Re: No club discussions?

Dean:

>The only limit we want to a hosta list is that there's no bickering 
>over American Hosta Society politics.  Much of what has been posted 
>over the last few weeks has not been debate or sharing viewpoints but 
>simple mud-slinging and finger-pointing.

No matter what robin you are on you are going to get some of that from 
time to time.  You can do one of two things - either do nothing and 
continue to lurk, or take an active part and inform those you think 
are guilty to reconsider their messages or try to move the discussion 
to topics that interest you.  You really shouldn't complain too much 
if all you do is lurk.  I know some of the political stuff can get to 
be a pain, but it only pops up every once in awhile.  

>I would also point out that with a few people, based on what they've
>written, the main complaint with the "preferred grower" program is 
>that they are not included.

I somehow think this may generate some heated debate.  

>The AHS is just one aspect of the hosta hobby, one in which many 
>(MANY) of us choose not to participate,

I'm not a AHS member and have no intention of joining.  However, that 
doesn't mean that I don't find some of the AHS stuff interesting from 
time to time.  The fact is that it is often difficult to talk about a 
plant without also talking about the societies that support those 
plants.  The people who are the experts are likely the ones who are 
devoted to the societies that support those plants.  If you want the 
experts you may have to take the politics from time to time.  I'm not 
necessarily condoning excessive political discussion, I just know it's 
going to happen from time to time and don't let it bother me.

>If "Hosta-Open" is a place where "discussion" of AHS politics is
>permitted, then something should be added to that effect in the
>description of the list on mallorn.com so that those not interested 
>in such "discussion" can avoid joining this list.

And to that you might want to add discussion of hosta hybridizing for 
those that don't want to be on a list that discusses hosta 
hybridizing, and also discussions of sporting and variegation for 
those that don't like that topic, and discussion of species for those 
only interested in growing cultivars, and discussions of tissue 
culture for those who don't like tissue cultured hostas and on and on. 
Like Bob said, we can all start our own hosta robin and talk to 
ourselves and that way we won't be offended in any way.

This is in no way a put down of your viewpoint as you have some valid 
points; I just think it is over reacting to a minor problem that could 
easily have been addressed on hosta-open.  

Joe Halinar
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