Please Consider Joining The AFC

[Ducksanddogs]

Uh, I joined both and don't really care about all of your petty disagreements. Both clubs try to do good things for the sport and uphold a tradition. Sounds to me like too many feelings are hurt.

This is like when a candidate from party A wins an election because party B nominated someone and had a pissed off person go on campaigning as a write-in and divide party B's votes to a point where party A wins. We're all falconers, we're all people, at the end of the day we want to be able to trap/buy and fly birds. Why so much bickering. I've seen kids go to timeout for arguing like this...

[Captain Gizmo]

Uh, I joined both and don't really care about all of your petty disagreements. Both clubs try to do good things for the sport and uphold a tradition. Sounds to me like too many feelings are hurt.

This is like when a candidate from party A wins an election because party B nominated someone and had a pissed off person go on campaigning as a write-in and divide party B's votes to a point where party A wins. We're all falconers, we're all people, at the end of the day we want to be able to trap/buy and fly birds. Why so much bickering. I've seen kids go to timeout for arguing like this...

By all means let us squabble privately where we disagree, but for the sake of the sport let us show a united front to the public and to the regulatory agencies where we can agree (or even where we can just meet at a compromise in the name of appearing to show a united front).

[rkumetz]

By all means let us squabble privately where we disagree, but for the sake of the sport let us show a united front to the public and to the regulatory agencies where we can agree (or even where we can just meet at a compromise in the name of appearing to show a united front).

Well said.

[rkumetz]

By all means let us squabble privately where we disagree, but for the sake of the sport let us show a united front to the public and to the regulatory agencies where we can agree (or even where we can just meet at a compromise in the name of appearing to show a united front).

I decided to add to this a bit. Falconers constitute such a minimal amount of votes that politicians pretty much l laugh us off like spilled water in an expensive restaurant. There are so few of us that we are not really an effective lobbying force against animal rights groups even when we DO stick together so the reality is that we had better stick together or risk being singled out like the one lame gazelle in the herd.

I am a member of both NAFA and AFC. To be honest their political agendas are a bit different and I have some issues with BOTH when
their priority list doesn't match my own. On the other hand I get
even more frustrated with falconers who decide they are not going to
support either (or both...) because their agendas don't precisely match their own or because they are not currently addressing something that is
important to that individual.

Guess what folks, ever hear that saying about throwing the baby out with the bath water? I am not fond of the antiquated NAFA structure where the president is not elected by the members but by the board. That seems to me a bit like an extension of the old boy network and reminiscent of tweed clad falconers with pipes and glasses of single malt scotch deciding who is is practicing falconry up to standard. That old school crap was elitism and I am not fond of it. Now having said my piece, I am not going to effect any change from outside so I pay my dues, participate as much as I can and when I step back and look closely I can see that things HAVE changed for the better. Things are generally moving in a positive direction even if not at a speed that I am totally happy with.

So if you want to snipe over some beers when you are with your falconry buddies go for it. When it comes time to sit down with legislators and law enforcement I suggest that everyone show up willing to avoid giving any
sense that he falconry community is in any way divided.

[Ducksanddogs]

I decided to add to this a bit. Falconers constitute such a minimal amount of votes that politicians pretty much l laugh us off like spilled water in an expensive restaurant. There are so few of us that we are not really an effective lobbying force against animal rights groups even when we DO stick together so the reality is that we had better stick together or risk being singled out like the one lame gazelle in the herd.

I am a member of both NAFA and AFC. To be honest their political agendas are a bit different and I have some issues with BOTH when
their priority list doesn't match my own. On the other hand I get
even more frustrated with falconers who decide they are not going to
support either (or both...) because their agendas don't precisely match their own or because they are not currently addressing something that is
important to that individual.

Guess what folks, ever hear that saying about throwing the baby out with the bath water? I am not fond of the antiquated NAFA structure where the president is not elected by the members but by the board. That seems to me a bit like an extension of the old boy network and reminiscent of tweed clad falconers with pipes and glasses of single malt scotch deciding who is is practicing falconry up to standard. That old school crap was elitism and I am not fond of it. Now having said my piece, I am not going to effect any change from outside so I pay my dues, participate as much as I can and when I step back and look closely I can see that things HAVE changed for the better. Things are generally moving in a positive direction even if not at a speed that I am totally happy with.

So if you want to snipe over some beers when you are with your falconry buddies go for it. When it comes time to sit down with legislators and law enforcement I suggest that everyone show up willing to avoid giving any
sense that he falconry community is in any way divided.

That's pretty much what I was trying to say 8 months ago!

[dboyrollz76]

I don't know any of the people in nafa or the afc. But from what I read and hear there has been a lot of division among the two.
But the thing I hate the most is how the knowledge and power used and possess by some is directeted at personal gain and protection of their values. Not for falconry.
Hate me if you want, dont really care. Most do!
But y'all better hope I don't get a half million dollars to give to Horn. Cuz I'll leave a bad taste in a bunch of folks mouth.

[rkumetz]

I don't know any of the people in nafa or the afc. But from what I read and hear there has been a lot of division among the two.
But the thing I hate the most is how the knowledge and power used and possess by some is directeted at personal gain and protection of their values. Not for falconry.
Hate me if you want, dontreally

Derek,
The most important thing that we as falconers must do is to not take the word of a vocal minority who are bitter, disgruntled and unwilling to compromise for their (our) own good. Divisive politics is bad across the board. Just look at the current presidential race and imagine that falconers look a bit like the republican debate when we talk to USFWS and state officials. Not that the democrats are any better but since falconers all have their own opinion the plethora of disagreeing parties among falconers is in the current example more like the republicans. (BTW this is just an example, not a political statement of any kind)

If you don't participate in the organizations that step forward to represent falconry then you are just like people who don't bother to vote because their perfect candidate is not running. At least if you participate you can try to influence the direction that those organizations are going.

[rkumetz]

That's pretty much what I was trying to say 8 months ago!

Yes but I have aspergers so I am not afraid of offending people.

[dboyrollz76]

Yes but I have aspergers so I am not afraid of offending people.

Need more people to speak their minds, instead of kissing the donkeys rear. Or just going along with others to gain notearity among their alleged piers or to prevent being a outcast because of their opinion.
I for one, will always speak my mind. If some one dislikes me after words.
I found falconry, it's like I found my life.
I will stand and defend my right and the rights of others to practice the art.

[Captain Gizmo]

Whether it is nobler in the mind to speak your truth boldly and fail to advance your cause, or to speak part of your truth softly and gain a step toward your goal, that is the question!

Thomas of the Desert, 2016 A.D.

[rkumetz]

Need more people to speak their minds, instead of kissing the donkeys rear. Or just going along with others to gain notearity among their alleged piers or to prevent being a outcast because of their opinion.
I for one, will always speak my mind. If some one dislikes me after words.
I found falconry, it's like I found my life.
I will stand and defend my right and the rights of others to practice the art.

Speaking your mind is good when you are within falconry circles but outside our circles exercising some good judgement about when saying what is on your mind is prudent and when not so is a good idea.

Look at the mess we have in congress. We basically have 2 opposing gangs who spend all of their time wagging the dog to show their constituency that they are defending their interests (whether real or perceived). What they neglect to mention is that by digging in their heels and failing to make any sort of compromises they also get little if anything done.

The only way that a democracy can function properly is if everyone is willing to compromise here and there so that everyone gets at least some of what they want. That requires us to LISTEN as well as speak our minds.

[dboyrollz76]

I don't really think it's about who's better or has better opinions. I think it's because there one blueberry Lollie pop left and there fightin over who gets it.