Thank you John. I will never intentionally hurt our Party, therefore, I meant what I said on Facebook, that whatever the decision ends up being, I will do my best to make it successful. It would have harmed the Party not to be a professional last evening. It was also not the time or place to have public disagreements with the chair. I stated my disagreements here where it was appropriate, but when push comes to shove, it is my job to respect his position when the LNC is in "session" and to perform my duties in the support role I was elected to. He was elected chair, I was not. There is a time and place to debate and a time and place to respect the hierarchy we all ran for. At least that is my view. I do thank you again for your apology. I believe the compromise offered is the way forward. It took an awful lot for me to see my way clear to support that. I personally think that right now - for the LNC - those insisting on all one or another - are not being part of the solution. This does not apply to members or state chair or have other duties and obligations. I urge the rest of the LNC to follow the example of those who signed on to the compromise motion and move forward. We cannot all get our way fully. I urge the chair to stop undermining the decision made by the rest of the LNC for the same reason I submitted to respect his authority last night. We are all here in a set structure, and it only works, if we agree to respect the results, and all be prepared to give up something and find a way to work together. But in the end, I will do my job professionally when all debate is done. Anything else would harm the Party. But honestly, and I say with the most urgency I can, I sincerely believe that the chair's attempts to overthrow the valid decision of this body IS harming the Party, and turning the position into one of mini-king, and not chair. I realize others may disagree so let me end with the advice I gave to the platform committee. Disagree, but do so agreeably. Mean what you say, but don't be mean when you say it. *In Liberty,* * Personal Note: I have what is commonly known as Asperger's Syndrome (part of the autism spectrum). This can affect inter-personal communication skills in both personal and electronic arenas. If anyone found anything offensive or overly off-putting (or some other social faux pas), please contact me privately and let me know. * On Wed, May 6, 2020 at 7:27 AM john.phillips--- via Lnc-business < lnc-business@hq.lp.org> wrote:
I want to start with thanking Caryn Ann Harlos for jumping in and trying to make it work despite her well placed anger at the timing, method, and all the other issues with the announcement. I would not have been able to set that aside near as well as she did. As well as doing her usual stellar job.
Some of the rest should have followed that example.
Second, I offer Mrs Harlos a sincere apology. While I do not believe my anger was misplaced or out of line, my methods of expressing it were. Not just out of line, but hypocritical of me given my previous stances. No excuses, I let my frustration get the best of me.
Back to the test.
This could have gone much smoother with out all the games - by all sides. Tests like this should have been happening since March at least, and happening with notice. We all knew it was on the list of possibilities, and the difficulties.
At this point, while an option I supported looking into earlier in the process, I am very very unsure it could be ready in time for the chair's desired date, perhaps with work and practice by the later dates being looked at by the COC should those need to be cancelled as well.
Now the rest.
The obstructionism in all directions through this has disheartening and all those who have engaged in it should be ashamed.
The rest of us, including myself, should be as well for letting it continue without far more strenuous objection than we did.
We have been the problem. Not the bylaws constraints, which are valid concerns, not the technical difficulties, not the venue issues, not the government, us.
Our only goal should to have been to protect the health AND rights of our delegates and members. We should have started there and worked from that. Instead we flailed, got in each others way - sometimes intentionally, engaged in petty power struggles, and sometimes just watched all that happen.
Lead, follow, or get out of the way the saying goes. Step up or shut up is another one. Be part of the solution, or part of the problem as a third.
I call on all of us to do exactly that. Stop being part of the problem. Stop getting in the way of people exploring solutions.
NOTE: Valid objections like bylaws or legal issues only fall in that category if you stop there. Help us find a way to move ahead while working within those constraints - or legal exceptions that do actually occur.
If you can't do that, do the rest of us a favor and stay home. Honestly, I have no power to enforce it but I ask you to resign. From our chair on down, if you can't open your mind and help us solve this problem we face the very real possibility of severe damage to the party we represent, so if you can't do the party a favor and resign.
I will attempt to restrain my temper better than I have, as I know it is not constructive, but I will not stop fighting, and I will not sit back anymore.
John Phillips Libertarian National Committee Region 6 Representative Cell 217-412-5973