The MAC Debate Widens

[do_re_milla]

Posted: 6/29/05 at 4:05pm

More & more people are making their voices heard on the issue of the MAC BOD’s dramatic changes in the MAC Awards. Some are for it, some are against it, but at least there is a discussion going on about it, which is more than the MAC BOD, itself, would allow. I would like to remind everyone that Stu Hamstra of Cabaret Hotline told us in his newsltr that the “decision to make some major changes to the MAC AWARD procedures was rushed through … and announced [by MAC Pres. Barry Levitt] at the membership meeting, without advance notice, as a done deal - irreversible.” I hope Barry & the MAC BOD will reconsider because some of the most thoughtful responses to the issue cautions the mbrshp against this new plan.

Several MAC members have weighed in. They didn’t all agree, but that’s not the point. The point is that it’s impossible to ignore this many mbrs of MAC & the cabaret community speaking out on the issue of the MAC BOD’s dramatic change w/o discussion with the cabaret community.

And this is not to mention all the people who have not yet spoken up because it’s:

(1) intimidating for them to write,
(2) too time consuming,
(3) have a fear of getting attacked by others in the community,
(4) or most importantly, fear speaking out against the MAC BOD, some of whom will be nominators & might vote against them.

What a loss it was for the MAC BOD to not want to hear fr all of the smart & intelligent MAC mbrs who have so much to offer, whose opinions were not solicited prior to the BOD’s final decision. I do not believe this was respectful of the mbrshp & I think it was an act of arrogance by the MAC BOD to not feel they should discuss it w/the mbrshp & perhaps even get mbrs’ approval through a vote.

It is so much more difficult (because of fear of intimidation) for the cabaret community to express their ideas individually via chatboards & to communicate efficiently w/o unnecessary misunderstanding & name calling. MAC BOD would have had the opportunity to throw their ideas out to the floor for interested parties & get their responses then and there.

I want to acknowledge that MAC & especially the MAC Awards have been considered a joke for quite some time, so I understand why the MAC BOD was looking to make some changes. But it certainly has not approached these changes in an acceptable way & I don’t believe it made the right changes. We must remember that the MAC BOD exists to serve the mbrshp & therefore it should not be going off on its own w/o mbrshp input or vote on an issue of this magnitude.

If the MAC BOD is not too arrogant to listen, then I hope they will put their plan on hold & solicit the mbrshp’s feedback at their next mtg. They should hold whatever plan is agreed upon until next year so that they’re not changing the rules in the middle of the yr.

Hopefully with constructive input from the MAC mbrshp & w/a real concern for what the mbrshp wants, they can reconsider whether the 1st ballot should be eliminated.

Milla