There are a couple of things I don’t like about SBC Orlando, and it has nothing to do with the massive amount of walking I’ve had to do. I’m going to turn 70 next year, so that’s just a problem for me! It’s life for us old codgers. I have a couple of serious gripes about the process.
The thing about the SBC is that it’s a 10,000-person business meeting, and it’s going to be messy. I get frustrated with some of the silly motions people make, but it’s one of the things that makes us unique. Any person can get up and brave the echo that makes them sound like a drunk and make any motion they feel like making. Bless their hearts.
ONE: I don’t like the new process we’ve developed to send these motions into outer darkness with a wave of our magic wand. Yes, it’s easier, quicker, and neater, but it’s not who we are. We send the motion to the EC, which ignores it! Once in a while, the EC gets a decent motion, and I don’t think this new process we’ve discovered of saying, “Avada Kedavra” to messengers’ motions is a good thing.
Doing business quickly isn’t necessarily our highest goal. Letting messengers have their say is.
TWO: This is a longtime gripe, and I know I’m fighting history and probably Robert’s Rules on this. It’s been going on for years. I hate what Colin Smothers did today. He had his say on the Mohler Amendment, and then, as his time was running out, he moved the question.
If I were king (and what a great world that would be, right?) you would NOT be able to speak your mind, then move the previous question. If you spoke your mind, you would have to let others have their say. If you wanted to move the question, that is all you would do. Move the question and sit down.
It seems grossly unfair to have your say and then prevent others from having theirs. Selfish. Wrong.
I know this is an unwinnable battle, but this isn’t about winning a battle, but telling you…
GET OFF MY LAWN!
Do you have any reasonable gripes?
