Just got this email from Bev...

[Kimber Scott]

I'm not in on all the controversy, so I'll just post this. I have been a little perplexed at the situation, but I haven't got time to really get into it, but I don't think I'll be in the "Relentless Eagle" club.

"An update from Black Box Voting, and a look toward 2005:

First, thank you so very much for your donation. It was very much appreciated and needed. In the interest of brevity, you are going to receive three separate e-mails from us in the next 48 hours:

1) Information specific to donors
2) Information about current investigations and audits: HELP AMERICA AUDIT
3) Information about current volunteer actions: ACTIVATING THE EAGLES

This message is the first one, for donors.

We received thousands of small donations in November and December ($1 to $5) and very much appreciate these. They did slow down our processing, because for accounting and tax reasons, we account for each and every donor separately, and we were caught by surprise. We did not have enough staff in place to process the volume. Therefore, please accept our apology for the delay in communicating with you.

You will soon receive a customized thank you note that provides the records you need to tax-deduct your donation. We are working on those right now.

We are commissioning an independent audit of Black Box Voting, Inc. by a major public accounting firm, which will examine all of our financial transactions from the inception of our organization. This is our first year, and we want to make sure that we provide our supporters with trust, transparency, and a solid foundation. Thus, year-end activites are extremely busy.

AN UPDATE FOR DONORS:

- We are focusing on building long-term infrastructure (Internet, personnel, reporting functions and equipment).

- We are concentrating on the HELP AMERICA AUDIT effort that launched by Black Box Voting on Nov 2, 2004, which began with a massive Freedom of Information request. We have collected tens of thousands of pages of documents, are in the process of converting those to Internet-friendly format. We have set up an online workspace for “open source” public auditing of the voting machines used in the 2004 election.

Our most important effort of all is ACTIVATING THE EAGLES: We are beefing up our messy old American democracy, by empowering LOCAL CITIZENS to act effectively, independently and forcefully to return transparency to our election system.

“Doves, sparrows, and other low-flying birds flock together. Eagles soar alone, and must be gathered one at a time.”

The key in "Activating the Eagles" is to find and encourage those citizens who are self-starters, with common sense and the courage to deal with adversity. To this end, we have launched the Black Box Voting “ACTIVATING THE EAGLES” project. This is quite revolutionary; instead of doing the expected, by launching chapters in each state, trying to control the whole thing with a top-down structure, we are focusing on empowering independent groups. In the long run, this will create a much more stable infrastructure for resistance to inappropriate governmental procedures.

Please visit our Web site to see the “New Look” for Black Box Voting – We have purchased several new domains, and we are in the process of integrating them into a more effective whole.

http://www.blackboxvoting.org – The portal to all the action
http://www.bbvforums.org – The workspace for volunteers and following current happenings.
http://www.bbvdocs.org – This is inactive this week, but is being developed as a repository for election-related source documents and audit logs.

In addition, we are putting up mirror sites that we control, hosted on other servers. When they are up, we’ll list them on the main page.

The most important part of the new Black Box Voting Web site is the FORUM WORKSPACE. It has just been activated, but is already getting quite busy. Please stop in, register, and post a message to let us know that you are behind this effort:

http://www.bbvforums.org/cgi-bin/forums/discus.

Here you will:
- Collaborate with others to clean up elections
- Quickly find the latest news
- Locate state and local resources
- Ask questions and get them answered promptly
- Participate in "Help America Audit"

# # # # #

Because you are a donor, the three update e-mails have already been automated to send. We protect your privacy and do not allow ANY OTHER individual or organization to have your contact information. If you receive ANY message from another group or individual that you suspect came from your donation to Black Box Voting, please notify us immediately.

Now, please hit “reply” and type ONE of the following messages in the subject line:

- Please send me weekly updates
- Please send me monthly updates
- Please send me NO updates at all
- Please send me a custom response (type your question in body of message)


Here's an update on Black Box Voting:

On November 12, seeking answers to a specific vote-fraud question on the
Diebold voting machines, Black Box Voting went to Florida for one day. We didn't
get back until Dec. 9.

While in Florida, together with local citizens, we found significant problems in
Volusia County (Diebold - audit did not check out; note the outstanding
contributions of Florida Fair Voting Coalition and citizen Susan Pynchon),
Pinellas County (Sequoia - stay tuned on this one, outstanding work by local citi
zens), Brevard County (Diebold -- obstructiveness and lying about public reco
rds) and Palm Beach County (Sequoia -- all kinds of problems, with very
important work by local citizens), in addition to what's been reported elsewhere.

Black Box Voting met with citizens in Florida who are making a real difference.
WHAT'S IN STORE FOR AMERICA: The key word is "relentless." We have not
given up. We will not give up.

1. Unfortunately, the Black Box Voting "volunteer action" forums are
compromised; hackers broke in and removed our own ability to use or moderate
our own forums. Good peopl
e are working on that and we will solve it soon.

2. The Black Box Voting Cleanup Crew plan: ACTIVATING THE EAGLES

"Doves, sparrows, and other low-flying birds gather together, but eagles soar alone and must be gathered one at a time."

You, as an individual citizen, are America's best hope to clean up elections, which must be done starting at the local level. Using your own common sense, get started on yo

ur own local elections. Take an action, and let us know what you've done. Black Box Voting investigators will be traveling to meet with c
itizens who show that they take initiative on their own.

Our republic will revive when we have REAL grass roots growing, that is, people who are taking independent action on a local level, using their own common sense. This does

not always require a group. One person can make a real difference.
We can help you by giving you ideas, technical advice, and by sending an investigator to you.

- If actions taken by Black Box Voting make sense to you, try something similar in your local jurisdiction.

- A Black Box Voting investigator may arrange to meet with you or your group, to help educate you, share ideas, and fund-raise. We will select those who show initiative on

their own, with creative ideas that make things happen independent of our organization.

When we say "fund-raising," we are not talking about fund raising for Black Box Voting. We visit you on OUR OWN dime. Whatever you arrange for fund raising during our visit

will go to YOUR group, to empower action, purchase your local public records, pay court costs, whatever you need to use it for.

Grass roots activism, in the form that is most dangerous to corporate-controlled power, is activism that is not centralized. A national organization with chapters in each s

tate, which issues official position papers and directs/organizes actions, is using a corporate model itself.

Black Box Voting is more revolutionary: We encourage independent action, which we do not control or directly organize. We are looking for relentless, clever, loosely allied

people, taking actions they have figured out for themselves, using their own common sense and whatever resources they can bring to bear.
This creates a swarm that becomes impossible to fight.

Usually, before we will send an investigator to help you, you must show that you are taking action on your own. We are more interested in auditing elections and enforcing t

ransparency than we are in holding rallies, and we are most interested in helping citizens who are self-directed, gutsy, sensible, and di
fficult to discourage.

Relentless. Eagles. You can make it happen. We'll help.

# # # # #

Bev Harris - Executive Director
Black Box Voting (.ORG) - http://www.blackboxvoting.org
To donate: Mail to Black Box Voting, PO Box 25552 Seattle WA 98165 or donate
online: http://www.blackboxvoting.org/donate.html"

[EMunster]

1. [sound of crickets]

[sepia_steel]

2. LOL

[TrustingDog]

3. thanks, Kimber.

[malatesta1137]

4. waste of time

[Must_B_Free]

5. But But But? I thought she was evil - I read it right here on DU?

This CAN'T be happening! Why is she trying to do something? I thought she took our money to give to her family? :crazy:

[mom cat]

6. Psych Law # 1: Under stress we all regress. Bev has flaws..So do I.

[Kelvin Mace]

20. Talk is cheap

and I see no actions, just lots of bird talk.

David Allen
www.thoughtcrimes.org

[salin]

7. interesting.

in honor of not reopening wounds, all I can say is that is an interesting recap, accounting and solicitation.

[BamaBecky]

8. Here again is someone, working their heart out for the cause, but

full of PASSION that over loads and over flows at times. We need Bev, just like we need the others that have allowed their "passions" to over rule their heads at times. Forgiveness is a grand thing. I worry about those who "judge" too much with little compassion. In the heat of battle (and that's where we are) calmer heads lead. But that doesn't mean we need to KILL OFF the generals. Again, I ask for forgiveness for the tombstoned, a penalty phase, and a second chance.:grouphug:

[electropop]

9. I would have been a little nuts too

It's got to be stressful leading the charge nearly alone.


I'm still trying to do some stats and I may submit them here and/or BBV.

[Kelvin Mace]

25. Bev was NOT doing it alone

She had plenty of help until she turned on people and drove them off.

David Allen
www.thoughtcrimes.org

[salin]

11. she had a second chance

was tombstoned and revived once before. Then began attacking her own, viciously. She was self-defeatingly striking out and causing some real damage to her allies long before the election... long before it could be attributed solely to stress.

While I appreciate her efforts, regardless of her motives... I think she also hit a point of diminishing returns for the movement.

[Maddy McCall]

15. We need Bev like we need syphillis.

[Kelvin Mace]

21. Bev had a second chance

She was banned once before. If she were to expect "forgiveness" she could start by publicly admitting wrong and apologize to those she libeled.

That will NEVER happen.

David Allen
www.thoughtcrimes.org

[BamaBecky]

36. thanks for bringing me up to date, it's all soooo unfortunate n/t

[dubyaD40web]

10. I laugh when I hear "ACTIVATE THE EAGLES"!!!

It sounds like a line from Dr. Strangelove.

Sorry

[troubleinwinter]

12. "Let the Eagle Soar"

Eeew.

[Maddy McCall]

17. She must have been listening to "Wind Beneath My Wings" when...

she came up with that shit slogan. Delusions of grandeur, and all that. :-)

[Kelvin Mace]

22. What is that line from Star Trek?

Oh, yeah, "Tin-plated, overbearing dictator with delusions of godhood."

David Allen
www.thoughtcrimes.org

[Maddy McCall]

26. I have this image in mind of Dr. Evil Bev pushing the big red button...

telling Kathleen, "Activate the eagles!" LOL!

[JMac]

18. LOL

Kind of reminds me of Asscroft singing, "Let The Eagle Soar"

Edit: Oops, didn't mean to copy troubleinwinter's post. I have a bad habit of not refreshing before posting.

[troubleinwinter]

29. Dammit... I'm gonna have that damned song in my head all day. Eeeew.

[Not a Sheep]

34. Wondertwin Powers... ACTIVATE! .......Form of an eagle! .............eom/

[Kelvin Mace]

35. ROTFLMAO!!

[ohio_liberal]

13. This email

says exactly nothing.

[Kimber Scott]

19. Well, going from my gut, it sounds like a CYA letter to me.

She knows people have been questioning her motives and methods. I, myself, have been pretty skeptical, but I only gave $6.00. But, as she says, thousands of people gave that kind of money. That kind of money,that fast, can be confusing and tempting.

I haven't been impressed by what I've seen since I donated and so, I won't donate anymore. That doesn't mean she isn't on the up and up. It simply means I'm not sure she is. Maybe, she's bitten off more than she can chew?

[salin]

23. what struck me as odd

is it was as if she was blaming the small contributions for her slow response to contributors. Seems a very odd tactic unless one is attempting to shame people into bigger contributions.

[Miami Liberal]

33. Yup

Bigger contributions for her wallet, er, I mean the cause.

[Maddy McCall]

27. Once Bitten, Twice Shy...

It isn't that she's bitten off more than she can chew, it's that she has bitten people who could have been instrumental in the organization.

Either "bow before me, you pigs" or GTFO. She alienated herself. Her organization is NOT grassroots, because she won't give the roots room to grow--she rips them up before they take hold.

Oh, and I could go on and on with her stupid metaphors, but I won't.

[Maddy McCall]

14. She'd better be careful. Phyllis Schlafly will sue her for using "Eagle."

:eyes:

[Malikshah]

16. Well at least there's a semblance of balance on the threads

now in the GD-2004 forum.

Thank God for small favors.

So much sound and fury....

[Bill Bored]

24. Exactly What are the Eagles Supposed to Hunt For?

What they have done is issue the FOIA requests and gather some information. What I'd like to know before delving into this any further, clearly and concisely, is what to look for in this data that will prove election fraud.

Is there a tutorial somewhere? If it's out there, someone please post a link to it. If not, this should have been their first effort. Otherwise, those who donated should demand that they produce one, or at least place a link to it prominently on their site if it's already out there.

It's fine to be a self-starter, but you still have to know the basics of what to look for. Going on TV and changing a MS Access record is fine, but you have to show how this would be detected using the FOIA data. Otherwise you're putting the cart before the horse.

This self-starting Eagle thing should have been articulated long ago. If she expects US to do most of the work, that's fine, but this needed to be explained before taking the money.

Just my 2 cents.

[ohio_liberal]

28. It doesn't make any sense

We heard through other people that Bev Harris doesn't trust "outsiders" or volunteers. Randi Rhodes asked Bev on the air what people could do to help and she answered with something like "ummmmmm....well, I wasn't prepared for that question....". Does that sound like an organization that really accepts volunteers with open arms and has their collective shit together?

[Kelvin Mace]

30. Here is how it works

Go off and hunt for something and if you find it, bring it back to me and I will claim credit for it.

David Allen
www.thoughtcrimes.org

[Not a Sheep]

32. The Eagles hunt for $ to feather Momma Eagles nest /eom

[johnaries]

31. Sorry,

After she was tombstoned, my eyes were opened. After I found out about the lawsuit settlement, I knew I could never trust her again. After I found out what she did to Andy, and David, and almost everyone else who tried to work with her, I knew I could never, EVER trust that woman again.

I do hate it when we eat our own, but in her case SHE was the cannibal!

I believe in second chances, but she has had plenty of chances. NEVER, EVER AGAIN!

OK, I'm through flaming, now.