[Procedures] Public criticism of party candidates (in this case on listservs)

[Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com]

I posted this to this committee because this committee has talked over the 
years about listserv communications issues.   And because it involves a bylaw 
about not criticizing candidates ("nominees", but as we don't nominate 
presidential candidates at the state level it creates an odd loophole).

Thanks, Grace
In a message dated 5/12/08 10:55:30 AM, jim_hammerman at terc.edu writes:


> 
> Hi Merelice and other members of the Procedures and Structures Committee,
> 1) I have to say I was a little bit surprised at first that Grace addressed 
> this concern to this committee. However, given that these list-serves are an 
> integral part of how we do business in the GRP, and that they are publically 
> accessible and therefore give an impression to anyone who cares to read 
> through them something about how we work, the setting of ground-rules for these 
> interactions may be appropriate. This is also consistent with efforts I have 
> tried to make independently on the lists to help people treat each other with 
> the respect needed to engage productively in a consensus-seeking process. 
> Given that AdCom is already over-burdened, I guess I'm arguing that the 
> Procedures Committee may really _be_ the right place for this concern. And, yes, we 
> should talk about it.
> 
> 2) I'm sorry Merelice that the under-representation of women in the party 
> and, in particular, on this committee, means that you will be asked yet again 
> to serve in a leadership position. I know that you're stretched pretty thin 
> with all that you already do and I wouldn't want you, or the work of the 
> committee, to suffer because of it. Perhaps we can recruit another woman to the 
> committee so as to relieve your burden here?
> 
> 3) I agree that personal attacks of all sorts are not appropriate to the 
> work we do. However, I don't recall the evidence of "unfriendly language" 
> towards Mr. Nader to which you refer, Merelice. People have disagreed with his 
> politics and his choices, but I don't recall anything like John Walsh's attacks 
> earlier this week on Ms. Swift or supporters of Ms. McKinney. But I'm not 
> privvy to all of the list discussions. Therefore, I'm curious about what sorts of 
> ad hominem attacks you see having been perpetrated against Mr. Nader, 
> although I think that discussion would be better had off-line, as I don't think the 
> re-hashing of inappropriate comments ought to be done on a public listserve.
>  
> Best, Jim
> 
> 
> 
> Merelice <merelice at gmail.com>
> Sent by: procedures-bounces at green-rainbow.org
>  05/11/08 10:58 PM Please respond to
> Procedures and Structures Committee <procedures at green-rainbow.org>
> 
> 
> To
>  "Procedures and Structures Committee" <procedures at green-rainbow.org>
> cc
> 
> Subject
>  Re: [Procedures] Public criticism of party candidates (in this case       
>  on listservs)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On 5/11/08, Yarden <yen.yarden at verizon.net> wrote:
> > Grace,
> >  I was addressing the "co-chairs of the Committee," because i do not
> >  know their names.
> 
> Greetings,
> 
> As of the sign-up at the April 12 StateCom meeting, the members of the
> Procedures, Structures, and Meetings Committee are: Dan M., Lawrence,
> Jim Hammerman, and me. We have not yet had a meeting. If we elect
> co-chairs consisting of one male and one female, the latter (for the
> moment) offers little choice.
> 
> As for who followed what procedures, I have expressed my view of how
> Kat Swift chose to proceed (and not proceed) in a way that seems
> unsuited to the Party's Key Values, and how the party should support
> all four remaining candidates equally.
> 
> Given the unfriendliness of language toward a former candidate (Ralph
> Nader), perhaps this subject is a little late in coming up. Or at
> least it is not being presented in an even-handed way.
> 
> The Procedures Committee and possibly AdCom may have to discuss
> whether the Procedures Committee is actually the appropriate body to
> deal with personal behaviors. It seems an unlikely choice.
> 
> Merelice
> _______________________________________________
> Procedures mailing list
> Procedures at green-rainbow.org
> http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/procedures
> 
> 
> 




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