Re: From Anner Whitehead-2

[Robert Pries <robertpries@embarqmail.com>]

I am happy to see Anner writing to this forum again. She and I have sometimes
been on opposite sides of an argument, but I have always appreciated the
intelligence of her responses and sometimes have agreed with them. I do find
it reprehensible that she di d not get a response to a meesage to a board
member. Perhaps they were writing to the wrong person. I have always tried to
respond and welcome a variety of thoughts. I can not say that all e-mails have
been answered. S ometimes when my mailbox is flooded with 50 messages in a
day, I have been known to miss one. But that has never been intentional. and I
review my message again in the middle of the week. B B Today I am bringing
plants in before a upcoming freeze, so I can not answer everything within
hours, and i do take a break on weekends but I try to answer everything within
a week. Of course as of tomorrow I will not be a voting director, but that
should not matter, i am tenacious about getting ideas heard by the board and
am still Public Relations Chair unless something changes at the board meeting
tomorrow.


----- Original Message -----
From: "John I Jones" <jijones@usjoneses.com>
To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
Sent: Friday, November 5, 2010 12:14:32 PM
Subject: [AISdiscuss] From Anner Whitehead-2





Begin forwarded message:



From: chatowhitehall@aol.com
Date: November 4, 2010 10:45:44 AM PDT
To: jijones@usjoneses.com
Subject: For AIS Discuss, Please



Greetings.

I wish to respond to some of Mr. Black's comments. First, I would like to say
that I am gratified to seeB a member make use of this forum for contributing
to the governanceB of the Society. I have tried to do so, offeringB imput from
time to time when I thought I had something necessary to say that-- for one
reason or another--B  wasB not going toB get said otherwise, butB over the
course of time it seems to meB that lamentably fewB AIS members have availed
themselves of their prerogative to participate in these discussions.

First, I want to note that Mr. Black says he hasB experienced aB shortage of
communication on AIS matters of interest to him. I believe him,
youB see,B because my own experience --and that ofB several membersB with whom
I've discussed this-- is that communication in some quarters has reached an
all time low.B I tell you, frankly, it would never have occurred to me to
ignore communications from an AISB member when I wasB serving the Society at
the national level. It seems to me that is the least they have a right to
expect. I think it is essential that any sincere communication involving
Society business be acknowledged. If it is a crackpot letter,B it must still
be acknowledged.B You may find it useful to develop a repertoire of efficient,
courteous, and if necessary,B non-committal or diplomatic responses-- I
did--B butB always respond, and always thank them for taking time to write to
you.B MembersB talk it when you don't.

Now, IB want to speak toB Mr. Black'sB thoughts onB the Sections. I'm not at
all sure I fully grasp what is being suggested here, butB I would not,
myself,B even contemplate abolishment or compulsory merging of those
organizations and theirB publications into the larger Society or Bulletin,
even ifB were that definitionally possible. These
diverseB organizationsB fulfill a very important purpose, and it is not
oneB which the national Society with its longstanding preoccupation with
courting the favor of beginners-- whatever they may be--or the middle of the
roadB member--ditto-- canB also accomplish. The Sections arose from within to
meet the needs of those who wanted more information about certain sorts of
irises and they remain the place where in-depth conversations about and
investigations of certainB subjectsB are fully appropriate and welcomed.B A
person can be a crank and an intellectual in a Section, andB it is okay.B 

In the Sections, specialization is the order of the day,B and people can be as
intense and fervid as they like without having to answer toB pious charges of
unwholesome prejudice or lack of balance in their Iris preferences. The
Section publications can, in theory,B publish material which is more highly
specialized,B possibly more advanced,B than the Bulletin has
traditionallyB presumed to be of interest toB its average reader, which it
presumes it must please.

Over the years I have, like an endless broken record, yes, but not without
some hard-earned insight as foundation,sought to remind all thatB AIS must
ever remember that keeping a healthy Society means not only recruiting a
stream of newbies, but also retainingB yourB abiding members in their full
diversity, the ones who are not beginners any more, some of whom may by now
know a great deal, people whose tastesB may or may not be as giddy
andB mainstream as when they joined, but whose enthusiasms areB seasoned and
steady andB want sustaining. This is for what the Sections are uniquely
suited.B Don'tB try to commandeer themB and their imagined resources,B or, I
am confident,B you will see an exit of members that willB create a wake like
the Titanic. The strength of the Sections arises specificallyB from their
diversity and specialization, and youB badly need them to flourish.

The wise Abraham Lincoln may have feared the consequences of a 'House
Divided," butB another wise man once saidB "In my Father's house there are
many mansions."B That wisdom, I suggest, might also be usefulB to bear in mind
in this context.

Cordially,

Anner M. Whitehead
Richmond VA

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