[*BCM*] Anne: choose one or the other...

[Thomas John Vitolo]

> A lot of people talk about corporations being beholden to
> the shareholders, and how this is a circumstance that can
> be exploited either for good or evil (depending on what
> side of the fence you sit on and what the actual exploitation
> is).  Non-profits really are even more accountable, as
> generally funding is even more tight.  If you feel your
> non-profit isn't leading, or acheiving or working hard
> towards what you want, speak up, speak loud, and yank
> your funds.


I agreed with you right up to the very end.  Yes, non-profits are similar to
corporations in some ways, and the metaphor that contributors are like
shareholders is right on.  That's why I disagree with the last statement.

Either (a) speak up, speak loud, and keep contributing to the group, or
(b) yank your funds (perhaps with a single "here's why").

But, your doing a bit of (a) and a bit of (b) -- in a way that isn't helping
anybody.  You've gone on a self-rightous bitchfest, and aren't even paying for
the privledge.  You've claimed you were "rebuffed" yet failed to produce details
upon Turtle's request.  You've criticized MassBike's announcing intermediate
successes because they weren't full successes (eg including bicycles in the
drivers manual and tests, developing training for police RE cycles, progress
toward changing the way road and sidewalk infrastructure is built and modified
in the state of Massachusetts).  You've criticized MassBike's goal of growth,
which would enable them to do more work.  You've criticized MassBike's events
for members, which do things like (i) provide immediate shareholder value, like
dividends, and (ii) help to provide PR for MassBike, so that they can grow and
provide more returns in the future.


Most importantly, you've said your piece, and you've demonstrated no inkling of
desiring to work with the people who've responded to you with olive branches in
order to make MassBike better.  So, you can pat your own back all you want about
your non-profit work, but at this point all you're doing is sapping resources
from this non-profit.  Be a shareholder, or sell your stock.  As I said earlier,
I hope you choose the former -- but if you don't, that's fine.  Until you become
a shareholder again, you're simply not entitled to proxy votes.


Regards,
Tommy Vitolo


Thomas John Vitolo
Ph D Systems Engineering Candidate,
Boston University

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