Learning, BOI

[William H. Herron III]

Daniel de Lincoln is quoted:

> I have received two e-mail messages saying that I shouldn't ask about
> the Board of Inquiry proceedings.  I don't recall doing so, tho I
> could be forgetting.

And I will point out again (as I have in the past) that this is how the
Society gets a reputation as a "secret" organization.

> I *would* like to deal with a larger issue without touching on the
> specifics of the BOI.  If a matter is kept completely quiet, how do we
> learn to deal with similar situations in the future?

Or, more important to me:  How do we find out what the true matter is,
as opposed to several thousand rumors on what's happening?  Is this game
really so serious to all of us that we can't admit when we've screwed
up?  

I suspect that incidents like the famed "Spanish Inquisition" I've heard
about over the years, where a representative of the Board of Directors
was sent to Ansteorra to investigate wrongdoings, is what resulted in
G&PD #3.  Could I tell you the details of the "Spanish Inquisition" in
Ansteorra?  Nope.  Anytime I bring it up, people who were involved
develop memory lapses.

I had a situation relayed to me about an occurrance in the East
Kingdom.  When I called the Kingdom Seneschal, she was shocked that I
knew anything about it.  (She was able to confirm most of what I heard,
which was what I needed to make a decision.)  Daniel has relayed his
stories of the Middle, and I suspect all of the Kingdoms have their
"skeletons".

My concern is that we can wind up with so many secrets and "skeletons"
that we cease to be able to function as a Society.  I feel this is
especially true with respect to financial matters, and it's nice to see
that the Board will at least talk about responses to misappropriation
and theft (see G&PD #16).

I'm sorry that people in the Society screw up so badly that everyone
else wants to cover it up and "protect" them.  But that's a load of
crap.  If a mistake was made, then the person in question should stand
up and acknowledge it, as well as accept any penalties that come down. 
If it means that person loses their membership in the Society, then I
would say that we as a Society decided not to play with them anymore.

Seneschals:  I understand the legal implications of dealing with
"sensitive issues" in the Society.  Don't tell me about financial
liability.  I've got plenty of it in this organization already.

Sorry for the rant, folks.  Daniel hit one of my hot buttons, and I find
that I am in agreement with his arguments.

And yes, send your hate mail directly to me at wherron at sprintmail.com. 
I know where the trash folder is on my system.

HL William FitzBubba
Consular, Barony of Namron
Bryn Gwlad, Ansteorra