[Lnc-business] The Cold Equations - We are not cancelling this convention

[Caryn Ann Harlos]

I agree with your conclusion and that is all that matters.  How you got
there is irrelevant.

*  In Liberty,*
* Personal Note:  I have what is commonly known as Asperger's Syndrome
(part of the autism spectrum).  This can affect inter-personal
communication skills in both personal and electronic arenas.  If anyone
found anything offensive or overly off-putting (or some other social faux
pas) in an actual email, please contact me privately and let me know.  *


On Wed, Jul 1, 2020 at 12:44 PM Francis Wendt <francis.wendt at lp.org> wrote:

> Madam Secretary,
>
> I appreciate that you disagree, I was almost certain you would on some
> points. You have a tendency to refute any perspective that doesn't fully
> align with your immediately so as not to lose the point. That is
> detrimental to discussions and debate. I respect your passion, but, please,
> realize that fair voice and equal representation of the members of this
> committee sometimes require us to bite our tongue and let our opposition
> have their input without rebuttal.
>
> I do not believe that you and I will ever see fully eye to eye, and when
> we first met in March of 2017 that was my opinion. We need more than one
> perspective, and need to respect that differing perspectives are also
> valid. Group think has soured the efficacy of this committee, and these
> types of immediate rebuttals have caused many to simply ignore your
> arguments or stop responding to the business list.
>
> This is not a personal attack, and I hope you don't take it as such. I
> send this email to do exactly what I promised the delegates who elected me
> to the next term: provide professionalism, civility, and leadership to this
> body. We don't always need the last word, and this will be the last that I
> will input to this thread.
>
> Best Regards,
> ---
> *Francis Wendt*
> LNC Region 1 Alternate
> 406.595.5111
>
>
> On 2020-07-01 12:15, Caryn Ann Harlos wrote:
>
> Mr Wendt, I disagree with several of your factual recitations as being
> overly simplistic, your conclusion is correct.  Thank you for taking
> seriously the concerns of the Colorado state chair and others
> similarly situated.  This is not equivalent to Austin where people also
> lost money.  That was due to the state.  There was nothing we could do
> about that.  In this situation it would be due to us, and I do firmly
> believe anyone voting to cancel has in fact voted to rob those people of
> their money.
>
> I am also glad you note that the opinion of the state chairs has not
> changed.  I believe that belies any idea that the fact that the state
> chairs still think this is an accurate representation of the delegates
> since the delegates obviously voted differently.  The delegates are the
> authority here and they have spoken.
>
> *  In Liberty,*
> * Personal Note:  I have what is commonly known as Asperger's Syndrome
> (part of the autism spectrum).  This can affect inter-personal
> communication skills in both personal and electronic arenas.  If anyone
> found anything offensive or overly off-putting (or some other social faux
> pas) in an actual email, please contact me privately and let me know.  *
>
> On Wed, Jul 1, 2020 at 12:07 PM Francis Wendt <francis.wendt at lp.org>
> wrote:
>
>> To my fellow members of the LNC,
>>
>> I wanted to take a minute to present the perspective of some of the
>> people I have been discussing the situation with the Rosen group over
>> the past few days. I want to preface this in saying that the about 3/4
>> of the state chairs in Region 1 are in favor of canceling and moving the
>> convention online. This isn't new information and has been their
>> position since Austin was in question in March. I want to take a moment
>> to present some of the other perspectives in this consideration.
>>
>> That is the real point I'd like to make: we have been trying since March
>> to give our members and delegates a plan forward. We have all failed in
>> that duty. It is harsh to say, but we have second guessed ourselves,
>> shifted our positions, changed our policies, and truthfully shot from
>> the hip for the past three months. Despite our best efforts, the
>> environment that we living in today doesn't support certainty in any
>> action.
>>
>> I would like to also say that I have had the conversation with the
>> Colorado State chair, (among many others). Money has already been spent
>> by a number of our delegates, some people are not staying at the venue,
>> and thus will not be party to the negotiations for addendum to contract.
>> When we are considering financial impacts, we have to also consider that
>> personal transactions have also happened based upon the plan that we
>> laid out in May.
>>
>> In March when this whole situation became apparent, many members of this
>> committee asked the CoC for options to be presented in April. We didn't
>> receive any. In April it was asked again. At our May meeting we still
>> didn't have any tangible path forward so were forced to move online. At
>> that meeting I advocated to move the in-person portion to August only to
>> be told that it would be impossible. Now we are seeing the results of
>> our failure to consider that as an option. At the end of May we finally
>> had a venue and contract, but everyone on this committee decided they
>> could do it better, and the internal battles are still raging. We
>> created this situation, make no mistake about that.
>>
>> Another point is that this LNC was doomed from the start when the
>> Judicial Committee was not seated, thereby giving the members and
>> affiliates no recourse to the actions of this committee. That was a
>> mistake and a failing of this committee. The mistakes and failings have
>> continued to this current discussion. It is time to realize that we
>> cannot fix this anymore and the term ends on July 12th, 11 days from
>> now. We need to plan for that ending.
>>
>> As we are concerned with financial risks to the party and our members we
>> need to realize that we are past the point where we can fix this. In
>> reading over the contract cancellation will put us at greater financial
>> risk for the party and our members. That is not a good decision for the
>> future, because our members are our future. We should have planned to
>> hold this in August, and we should have trusted that the members of this
>> board had the best interests of the party in mind. We didn't, and now
>> here we are.
>>
>> Regardless of what any survey says we need to start trusting each other.
>> I know that about 40-50% of the delegates from Region 1 will not be in
>> Orlando, myself included. Region 1 has three states that have resolved
>> to disaffiliate should full remote participation not be authorized. By
>> my rough count, 4 full delegations will not be traveling. No matter what
>> we think or feel, the delegates in Orlando will be only a fraction of
>> the representation chosen by the affiliates.
>>
>> The best, and simplest course of action is to work with the Rosen group
>> when they present their addendum, advocate for full remote
>> participation, and wrap up this term because it is a month overripe.
>> It's time to reelect our leadership, and look forward to supporting Jo
>> and our other candidates this cycle, growing the party membership, and
>> planning for wins in 2022.
>>
>> Best Regards,
>>
>> ---
>> FRANCIS WENDT
>> LNC Region 1 Alternate
>>   406.595.5111
>>
>> On 2020-07-01 01:45, Caryn Ann Harlos via Lnc-business wrote:
>> > PS my husband is no longer the CO state chair.  it is of personal
>> > interest
>> > because it is my state chair and I have to face her.  And I will not
>> > look
>> > her in the eye and say too bad so sad you are out that money unless I
>> > am
>> > willing to make her whole.
>> >
>> > *  In Liberty,*
>> > * Personal Note:  I have what is commonly known as Asperger's Syndrome
>> > (part of the autism spectrum).  This can affect inter-personal
>> > communication skills in both personal and electronic arenas.  If anyone
>> > found anything offensive or overly off-putting (or some other social
>> > faux
>> > pas) in an actual email, please contact me privately and let me know.
>> > *
>> >
>> >
>> > On Wed, Jul 1, 2020 at 1:43 AM Caryn Ann Harlos
>> > <carynannharlos at gmail.com>
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> >> Everything I have to say assumes that nothing else changes such as the
>> >> chair choosing to vote on that email ballot early or the state of
>> >> Florida
>> >> shutting things down.
>> >>
>> >> Fact:  We have a perfectly acceptable location.  I do not find the
>> >> stretches to try to find ways this is materially different
>> >> particularly
>> >> credible but as a justification to relitigate this issue that the
>> >> delegates
>> >> already decided.
>> >>
>> >> Fact:  The soonest we can meet is July 4.  I am not available.  Of
>> >> course
>> >> a meeting can take place without me but that would then prove
>> >> contradictory
>> >> to the repeated concerns of disenfranchisement of anyone.  Not that
>> >> this
>> >> difference of one day really matters.
>> >>
>> >> So we meet on July 5. You really think we are going to cancel on July
>> >> 5?
>> >> That is grossly abusive to delegates.  Some of them ARE ALREADY
>> >> DRIVING
>> >> DOWN.  It is too late.  This is a fact and not all the wishes of a
>> >> magic
>> >> lamp changes that.
>> >>
>> >> Further, I am hearing from more people and I am not even certain now
>> >> that
>> >> finding out that the original delegates changed their mind is enough
>> >> (if
>> >> they have).  Why?  People have spent thousands in detrimental reliance
>> >> on
>> >> our decision.  Including the Colorado state chair which is of personal
>> >> interest to me.  Anyone voting to cancel, I do hope you will volunteer
>> >> your
>> >> own money to make these people whole.
>> >>
>> >> It is over IMHO unless someone can show me where my reasoning is
>> >> wrong.
>> >> The sooner we stop sabatoging the will of the delegates (which we
>> >> criticized the chair for) the sooner we work to make this a success
>> >> under
>> >> difficult circumstances.
>> >>
>> >> We don't get to override the delegates.  We don't get to cause people
>> >> to
>> >> lose money because we have cold feet,.
>> >>
>> >> *  In Liberty,*
>> >> * Personal Note:  I have what is commonly known as Asperger's Syndrome
>> >> (part of the autism spectrum).  This can affect inter-personal
>> >> communication skills in both personal and electronic arenas.  If
>> >> anyone
>> >> found anything offensive or overly off-putting (or some other social
>> >> faux
>> >> pas) in an actual email, please contact me privately and let me know.
>> >> *
>> >>
>
>
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