Mel; I'm deeply troubled by the dramatic position you have taken. Running away from a problem has never solved anything.

In your post you have indicated that possibly even you are opposed to slabbing ... ("I like to touch chips. Even used and dirty ones") .... just like virtually every other person on this board. Yes, "the list" is very controversial... maybe even extreme in the eyes of some .... but the simple fact is that by far (close to 100%) of the people who have posted to this board have said that they also are personally opposed to slabbing. No one can answer for the lurkers or the silent minority ... so let's forget "the list" for the rest of this particular post.

The controversy as I see it, is that while we are pretty much united as a group against slabbing, the issue is that some folks have a false perception that something is being forced down their collective throats. How can something be forced upon someone who states they are opposed to the same thing we are all opposed to?

I made a post several weeks ago asking "Who Is In Favor Of Slabbing? Not one person came forward to say they were. Oh, we've got the Mark Browns and Mr. James Taylor, who obviously are in favor, but I'll ask the question one more time: "Who is in favor of slabbing?"

Silence .....

So what's wrong about the HOBBY in general taking a position that we are not in favor of slabbing? How about the CLUB taking an official position that we are not in favor of slabbing, since four of the five elected club officials have also gone on record that they oppose slabbing? Perhaps if they did so, some of the animosity that has been building would disipate and we can get on to chipping again .... and you, me, (and others) could enjoy reading this bulletin board once more.

We're in a state of animated limbo. The club won't take an official position, so there is a need for others to keep up the barrage of anti-slabbing sentiment. I'm afraid it's not going to end until the elections are over. It's certainly not going to end if V.P. Hallenbeck carries through with his threat to expel the anti-slabbers from the club for having the courage of speaking their minds.