At 10:17 AM 5/15/2007, you wrote:
There are two proposed USGenWeb Project amendments that need
NCGenWeb co-sponsorship. Both propose
to amend the same bylaw article:
Article V. Composition of Advisory Board.
1. Don Tharp's KSGenWeb sponsored amendment.
http://www.usgenweb.org/volunteers/notice.shtml dated Feb. 20, 2007
as modified Mar. 27, 2007.
So far, TNGenWeb, NVGenWeb, and WAGenWeb have co-sponsored this amendment.
2. Ellen Pack's NVGenWeb sponsored amendment.
http://www.natchezbelle.org/amendment/amendment.html Additionally,
a poll on this proposed
amendment is currently underway at TNGenWeb and sponsorship is expected.
I have had the opportunity to read over the original USGWP Bylaw
Article V and the proposed amendments.
I have come to the conclusion that the first amendment (1. Don
Tharp's KSGenWeb sponsored amendment) is not only unnecessary but
appears to foster "mob rule."
Please don't misinterpret my choice of words. The original concept of
democracy sounded OK but it allowed the voices of every citizen to
clog an otherwise smooth running government. This became one of the
reasons for the fall of ancient Greece. Out American forefathers saw
the pitfalls of pure democracy and were so appalled that they
instituted the representative form of government. (Make no mistake,
the United States is a Republic, not a Democracy.) Our USGWP bylaws
currently reflect as good a form of representation as is practical
under the circumstances. There is no member of the USGWP that has no
representation on the state and national level.
Concerning the second amendment (2. Ellen Pack's NVGenWeb sponsored
amendment) appears to be an alternative to #1; perhaps it is the bone
that is being thrown to those who support proposed amendment #1. I
can't really understand why regionally structured representation is
necessary. Neither the US government or any representative governing
body I am aware of has such a structure. As a North Carolinian within
my NCGW Project, my scope has little in common with the other states
in the SE/MA Region.
Since 1996, I have been a member of the USGWP and have served a term
as State Coordinator. During that time the autonomous nature of our
Project has allowed the USGWP to achieve preeminent status in the
sphere of genealogical research. During that time, a few ripples have
appeared across our otherwise tranquil pond. One of these came from a
small but disruptive group who wanted to foist their minority views
upon the entire Project. Even today, they seek to expand the
grievance procedure in an attempt to achieve their selfish goals.
Another ripple they generated is related to the first. They continue
to be troubled with the sponsorship (and dollars) that keeps the USGWP afloat.
In short, I can think of no compelling reason to adopt either amendment.
Derick S. Hartshorn
Former NCGWP State Coordinator
USGenWeb Project-County Coordinator
Catawba/Burke/Lincoln/Gaston/Cleveland, NC