[QCWA] re to Quarter Century or Not

[Phil Temples]

Okay, I'll bite.

First of all, let me state that I'm keeping an open mind with respect to 
the idea of change. Right now I'm neither "for" nor "ag'in it."  I _am_ 
amused, however, by the sentiment expressed by many on the reflector who 
are opposed to dropping the 25-year requirement because they are hung up 
on what I'll call "the name thing."

They say, "Our name is the Quarter Century Wireless Association. It's 
what defines us. To change the requirement would challenge the whole 
concept of who and what we are."

Maybe that's not such a bad idea.

What's in a name? For example, NARAL first started in 1968 as the 
National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws. Obviously, we 
don't have abortion laws today. NARAL means something else now. The 
NAACP doesn't actually refer to its members as "colored people" anymore. 
And how about the ARRL? They started in 1914 to promote the relaying of 
message traffic. What is our National Association for Amateur Radio's 
mission today?

Should the QCWA exist solely as a concept to promote length of tenure in 
our hobby service? Or, should it stand for something else? Perhaps, 
something bigger, more important?

73,

Phil, K9HI


-- 
Phil Temples <phil at temples.com>