Sorry I haven’t posted before now. It’s been very crazy around here with kids’ activities, school work, etc.
I hope you all are doing well so far. I know some of you have not started pairing birds up and others have had birds mated for a month or more. Either way, I hope the prospects are good for you.
I recently watched a small all-breeds club implode over personal differences and it got me to thinking about this problem. Why do Pigeon clubs fail?
I have been a part of many Pigeon clubs over the years and have been an officer in a few of them. I have seen treasurers run off with club money and friendships lost forever. I know that when you get a group of people together, not every one is going to always hold the same views, which causes differing opinions. I think that can be a great thing for a club. New perspectives and views can make a club stronger.
What I can’t seem to wrap my brain around is this nonsense over personal differences that are taken to extremes. I mean, let’s just be realistic, IT’S JUST A FREAKIN PIGEON CLUB! We’re not talking about huge corporations with millions of dollars. We’re talking about a bunch of guys who love the same thing (Pigeons) and just want to get together and hang out every once in a while. Frankly, I don’t even see how politics should be more than a miniscule part of a club. It seems that once a club gets up and running, the whole point of it gets lost in political BS. Is the allure of being President of a Pigeon club that important? Does having a title by one’s name trump friendship? I just don’t understand how adults with the same love and passion for something cannot get together and move towards the same goals.
I had the erroneous thought once that I could start and run a Pigeon club without the crap that runs rampant in most clubs. I know there will always be those filled with jealousy when someone starts a new club, but those a re not people to be worried about. A dog on the outside of the fence can only bark, it can’t hurt you. It’s the dogs in the yard with you that can turn on you when you least expect it and cause much more damage than any of the outside dogs could.
I don’t have the answer to fix the problem. I do see why people don’t want to get involved with clubs and why there is so much turmoil within the hobby. Even different clubs have the same general goal and should be supported. However, the fear of someone else’s club being bigger and better than another prevails so club A tries to discredit club B and in the end neither one wins.
Remember, Pigeon clubs (ANY club) needs the hobby in order to survive. The hobby does not need pigeon clubs in order to survive. The vast majority of Pigeon fanciers do not belong to or participate in any club. They simply have their birds for the enjoyment and relaxation they provide.
Bob
