In my opinion, such heavy handed draconian actions speak of a great deficiency of traditional Grange leadership at the National level. This is not stewardship. Each of these two sacking attempts reek of outright viciousness and political revenge for Grange election failures by those who seek control outside the election process, and who's effect will be toward inculcating top down control over the local, regional and State Granges. I feel California Master Bob McFarland's greatest crime seems to be winning two elections that first defeated and then rejected re-election of a past State Master with close ties to the National Grange leadership.
In full light of my prejudice, I have some questions who's answers could alter my view:
In this second attempt at unseating the California State Master: Who was the National Grange Officer who "does not serve on the Executive Committee who investigated the charges?" mentioned above?
And of the first attempt to remove the California State Master:
- Who were the "Three past State Grange Masters" who "made up the Arbitration panel and were able to find no resolution to the issues and determined that the charges had merit."?
- And who were the "Trial Court of three past State Grange Masters made up the Court Panel and conducted the Grange Trial."?
- Were they picked or screened for their objective view?
- Or did they have something at stake themselves - irons in the fire - burning issues of their own to settle and were they hand picked for that reason?
- If not - what steps were taken to see that they were impartial?
For myself, I believe these acts by National are a strategic and premeditated, and perhaps funded political attack against an extremely popular and very effective State Master. As you can tell, I find it increasingly frustrating to maintain any kind of open mindedness toward the draconian actions of a handful of people in our State and National Grange organization. (And I would love to see a reasonable - face saving way for all concerned out of this mess.)
In my opinion, with what information I have gleaned, Bob McFarland has performed an outstanding job as State Master and has dedicated his waking hours far beyond the call of duty to successfully support local Grangers across the state who are activating, renewing and rebuilding the grange organization, maintaining and improving halls, and rebuilding and stimulating membership growth in an organization that has been in decline for decades. Want to see what a State Grange can do with a State Master like that? Read the California Grange Newsletters! (While they are still up.) Absolutely remarkable!
Saying that: I welcome and will post - with thanks - any contrary or alternative view submitted and signed by any Brother or Sister Granger of any rank from any State.
More personal perspective to follow.
