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 It's
pretty
hard to stop a tank unless you have heavy artillery and then you’ve
destroyed the machine. It might take a little longer to redirect its gun
turrent at the enemy but in the long run, it might be wiser and with
good leadership, possible.
From
a barrage of mail, we excerpted from the following LTE because
it so perfectly represented the mood of the people.
“Is
there anything breeders can do to put pressure on AKC to do the
right thing? Frankly, UKC is looking better and better! Kiesha
Crawmer Kismet Whippets and IGs.”
Some
already have answers because they are leaders – or like Keisha,
are about to become one. So what can you do? The
first thing is to protect your friends
who haven’t yet seen the tank or who still think it isn't bearing down on us.
Sure, it's human nature to avoid the unpleasant but there are times when we need to be jolted
out of complacency.
The first step out of the tank’s path is forward! Speak
out. If what you say makes sense, if the truth of it can’t be
denied, you then have two people who are no longer blinded by
apathy. Discussion brings forth ideas
and helps clarify murky things, even something as hard to see as a
tank!
It doesn’t matter who you are in this sport, it is what you are
to others. Put aside your years of obedience training. The judges have long been subjugated
by AKC but they are suddenly refusing to roll over. Okay, so there will
always be weaklings who, like an abused dog, crawls back to the
foot that kicked it. The point of this analogy is that people remember and unlike a
faithful dog, are not so forgiving...
A hypocritical
pat on the head doesn't make us forget having been
kicked and that is where we are today. We need leadership. Whether individually
deserving or not, judges are leaders. Breeder, owner-handler or
pro-handler; we are taught from day one that judges are
leaders. We are expected to accept their decisions without
bristling. We seek out and pay for their knowledge. So we are watching and
waiting to see what our leaders will do about that tank.
And it's a funny thing, canine or human, when leaders know they are
being observed, they stand taller and from that,
others gather strength.
Corny analogy? Maybe not. Nature is Truth. One has
only to observe. It has been so since man first stood upright,
looked around, and chose a leader. We expect them to protect us
from the enemy. We sure don’t expect them to abandon us and
become the enemy! So when we feel surrounded and
outnumbered (by commercial breeders, legislators and humaniacs)
we demand leaders with unquestionable loyalty. Interpret that
as judges or AKC, whichever suits you.
We are after all, HUMAN. Reasoning, thinking, observant
beings. When any leader sells us out to the enemy, forget
the analogies - we are gonna get ourselves a BIGGER tank. We
will take aim. Start firing. So Kiesha, thanks to you and a
good cuppa coffee, we have written the editorial. It may not be
what everyone wants to hear and some will disagree, but thanks
for asking J
Barbara J.
Andrews
Managing Editor
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