Theos-Talk Archives (December 1995 Message tl00045)

I am retransmitting the msg I posted yesterday as it is likely that ome
of the participants in the the theos-l may not have received it. If you
have received it please ignore this msg and bear with me.

thanks

...doss

> From: MK Ramadoss INTERNET:ramadoss@eden.com
> TO: Multiple recipients of list INTERNET:THEOS-L@VNET.NET

RE: TSA Bylaws Referendum

Hi..

I have sent the following message by US Mail to the
members of Theosophical Society in America. Some of you may
have already seen it. Some may not have. For the benefit of
everybody I am posting it in the cyberspace where
distribution is instantaneous.

Seasons greetings to all.

MK Ramadoss

===========================================================

Dec 02 1995

To: Members of Theosophical Society in America

VOTE NO TO TSA BYLAWS CHANGES

Dear Fellow Members:

I am a member of the San Antonio Lodge a third generation
Theosophist and have been a formal member of the TS for
nearly four decades and informally for several years prior
to that. I am a self employed CPA in private practice
primarily in business and tax consulting areas to both
business and non profit organizations. I have taken the
trouble in writing this to you at my own cost as I foresee
that a very serious and dangerous situation may develop for
TSA if the proposed changes to bylaws pass. Hence I am
suggesting that the proposed bylaws changes be REJECTED IN
TOTAL for the reasons discussed below.

The areas of concern to me in the proposed changes to bylaws
are:

1. Membership rights of Lodge/Branch Members.
2. Lodge/Branch Property and money rights.
3. Disposition of assets in future if TSA ceases to exist.

When I saw the proposed bylaw changes in the American
Theosophist I had several serious concerns especially on
3 above and I had sent several letters to our National
President communicating my concerns and requesting response
and information. For most of the issues either there was no
response or the few responses I received were very
unsatisfactory. I am discussing below some of the major
items of concern.

The proposed bylaw changes if passed in my humble opinion
have a great potential for creating disharmony among the
membership and may even cause dissension leading to
significant loss due to several lodges and members leaving
the TSA. The price paid in terms of unity and cooperation
from members may also be very high.

As for the membership in TSA presently every
Lodge/Branch/Study Center has the authority to rescind the
lodge/branch membership of its members. With the change
proposed the National Board can rescind the membership of
the local members which is simply taking away the authority
of the lodges. I do not see that there is any need for the
lodge/branch to cede this authority to the National Board.

The changes proposed relative to the assets of the
lodges/branches is even more serious and far reaching. At
the outset it may not appear so. As for real estate even
though the title to the lodge property may be in the name of
the lodge/branch if there is a difference of opinion
between the local lodge and the National Board relative to
any transaction relating to the property and the National
Board declines to consent no prospective buyer/lender etc.
will go ahead with the transaction due to the threat of
National Board suing to nullify the transaction especially
when the buyer/lender finds out about the deep pockets of
TSA to finance litigation. This applies to mortgage or any
other encumbrance. PLEASE DO NOT TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. PLEASE
SHOW THE NEW BYLAWS AND CONSULT WITH YOUR FRIENDS IN THE
LEGAL AND REAL ESTATE AND BANKING COMMUNITY AND SEE WHAT
THEY SAY.

With the above almost veto control over the cash and real
estate matters subtle but sure and strong extreme pressures
could be brought on lodges branches and study centers on
the type of activities and programs carried on by them.
While I have high confidence it will not happen with the
present leadership it is very likely to happen with a
determined charismatic and strong national leader and a
board who will go along with him/her with a fundamentalist
view of Theosophy. This is a potential risk I do not think
we should take.

THE PROPOSED CHANGES ARE IRREVERSIBLE AND HENCE I URGE YOUR
UTMOST ATTENTION AND THOUGHT SINCE YOUR DECISION IS GOING TO
AFFECT THE FUTURE OF THEOSOPHY AND TSA FOR GENERATIONS TO
COME.

As for the disposition of assets in the future if TSA ceases
to exist it is to be transferred to the Theosophical
Investments Trust. While I do not see this happening in the
near future it is a possibility in 20-30 years from now. If
this were to happen then you will be faced with a Trust
with multi-million dollar assets all over the country whose
trustees are answerable to no one and can do anything they
want so long as it is legal. Also in this eventuality no one
may be able to know what is going on inside the trust as the
trustees have no obligation to disclose any information to
any one including members of TSA.

As far as I know changes to the bylaws were developed with
very little input from membership and officers of Lodges and
study centers which indeed are the entities affected by
these. Nor was there any public discussion or deliberation
of the problems and solutions thereof. While all of us agree
about the objectives far reaching changes such as those
proposed should be made after careful deliberation with
extensive field input as it affects the members and the
lodges in the field.

So I urge you to say NO to all changes. Then a national
commission can be appointed to come up with changes which
will meet the objectives to which we all agree. This
commission should get all the input and ideas it can from
members and officers of lodges branches and study centers
and discuss all of them in an open forum. The commission can
also have open hearings to get inputs. Then the commission
can come up with a workable set of changes to the bylaws
which we all can approve.

If you want to contact me on any of the items discussed
above I can be reached at 1-800-615-1710 during days and
1-800-693-3365 any other time including evenings and
weekends.

With regards

Yours fraternally

M. K. Ramadoss CPA

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