JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum Important Open Discussion for 2006 and Beyond: Please Chime In!

I guess for me we're well aware of what problems the chapters face. But without actual people getting directly involved to help improve the situation, simply re-identifying the problems doesn't move anything forward. I welcome ideas even from folks who don't participate, but unless you're actively involved, simply adding more criticism to those who are trying at least isn't positive in my mind.

What we really need are folks who have good ideas and some ability or intent to help make those ideas a reality.

As for you feeling marginalized, I am sorry you feel that way, as that was not my intent. If you felt bad about my comments, then imagine how a coordinator who has volunteered and worked for years to keep a chapter together might feel reading criticisms from someone who hasn't even attended a first meeting?

If anyone wants to blame someone for the lack of success at a chapter, the coordinator is the last person to blame. Feel free to blame me first and foremost. Also feel free to blame the active and inactive members in the area who are dissatisfied for not working to improve the situation. But I really don't put any blame on the few hardy coordinators who at least are giving it a shot.

It's not like we have 20 other people begging to take over any given chapter. In every city we have a chapter, that's the ONLY person who offered to do it. They just don't deserve blame or criticism for the job they are doing until folks who are trying to help fix things are turned away which simply hasn't happened anywhere that I am aware of.

Criticism needs to be backed with plans and action to be meaningful. There's plenty to be unhappy about with the chapters. No one is more unhappy about it than me. That's the entire reason we're having this discussion and trying to find some new approaches that will appeal to local members, serve to bring them together at least a few times a year, and also help the entire global artist community by becoming more proactive and working to have the voices of the little guys heard at the big table. So, if you have a criticism of someone elses failure, lets have a solution to go with it and some willingness to help make that solution a reality. THEN we'll get a lot of positive things done. If you want to say "what if we did.. (fill in the blank)" that's great as well. At least that doesn't place or imply blame on someone else for that thing not already happening.

Brian