A topic being discussed on the CWOps e-mail reflector is about two letters to the editor in the May issue of QST. I won't re-print them here. If you get QST, they are to be found on page 24 and the header is "Proud to be a No-Code Extra". These are in response to another letter to the editor in the April edition of QST bemoaning the fact that the Extra license "is not what it used to be" now that the code requirement is gone (in essence - not the exact words).
The authors of the May letters are steamed by the concept that they are some how inferior because they did not pass the 20 WPM Morse Code test that used to be required to earn Amateur Extra.
I guess they have a point; but as usual - both sides of the arguement have their merit.
Perhaps what we need to do is just get over with labeling everything! It seems all human beings (not just Hams) love to do that - label, compartmentalize, file and designate. The problem is, as human beings, we rarely fit neatly into any one compartment.
Black, white, Asian, Hispanic, liberal, conservative, Republican, Democrat, gay, straight, Extra, General, Technician, and on an on and on and on until it makes your head swim. And don't let's get started on the nationalities or religions - too many to begin even thinking about listing here for the purposes of this discussion.
I think one of the worse trends that has ever happened in the last few years is all this "celebration of diversity". Seriously. We have come to the point where we concentrate too much on what makes us different instead of how so many of us are so much the same. Don't get me wrong, I don't meant that we should ignore our differences - we should not all become just some amorphous, giant blob of humanity. We should be proud of our races, nationalities, creeds - but not to the point where they become exclusionary. We need to look at each other, as well ....... people.
Whether you're white, black, brown, red, yellow, or purple - whether you're a man or woman, whether you're Polish, Italian, Kenyan, Afghanistani or whatever - we all have the same needs and dreams. We want roofs over our heads, food on our tables, and we want our kids to have a better life than we've had. We want to be loved.
Once we realize that despite our apparent differences, that we're all basically the same - maybe then we'll truly have peace some day. Pie in the sky? Maybe.
Sorry - I didn't mean to get all "Kumbaya" on you; but some times I get really tired of what are basically, silly arguments that in the end, don't amount to a hill of beans.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
You've touched on something that strikes me as a little bit contrived Larry - the conscious effort to celebrate diversity. I'm reminded of the couple who showed me a room in their house I was thinking of renting once. They were very proud of the fact that they lived in a "diverse" neighborhood (for which read "newly gentrified"). They had neighbors and friends that were black, white, Hispanic, straight and gay, and made sure to point that out to me. Actually, as I think you mention in your post, this kind of variety is interesting, but in consciously focusing on the labels, people somehow miss the basic humanity we all share.
ReplyDeleteThere are 2 words that have become so overused, they're almost guaranteed to get me just ever so slightly worked up. One of them is the word "diverse", and the other (completely unrelated) is the use of the word "vibrant" to describe a community!
Dave
AA7EE