The divisiveness between factions of MOU is a terrible weakness in Minnesota birding. In some ways we have the most progressive birding atmosphere of just about any state, with a lot of space in prominent, large newspapers devoted to birds, regular radio and TV coverage about birds and birding issues, and an unusually informed citizenry. The fact that MOU is losing members in a state with so much genuine interest in birds is a telling one. Right now there is so much infighting, arrogance, factionalizing, and poisonous competitiveness within the Minnesota birding community--exemplified by the fact that we can't even function civilly with a single listserve for the state--and so much resistance to letting any but a fairly small group of individuals become part of some important "inner circles," that the birding atmosphere sometimes seems genuinely infected.
I believe Jim Williams has identified some of the serious problems, and think he had some reasonable approaches to them. I'd quibble with him regarding vetting state records--one critical function of a state ornithological society such as MOU is to create and maintain a truly scientific and authoritative checklist, and although over the years I've had my share of MORC rejections, I've never felt that they've done anything less than a professional and fair job at this thankless task. But healthy debate to tease out the best resolutions to such issues is important, and that simply does not take place when a Board of Directors has no regular turnover and when members aren't given some say in who runs their organization and where it is heading. There will be some people who breathe a sigh of relief that Jim is resigning, so they don't need to listen to his warnings and suggestions anymore. They'll be like the bus driver who KNOWS it's his turn to go at an intersection, and even though the oncoming truck is clearly not going to stop, refuses to change his course, taking his passengers down with him, but dying with a smug, self-righteous smile. Laura Erickson Duluth, MN Journey North Science Writer <http://learner.org/jnorth/current.html> Producer, "For the Birds" radio program <http://www.lauraerickson.com/> There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of birds. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature--the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter. --Rachel Carson
