Save Our Judging

[redfred84]

Hi Robin,
Actually, the BOD had nothing to do with the appointment of Steve Dawdy as the Chief Judge. It was the Prez's perogative, and it's his pick. It was offered to a few of us there at the moment; Steve S. , myself, etc..... but we didn't accept. In the heat of the moment, it really appeared that Kevin quit the Chief Judge position when he got up and walked out in the middle of the meeting. It was actually agreed then & there, at the table, by all, when he stormed out. As you know, it was later finalized that late night. The BOD wasn't involved with the Prez's choice, although, they may be asked for comments, and/or opinions.
Steve Dawdy fills some huge boots these days. He got involved in a swarming Hornets nest, none of his own making. He is in an awkward spot, and means well for the good of the club. The bottom line here is, the Good of the Club. The same good you have been fighting for your entire, dedicated career.
I'm not here for a popularity pole, I'm here for the future enjoyment of my machines, which I feel well be soon threatened with the current World affairs. Therefore, I find myself in the middle of quite a few camps, all whom mean well.
In essence, it is not one Judging Committee Member, nor BOD member that has prevailing influence here. Things are taking their course, and we need to all work together on it.
BTW, the only houses we worked on, were those of the owners of huge, international businesses; mansions. Union work is usually commercial, or high rise buildings, not houses. Houses are a whole different ball game.
Lets all meet up at a Road Run!!!!!!!!!!!! RF.

[Robin-M]

Fred,

Congratulations on your 30 year electricians pin. This is exactly what I've been talking about. But I have my 50+ yar pin from the AMA. While you were wiring houses, I've been working on motorcycles.

Fred, I thought I've made myself clear, this is not just personal. Rocky's and the board's decision on the new judging leaders is detrimental to the membership and the AMCA with their lack of qualifications and people skills and common sense.

Fred, maybe you're too close to the board and being a part of it, it's hard to see what's going on. Eventually the truth will come out. "The oxen are slow....but the earth is patient"

Robin

[redfred84]

Control

Eric,

It sounds good what you said, but if you read my earlier posts I will say it again, the control that Steve Slocombe has on the board and with RedFred and with Rocky and it's hard to say who else, doesn't seem to be able to be stopped by the board. You are really correct about the embarrasement. I've spent better than half my life trying to improve the judging system as historically correct as humanly possible. To have so much history being disgraced and erased from a handful of people that forcefully took charge to change the rules because they don't understand how to judge them and they don't feel they're part of motorcycling history. It's disheartening and embarrasing. As long as they're in charge, it will continue to be embarrasing and will discredit the AMCA.

Who are you going to believe and trust, someone that's devoted almost all thier life to motorcycling and understands all the different aspects of what we're dealing with here and how it will affect our club, the membership, motorcycles and motorcycling history OR those that haven't.

Please read the "Hostile Takeover" thread if you haven't already, it explains this in more detail.

The president and the board still have the option to correct this embarrasing situation before it destroys the club.

There's a lot more of our membership that feels the way you do Chris, thanks for stepping forward and sharing your knowledge and common sense.

Robin Markey

I didn't mean to drag the entire quote in here, just the part where you mention control over the BOD, myself, and Rocky, by Steve Slocombe.
I consider myself friends with each party mentioned here, and also the mentioner. (I hope they all still feel this way also?). Anyway, I don't see any control issues with Steve S over myself, or anyone else on the BOD, nor the Judging Committee. I find Steve S. to be very intelligent, out going, and all for the cause. He usually pays his own way to the meets, even when he is eligible for reimbursement. I find Steve S. to very active for our judging and for the Club in general.
It sure seems like way too much personal sensitivity has infected this thread, and it hasn't accomplished anything. We've all had our ideas kicked around, and sometimes squashed while on the Judging Committee. I thought I had some valid ones, but they didn't get voted in. We moved on. We continue to move on. Sure, I don't agree with some of the dicissions that the Judging Committee, and/or the Board has passed, or failed, but I only have one vote, and we move on.
Our current Board is as diverse as it has ever been in it's history. I see no trace of any favoritism, or control by anyone, over anyone else. I'm sure that Kevin would attest to this also. I can assure you that Steve S. nor anyone else has any control over me. Not on the Board, nor on the Judging Committee. I do admire and respect his enthusiasm to improve our Club, and it's Judging, just as I admire Robins, and everyone else involved.
I just received my 30 year pin from the electricians union. 25 of those years were mostly spent running jobs, and crews. We would deal with every walk of life, personality, race, religion, etc....with the crews. Many times we didn't see eye-to-eye, or get along. But if that guy I didn't like was the best pipe bender, then I focused on the job to be done, not if I liked the guy. We had a building to build. I didn't have to like him, just get the job done. Usually, by the next job, after successfully completing the previous, everyone got along.
We have some judging issues to iron out, and we can't be bothered by hurt feelings, and personalities.
UN-Controled ! RF.

[Chris Haynes]

And Chris Haynes, I don't have the words to express the contempt I have for your vile comments.

Coming from you that is a compliment.

[Paps]

Reasoning for a judging disclaimer was brought up once again. I personally could live with one if it was not the machine owner which was targeted. A disclaimer can be a simple statement to the affect the club does not make and warranty, expressed nor implied, to judgment / point accurracy. A machine owner signature would verify the owner read that statement. Simple.....I the undersigned fully understand the AMCA does not warrant our jugment scoring to be completely accurate. Period. Nothing more is needed for legal protection.

[INLINE4NUT]

CHRIS There have been times were you and I have disagreed,But I take my hat off to you for standing up for what is RIGHT!!! And I for one think Mr Slocombe will most likely hear from more than one member on this issue! After all there are still lots of Bikers in the club !

[Robin-M]

Eric,

It sounds good what you said, but if you read my earlier posts I will say it again, the control that Steve Slocombe has on the board and with RedFred and with Rocky and it's hard to say who else, doesn't seem to be able to be stopped by the board. You are really correct about the embarrasement. I've spent better than half my life trying to improve the judging system as historically correct as humanly possible. To have so much history being disgraced and erased from a handful of people that forcefully took charge to change the rules because they don't understand how to judge them and they don't feel they're part of motorcycling history. It's disheartening and embarrasing. As long as they're in charge, it will continue to be embarrasing and will discredit the AMCA.

Who are you going to believe and trust, someone that's devoted almost all thier life to motorcycling and understands all the different aspects of what we're dealing with here and how it will affect our club, the membership, motorcycles and motorcycling history OR those that haven't.

Please read the "Hostile Takeover" thread if you haven't already, it explains this in more detail.

The president and the board still have the option to correct this embarrasing situation before it destroys the club.

There's a lot more of our membership that feels the way you do Chris, thanks for stepping forward and sharing your knowledge and common sense.

Robin Markey

[redfred84]

Very well put Eric.
Thank you. RF.

[exeric]

I know Steve Slocombe to be a tireless worker for the AMCA. . . Just as I have seen the dedication and willing donation of time given by Kevin and Robin. These are good people and great servants of the AMCA.

Let's say this as a rumor, or fabricated story to spare the club any additional liability. The rumor is; the AMCA was sued by a poor sport because his bike did not fare well in judging. Like any litigation in America, anybody can sue anybody for anything. From what we have all seen in newspapers and t.v. many of these bizzare lawsuit end in cash awards or settlements. The AMCA must have been wide open for this because that is the reason for implementing the disclaimer that bike owners have to sign to participate in judging. . . . If you know who the poor sport is, you can blame him. The other insignifigant rule changes are there to protect the AMCA from future poor sports. It's a pity that a hobby oriented club has to have lawyers and formal disclaimers to have a simple bike show, but here we are. That's life in America these days.

This conflict in the judging arena is embarrassing, and bad for the AMCA and should not be allowed to poison the membership any longer. Steve, Robin, and Kevin are good people that have helped a lot of us with our bikes. I think the BOD needs to have a summit meeting with all involved and get this dirty thing solved.

And Chris Haynes, I don't have the words to express the contempt I have for your vile comments.

[speedracer]

Steve Slocombe
I have remained silent during all this garbage, but now it is time as you have again mentioned my name in your posting.
“Perhaps I can say a few words about my take on judging developments, as you have again mentioned my name in your posting.”

“First the Judging Committee is the same one you and Kevin worked with, with the addition of me. All the important issues go to a vote, and I'm just one among ten.”
The judging committee Robin and I worked with is not the one you are talking about.The one you refer to is the one you started in October without presidential or board approval and when the president took this new committee over in November you hand picked at least 5 of the members. I received an email from the president stating “join in or I will replace you” this was followed up with an email to Robin stating “if Kevin does not join in you will be the first one I come to”

"The placards, Tee shirts, and protests through shills are unbecoming to someone of your skills and knowledge."
The Tee shirts that seem to bother you so much, are a tribute to 911, there are many Americans still upset about that attack on our soil. I for one will continue to wear and display items to remember this.
As for protests through shills, neither Robin nor I have asked any member to
A: not have their bike judged
B: not to help with judging
C: talk to board members about their displeasure about these latest events.

The membership is just plain tired of all this and that is why one member started the petition asking for open elections of the board. Many members stated to me “none of this would have happened if we had open elections”

Steve S.
I saw your reply to this post. nice try, but you seem to have not answered the major points of it. like why did you feel the need to form a new committee? why were the two people that have done the most for the judging replaced? and the part that hit me the hardest, why such a big change in the rules without notifying the members? this really hurt me because I have bikes with race history, but they cannot be judged anymore because the original racer made modifications to be more competitive

[Chris Haynes]

I do fell that Steve S. is getting slammed a bit hard on this thread un-justly. He is the only board member actively participating in these threads. Lets not beat him up too baddly for being the one that wants to at talk with us about the issues.

I think if you look carefully at this issue you will see where Steve Slocombe is to one who started all this BS. This man is influencing Rocky. It was Steve who took it upon himself to restructure our time proven judging system to fit his own wants and needs.
I would hate to find myself in his shoes. Imagine walking around at a meet not knowing exactly when and where some disgruntled member will have a serious heart to heart talk with him.

[joestuff]

Presently here in the states, two parties rule the people. The peoples so called representation is cemented in to two party mindsets. What the party wants, the party gets.

Agreed to be the problem in the US presently.

As for the AMCA, the reason organizations push for more openness and transparency is to avoid disputes about the motivations for changes, and to assure that the entire organization understands the meanings of changes.

That is where the whole judging thing got mess up, IMHO, in that there was not majority agreement that a problem existed(from members at large, not the board), that the rules where changed abruptly without due notification, and the members question the motivations of the changes. Arguably, if the members knew what the board knew, they would have made the same decisions.

I do fell that Steve S. is getting slammed a bit hard on this thread un-justly. He is the only board member actively participating in these threads. Lets not beat him up too baddly for being the one that wants to at talk with us about the issues.

[Paps]

Dear Kevin, thanks for your reassurance on the question about protests.

Dear Tommo, no Director has been removed from the Board recently. I'm working to improve communication in our Club, but usually speak for myself rather than the whole Board. I've tried to answer questions about 'Your AMCA Board' under the Parking Lot Chatter section on this Website. A financial statement is being printed in the next Club magazine, and each Chapter has had a named Director as contact point for the last year or so. The Board has also produced a summary briefing note within a few days of each Board meeting for the last year. Change is slow in any 50 year old organisation with 10,000+ members, but your Board will listen to suggestions for further improvements. These will carry more weight if coming through a Chapter, so I recommend everyone join one, or try to form a new one if there is not a Chapter close to you. Best regards.

See....that is the problem we face here in the states. It wasn't like this a century ago. Each individual voted his / her choices, be it the representative or issue. What has put a damper on our system is exactly what you suggest, which is basically join a party to sway positions and issues. Not wishing to refer back to politics, I see I have no choice but to, in order to elaborate on your comment. Presently here in the states, two parties rule the people. The peoples so called representation is cemented in to two party mindsets. What the party wants, the party gets. Participation by a local chapter should be only to collect and gather individual votes, not chapter votes.

[Paps]

Paps, I digress, but I will comment. Democracy is the art of living on a slippery slope, and only leads in a particular direction when moderates stop fighting the extremes. Our system has been subverted by party(BOTH) and cooperate interests because WE let it. In a Democracy, it's OUR fault. At present I have no comment on how this statement is related to the AMCA.

There is a US Army handbook printed around 1911. The definition of both forms are in it. I wish I could remember the actual mil spec number on the handbook. It was issued out to all enlistees upon entering the Army. I didn't wish to place politics into the thread. I just wanted to make a correction. "quote" I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States Of America and to the "Republic" [ not democracy ] for which it stands, one Nation...etc.., etc..

[INLINE4NUT]

We are seeing OUR Democarcy working here dont slice hairs ! Tommo "we the people" of the AMCA WILL prevail! One man can not and will not take over the CLUB unless "WE" allow it ! IM betting on whats RIGHT will win out !! I myself would like to hear from someone other than Mr Slocombe explain why two very hard working members were forced to take the stand they have to,why they should have to defend themselves here every other day! Mr President my views of you are changing FAST!!! If a petetion does circulate please make sure we all get to sign it !