Referendums being Locked

[Holt]

Am I the only one who's head is spinning around wondering what's going on? I was so confused yesterday I had thoughts of withdrawing my signature on account of this thing be so "over this country boy's head".

It's kind of hard for me to support something 'one hundred percent' when I don't know one hundred per cent about what I've signed up to support.

Being so confused, I got ahold of Lindell V. Riddle ('cause I've noticed by his postings, he seems to have a nack for making things understandable). He asked me not to withdraw, but to stay the course and be faithful!

When I came back to the string, I realized that it was a good thing I decided to stay, cause I couldn't have changed my mind anyhow,..it's gone to the big Convention!

After being reassured that everything would be o.k. I came back to make sure Mr. Riddle's name was still up for president of the new chapter, if it's not; I'd like to nominate "Lindell V. Riddle for president of the new E-Chapter.




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Tommy
NAWCC #156317

[Lindell V. Riddle]

Thank you Tommy, those are very kind words and I deeply appreciate them.

I have been nominated for positions in the upcoming "e-chapter" and I accept those nominations. Whether I am elected to a position of trust and responsibility or not, I will be here and I will serve in any way that benefits the membership and the organization.

I have often cautioned others on this message board saying, "The world is watching every word you post. For many of our invited guests looking in from around the world, this may be the only view they ever have of the NAWCC.

I believe we must at all times realize that the reputation not only of this 40,000 member organization but of all 40,000 of us individually rises or falls whenever we speak through this board, and whether it rises or falls depends on what we say and how we say it".

Tonight I stand by those words and I take very seriously the fact that this board is not... "a 24 / 7 closed forum" and in my view it must never be.

Those who want to degrade themslves and each other can very easily form their own private "chat room" and they can conduct themselves as they please whenever they please.

I view our message board with pride, and I participate with pride, honor and enthusiasm. I want it to continue, to expand and to always be a place where anyone can come with a horological question or observation and know they will be treated with respect, consideration and dignity.

Because our organization has funded this Message Board for what I call..."the unselfish and unbiased sharing of horological information" ... we have brodened our membership base.

We have uplifted our passionate collecting and enjoyment of clocks and watches, and we have opened our message board for all the world to see and participate.

The recent move to form an "e-chapter" came from a post on June 17th by Ray Franchamps titled "Friends of the MB group or Chapter". Several of us immediately spoke out in favor of such a thing, and I was the first to sign the charter.

Based upon what Ray posted, I see it as a chapter wherein members for whom the local chapter is a long distance away or the day and time causes a conflict can have a sense of belonging. And for still more of us a chance to share and expand our interests.

I do not see us as taking over the server, and I do not see us as setting ourselves apart from the world with a closed club bearing any man's name.

My opponent and I have very different views of what the, as I call it until it has its own chapter number, "the e-chapter" should ultimately be. I SAY ONE CHAPTER OPEN TO ALL NAWCC MEMBERS, ONE ALL-INCLUSIVE OF ALL HOROLOGICAL INTERESTS NAWCC "e-chapter" AND I SAY AGAIN... "THE BROADER IT'S WINGS THE HIGHER AND FURTHER IT WILL FLY!"

My opponent has started more than 25 threads in recent days. Four were to get signatures and I commend him for that. But much of the rest was to self-promote, to chide, to insult and to say when he quoted President John Fitzgerald Kennedy"s clarion call to my generation... "Ask not what your Country can do for you, ask what you can do for your Country"... to say in response to those immortal words my opponent had one very crude remark... "HOGWASH"... My friends my opponent and I have a very different viewpoint and a very different way of expressing it.

We do not need a "one-man-show" and we do not need a closed club, of course it goes without saying there should be a time for private "members only" business meetings.

But this almost collapsed under its own weight when my opponent chose to start the "fund-raiser" you see at the top of this thread. And you see my response... wherein I warned we may have... "TAKEN A DANGEROUS TURN"... and I urged him to delete that "fund-raiser" but he refused.

I continue to get messages and calls from members with grave reservations about the rush, the lack of direction and the complete lack of focus. Yet another e-mail just came in with a new member's comments:

"I have only been on the board and collecting watches since November...joined the NAWCC in January...I have read every thread that has been posted...I haven't signed up for the (e-chapter) yet...we don't need 2 message boards competing...I don't know about these fees...You seem to be a level-headed person...I'm hoping you can shed some light..."

This new NAWCC member expresses what so many others have said to me in recent days. To a person they urge restraint and focus and they are gravely concerned about what they perceive as a fundamental lack of direction.

A few days ago I observed... "This train is rolling down the tracks, the fireman has pressure in the boiler, but just what is our destination?

Next year we who are the NAWCC will celebrate 60 years, and for all those sixty years we have never been any one person's club and we must never be.

We are the members of The National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors and we have a lot to be proud of!

This open-to-the-world Message Board shines like a beacon for all the world to see who we are and what we stand for and it says to one and all..."come right on in and converse with us. If you have a question we'll try to answer it...if you need help we'll try to give it".

I have been active in my community, state and nation for many years, On August 28, 1963 while still in my teens, I stood just a few feet behind The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King as "we the people" demanded equality for all Americans.

As the years went by, I continued to be involved politically, I have been in business, and I am proud to have had a hand in getting violent criminals off our streets and into prison where they belong.

I am involved in four NAWCC Chapters, I have made a life-long commitment to this organization, I contribute regularly, and I am the South-Bend and Studebaker Watch Mentor. I avidly collect clocks, pocket and wrist watches as well as everything associated with them.

If there is a way that I may help to benefit the membership and this organization, I will do my level-best at whatever I am called upon to do.

This is not a debate, my opponent told you in 25+ threads what his views are, and now I have told you what I stand for. Now it is time for us to both to step aside and stop the self-promotion. I ask him to join me in backing away and allowing the members to express themselves.

When and if there is a choice to be made if I am blessed with an opportunity to serve in whatever capacity, I will consider it an honor and a privilege.

Sincerely,


Lindell V. Riddle

NAWCC Life Member# 253-150074

[Ball992B]

I couldn't have said it any better than Holt.

Except for that I DID withdraw.

After some deeper consideration I have decide to stay the course.

#153167



[This message has been edited by Ball992B (edited 06-28-2002).]

[crsides]

What you don't have, Sam, is his gift for gab.

[Rich]

"Am I the only one who's head is spinning around wondering what's going on?" enquires an earlier participant to this topic.

"Help! I am dazed and confused about the Echapter stuff..." cries another.

They are not alone. This topic has been locked, re-opened, amended and tranferred, in part or in full, to at least three other message boards. It has been leaping around like a demented jumping bean.

And to what useful purpose? Do we really neeed yet another chapter? There are already more chapters and message boards than one can shake a stick at! Fine, if one has no life outside NAWCC and has the time to ferret around chasing loose ends, visiting one board, site or page after another. Many of the existing boards overlap; topics frequently spill over from one board to the next. Another venue will surely bring further fragmentation.

Is another splinter group really necessary? This poor bemused old guy has yet to discover the real purpose of the proposed "Web Horology"; have those members who rushed to sign up, some even jostling to be at the head of the line, really thought through this proposal? The benefits and advantages to be gained by the formation of this new organization are somewhat obscure. Other than a whole host of new Titles and Offices up for grabs ? Oh My! How some of you guys love titles!

One even more cynical than this humble scribe could surely be forgiven his (or her) suspicions that the prime motive for mooting this new 'SuperChapter' was not entirely horological; politics soon raised their ugly head. If this view is found unpalatable ? witness the back-biting and in-fighting that is taking place already. But hurry! Those posts may be pulled too, like others from these linked threads, rendering an already confused situation totally incomprehensible.

Writing these words has been a distressing experience for the writer. But regretably, these Message Boards have become more and more places of strife; arenas for name-calling, snide personal remarks and long-winded, often bitter discourses about minutia. Even worse, are those regular topics so obviously designed by the "My watches are better than yours ? AND I've got more of them" Brigade, expressly to impress and overawe the masses. However, I have formed many good relationships through the Association. Several experienced members have been unstintinting in their efforts to advise and encourage me; for that I am truly grateful (no names ? they know who they are!). Perhaps after expressing these (possibly contrary) views, those friendships may dwindle in number..? Maybe not.....

Next question: Where to post these comments? Maybe I should follow what has gone before and spread them around. Here goes.............

http://www.nawcc.org/ubb/confused.gif



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'Rich'
#149591