[TheForge] Re:G. Dixon, Tim Ryan, and 7 Chapters

Sun Jul 7 17:05:01 2002

I'm going under the knife tomorrow, so I really shouldn't be worrying about
this issue, but I'd just like to point out that over the years I've learned
to judge people and institutions by their actions not their words.
The ABANA board needs to conduct their official business in  sunshine, not
in secrecy.
Tim Ryan has made more money for ABANA than anyone else, In his function as
the best Auctioneer in ABANA's history.
The board went to great length's to illegally dump him from the board when
he tried to object to some of their questionable  decisions.
George Dixon has also made many major contributions, including helping to
host the outstanding ABANA, Ashville conference and sharing his extensive
technical expertise as  Rob Rackers has listed below.
The summary expulsion of the 7 Southern Chapters ( now associates) by the
ABANA board without a vote by the full ABANA membership has also left a
bitter taste in many ABANA members mouth's.
As the dead bodies accumulate in the closet, they don't tend to smell
sweeter by ignoring them.
Chuck

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Rackers" <[email protected]>
To: "TheForge" <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, July 07, 2002 12:58 PM
Subject: [TheForge] ABANA and George Dixon

> I'm taking a short break from watching tapes of George Dixon when he
> demonstrated at the Quad State Roundup (Troy, Ohio) a few years ago.
> My first Quad State was the following year, so I didn't have the
opportunity to
> watch his demonstration.
>
> So I'm sitting here watching, and it dawns on me that in the last few
hours,
> George has taken my blacksmithing has just been taken to a completely new
> level.
> The amount of understanding of the tools and how the metal reacts to the
tools
> George possesses is probably only matched by how well he explains
everything
> he's doing. I've also just realized watching these tapes that George Dixon
> epitomizes the very reason ABANA was ever created.
> I can honestly say without reservation that I'm not the same person I was
just
> prior to watching these tapes.
> So I find it ironic when I just realized that, from my perspective, George
> Dixon is not ABANA.
>
> He just appears to be everything good about ABANA, and I can understand
why
> these negative side issues with the organization are so important to him.
> I gather it's because they detract so much from something George probably
holds
> more dear than anyone else, member or not.
> Which explains why (and how) he can tolerate the continual slings and
arrows
> heading his way.
>
> So if someone is of the mind to ask George to sit down and be quiet,
consider
> for a moment that if you love ABANA for the reasons it was originally
formed,
> then George Dixon is probably the best friend the real ABANA has got. I
gather,
> however, that's a big "if" for a lot of people.
>
> It's funny, in a sad way, how so often the more one really cares about
> something, the more sh_t they have to tolerate from those who SAY they
care,
> but don't (or don't as much).
> Or they do care, but only to the point when it starts to get a little
> uncomfortable. At that point most people bail.
> Usually what happens is a single person, or at most a very select few, can
> handle the heat, and only for the simple reason that their passion leaves
them
> no choice.
> People have been asking me all week, with temperatures and humidities in
the
> 90's, how I can stand being next to a hot fire.
> Frankly, it's pretty easy. My passion for blacksmithing overwhelms any
> discomfort I may have to tolerate. It isn't really a choice for me.
> I can tell you (from my own personal experiences) that the day George
stops
> asking pertinent questions is the day George no longer cares about ABANA
> whatsoever.
> ABANA won't be better off without George Dixon. ABANA would be better off
if it
> were full of George Dixons.
>
> So I have no problem sticking my neck out and saying "Thanks, George, for
what
> you've just done for me and my blacksmithing."
> George has already done more for me in these past few hours than I could
ever
> hope to get from ABANA in a lifetime.
>
> The real irony is the fact that should I ever decide to join ABANA, it
will be
> BECAUSE of George Dixon (and those cut from the same cloth), and not in
spite
> of him.
>
> Thanks, George. You rock.
>
> Bob
>
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