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 t takes a big person to eat "humble pie," confess momentary exercise of poor judgment, reveal personal matters, and then get back on the horse and continue leading the charge. It is a testament to such a person's sincerity and ability, that in such an instance, those whom the person has entrusted as aides and officers, remain loyal to the person, and committed to the cause.
Such is the case with the impending recall election concerning Oregon's ARRL Section Manager, Marsh Johnson, KK7CW. The out-come of that election will
determine whether we, as amateurs devoted to serving our communities and country, are able to ride the inevitable, periodic waves of turmoil resolutely, or whether we shall rather be satisfied to wallow in division, internal conflict, and ultimately, ineffectiveness as the lifeline to our fellow citizens.
Rarely has the faithful return of a ballot meant so much. The Oregon Section administration is only months old. An extremely close election, with two highly respected and qualified candidates,
determined the victor in the SM race. With amazing speed, following consultation with amateurs throughout the state, Marsh Johnson assembled a "cabinet" of dedicated volunteers, in order to remedy several matters afflicting the Oregon ARRL Field organization, and to improve the quality of service to Oregon ARRL members.
As this opinion piece is being read, the Oregon Section cabinet is going about its work. In merely one example, Section Emergency Manager Wayne Jack, KK7TT, is tackling the gaps in our packet
network, striving to assemble a state-wide database of ARES members and their individual and
equipment capabilities, shoring up relations with emergency management officials at the state and local levels, reviewing a substantial backlog of ARRL station appointment applications awaiting action for years in some cases, and all the while executing the relentless, routine duties of his important position. Not the least of these has been recruiting and appointing ARES Emergency Coordinators in the far-flung hinterlands of our state which lack them.
For the first time, an active Public Information Officer is regularly chronicling and archiving news media stories about Oregon amateurs and ham clubs, issuing press releases, and formulating a plan to identify and reach out to Novice licensees nearing expiration, so that they might be connected up with clubs such as PARC that will involve them in activities, and help them upgrade.
A Training Coordinator is pulling double duty as Section Convention Coordinator, serving as a single point of contact for any amateur or ham group seeking training information in any area related to our hobby, and planning for Oregon's first Section Convention.
This is but a small sampling of the many volunteers who accepted Marsh Johnson's challenge to not be satisfied with the status quo, but rather to do better. Should this young, but determined effort to increase the stature of our Section, to promote community awareness of our hobby, and to make our service more effective in public service, be cast asunder so early in its existence? Should we jettison an administration that has remained dedicated to those altruistic goals notwithstanding the distraction of a recall effort? In these times of global and domestic intrigue, can we afford to scramble the infra-structure of our Section field organization for the second time in mere months?
In answering that question, consider the genesis of the recall effort. It boils down to one person having a bad day. It stems from a human being behaving as a mere mortal. It sprang from people taking offense at a kind of temporary directness and assertiveness in which the merits of the words were lost in their presentation. Increasing numbers of those who initially signed the recall petition, now publicly state they will vote NO. Why the change of heart? Perhaps because they, too, are mere mortals, mortals impressed by the widely disseminated apology issued by Marsh Johnson not for what he had to say on one day, but for the manner in which he said it.
t is time to put this matter to rest, and to move forward with the rejuvenation of Oregon Section. It takes a big person to continue leading that charge under these circumstances. Marsh Johnson has demonstrated, through his character, that he is such a person. Whether he retains the opportunity to pursue the vision of a vibrant Oregon amateur community, depends not so much on who votes, but rather upon who tosses the ballot into the kitchen trash. That choice is yours, and yours alone.
-WA7VTD
Editor's Note: Ballots for the recall election are due at ARRL Headquarters by Friday, June 20. This commentary reached our location about the time of the May issue's being sent for reproduction and distribution.
The opinions expressed here are those of the author, and not necessarily of the club or its officers.
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