Special Memo Concerning the Complaint from the Sarasota, Florida Chapter

As you all know, there was a terrible controversy last year over the election of our International President. All of this was steeped in bad blood. While there was no evidence of people being injured during the election, it is fair to say that what happened could have been a terrible embarrassment to the Bombay Bicycle Club which is the world's oldest men's club.

The Bombay Bicycle Club has a greater responsibility the world through its charitable and tolerant code of conduct. We have been respected as a leader to the world and thus cannot have any stigma associated with our esteemed name. Anything which would be an embarrassment to our forefathers we simply do not do. We teach that you must give forthought to your speech and works, and if you have reason to believe that the effects of your speech or conduct would embarrass your mother or father--and the Bombay Bicycle Club is your mother and father in so many ways--then you ought not to do it. Rarely have we had a member or chapter over the centuries who needed to be reminded of this.

While the Sarasota Chapter was voting for our esteemed President last session their voting was being cancelled by an angry mob outside their chamber who chanted that the election was being rigged. The chanters were not Bombay Bicycle Club members and were actually complaining about another worldly election taking place in the State of Florida which was most definitely the most undemocratic election we have ever observed. And it interrupted our own democratic process. Some of the Sarasota Bombay Bicycle Club members lost their composure and shouted out the window at the angry mob. They should have kept their cool and focused upon their own election process.

Therefore, in order to avoid future interruptions of our Presidential sessions, we shall schedule elections for all directors and our chief officer, our esteemed President, at a time when an American election is not taking place. We cannot allow the world to have doubts about the integrity of our system because of the failure of the American democratic process.

Thanks to the Sarasota Chapter for having brought this matter to our attention so that we could remedy it.

Launched 11.23.00