Hi Rene ----- I want to say this very carefully and hope you and others take it in the manner intended:

I fully support the right of every chip collector (club member or not) to express his/her views on the hobby. I hope that everyone can do so without resort to personal invective, regardless of the viewpoints expressed.

On the other hand, I do not believe that the Balkanization of the hobby will accomplish anything useful. The number of known chip collectors (i.e., club members) is growing and I'm sure there are more collectors out there who are unknown to the club or the main internet sites. I think it is in the best interests of everyone involved -- collectors (hobbyists), dealers and (shudder) investors (who now appear to be unavoidable) -- to work TOGETHER on issues which are important to the hobby.

For better or worse (I personally think it much for the better), at the moment, that means working within the CCGT&CC. As large as the club has already grown, a certain amount of "politics" is unavoidable. We now have a wide variety of people, some of whom have divergent opinions on subjects of importance to the hobby. Strikes me as being a little like the country as a whole, in which we have people of every conceivable political persuasion. And, just as I wouldn't be prepared to leave the country because not everyone agrees with my politics, I wouldn't be prepared to leave the club for that reason, either.

This discussion hardly rises to the level of Benjamin Franklin's famous, "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately," but the underlying principle applies. There is room within the club for the chip collecting equivalent of Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, etc.

Rene, I wouldn't presume to tell you what you should or shouldn't do about forming another club. I hope, however, that you will consider working within the framework of the CCGT&CC for awhile longer -- at least until after the upcoming elections. It seems we may be at a major crossroads in the development of the hobby; full discussion and consideration of the issues involved requires participation of as many club members (and even non-members) as possible.

Regards ----- jim o\-S