Re: Distinctiveness(Thornbird)

>Hi everyone,
>
>What I just wrote (this message) turned into more than I intended it, so I
>apologize
>for the length.  In fact, I thought about changing the title to "Why do I
>open my
>big mouth?"  I realize I have presented some controversial, if you will,
>views and
>that I haven't made the best impression on everyone here.  I regret that,
>and I realize
>that what I have to say won't help me any, but I feel that there are
>things I've
>needed to say for a while contained in this message.
>
>
>>
>>
>>On Tue, 21 Apr 1998, Dennis Stoneburner wrote:
>>
>>  At least THORNBIRD
>>> received, in my book, a full set of points for an item that NO iris
>>> since BROWN LASSO has or should have received; DISTINCTIVENESS!
>>
>>Walter added,
>>       Many would say its DISTINCTIVENESS lies in its narrow form and
>>muddy color.
>>
>and the snipes go on and on...
>
>I am going to address everything that has been sent to the list, and to me
>in private
>over the "row" I started about Thornbird.
>
>First off, I was emailed by a list member who was upset that I said Phil
>Williams
>was spreading rumors about Thornbird. This is what I based my reasoning
>for that
>statement on: Terry Aitken talks about it in his Editor's Message in the
>Jan. Bulletin.
> If the picture on the cover of the Oct. Bulletin weren't Thornbird, he
>wouldn't
>say "Well, Bob Plank's photo of THORNBIRD on the cover of the Ocotober
>1997 Bulletin
>certainly stirred up some discussion!"  Come on folks, how could the AIS
>put a picture
>of an iris they were uncertain of on the COVER of their bulletin?  Now,
>what I meant
>by rumors was: what proof does he have that the iris on the Bulletin
>WASN'T Thornbird,
>and *if* it wasn't, what else was it?  I respect his right to an opinion,
>but "the
>iris on the cover of the A. I. S. Bulletin is... (underlined) not
>THORNBIRD" certainly
>sounds like a statement of fact, does it not?  And when we start passing
>off opinions
>as statement of fact...
>
>(Yes, I realize I am basing my argument on what Walter originally posted
>to the list,
>but this means something to me, so just bear me out, okay?)
>
>Next point. Regarding THORNBIRD,  Bill Shear said " Compared to the many
>magnificent
>irises that have won the medal in the past 20 years, it's a real dog."
>
>Well sir, I would wager that if Monty Byers were still alive today you
>wouldn't dare
>post that to our list, or even put it in writing.  You know, we can carp
>about the
>efforts of hybridizers today, but we wouldn't dare tell them to their
>face.  In fact,
>on our Bus Tour on Saturday, there was some gossip about the introductions
>of a few
>of the hybridizers there.  (There were plenty present.)  But I noticed
>that it was
>always done in a low voice, "shh, don't let anyone hear."  THORNBIRD, if
>I'm not
>mistaken, was Mr. Byers' last shot at a (well deserved) big award, and
>what a shame
>he wasn't there in person to receive it.  Love it or hate it, you've gotta
>respect
>the fact that it had the merit to win the Dykes.  Leave it alone!  The man
>is dead,
>and the closest things we have to him (especially for those of us who
>never got to
>meet him) are his irises.  And for people to sit here and say that its
>only distinction
>is "muddy color and narrow form" and that it's a dog really upsets me.  I
>honestly
>thought iris people were above that kind of backbiting.  What an
>eye-opening day
>this has been.
>
>
>I have really enjoyed being a member of this list, and being allowed to
>"run with
>the adults" so to speak, but whenever I voice an unpopular opinion, I get
>*a lot*
>of negativity, and people who think it's their duty to correct me when I
>sneeze.
>That's fine, everyone is allowed to voice their opinion, (it seems, except
>me) but
>it gets confusing when one moment, I'm being treated like a valuable,
>contributing
>adult, and the next, I'm a child who needs reprimanding?  I hope you all
>can understand
>the conflict I have here, and for others, this is just a waste of your
>time, for
>which I apologize.  I think I've said everything I felt I needed to say.
>
>
>Rusty Thornsburg
>
>
>
>Free web-based email, Forever, From anywhere!
>http://www.mailexcite.com

Dear Rusty:  Somehow I missed your original posting. But keep your courage.
THORNBIRD is my "grandchild", its mama was my ART OF RAPHAEL, but when it
came time to choose Space-Agers to cross with my remontants, THORNBIRD was
NOT one of them. In the midst of bolstering you up, let me say that you
could have criticized THORNBIRD to Monty, right to his face, and he would
have told you that he thought long and hard before introducing it. I echo
the opinion that MEZMERIZER is a much, much better iris, and if the judges
were wanting to show appreciation to Monty, would that they had voted for
it!! From my limited seeing, I would say that it is a much more significant
parent than THORNBIRD. But when the latter won the Dykes, I immediately
ordered some of its seedlings.
    So carry on. MY remontants were scorned for years and years and years.
Only in this decade have I heard positive statements about remontancy. My
wife tells me, "If they had all raved about them and used them, you would
have been less important". Strange comment, but probably true. Again I say
"Carry On"> Lloyd Zurbrigg in Durham NC.
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