Writing this is difficult. I have read the messages from this list sporadically over the past few weeks because this situation in GAGenWeb is painful to watch. I like and respect Tim and have always considered him a friend. He has been a totally excellent SC to me, and IMHO, GAGenWeb is in the good shape it is in today primarily because of his leadership. I also like and respect Keith, and it hurts to see the animosity that has evolved between two men who were once such a good team. That said, I do not believe the guidelines were followed in the dismissal of some of the CCs. While I do not like the current guidelines - I think they are flawed particularly in respect to the power structure (IMHO, RCs should be elected by CCs in the area, rather than being appointed by the SC, and there should be a regularly scheduled election of SCs and RCs with no limitation on the number of terms a person is eligible to serve) - I do think the CURRENT guidelines should be followed WITHOUT EXCEPTION. If exceptions are to be made, that should be spelled out in the guidelines, and they should apply equally to all. BUT ............ is failure to abide by the guidelines in these instances sufficient grounds to want to unseat our SC? In the final analysis, that is, IMHO, the question we all must answer before we vote. I am tired of seeing people I respect and like attacked and hurt - at times by other folks I respect and like. I am tired of having posts from this list come into my mailbox that I do not want to read because reading them sometimes messes up my attitude for hours. It is too easy to type something and send it - we do not have to see how much it might hurt - we can send it and forget it. We do not have to know the hours of emotional pain our words might cause - or in some instances the offline damage that might result at a place of work or research. And WE SEND IT TO A PUBLIC LIST!!! I would like to see us just have SC and RC elections in state NOW - FWIW, I think Tim would be re-elected SC. I would like to see us totally review and partially revise the guidelines asap. I would like to see us do our criticizing in private, and do our public posting with the rule we all grew up with in the Deep South - "If you can't say something nice about a person, don't say anything at all." Carol (discouraged and sad) Carol C-H <cch@netdoor.com> http://www2.netdoor.com/~cch/