It's happening again. It's election season in the national association, and there are several candidates who have been through the rigorous interview process and have been slated. Sadly, there are, again, challenges.
I know that our association has its flaws and that we are conflicted as to what the future holds. I really do get it. While I can see both sides of the issue, what is disheartening on the grand scale is that our lovely professional community continues to be a house divided. There is rancor and disharmony. Disrespect and fearmongering.
Frankly, I'm tired of it. If I had the true option of voting with my feet, I would. I don't have the option. I need my certifications. And for that reason, I will have to continue to pay into the association. But I'm afraid for the continued success and even survival of the association into the future. When we have so little respect for each other, when we can't discuss things rationally and with facts and instead rely on innuendo, misquotes, and tunnel vision, we lose sight of the big picture: our profession stands at the precipice. Technology and budgets are threatening our very existence. And, yet, we continue to attack each other from the inside as well.
I sure do hope that the slated candidates win. There has to be a reason that they were chosen by the nominating committee. But if they don't, all it really says to me is that we don't know what direction we're going in and nobody trusts anybody else to steer the ship. And if that is the case, we'll founder on the rocks and our competition will swoop in and take over our market. And that would be a tragedy.