-existing rules apply: no personal attacks, and statements should be based on fact. I urge all candidates to remove themselves from all outside forums and to announce to the membership that they have done so.
The objective of the Bylaws is to permit each candidate to participate in an open campaign, through simultaneous publication of the candidates essays, through participation in public candidate forums such as in Kalamazoo at the Board meeting on June 21st, and through open discussion on this message board. The use of other procedures that are not available to all candidates constitutes an attempt at throttling some candidates. Any campaign outlet should be open to all and available to all members of MCRGO.
Lets keep this election fair. We have today posted as a separate "sticky" thread a Candidate Forum, which contains the essays and photographs exactly as submitted by all candidates. Discussion on this forum should be lively and open to all members. Please participate.
David Felbeck [June 18, 2003]
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Concerned Activists for Reform and Ethics
"I think it is important that MCRGO
members are informed about how we are being treated."
- David K. Felbeck, President of MCRGO - October 24, 2003
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