Blue Beret letters to the Editor

[LI Pets]

I asked Cindy Reed why there were no letters to the editor in the BB,

she replied " Letters to the Editor section in the Blue Beret has been considered but due to space and time constraints, the Executive Committee has not approved its inclusion in the magazine at this time.

Cindy"

I asked why not

"I feel that members have always had the ability to voice their opinion via their elected officials. In fact, the best way for a member to get a change made is to make suggestions to a board member, starting with the Unit President, Region President, Intl. President. A board member can bring an idea forward for adoption.

When I spoke of time constraints Bob, I was referring to the process of reading letters and then determining which letters would be published if necessary.

The best way to get action is through your Unit President and Region President. Let them know your suggestions. Changes to the Constitution and Bylaws usually come from a member's request.

I report to the board and directly to Intl. President, Jerry Collins.
His email address is jc6960 at aol.com


Thanks
Cindy"

What do you guys think about that?

[Goin camping]

I think letters to the editor is a valid way to express thoughts and ideas that may or may not garner support for the change or retention of practices. A very valuable tool to hear directly from members and leaders. Clearly if an idea is retold through levels of leadership it will change like in the game of "telephone"

To reject it out of hand shows an entrenchment that some consider a problem with the Club.

The free flow of ideas and opinions from bottem up and top down can only be helpfull and would bring us closer together as a Club. Of course we will all never agree on everything but ideas discussed can often reach a common ground.

O.K. off my soapbox.

[bobkelly]

Bob-----No letters is consistent with the overall organization structure. Several layers of management to handle the members and their upward communication efforts. The BB is reserved for the organization to make one way communication downward. Very efficient, very tidy, doesn't waste any time. The method is understood perfectly.

[Goin camping]

Originally Posted by bobkelly

Bob-----No letters is consistent with the overall organization structure. Several layers of management to handle the members and their upward communication efforts. The BB is reserved for the organization to make one way communication downward. Very efficient, very tidy, doesn't waste any time. The method is understood perfectly.

I agree but is it the best way to go?

[moosetags]

No letters, no problems.

[LI Pets]

The funny thing is there isn't much in the way of content in the BB to begin with unless you want to see full page dealer ads?

A bunch of letters would perhaps get people to read it!

[LI Pets]

Originally Posted by moosetags

No letters, no problems.

yeh, Brian it's that old stick your head in the sand.

or

See no evil hear no evil.

Start sending Jerry emails, he needs to know.

[2airishuman]

"tell your president" yadda yadda

first check for a pulse and oxygen level

and another reasons mals are persona non grata.

the bb is basically a rally/caravan announcement ledger...

but member expressions are healthy, so...

rather that letters to the editior,

a "member speak out" column or "the voice of the membership" column could be added...

keep in mind "the member ideas' section from the communication liason wasn't popular with the ibt...

yes someone would need to read/cull and print the member views...

which would take some time. who will volunteer to do it?

as for space, they could put this on the wb' website along with the complete text of the bb....

save paper, STOP PRINTING the bb so often!

cheers
2air'

[LI Pets]

Originally Posted by Goin camping

I think letters to the editor is a valid way to express thoughts and ideas that may or may not garner support for the change or retention of practices. A very valuable tool to hear directly from members and leaders. Clearly if an idea is retold through levels of leadership it will change like in the game of "telephone"

To reject it out of hand shows an entrenchment that some consider a problem with the Club.

SOME, how about a lot of us!

[LI Pets]

Originally Posted by 2airishuman

"tell your president" yadda yadda

first check for a pulse and oxygen level

and another reasons mals are persona non grata.

the bb is basically a rally/caravan announcement ledger...

but member expressions are healthy, so...

rather that letters to the editior,

a "member speak out" column or "the voice of the membership" column could be added...

keep in mind "the member ideas' section from the communication liason wasn't popular with the ibt...

yes someone would need to read/cull and print the member views...

which would take some time. who will volunteer to do it?

as for space, they could put this on the wb' website along with the complete text of the bb....

save paper, STOP PRINTING the bb so often!

cheers
2air'

Don't get ahead of yourself too much ---- use the Internet, they have to speak to Al Gore and ask him.

[ZoominC6]

Very much in keeping with the military structure of the club.

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by 2airishuman

save paper, STOP PRINTING the bb so often!

cheers
2air'

Take this another direction and consider as was also noted, other than a few things most of the content is either future oriented or past reports. With that in mind I bet they could cut back to an every other month format, which would allow more room for expanded content. It obviously would leave more room and time to do a letter to the editor format. Postage costs are probably significant and that alone might easily offset the additional content expense.

Jack

[bobfowler]

Originally Posted by LI Pets

The funny thing is there isn't much in the way of content in the BB to begin with unless you want to see full page dealer ads?

A bunch of letters would perhaps get people to read it!

OK, I've only been a member since this past November, so I haven't got a huge library of BB's, but from what I've seen, you hit the nail on the head. BB is far from tops on my reading list.

[Forrest]

I put this very question to Theda McGrath, Blue Beret Chairman, in person at the Int'l Rally in Salem last summer. She told me that it had been discussed from time to time, but the conclusion is that a letters to the editor section would only be used by those members who complain, and that is not seen as being worthwhile.

Historically though, in looking back at past issues a letters to the editor column was instituted in 1984 under then President Paul Demarest and Executive Secretary Carl Locke. This was also the first year the Blue Beret had color covers. Membership was reported as expanding 30% per year. WBCCI headquarters in Jackson Center was being built. The club was in good shape and undetered in trying and doing new things.

However, within a few years the letters to the editor column was dropped because of "underwhelming" participation. In other words, the Blue Beret just didn't get enough letters to publish. This may seem hard to believe, but The Vintage Advantage, newsletter of the Vintage Airstream Club, has had the same problem this past year. Apparently, Airstreamers simply do not like to complain or praise, just remain quiet and compliant. Of course, that is just my opinion, for what it's worth.

Today, it may well appear that the motive of the Blue Beret staff and Int'l President is to stifle dissent, but they could have avoided such an appearance if they'd kept track of their own history. Instead, they foment criticism by giving the appearance that they are suppressive of new ideas and then wonder why so many club members are mad at them.

Many things suggested by younger members are simply dismissed by the older members with the statement that "this is how we've always done things." Of course that is a condescending attitude that infuriates some of the newer members. A lot could be done to alliviate that by actually knowing the answer to the question.

[yukionna]

Ronald D. Clark of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, wrote, “Consider letters as a barometer of how well (you are) engaging readers or viewers. The more you receive, the more you’re connecting. The fewer you receive, the stronger the sign that you’re putting the masses to sleep.”

[Condoluminum]

I for one am going to consider Jerry's e-mail address a positive alternate channel of communication... I'd encourage others to copy him on particularly powerful posts here or thought-sharing of profound nature... Maybe he really would like to hear from some vocal members and non/former members...

Having communicated with Cindy and reneee on prior occasions, and our unit officers, I feel I meet the "LI Pets Test" for trying to fix things.. I haven't tried communicating with our Int'l President yet, but expect I'll try that as well...

Even if "Letters" don't get published, I suspect the BB is starved enough for content (though THEY enjoy selling monthly full page ads for dealers...) that they might publish content from Forum members on subjects of interest... Might be worth sending along some draft articles to see if they'd expand content...

[LI Pets]

Originally Posted by Condoluminum

I for one am going to consider Jerry's e-mail address a positive alternate channel of communication... I'd encourage others to copy him on particularly powerful posts here or thought-sharing of profound nature... Maybe he really would like to hear from some vocal members and non/former members...

Having communicated with Cindy and reneee on prior occasions, and our unit officers, I feel I meet the "LI Pets Test" for trying to fix things.. I haven't tried communicating with our Int'l President yet, but expect I'll try that as well...

Dynamite that's great anyone else want to try an an email to Jerry,
I already did.



PS:If anyone wants an email address or telephone # for any WBCCI individual, I have 5 pages of them.
I will not post them herein, just PM me.



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