This message is from: "ruth bushnell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > I spent several sleepless hours (between 10pm and 3 AM last night!) > trying to figure out what should be done about Northwest Fjord > activities. >> Gail
I agree Gail, this is a disturbing turn of events. From the perspective of those who have longtime loved the Libby show, and those who feel outrage over a major injustice done the Packs by the club--- it appears the PNFPG club as we once knew it has gone amuck. First, their deposit on the ML show accommodation before any member consensus was taken, then, the rule that anyone voting on the ML proposition must attend in person in order to vote. Those members adjacently handy and highly motivated easily passed the proposal. Then, just to be sure there was no further opposition to their triumph.. a club rule was passed that no disparaging word, by any member, might be spoken in their direction. This places those of us who have been left behind in somewhat of a predicament, if we dare protest we can be cast out of the club, and we need that membership to enter a show. And, in order to have any kind of representation in the club, one must travel to the meetings a great distance. Small wonder we feel bound, gagged, and victimized. No other breed show in America dictates their members words and behavior OFF-showsite. We pay dues but have no vote--taxation without representation, and we have no freedom of speech.. sounds very un-American. If it wasn't for Steve McIlree allowing us the privilege of speaking here on this list, the majority of the Fjord world would not even be aware of our plight. Thank you. It occurs to me that it is unfortunate that the NFHR has no tie or oversight over regional clubs. (The president of this club does not even belong to the registry?) To my knowledge, those who support Libby have wanted the Moses Lake effort to succeed, not at the sacrifice of Libby of course--but apparently this good will is not reciprocal, Moses Lake proponents are not satisfied to do well-- they further require the destruction of the Libby show, using every possible means to ensure that end.. by arbitrarily scheduling their show just prior to the Libby show, and by once again publishing negative scare rhetoric about asbestos just prior to the show. It does appear to us that the club has mutantly evolved into an entity that cares nothing about some of their least deemed members. When Gene found out about the Packs being refused entrance to the shows this year, he said, "I'm not going!" We feel a profound sense of injustice for the Packs--they have not been professionally and ethically dealt with as should be required by any club. A 3-yr penalty, or maybe more, for alleged unsafe behavior AFTER show hours is nothing short of ludicrous ! particularly so because Packs were not granted a hearing. If the club now feels pleased that some western breeders and members have been squeezed out of their ranks, (the list is growing) there has to be something basically flawed with that club! Idealism has taken precedence over realism, exclusivity over inclusivity. You've heard of the cart before the horse, well this is the club before the horse, a club more important than the Fjord horse--because if the Fjord horse is our purpose for existing we would be making every possible extension for their all-inclusive individual good, not thinking of ways to exclude some. Plus, the overall benefit of the Fjord brotherhood should be paramount, to promote Fjords we must additionally promote their people. These unfortunate events can not be re-wound, all we can do is focus on how we might best resolve this sorry impasse.. it is time to make lemonade out of the lemon we've been dealt. Obviously, those in authority over the club have no desire for diplomacy or negotiated compromise, therefore "a house divided against itself cannot stand." I am NOT speaking on behalf of the Libby show, but it personally seems to me that it would be far better to split the club in two than continue incremental losses to our Fjord support at Libby. Your comment about the gas and distance is a good point. We need our own regional club, one that puts Fjords first and foremost, one that cares about everyone who cares about Fjords, which would even include dissentious factions-- if we are truly to regard EVERY Fjord. =))) We're all for starting that club-- one that welcomes member opinions, allows everyone a mailed vote, one that earns respect through fair dealing, courtesy, and is without discrimination. Granted, perhaps one less sophisticated, but maybe with an acronym everyone can remember, hah. Now that we have been stripped of our assets this may be difficult, but it is not impossible-it was done once upon a time and it can be done again. Ruthie Bushnell, nw mt US The FjordHorse List archives can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw
