Yet hard work only gets us so far if our strategy and tactics are ineffective. For example, I am concerned that the organization may be favoring 1960’s era protest tactics at the expense of the networking/organizing/group building that has proven far more effective at leading to political change in the modern era. Maybe I’m wrong.

In any case, the debate should be less about the individual chosen for this position and more about the direction we want to organization to take. I think we should…

-make recruitment and growth a top focus.

-have regularly meeting chapters of at least 10 people in every city in the US with a population of more than 100k.

-develop a culture that can compete with what the megacult offers.

-keep a big-tent culture where everyone feels welcome.

so don’t be so hard on yourself Frank. whether you would be Madalyn O’Hara’s choice or not is irrelevant. you ARE the interim president of AA, so make the most of your opportunity. you may be in it for a while.

some juju has been ordered up on your behalf.

I have to question the judgement of any board member who played a part in the way this situation was handled. That (especially) includes Frank Zindler.

How do we get more members? Social activities, I think are very important, It shows members they are part of something… a family or community if you will.
Recognition and support for affiliate groups, advertising in mainstream media for both the national group level and the local affiliate. Chapters have been replaced with affiliates (and I understand why) but not being close to NJ makes some feel very removed from the national org. While I like the magazine, I can imagine that some people want more for their dues, I realize why dues are needed, but some people want more and I think a sense of belonging to something local that they can attend and be active in would fit the bill.
Embracing and celebrating atheist heros I i am reading
I feel very excited and ambitious for our cause and want to be more involved as I think some of you realize. So my last suggestion is a repeat to the board…
Please, not only look at the state of our organization presently, but prepare it for the future by mentoring and training your own replacements, not that you need replaced now, but I would hate to see new board members having to learn by trial and error, when they could have and should be trained.

A seemingly irreconcilable difference of opinion concerning who controlled American Atheists had to be resolved. But even more important was the question of who should be held most responsible for what American Atheists does ? or doesn?t do. The president or the board? Board members felt that under the constitu?tion and bylaws their fiduciary responsibilities were decisively greater than those of the president.

So…ego’s are the main reason for AA’s downfall.

A decision had to be made, for example, whether or not the boards of directors were the controlling authorities of their respective corporations (as mandated by all five constitutions and bylaws) or not.

Does anyone honestly believe that this would even be a question if Madalyn was still president?

Why did this issue come into play AFTER 13 years of service? Sure sounds like a power struggle took place…

Let me make it absolutely, bluntly clear: Ellen had done nothing illegal or even close to being illegal leading up to her termination from office.

The Board of the Atheist library corporation CESAALA is asking Ellen to return diaries of Madalyn Murray O?Hair and other memorabilia salvaged from the Murray-O?Hair home back in 1996 after the murder of the ?First Family of Atheism.? According to the terms of their joint will, all such personal property was to become the possession of CESAALA ?with the stipulation that the library shall forever have the purpose of finding, preserving, and keeping Atheist and related books for research and enlightenment of Atheists.?

“Salvaged”? Sounds like greedy kids ransacking their parents home. How does something of such value fall into the hands of one individual if they were “salvaging” items for the Library?

As stated in Frank’s letter, the board feels this is a direct violation of the “will” filed. The only way this will be resolved is within a court of law.

Would this be an example of the “higher moral standards” atheists claim to possess?

On what grounds can Ellen even “think” she has the right to keep the diaries?

Here’s an idea. Why doesn’t the board go down to their local dollar store and make some protest signs and picket Ellen’s home?

Trust me…it wouldn’t take as long as the courts…

Ohio fundie sadist story at this link.

Your letter falls into the “far too little and far too late” category for me.

it is like a divorce ?for irreconcilable differences.?

Offering irreconcilable differences as a reason for a divorce is just shorthand for “We are too immature and angry to state a reason of substance”. Your letter was a rather lengthy and empry one when it comes to shining light on the termination of Ellen from both the presidency and board. Where’s the cause?