No More!
[04/10/2002] [Corbin]Amtgard has reached a point in its life where its mechanisms must evolve in order to continue. We, the members of this club will act where you, the BLBOD, has refused to act. We are creating a new system to govern this game that incorporates all who are willing to contribute with respect, honor, and open communication. It is unfortunate that we have come to this point, but you leave us no alternative. Trespasses Against Amtgard The Burning Lands Board of Directors (BLBOD) has failed in its duties as the board of directors for Amtgard as a whole. What follows are a list of Trespasses Against Amtgard committed by the BLBOD either on accident or on purpose. - Amtgard has become bigger than a single kingdom's purview.
Put simply, Amtgard has become too big for one local group to administer. There are kingdoms that stretch for hundreds of miles, seated on all shores, and growing rapidly in the lands between. The BLBOD has shown repeatedly that it is incapable of effectively administrating this growing organization. - The BLBOD has become a road block standing in the way of expansion.
The Rising Winds have jumped through flaming hoops to show they have the numbers, the want, and the heart to join Amtgard as a kingdom worthy of any other. The majority of existing kingdoms have shown support for the kingdom status of the Rising Winds. The BLBOD has stubbornly and ignorantly prevented this move to the bafflement of Amtgard. - The BLBOD has failed to release the new addition of the Amtgard Rulebook.
For reasons political and personal, the BLBOD has sat upon the the release of the new addition of the Amtgard Rulebook despite the pleas from the very players of the game. This is in the face of an avalanche of offers for help in all fields (writing, play-testing, clarification, printing, formatting, graphic, etc). The threat of legal action has prevented those players with the drive and ability to produce a world-class rule book on their own initiative. We have waited for over five years for nothing. - The BLBOD has shown a general incompetence in communicating with the populace of Amtgard.
For reasons unknown, despite the many avenues of communication available to even the poorest LARPer, the BLBOD has proved incapable of maintaining meeting minutes. The BLBOD officers have openly obfuscated details concerning their communications with chapter officials. - Amtgard is not served by the BLBOD because only members of the Burning Lands may elect them to office.
As has been pointed out, Amtgard has grown too big for the BLBOD to handle. This is further exacerbated by the fact that no one in the ten kingdoms outside of the Burning Lands may elect representatives to the BLBOD. It is ludicrous to expect the BLBOD to have any kind of sense of the needs of Amtgard as a whole through this system of leadership. - The BLBOD has been a roadblock to the very initiative it calls for.
As players of this game grew increasingly fed up with the current rule book, the populace took it upon themselves to clarify the more confusing aspects of the game. Further, using systems of communications apparently lacking in El Paso, some members of the populace organized their efforts across the country so that consistency could be achieved. This is the Interkingdom Rules Committee for Amtgard. This group was met with scorn, flame, and threats from the BLBOD. - The BLBOD has proved inconsistent in its business involving contracts.
The very wording of the Amtgard Contracts is ambiguous. At one point, kingdoms are free, though Althing to amend their corpora. But, arbitrarily, the BLBOD may threaten "breach of contract" and retract said contract. This is done without process, without mature communication, and with little or no understanding of the law. Case and point, The Kingdom of the Wetlands. - The BLBOD chooses to posture and threaten instead of act with due diligence.
In its incompetent communications with Amtgard, the BLBOD has threatened its chapters via "leaked" or "forwarded" communications from the BLBOD. They have made statements out of context, on email lists--forwarded with derision for the medium. With the Kingdom of the Wetlands, for example, the president of the BLBOD chose to admonish the elected officials of the chapter and threaten them with removal of contract, without process, or clarifying any process. The elected official of the current reign (winter/spring, 2002) travelled at personal expense to meet personally with the BLBOD to no avail. - The BLBOD has not been a source of clarification.
Beyond attempting any form of regular communications (posting minute notes, rules clarifications, status updates), the BLBOD has not acted in any way to answer the demands for clarification by the members of the club that it claims to govern. The BLBOD instead chooses to wave the copyright over the heads of anyone attempting to help or show initiative thereby forcing Amtgard to wait and see. - The BLBOD has created no mechanism for the growth of this game beyond granting chapter status.
The BLBOD greedily holds onto the reins of a club in desperate need. Amtgard needs a BOD that will act expeditiously. The BLBOD refuses to acknowledge the pleas for a better system. The BLBOD refuses to share the responsibility with those eager to lend support. Worst of all, the BLBOD refuses to communicate any logical reason for such avarice. - The BLBOD disrespects the people who play Amtgard.
By committing the trespasses above, the BLBOD has shown an utter disrespect for those who would play this game. By threatening instead of acting, by flaming instead of communicating, by hoarding instead of sharing, the BLBOD has shown contempt and distrust for all who sign in. IKBOD - An Overview To rekindle the flame, each kingdom must add fuel. - The Inter-Kingdom Board of Directors (IKBOD) must assume the responsibilities of the BLBOD
The responsibilities of the BLBOD include: - Review of new contracts
- Maintenance of Publications (rule books, corpora)
- Communicate with the Club
- Handle PR for the Club
- ???
- The IKBOD does not exist.
There will be no need to create another layer of bureaucracy to have an IKBOD. - The kingdom BODs will assume these responsibilities through internal delegation of existing members.
- The Presidency of the IKBOD will rotate every year from kingdom to kingdom.
- The President merely presides over the meetings of the IKBOD.
- The IKBOD will meet 4 times per year.
The IKBOD need only meet four times per year to complete business. - These dates will be fixed well in advance and each kingdom is expected to participate.
- Projects (e.g. rule book) will be delegated to those willing and able.
- Business will percolate up from the kingdoms to their BODs
- The IKBOD will make use of technology to perform its business.
Although Amtgard is spread across the country, it is possible to hold real-time, live "virtual" meetings to close the distance. Through good communications and planning, IKBOD meetings can make good use of technology to cheaply do business. - Net Meeting
- eMail Lists
- Online Chat
- Telephone
- How can we demand that Amtgardians make use of "expensive" or "baffling" technology?
This will require the kingdom BOD members to organize their efforts and demand a minimum level of technology for those wanting to run for the office. The year is 2002. The technology is there and it is free. What is not free (long distance calling, etc.) can be easily worked around. In other words, you may not have internet access, but the Kingdom you hope to represent knows someone who does.
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