Ameraucana Breeders Club
The Official Forum of the Ameraucana Breeders Club => Ameraucana Marketplace => Topic started by: Jean on March 10, 2011, 11:33:16 AM
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I am taking this opportunity to inform the members of our Club that I will be filing a formal grievance with the ABA regarding an e-mail Matt Lhamon sent to an ABA member here in Washington. She had requested grievance information from the Secretary of the ABA, Karen Unrath.
Mr. Lhamon replied to the inquirer, saying that the Ameraucana Lavender breeders were \"nut jobs\". He assumed the person that was inquiring about the information was me. I for one am tired of the name calling. No Officer of any of the Clubs in our fancy should be resorting to such innappropriate conduct.
If you are a member of the ABA and find this insulting, I would suggest that you also file a grievance regarding this statement. I for one am tired of the bullying and the lack of respect.
Below is a copy of what was said by Mr. Lhamon. If you would like to have the original forwarded please contact me. The grievance must be postmarked by March 17, 2011 and sent to the Secretary of the ABA. I would also suggest using registered mail.
--- On Thu, 3/3/11, Matt Lhamon wrote:
From: Matt Lhamon
Subject: RE: ABA News g
To: \"\'Karen Unrath\'\" , \"\'Jennifer Nicole\'\"
Cc: \"\'MIKE STICHLER\'\"
Date: Thursday, March 3, 2011, 2:33 PM
I am sure she is talking about me as I called her Lavander Americauna group a bunch of “nutjobs” which they are. Fire me , please!
Matthew A. Lhamon
5540 Clum Road
Lima, OH 45806
419-234-4427
mattlh@embarqmail.com
If you would like any further information from me, please contact me.
Thanks,
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He didn\'t even spell Ameraucana correctly.
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Lavander Americauna
My spelling isn\'t very good so I can understand misspelling \"lavender\", but as an ABA VP and licensed judge that owns a Standard he should have taken a moment to check the spelling of Ameraucana.
I was at TSC yesterday and they were selling \"Americauna\" chicks. Yes, it was the exact same spelling and I believe I\'ve seen one or more of the commercial hatcheries use the same spelling.
That bad news is there still are other judges and old time fanciers that agree with his opinion of many of us. :(
The good news is they are outnumbered! :D
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YOU\'RE FIRED!
Punk
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I might have thought he was just being a smart-aleck using the EE misspelling if he hadn\'t misspelled lavender, too...
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This isn\'t the first time he has referred to people breeding \"lavender\" birds as nut jobs. I gave him a public outing in the Poultry Press (see our last bulletin) the last time and hoped he would stop and think before he spewed from the mouth next time.
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I\'m not a member of the ABA, and cetainly do not have any understanding of why the vice-president of the ABA and the president of the ABC are publicly arguenig over the term \"lavender\"................. along with the public outing of his opinion of those breeders preferring that term and use of the term \"nut cases\". I can\'t see how any of this is going to help the cause of the members of the ABC in their desire to have the color [whatever it\'s officially called] recognized. Please, if I\'m missing something, let me know.
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Steve,
Maybe I can offer some background information on this. A while back a discussion was started on another forum about \"lavender\".
http://showbirdbid.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1486
It received a lot of input and some folks couldn\'t give thier opinions without getting upset and into some name calling.
Since Matt is both a licensed judge and VP of the ABA, Jean filed the grievance due to his conduct that was aimed at her and other ABC members. Since it does involve other ABC members and they only have so many days to respond, if they wish to, she posted the details here. Jean is the ABC president, but the grievance was filed by her not on behalf of the club.
I hope that helps explain.
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Steve,
Maybe I can offer some background information on this. A while back a discussion was started on another forum about \"lavender\".
http://showbirdbid.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1486
It received a lot of input and some folks couldn\'t give thier opinions without getting upset and into some name calling.
Since Matt is both a licensed judge and VP of the ABA, Jean filed the grievance due to his conduct that was aimed at her and other ABC members. Since it does involve other ABC members and they only have so many days to respond, if they wish to, she posted the details here. Jean is the ABC president, but the grievance was filed by her not on behalf of the club.
I hope that helps explain.
Exactly. Matt is the one that made his opinion public, not Jean. ;)
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If anyone is interested in joining us nut jobs, I have a lovely trio of Lavender bantams for sale, plus a few more extra hens. Laying now. contact me privately. I prefer not to ship. $75 for the trio. Located in Northern IL.
Lori
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If anyone is interested in joining us nut jobs, I have a lovely trio of Lavender bantams for sale, plus a few more extra hens. Laying now. contact me privately. I prefer not to ship. $75 for the trio. Located in Northern IL.
Lori
LOL I\'m already a nut job!! But some would say that occurred long before I got lavenders.... ;)
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Steve,
Maybe I can offer some background information on this. A while back a discussion was started on another forum about \"lavender\".
http://showbirdbid.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1486
It received a lot of input and some folks couldn\'t give thier opinions without getting upset and into some name calling.
Since Matt is both a licensed judge and VP of the ABA, Jean filed the grievance due to his conduct that was aimed at her and other ABC members. Since it does involve other ABC members and they only have so many days to respond, if they wish to, she posted the details here. Jean is the ABC president, but the grievance was filed by her not on behalf of the club.
I hope that helps explain.
Thank you John.
I was able to read about half of that thread before becoming bored and disgusted with the merry-go-round. Basicly, two sides, neither willing to concede the other\'s points, going on until tempers flared.................... and with a few attracted to such events climbing on board.
It would be my hope that those interested in getting this variety accepted into the APA would be willing to do so under either name.
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Exactly. Matt is the one that made his opinion public, not Jean. ;)
I never learned of any of this untill reading of a request on BYC from Jean for ABA members to contact her; and a more detailed description here. [Along with the insult of Matt being called \"punk\" by another member here on this forum.]
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If anyone is interested in joining us nut jobs, I have a lovely trio of Lavender bantams for sale, plus a few more extra hens. Laying now. contact me privately. I prefer not to ship. $75 for the trio. Located in Northern IL.
Lori
If only they were LF................
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Guess I\'m a nut job, but I\'m a LF nut job! :D
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It would be my hope that those interested in getting this variety accepted into the APA would be willing to do so under either name.
Are you aware of the survey taken here? I don\'t think that will happen based on those results. We believe breed clubs that develop a variety should have reasonable naming rights, and we don\'t think this is an unreasonable request.
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We believe breed clubs that develop a variety should have reasonable naming rights, and we don\'t think this is an unreasonable request.
Amen. And I\'ll add that, even though I do personally prefer the name lavender, even if I didn\'t I\'d still throw my support behind the guys who put years of time, effort, and money into developing them because I\'m a johnny-come-lately benefiting from their efforts.
I may be missing something, but I can\'t seem to find anything in the ABA Objectives (or the APA Mission Statement, either, for that matter) about the naming of birds. But I\'ve highlighted a few things that seem to be in direct contrast to this gentleman\'s remarks:
From the ABA site:
About the ABA
\"Since 1914 the American Bantam Association has represented bantam breeders and their special interests. It has grown into a strong and vibrant national organization that promotes the breeding and exhibiting of all kinds of bantams.
Objectives
To encourage the breeding, exhibiting and selling of pure bred bantams.
To create a cooperative feeling among the different breeders so as to get better acquainted.
To sponsor national, semi-annual, state and special meets so as to build up a greater bantam fancy.
To assemble and distribute information on the breeding, husbandry and economic value of bantam chickens and ducks. \"
I am not a member of the ABA. I\'m sure Mr. Lhamon could care less what I think. From the \"Fire me, please!\" remark, it doesn\'t sound like he cares much what his members think, either. But as a new breeder and exhibitor, I have to say that Mr. Lhamon\'s remarks DO NOT encourage me to raise/show bantams, DO NOT create a feeling of cooperation, DO NOT encourage me to join the ABA or become \"better acquainted\" with him or people who think/behave the way he does. If this hobby is to continue to grow, I pray the he DOES NOT \"represent bantam breeders\" because alienating people is no way to \"build a greater bantam fancy.\"
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It would be my hope that those interested in getting this variety accepted into the APA would be willing to do so under either name.
Are you aware of the survey taken here? I don\'t think that will happen based on those results. We believe breed clubs that develop a variety should have reasonable naming rights, and we don\'t think this is an unreasonable request.
No, I\'m not aware of the survey [new member]. I confess I\'m nearly totally ignorant of the entire process of gaining acceptancce of a new variety. Are bantams not recognized by the APA? If the APA accepts the term lavender, wouldn\'t the ABA follow suite?
I guess the term lavender fits due to the geneticists use of lav to label the dilutant; but they look neither blue nor lavender to my eyes................... pearl-grey seems more appropriate. LOL
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Steve,
Click on this link to see the poll Mike is talking about.
http://ameraucana.org/abcforum/index.php?a=topic&t=1458
I agree the variety names don\'t always describe the colors and patterns very well. Black and white varieties fit thier names, but I\'ve never thought any chicken really looked blue or silver. I\'ve just tried to accept the accepted terms and use them. I call self blue d\'Anvers \"self blue\" because that is the accepted (APA & ABA) name, but with lavender Ameraucanas our club (the majority) wants the name lavender. All the reasons are on that other forum I mentioned, so I won\'t go into all that here.
The APA also recognizes bantams, but neither use \"lavender\" for any chickens yet (Guinea Fowl yes). Most of the resistance to lavender seems to be from the ABA officers and some judges. The APA and ABA are different organizations, but these days they are in cahoots and I\'m quite sure one won\'t recognize a bantam without the other.
The ABC isn\'t asking for any changes to the Standards or anything special.
Not agreeing is fine with most of us, but as you can read on that forum there are some that can\'t have a civil disagreement. That is what triggered an official grievance.
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Thanks again John, I\'ll vote tomorrow after some prayer and meditation; maybe even some thought on the actual name. LOL
For entertainment purposes, an old add I always get a chuckle out of for \"True Ameraucanas\" that includes lilacs:
This auction is for 6 + extras as available from my beautiful Flock of Ameracaunas.THESE ALL LAY EGGS IN SHADES OF GREEN ONLY,MOSTLY a DARK OLIVE GREEN,With A few lighter Greens here and there.This Flock Has Been 12 years in the making and refined for a beautiful egg and great fertility.
The Roosters are 1 Blue Splash,1 RED(Partridge) and 1 Beautiful Multi colored roo,The hens are Golden,White,Blue,Blue Splash,Partridge,Wheaten,and Lilac.These eggs throw lots of Blue Chicks in several Shades