Motion and Emotion

Even though the outcome of the motion was to be expected, the sneaky means to it was a bit strange. The head Shylock insisted on a secret ballot. I objected and offered to have a walk away from the meeting while the issue would be decided by a show of hands. My offer was turned down. I do not think that the outcome would have drastically changed, except that the number of abstentions would have increased at the expense of those against; some would have wanted to look less stupid. The number of those for would have marginally increased, as a few more would have wanted to look more respectable. Anyway, the following cut-and-paste correspondence might shed more light on the stupidity of ASPA(Vic):

Hi Harry,

I will be playing tomorrow (Tuesday) at the Ballarat Club. Tess Robinson will ask me about what happened with her AGM motion. I have already forgotten about the resulting figures; I did not even cast a vote myself. Could you please tell me about these figures, if you can still remember them, even approximately.

I might as well reiterate my appreciation and gratitude for your principled stand on this matter, which flew above the heads of the simple minds that took the idea of an apology to be a glorified ego trip for me. Now, every Tom, Dick and Katie can level a false accusation at any player and get away with it.

Mohammed

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Hi Mohammed

I think it was 8 for, 16 abstained, 35 against.

My reading of that is that

1) adding Tess, Geoff and yourself makes 11, plus 16 didn't back VicASPA = 27 who didn't back VicASPA.

2) taking away 9 self serving committee votes from 35 leaves 26 who backed VicASPA.

Either way, Vic ASPA should review the decision to leave the shocking precedent on their books, regardless of the vote.

You can't have a body like VicASPA paste the terrible tag of cheat on the basis of 5 month old hearsay, notwithstanding no supporting complaint from other observers or the opponent, ie no admissible evidence.

Interesting to see Katie did not intend to write but was "asked to".

Your paths are possibly

a) wait a month and see if there is anything develop after the next VicASPA meeting

b) write to them interpreting the vote as not adequate to support their finding

c) write and ask them to review on the basis that they have used inadmissible evidence

d) write a dissenting report and require it to always be attached to any copy of their finding in the future

e) appeal to a higher authority that governs the Committee's registration

f) ask them to publish guidelines to proving cheating beyond reasonable doubt (or on balance)

I would be hoping they reflect on the decision themselves and decide its a dangerous precedent to set, and therefore remove it. I think they did not know all the relevant law and might reconsider.

Main thing is enjoy your games, be happy, laugh a lot and try and minimise the insult and injustice you feel.

One thing you can always feel good about is the properly designed tile bags across Australia, which I know the Committee put a lot of work into getting right. They do want to get things right but I think they have erred in your case and deserve a chance to make amendments.

Good luck

Harry

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