At 12:20 20/12/01 +0000, Ray Thomas wrote (in part):

>But do-gooders come in many different shapes, sizes, ethnic groups,
>political sympathies, gender-orientations, and cultural backgrounds,
>etc.   It is ridiculous to suggest that consensus can usually be expected
>or can usually be achieved.
>
>The phrase 'usually works by consensus' is dangerous for Radstats.  It
>shows that some subscribers want to impose their views on
>others.  Radstats would not have survived for a quarter of a century if
>this view had been influential.

It is, indeed, obviously true that one cannot expect consensus, or
necessarily even a clear majority view, amongst any group of people in
relation to issues such as we are discussing.

However, as essentially an 'outsider' observing this debate, this very fact
makes me wonder whether it is ever appropriate (or even 'proper') to append
the statement "on behalf of RadStats members" to a public document or one
sent to national politicians etc., in the manner that Janet Shapiro
did.  If the views being expressed almost certainly do not respresent a
consenus view of members, and may not (at least in part) even represent a
majority view of the members, then exactly how is the recipient meant to
interpret "on behalf of RadStats members' in a manner which is not
potentially misleading or incorrect?

Maybe I'm naive, but if any organisation is going to make statements 'on
behalf of its members', whilst I accept that time may not allow the views
of the membership to be fully canvassed on a particular issue, I feel that
it is incumbent upon 'the organisation' (or those acting 'on behalf' of it)
to only make statements which they feel would be supported by at least a
majority of their membership.

I guess what I'm saying is that exchanges such as I'm observing would be
less common, and maybe the objectives of RadStats better fulfilled, if
there was greater clarity about what sort of statements could/should (and
should not) be made (and by whom, and with what degree of 'consultation')
'on behalf of RadStats members' - since it is probably only those 5 words
appended to the bottom of the message which has led to this discussion.

Kind Regards


John

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