[Ansteorra] Transparency. was CLOSED MEETINGS

[Richard Yeager]

Sir Morgan Buchanan <morganbuchanan at hotmail.com> wrote: So you CAN think of reasons why the doors should legitimately be closed.... 
Are you then saying you are choosing to believe this isn't one of those 
times?  I'm at a loss here...  Everyone seems to be saying they can see 
there are reasons for closed door meetings, and nobody knows for certain 
that "this" isn't one of those times.

Morgan

I am not aware of our Kingdom having paid employees who will have personnel issues.  I will gladly stand corrected if we do.  That eliminates one reason that the discussion should be closed.
 
 Are we being sued?  That is two.
 
 Are we negotiating to buy some property or issue a contract to some firm for some business?  That is three.
 
 Those are the only reasons I can see (which I did state up front).  All the officers have to do is say:  We are discussing (insert one of three issues here).  No one gave any indication that the closed session was for one of these reasons.  What I have heard so far is:
 
 1.  It is more convenient for the officers to not have to deal with the members during this discussion.
 
 and
 
 2.  I (as a member of the populace) don't need to know all of the working of our officers/society.

 
 Those I do not accept as legitimate reasons to close the session.  If you don't want to be involved or informed, fine.  Don't be.  If you (as an official) do not want to be inconvenienced by having people observe the process, then that is unfortunate.  As has been pointed out, there are ways to "remind" the populace that they may observe a session but not interrupt as to avoid disrupting the business at hand.
 
 As to several of the earlier posts, I have NEVER claimed that nefarious plots are being hatched, that our officials are engaged in misdeeds, etc.  That does not mean that their discussions and decisions are flawless.  Having open meetings allow the populace to better understand the process that went into a decision (and potentially avoid acrimonious feelings afterward).  It also helps the people making the decisions from becoming too insular and losing sight of who they are making decisions for.
 
 Cuan
       
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