Re: LD NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IDEA

[jlong@mti.net (Joe Long)]

On Tue, 19 Jan 1999 11:10:03 EST, MargieKC@aol.com wrote:

>Get real - a 1 mile ride will not be sanctioned by our board.  Sending a ride
>sanction form in does not mean it will be approved.  For all you newer riders
>- this club is in good, sound hands and is not going to fall apart with the
>new rule changes.  Some people are so afraid of change (any kind) that they
>want everyone else to be equally frightened.  Well, most of us aren't.

They say that patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.  Well, accusing
people who oppose a *particular* change of being afraid of change is about the
same thing.

Hyperbole is a fine method of illustrating problems and potential problems.
Also, I've been there -- I've seen changes introduced that had potential for
going far beyond what was originally intended, with assurances that they would
never go that far.  Then, year by year, they went further and further.  The LD
program itself is an example; non-member fees are another.  When the camel's
nose gets into the tent the whole camel doesn't always follow -- but sometimes
he does, and it can be damn hard to get him out again.

To further illustrate what I mean about the LD program:  I strongly supported
this change when it first came about.  But there were legitimate fears that once
LD was included to any degree within AERC, there would be annual pressure to
expand the program, to include more recognition and more awards, to make it no
different from the endurance programs.  This is exactly what has been happening.
The Bylaw change to include all distances below 50 miles in the program is just
one more step down this trail, but it is a much larger step than I believe most
people appreciate.

-- 

Joe Long
jlong@mti.net
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