Henry - K5YDD, BRAVO! Yours is the clearest and most on-point response I've read so far. As an outside observer like you without the cloud of bias on one side or the other, it is clear to see what is happening. It's very sad to see the damage being inflicted on the AMSAT-NA organization at the moment. Damage from which, regardless of the outcome of the election, will take many many years to recover, if ever.
73 Paul N6EV Retired Spacecraft Manager
-----Original Message----- From: AMSAT-BB [email protected] On Behalf Of HenryTurner via AMSAT-BB Sent: Monday, July 13, 2020 6:24 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Why we are having this big unpleasant argument on your satellite mailing list
Hello all,
I am not an AMSAT member. I know no one personally or otherwise who is to my knowledge a member of AMSAT. The last member I knew, was W5GEL. Some may remember him. He was well known and SK in July of 2003. I have not worked a satellite in years. I say all this to establish that I truly have no connection to anyone who has responded to any of this discussion.
My basic observation is the following: AMSAT seems to have become the object of a takeover. In the world of public companies this happens often, where an activist investor comes in with the intention of taking control of the company. The reasons for this can be varied and complex. Be it intellectual property, general assets or general control (usually with a mindset that the company is being run wrongly or ineptly.) Because BODs in a public company are not really selected by all stock holders as such only by those who control the majority of the stock (don't fool yourself -- your vote is not equal to Buffett's, unless you own as many shares as he does.) The activist usually becomes well known as are his intentions. A slate of directors is put up and if the activist wins, his board winners are nothing more than his proxies. AMSAT is different instead of an individual buying stock for control, a program of "get the votes" from the general membership ensues. To put it in distasteful terms a propaganda war ensues. Your common Joe or Joelene just does not have the access to all that two board members did to get the votes to be elected.
Please don't be fooled by the, "it was this or it was that." There is a minority who wishes to become the majority. By bringing all this to the public -- chaos ensues -- doubt clouds minds meanwhile control is taken. There are two board members who have caused upheaval they are proxies for another.
I would suggest that whether you agree with the direction of AMSAT or not, do not let it change (deserving to change or not) because of a hijacking or coup. If it wasn't the attorney expense excuse it would have been something else down the road.
Thanks, again, just an opinion based on nothing more than reading these discussions.
Henry -- K5YDD