[19988] in APO-L
Re: Countercounter arguments
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Joseph M. Fisher)
Mon Jan 25 21:06:42 1999
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 21:06:12 -0500
Reply-To: "Joseph M. Fisher" <jfisher@RacerX.mse.jhu.edu>
From: "Joseph M. Fisher" <jfisher@RacerX.mse.jhu.edu>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
In-Reply-To: <9901259172.AA917284868@tec1.apg.army.mil>
Longtime staff noted that during this convention some perpetual issues
(all-males, for one) were thoroughly discussed for the first time in
forever. That is to say, in previous years we have had basically the
same proposals, but voted them down without really discussing it. So by
having the "same" proposals this time, we were not wasting any time or
rehashing the same arguments - we were accomplishing something that
previous conventions had failed to do.
In that vein, what would be done with motions killed in committee?
It is also necessary to consider that proposals are not always killed for
the best of reasons. Sometimes delegates don't feel they have enough
evidence to approve... sometimes it's because they're in a bad mood
(like they just sat thru a long argument)... sometimes it's because they
want to break for lunch. These aren't the kinds of reasons that suggest
the proposal shouldn't come up next time!
I would finally observe that Roberts Rules, whatever modifications we may
make to them, are designed for the express purpose of giving a voice to
EVERYONE - including the people who bring up the same old issues every
time! If somebody cares enough about Issue X, they will find a way to
bring it up...
-- Cyrano
