International

[Douglas M Gifford <dpwg@juno.com>]

PattiSam
I see  and hear two parts to this issue.
1. International is not making money in its own right so needs to borrow
from AERC
2. There are riders that do not want to ever (from their own prejudices)
want to participate
in an international sport so do not want their dollars going to that part
of the sport.
In the case of  #1 I see int'l as a segment of AERC. One segment of many.
We pay for research, advertising, year books, convention, magazine etc.
All of these
are a means of bettering our sport. This does not mean that the  average
person cannot
participate  but that he can with better information. International has
been there in extreme
environments with little help and still learned from every time out ( and
they are willing to
help us with that knowledge). They also know that without our dollars
that they could
not stand alone.
Regards to #2 There will always be that person or persons that is not
willing to support
someone else that has an opportunity to achieve a personal and
organizational goal.

Why not send out a survey with the next EN and find out how many of the
"National"
members really feel about the "International" members.

Maybe someone from international can explain what their dues actually  go
for in 
AERC. Do they go for the passports required for the horses and humans
traveling to
the event? Do they go to AERC for articles written for and about them. 

If I have a negative opinion of someone or thing I usually try to take a
good hard look
at why. I think any thing that  is negative can be changed into a
positive thing.
I feel that the negative additude towards Int'l could be used to look
really hard at the 
organizational goals and the personal goals that each of us has. Are they
really so
different that you can not work withing the system and still enjoy your
own style of riding.

Regards and best of thoughts

Pat (whom even though she is not an International member helped with the
96 world)
and Razzel