Please, this kind of dialogue does not boost the issue at hand. To simply say that you were treated great by a business that feels that they may have an opportunity to sell you an expensive item by “stroking you” and you fell for it is an insult to your intelligence. I could explain this in the context of my political career, but I will spare you the details. Lets just say that if your feel your were treated special due your being a “life” member of the Parker Collectors Association, and not an “annual member” of the Parkers Association, or just "Joe American off the street" then you were had. Allen, you are smarter that than that. Pure and simple. I am not saying that being a life member is not nice, but we do not need to set up a class struggle between life and annual members. This serves no purpose. All members should feel that they are contributing to the cause of collecting and appreciating the Parker Guns.

Steve, all I merely said to the gentleman at Purdeys was that I was a member of the PGCA, that I collected and shot the American Parker. I do not feel there is a class struggle within the PGCA, others may but I don't act on that feeling at all. When I decided to become a Life Member, I had the money at hand so I sent in my payment. I could give a whit to whether or not only life members are permitted to vote. Others are free to feel otherwise. The governance of the PGCA is not an issue with me. I have enjoyed the opportunity to share my love of Parkers with other members and couldn't care less whether they are life Members or regular members. I have learned much from many of you and appreciate belonging to an organization that shares my belief that Parkers are one of America's finest shotguns and we need to promote this wonderful heritage. My mentioning to the gentleman at Purdey's that I was a member of the PGCA only served to communicate to him how much I valued the double gun world of shotguns, be they English or American. In that sense he knew we had a shared common value and interest. He then asked me if I would like to enter their room where they kept all their records, I forget the name of the room but my understanding was/is that this was a very special room. Sometimes I do feel that at one time I fell off the turnip truck but then my mind reminds me that it was probably being hit too many times playing football. I am not running for office, nor will I accept any such nomination. I'm just too dam happy being a member of the PGCA.

[QUOTE=allen newell;193509] I could give a whit to whether or not only life members are permitted to vote. I am not running for office, nor will I accept any such nomination. ]

The available pool of leaders shrinks yet again:eek:

Wow.
I just read this entire thread.
I have to confess. I have never once had any desire to vote for anyone running for BOD. My member number is 28 so I have been around a long time.
Frankly, if you are willing to be on the BOD they should just sign you up. No vote whatsoever. Take the job- do the work.
I am happy to have more people setting up tables, carting this PGCA stuff from venue to venue, selling tickets, writing articles, writing Challenge rules, editing drivel written by illiterate dopes (me), making arrangements with shooting venues, etc., etc., etc.
Frankly, if you don't do any of that for the PGCA whether you are a PGCA member- annual or life- or a BOD member or innocent bystander, then just shut up.
And Rich, you are not a PGCA member. I still like you. But don't criticize OUR website. I don't even know who does the pictures or the web crap, but you insulted them.
We are a volunteer organization. We live on volunteers help. We have an amazing group of volunteers. We produce an amazing website and quarterly publication and amazing events.
Some of my very best friends are among these PGCA members.
So let's cut the drama.

I never once criticized the web site, this is one of the best out there. I simply stated that the home page picture had been the same for a long time. Just an observation no criticism.

There are several reasons I am no longer a member.

Shhhhhhh, not so loud George. He sits two desks behind the guy who does the law crap!!

But, hey....how ' bout that Home Page photo??? Hey Rich, the good news is those mallards are now sporting 10" beards!!! :whistle: :bigbye::whistle:


Attachment 48027

A good duck gun usually makes for a good turkey gun. I'd love to see it up close. Perhaps you'll bring it to either the Southern or Hausmanns. Either way it's a great gun.:bowdown:

Its more fun to stand outside the open door and complain that they won't let you in and are being mean to you. And you get attention.

Now that everyone has given an opinion, how about someone chime in and give a good reason why annual members can't vote. I have yet to see one.

I'd feel a lot less like this was one of those entitlement issues if we had people advocating for the change who were active and participatory life members. Otherwise it sounds like it comes from Bernie.

Gents, I have been following this thread with interest as this topic has come up before when I was serving on the board. Trust me this topic was discussed by our board and it was decided at that time to leave well enough alone. Weather the current sitting board will see's fit to change our by-laws to allow annual members with some let's say for the sake of argument 10 years of continuing membership to vote remains to be seen.

But let's first look at a few things....Number one. Our organization is driven by volunteers. So with that in mind. Who is going to keep track of who has been a member for 10 years running? I don't even know if our membership data base has that info. Okay so lets say we clear that hurdle....Who is going to print and mail all the ballots? Also with annual members voting there will be alot more for our election committee to tabulate.

These are just a couple things to consider and I am in no way against this change as any organization needs new ideas and new blood to grow. The old saying"If your not growing your going" applies here.

The point I am trying to make is that for this to take affect we need someone who can do this work.Actions speak louder than words.

Any volunteers?

I volunteer C.O.B. Oh wait, he's not a member.

I am a new life member and happy to be one. I have met dedicated members such as Larry Frey and Dave Suponski in person and have had numerous dealings with other life members whose objective I believe is to grow and progress this organisation. Do I understand the politics that may be or may have been going which have left some members soured in view towards this group, no. Do I care and do the majority of those on this forum care, no. At some point I may be willing to commit my precious free time and limited vacation that my full time job allows to carry the PGCA torch and at that point I will probably be more vocal in my position.

If you want to change it then join up and take a stand. Its sort of like those that complained about two terms of a certain gentleman, I always ask the bar room and coffee bar whiners what did you personally do to prevent that from happening..................most have nothing to offer of substance beyond break room B.S.

Gentlemen,

Kindly keep any reference to national politics off the PGCA forum.

Mark

My apology, post revised.

The right to vote by annual members is an " entitlement issue. " Really ? And only those who can vote decide who can or can not vote ? Well now, it all makes sense. I was confused that we live in the USA where everyone has the right to vote. Maybe those in powder, like here, will call it a " entitlement " and revoke our right to vote. Glad someone explained it, I was confused.

How is the PGCA different than your right to vote, visiting aliens or those on one year work permits are not allowed to vote, full citizens are. You are in, you are a one year visitor who can join another year if you choose or you are on the outside looking in. Make your choice.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Righ..._United_States

I don't consider myself as a one year visitor, a alien, or here on a work permit; and I would sincerely hope other life members don't think of annual members as you do. Thanks for the link to Wikipedia so I know where I stand in your mind as a annual member. I'm a full fledge dues paying member. In any of the other organizations that I'm in such as the NRA, NMLRA, and the RSA, as a annual member I can vote. No one yet as given me a valid reason why annual members can't vote in the PGCA. But I will agree with you on one thing - annual members are on the outside looking in. But then, we're just aliens.

i think it's great that the other organizations allow you to vote, they have the right to put those rules and regulations in their bylaws. It's great that you are a dedicated annual member. I assume when you joined you read through the opportunities afforded annual vs. life members and still joined as the dedicated contributing annual member that you are. The great part about this organization and other like it is that the bylaws and rules are made by a group of individuals who were dedicated enough to start such an endevor as this one, the PGCA. I was not there at the time but I will make an assumption that they believed that life membership was indicative of those that will to make a commitment and watch things evolve and grow. There are most certainly many members like you who have dedicated years to this cause but there are also many one and done annual members who find a small window of time in their lives with Parker's.

I also believe that there is nothing to prevent a change, become a life member and lobby for the change. I personally do not care if annual member votes or not and did not become a life member to vote and may or may not choose to do so. I became a life member to show my dedication and support.

"I became a life member to show my dedication and support." My sentiments exactly

Just out of curiosity, if annual members are viewed as 2nd class citizens - or apparently, by some, not as citizens at all - why are annual memberships even available?

We are not 2nd class at all, we are all equal 1st class annual members that get the bennifits listed in the annual member description. It's a great deal, one of the best available for gun enthusiasts!

"I became a life member to show my dedication and support." - Perhaps, but for others it may have been an economic calculation

John, one does not have to become a Life Member in order to demonstrate/show their dedication and support to the PGCA and for what it stands. And (I) we respect that. I suggest that there's been enough discussion of this subject. For those non Life Members who feel they should be entitled to all the rights and privileges extended to Life Members such as they are, I would suggest they make their claim(s) in a more proscribed manner and submit to the Board of Directors but cease with this string of complaining in the Forum. And if anyone has a problem with what I have just said, please just send me a pm and not post it public. We've had enough in my view. Have a good day all. The Boz Scaggs concert last night at the Wilbur Theatre was terrific and left me in a very good mood.

I have not really paid too much attention to this thread since the beginning since it started out just being about the home page photo. But then I wondered why it had so many pages of posts so i just caught up on it.

I guess i do not have too much to lend to the topic of weather or not annual members should be allowed to vote or not. Maybe the ability to hold a board position and the ability to vote for those nominated for board positions is one of the advantages of becoming a Life Member.

The advantages of being a life member cannot just be a one sided deal like saving a younger member money in the long term. There has to be more to it than that. And, anyone who knows better realizes that organizations actually loose money off life members in the long run. For the annual member the advantages are the private sections of the forum and the Parker Pages. For Life members it is the ability to vote and the ability to serve on the board. And maybe save some money long term.

I became a Life member this past year because i am plenty young enough to bennefit from it financially. And i am commited to the organization and the Parker Gun long term. I also thought that i MIGHT want to be more involved in the organization down the road by serving on the board. And i needed to be a life member if i ever wanted to be able to do that. Little did i know that someone would nominate me for a position in my first year as a Life member. I did not accept the nomination since i am not currently in the position personally to dedicate the time needed for the service. But i am thankful for the nomination.

OK, I understand why Life Membership has prevented some members from running for office. I will pay the Life Membership fee for two members who will run for BOD positions if they will give the cost of life membership as the reason they would not otherwise run for this office. Yes, $600.00 if they can't pay the freight. No problem. Let's see who will come forward if the Life Membership is not an impediment. If some of my figures are incorrect, I will still pay the "differerence". Good luck.

And if some cant come up with the money, they can always start a go-fund-me or a kickstarter Campeign.

Boz's "Down Two, Then Left" is one of the greatest albums of that era.

Boz played 2 encores. Boz and his band were unbelievable. A great concert in an old and relatively small theatre in downtown Boston. He played all his greats including ones from that album.

The old 'Wilbur Theater' is fabulous. I went to see Harvard University's rendition of "Hair" there decades ago... WOW!.... (sheesh :shock:)

Kevin, the Life Member fee these days is $500 as it was when I jumped in a decade ago when I really couldn't afford it, yet couldn't afford not to do it.





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