My Final Thoughts on USA By-law Change - Page 1

This was posted yesterday on the other forum:    One competitor who was tirading about the amendment passing REFUSED to pull, when it was suggested that he do so, if he felt that strongly.

Those of you that vote no to this by-law change and stay are fools, those of you that didn't vote are worst then them. The leadership of USA knew that most people in this organization would be self serving, they knew that most of the people talking SHIT against the by-law change  was only doing just that. I don't blame the leadership as much as I blame the members for this change. They are laughing at the people that voted no and stayed. "Everybody have principle until it cost them something"

People that stayed and showed their dogs after voting no I guess the cost was to high to pull?  People that voted no and stay in the organization I guess giving up 300 trials a year of which you might show in 1% or less is to much to give up so you gave up your principles first.  Well Shame on you!

I understand this is about the power of numbers and that USA leadership feel that if they have the numbers that will have the power at the WUSV. Wrong!!  The real number is 1. The GSDCA and the GSDCA-WDA will not go away if they lose a 1000 members because of that number. That number is the reason why the SV will continue to send judges to the GSDCA-WDA. Without mentioning names that 1 sits on the board of the WUSV and is part of the organizations USA is afraid of.

Those of you that voted "NO" and competed or stay in the United Schutzhund Club of America according to the statement above that was posted on the USA site,  you are being laughed at!  How do it feel?

Wallace Payne

Wallace,  you are correct,  I tried my best,  called and wrote letters,  have been a member for over 15 years,  I am leaving USA sch.  personally I think most of our objections were simply swept under the rug.  We are a WDA club, BUT, living in Kansas most of the shows we have fairly close to us are USA shows,  Have some really nice Gucci Grand kids we were going to take to a show only 3 hours from us,  this would have been their first time out,  including my Gucci son Kaluv,  now, of course, that is out...I am still in shock that this ridiculous "thing" passed,  Many of is tried our best, to no avail...and I am angry about it...Guess we will just have to have a show - trial at our place...You did all you could to encourage all of us to do our part,  we did, at least the people I know did, but some how all of our efforts were just somehow dismissed...How arrogant of the USA Sch. Org.  Thank You for your efforts,  Lida

Wallace,
I agree with everything you said except for "Everybody has principles until it costs them something".
This vote did cost every member, every dog, and the entire organization.
It will be hard to watch the fall-out from this vote.

A couple of cliches come to mind.
From a club member:  "No Good Deed Goes Unpunised"  and my all time favorite ...  " You Can't Fix Stupid"

"The level of tyranny you live under, equals exactly how much you will tolerate."

Would like to know names and postion/title of people who voted this in. Also when or if they come up for election?

I am sure Joann Letcher could answer that.

Wallace you are 110% right. Just like every other sport out there, politics grabs it by the horns and greed sets in and the next things you know poof all gone, problem fixed. Its pathetic as all get out and sad to. Cheers

Very well said. -

Wallace, to say that you are just a very well-respected dog trainer and Schutzhund participant is a great understatement. Your success, sportsmanship, and stewardship speaks volumes of your dedication to the GSD and to the Schutzhund world. I agree with the spirit of your statements. Those who think this By-Law change is a bad thing do not need to be cowards - they need to show their courage and honour by choosing to not renew their membership.

While I still cannot digest 100% the full intentions of why the executive board made these changes I can certainly make my own direction here. I looked last night at my account with U.S.c.A. and my membership is due for renewal during January 2010. Guess what? Ing. Robert Forbus, U.S.c.A. member 00011288 will not renew his membership.

This is not an easy decision as I have been a member of U.S.c.A. for a very long time. But it is a decision that for me is 100% correct. The club is leaving me - just as the "leadership" has left many other people from the fruits of their spiteful egos. So they now want to do their own thing their own way? Well, they are certainly free to do just that. As a member-at-large I had absolutely no say in this decision, but of course that is now a moot point.

But this does allow me to do something that in the past required me to be careful and diplomatic. I can now make a very strong public criticism of U.S.c.A. the next time they recognize displays of soft bitework as "pronounced courage" and the next time they protect a member whose unsportsmanlike and unprofessional shenanigans are publicized for all to see.

It is not my wish to see U.S.c.A. fold, hence, it is not an easy decision to choose to not renew my membership. I know that U.S.c.A. struggled financially several times over the years but was able to survive. But the only thing that speaks in this game is money - the money from membership dues and national events.

And remember folks, U.S.c.A. is not the only game in town and really never has been. The D.V.G. has existed for many decades and the G.S.D.C.A.-W.D.A. has made strong gains during the last several years. I know that we all have problems with the A.K.C.'s interpretation of the GSD, but the latter organization is more closely connected to A.K.C. than U.S.c.A. could ever be. And if change occurs it will start with the G.S.D.C.A.-W.D.A. and filter through the G.S.D.C.A. to the A.K.C.

Maybe all of this makes an inevitiable outcome appear sooner than expected - the survival and emergence of but one (1) GSD working dog group who can maintain connections with the S.V. and promote changes within the A.K.C..

I equate this to a career interruption I incurred three (3) years ago. While it was not devastating, in a sense it did make a major interruption in my life. It took a lot of time and a lot of effort, but I am now doing better than I would be had I been allowed to stay at that organization. I am still tempted to write a certain V.P. a letter to thank him for his shortsightedness that ended a 26-year career, as I have been more successful because of it. So perhaps in a similar way we may someday thank the current members of the U.S.c.A. board for their recent decisions. Perhaps someday....

Best Regards,
Bob-O