AIS:TBIS: An Open Letter to Ramona Howard

Dear Ramona,

Once again I write in deepest concern regarding the conflicted schedule of
meetings at the St. Louis Convention.

After considerable thought and as a concerned member of both the AIS and
TBIS, I am asking you to please reconsider your actions in moving the
meeting featuring well-know speaker Rick Ernst to Thursday evening..

To have this meeting head-to-head with that of the AIS featuring the equally
well known and respected Barry Blyth, Larry Lauer and more does not serve
the interests of either society.  My previous comment that those not
involved and to the general membership aware of the changed meeting time for
Mr. Ernst's valuable and insightful presentation to a time which conflicts
with the AIS presentation has the appearance of an action that is
deliberate, confrontive and contentious.

This appearance has great destructive potential for both societies.  There
is not a single good that can be served by such a confrontive and
destructive action.  I beg of you to move the TBIS meeting back to the
originally scheduled time.  The reasoning you have given that too many
people will not have arrived by Tuesday evening is simple enough to solve.
Ask them to arrive earlier.

My passion with irises, particularly Tall Beardeds, began over sixty years
ago.  I have no interest in acquiring office in either society, nor the
physical ability to carry such out, and am totally removed from political
motivation in regards to either society.  All I am interested in is concord,
and creative solutions.  So I am quite free to suggest an alternative.

Cancel this meeting altogether and find another time and place not in
conflict with the carefully and cooperatively worked out schedule the AIS
developed for the AIS Convention in order to accomodate the TBIS.  The
conflict is clearly in your power to resolve.  This a solution that is both
elegant and simple, and is a gesture rich in symbolic value toward peace and
cooperation between the societies.

I fervently call upon you to do this.  Many others would agree with me that
removing this conflict of times and speakers serves the welfare of both
societies.  To continue the conflict in schedules serves no one, and does
substantial harm.

If you cannot in good conscience resolve this conflict then I suggest you
prudently remove yourself from the position of leadership of the TBIS and
resign.  Your duties as President are to promote the good of the TBIS and
the dissemination of information and the stirring up of interest in Tall
Bearded irises.  It is not in accord with your responsibilities to create or
further harm and dissention.

Further, I would ask Mr. Ernst, who has stated he has not desired this
conflict of times and would not have accepted the invitation to speak had he
known at the time of the conflict, to remove himself from this conflict by
declining to speak at this time.  There are excellent and other times this
matter can be addressed, his speaking to be arranged at a time and place
that will serve the good of both the good of TBIS and the good of the AIS,
and of irises in general, particularly our much loved passion which we
share, the Tall Beardeds.

Respectfully and thoughtfully submitted,
Neil A. Mogensen

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