[Ares-races] ARRL & Democratic Convention...

[pearl at commcor.com]

Ordinarily I stand on the sidelines and watch this list fly by.  It is 
usually a good and valuable forum for information pertinent to the 
ARES/RACES community.  I have personally picked up many tidbits from it 
over the years.  I hope in the future it continues to maintain a high 
standard of usefulness for the whole of the ARES/RACES community.

I, for one, read absolutely NOTHING politically motivated in the ARRL 
press release regarding emergency communications preparedness in 
anticipation of the Democratic National Convention.  As someone who has no 
chip on my shoulder either way with regard to Democrats or Republicans I 
can say that all I read was a routine, run-of-the-mill, press release 
trying to drum up recognition for Amateur Radio as an adjunct arm of 
effective emergency communications support.

I know a thing or two about press releases.  I work for a public relations 
firm here in the Philadelphia area.

If the ARRL were one of our clients I would have urged them to issue just 
such a press release.  I would urge them to do the same thing yet again in 
anticipation of the Republican Convention.  You see, those of us who are 
responsible for publicity for ARES/RACES know that there is a cardinal 
rule in our particular line of volunteer service... 

When you are providing communications support for a large scale event, 
"get the word out."

The ARRL simply "got the word out."

There are very few areas of service left in this country that truly 
transcend the harsh polarization of political beliefs that have overtaken 
us as a citizenry.  We in Amateur Radio need to be mature enough to shelve 
our politics, our rhetoric, and our heightened sensitivity to opposing 
beliefs when it comes time to serve our fellow citizens in a time of 
potential crisis.

Put plainly, we needed to take less offense over what was, in the end, a 
guileless effort to "get the word out."

The ARRL announced, using a "press release", that Amateur Radio was doing 
its part in the war on terror.  The ARRL didn't "endorse" the Democratic 
party OR its ideals.  It simply let the world know that we as Amateur 
Radio Operators we are standing at the ready to do our part should 
sinister elements take aim at a very public event located in one of our 
country's most historically significant cities. 

Just as I am sure there would be Republican ARES/RACES operators who would 
serve selflessly if something happened in Boston, I am equally certain 
there will be Democrat ARES/RACES operators who would serve equally 
selflessly if something happened in New York during the Republican 
convention.  Come to think of it, I am quite certain people from both 
parties served side by side, in harms way, on 9/11 and in the following 
weeks.

So for those who saw some sinister political agenda hidden between the 
lines of the ARRL's press release I have just one suggestion...

"Lighten up."

Steve, N3LJZ
n3ljz at arrl.net