1/26/02

kJ National Prez of Nexx Dimenzion MC's Not So Random Thought of the Day: So what your vest says "President". Who the hell are you to me? 

Traditionally the title "PRESIDENT" comes with a certain respect. That respect is afforded because those of us who cling to the tried and true customs and courtesies of the MC understand that the position of president comes with a host of unspoken burden. We realize that leading a club takes more than the popular vote. And that the president is the individual who will not only lead but go to bat for the club when no one else will. For these reasons we show respect to the man or woman holding the title. 

Increasingly in the new MC however, the title president more fadish than functional. Literally we have all witnessed a person or two lose the election in an established organization, turn in their colors and then start their own club just so they can have the title "president". We also have a rash of presidents getting elected for the wrong reasons. None of us can tell another club how to operate but if you elected your president because he or she was the hottest member in the street and not the individual who could do your club the most good you may be setting yourself up for failure. I'm sure we could go on and on about how many presidents fall short of the respect that used to come with the title. If you were at the PROC in the presidents session you heard the speaker identify those folks who "aint no real president". But I digress in the interest of the message

The purpose is we have reach point were the title has been degraded so much that the same respect is no longer commonly afforded. It is high time we restore the prestige. It's time that presidents get back to leading from the front, honoring tradition and building personal relationships. 

If you anyone turns to the president of an organization and says "Who the hell are you to me?", that's a clear indicator that as a president you have fallen short of earning the respect that goes with the title or that persons president has fallen short of teaching that individual the level of respect that we should have in this community.