When I was in the Marines, and unfortunate edicts got passed down from on
high, I would hear lamentations of, "I can't wait the get out..." I used
to counter with, "How do you expect to be able to change things if you
don't stick around?" I think everybody is on the right track with the
intent to renew memberships and gut out the upcoming fight. In fact, you
gotta wonder if the fellers in the headshed are seeing all of the hostile
periscopes poking up out of the water and lookin' at 'em (with the attached
torpedo tubes)? Is it going to be a running firefight, or are we going to
see a sudden realization of logic, and the proper changes that allow us to
proceed in a civilized manner?
Once the revolution occurs, is there a plan to rectify the problems that
started this all in the first place? Once the euphoria dies down, can we
make sure that we don't allow our organization to retrograde into a similar
situation? (As I recall, the pig who started it all in "Animal Farm" gets
zapped somewhere down the line...)
Can we quickly put this behind us and get to addressing such things as
getting that damned import ban dealt with (either modified, amended, or
replaced with something a bit friendlier to we who maintain stewardship
over our rolling memorials? How about instituting new legislation designed
around MVs? I mean, we have seen the trials and tribulations of trying to
get some of these beasties registered. States need to understand that
these vehicles can be documented via dataplates and engine numbers, and we
can help them see a better way to register these puppies.
Personally, I think that if a MV owner invests a certain amount of personal
funds towards the restoration of an MV, and that MV is registered as a
historical vehicle, that the funds used to restore the vehicle should be
tax deductible... But that's just me...
I'm always up for a good fight for a noble cause, but I'd like to know who
is going to be at the helm when the smoke clears, and what does he or she
stand for, lest I put away my spurs and saber too soon...
I'm all ears...
Bill Benson
MVPA# 60203
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