[Killietalk] Whatever hppened

["Thumper Cat" <thumpercat1 at hotmail_com>]

Hi All;
     I am sorely perplexed as to whatever is happening.  I see days of 
members trying to get answers to interesting questions, I receive E-Mails 
seeming to show malfeasance by committee chairmen neglecting oversight and 
complaints of the New and Rare Committee not living up to their 
responsibilities )also malfeasance).  I receive E-Mails showing the Trustees 
are saying disgusting things to members and refusing to apologize.  I see 
people referring to non compliance of the laws of the charter issuing state 
(Ohio). I see, on Killietalk, people offering helpful sugestions or asking 
pertinent questions being threatened by expulsion from the list. I receive 
personal E-Mails that often tell me that the persons making the comments on 
Killietalk are nothing but ungrateful dissidents and I should pay no 
attention to them but when there are so many complaints and so many refusing 
to voice them publicly. Even when they will "tell all" to a non-member.

     But then the mail list for the most part shuts down with no answers or 
resolutions and the obvious fact the so-called dissidents have been censored 
or expelled from the list..

    I see threads on the AKA forums talking about the same things and asking 
the same questions. I see members doing everything but questioning members 
manhood. I see reasonable questions and answers and I see a multitude of 
kneejerk responses that mean absolutely nothing other than we really hate to 
see the status quo upset so just go away...

    And then, nothing !

I am not really sure what all this means other than than the organization 
has not learned to deal with the electronic communication age when questions 
are openly displayed and demand timely answers. In the days of snail mail 
communication organizations could take the time to form an answer and it was 
difficult for groups of dissidents to "gang up"  on a non-responsive 
organization.
I am sure the AKA is not the only hobbyist group that have this problem. In 
the Aquarium Hobby there have been many indications that some can't 
transition because openness with members has never been an issue in the 
snail mail age. A good model for service to members is the American Cichlid 
Association. In terms relevance and services to members they are extremely 
good. Of course, like any organization there have been high and low points 
but for the most part they have been quite qood.

I am sure that what I have been saying will mean I am not welcome on this 
list. If that is the case, so be it. I can live with that. I hope the AKA 
members can live with what they have, an open society with a closed door 
Board of Trustees composed with the "good ole boys". But don't forget you 
can get info from the US and state governments on the AKA through the 
Freedom of Information Act.

John Travis    Known as Thumper


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