Interesting article on transparency. (Back Room Politics For Fremont?, 13 July 2011) You very politely minced around the real issue – I saw all the hints about getting involved – but some folks need to be whacked between the eyes about how consensus, democracy, etc. work. Yes, it’s great to have open meetings – folks can hear about what’s going on and AT THAT POINT can decide if they want to be part of the group. You have to join the group to be part of the decision making process. You have to invest YOUR time and talents before you get to tell other folks what THEY should be doing with THEIR time and talents.
Having belonged to a group that worked by consensus, there is nothing more irritating than someone coming to a meeting and everyone having to go over all the info and discussion high points from the past 6 months of meetings so that one person who couldn’t be bothered to attend those aforesaid meetings, can then throw in their two cents. It is a criminal waste of others’ time, energy and goodwill. Democracy’s one person, one vote idea DOES work – just as long as you understand that you have to BELONG to the democratic body – not just barge in if you happen to disagree, hoping to create chaos or derail the decision-making process that is flowing forward.
That said – I do believe in Executive Committees – just as long as any member of the whole who is willing to commit their time and energy to said committee can be a part of it. This is not secrecy. This is grownups doing the work. I do not see that as a problem with the entities you were covering – in fact, I believe they are often begging for competent, informed members who are willing to work on the issues.
Lastly, I don’t think that it is putting a damper on creativity to expect folks to “put their money where their mouth is”. It is SO simple to spout off ideas that OTHER folks should be doing. Maybe these groups should invite community input by saying – “Come with your ideas and some sound plans to implement them.”
Thanks for letting me rant.
Liz Nordstrand
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