Voices of the Vampire Community (VVC)
Public Meeting Transcript - August 9, 2008
http://www.veritasvosliberabit.com/vvc.html

The transcript of this meeting may be downloaded at the following link.  Feel free to circulate throughout the vampire community.

http://www.veritasvosliberabit.com/images/VVCPublicMeeting08.09.08.doc


Voices of the Vampire Community (VVC)
Public Meeting – August 9, 2008

Attendees (22):

Acrophobic Pixie – Black Swan Haven (BSH)
Anshar – House Lost Haven
Camazotz – Sanguinox (NOX) Message Board
Craze – Smoke and Mirrors (Yuku) Message Board
Gabriel – House Lost Haven
Khan – The Dark Nations and Independent Representative
Lady CG – Smoke and Mirrors Messages Board(s) and Vampire Library (SL)
Lono – PsychicVampire.org
Merticus – Atlanta Vampire Alliance (AVA) and Suscitatio Enterprises, LLC
Michelle Belanger – House Kheperu and MichelleBelanger.com
Mike Future – Vampire Community Message Board (VCMB)
NyteMuse – House Rosa
Ravena – House Lost Haven
RavenHarte – Clann Caladvwlch
Reija – Independent Representative
SapphoWolf – House Maidenfear
sarasvati – Echoes of Night and VCMB
Sovereign – Independent Representative
SphynxCatVP – SphynxCatVP Real Vampires Support Site
Sylvere ap Leanan – Real Vampires Community Alliance (RVCA)
Vyrdolak – By Light Unseen
Zilchy – Independent Representative

Discussion Agenda:

I.  Meeting Info and Introductions

Welcome to the second public meeting of Voices of the Vampire Community (VVC) for 2008.  If you have not attended a VVC meeting before or are reading this for the first time please briefly take note of how this meeting will be conducted.  The transcript from tonight’s meeting is being logged and will be made publicly available.

Topics will be presented in the order they appear on the agenda (VVC members may refer to the forum or their e-mail for tonight’s schedule).  Please do not skip ahead and please do not suggest discussion of items not on the agenda until at the end of each major discussion topic.

Feel free to speak your mind on any and all topics in a civil manner and offer any supporting information, links, or material as needed.  Thank you for coming and now let’s begin!

II.  Background and Introduction

VVC was founded January 2006.

The purpose of the Voices of the Vampire Community (VVC) is to develop friendly relations among the various Houses, Covens, Orders, and other organizations of the vampire community; to encourage cooperation in solving community related problems and in promoting respect for the views, ideas, and opinions of others without seeking to establish a unifying or governing body; and to be a center for harmonizing the actions of groups in attaining these ends. – August 8, 2006

Voices Of The Vampire Community (VVC) does not assert itself as the exclusive organization of leaders or notable persons in the vampi(y)re community nor do we view ourselves or our actions as legislative or authoritarian.
   
The members of the VVC are representative of multiple groups, Houses, Orders, paths, beliefs, and segments of the vampi(y)re community who meet and are able to put aside personal differences to work together to discuss, suggest, implement, and support projects, ideas, and other intellectual works that help to improve the overall community.

For more information please visit our web site at:  http://www.veritasvosliberabit.com/vvc.html

We are available to answer questions through the community feedback form available at the site above.

III.  Discussion

As a departure from the specific matters we discuss in business meetings, tonight’s meeting will take a broader and more relevant approach to the vampi(y)re community.  Opinions offered from members of the VVC who are unable to attend tonight’s meeting will be posted first after the asking of each question.  All present members please allow time for this to occur prior to posting your own response.  Just as a reminder, conversation is to be kept civil, statements or claims backed by example where necessary, and in cases of insuperable disagreements; a concession between parties to respectfully agree to disagree.

a.  Let’s start the evening with these questions:  Given the independent and often antisocial nature of many vampires, do you feel the vampire community can ever achieve a level of cohesive functionality?  At what point does our diversity cease being our greatest strength and become our greatest liability?  Does the present state of our “community” hamper the growth of the individual by only encouraging support or has enough effort been made to motivate vampires to become self-reliant as they grow in the understanding of their own personal vampirism?

b.  The vampire community has languished for years due in no small part to individuals who sought attention, albeit positive or negative for the satisfaction of themselves rather than for the benefit of the community (we’re not here to name anyone in particular).  As leaders of the vampire community (the owners and operators of the major web sites, forums, groups, and discussion lists), how do you characterize your responsibility to this community without falling victim to narcissism, excessive ego, or a desire to achieve influence over others?  How do you distinguish the community decisions you make as transcendent of mere personal aspirations while remaining cognizant of your own wants or needs?  How important is the factor of respect by your fellow vampires to what you do and how you define yourself?

c.  The following question involves a project the VVC is considering regarding the translation of important vampirism / vampire community written or printed materials into languages other than English.  If you had to choose a handful (5 or so) documents, articles, or other bodies of work that represent the fundamental ideals of the vampire community to translate into foreign languages (French, Spanish, German, Russian, etc.), which would these be and why?  Aside from translations, what steps are you personally taking to reach out to vampires in other countries and what additional measures could be explored by the community as a whole?

d.  Everyone take a moment to share your opinion on a project the VVC has the opportunity to spearhead.  There are many in this community who seek specific guidance for difficult situations or questions that may not always be answered via message boards or through the insight of one particular individual in an e-mail.  Still other members would like the ability to be connected with others in the community in real-time or have at their disposal a collective resource for multiple viewpoints.  To this end, on a trial basis let’s establish a bi-monthly online VVC hosted chat advertised to the major forums and groups of the community.  At these chats, members will be able to ask their questions in a moderated format and request additional support if needed by e-mail or other means of follow-up.  What are your thoughts or opinions on this concept?  How should such be implemented?

e.  Other topics you’d like to bring up for discussion?

IV.  Business Reminders


Transcript Of Meeting (Approx. 50 Pages)
http://www.veritasvosliberabit.com/images/VVCPublicMeeting08.09.08.doc