Long Duck Dong
Jan 7, 2013, 12:33 AM
we are a loose group of people that shared a dream of creating a solid and self supporting LGBTA ( A for Allies ) community without boundaries and divisions.. and we have been around for a good few years, helping the community in the general area of the upper south island of NZ
as a loose group with different projects, we were a success, and personally I think that is how it best worked, the individual projects.. as people enjoy the LGBTA community spirit but they still hold firm to their own separate groups such as the gay mans and lesbian ladies groups etc...and that, unfortunately, is what has led to the internal implosion of the group..... I I will explain that shortly )
while there was not a equal number of members for each group, there was a equal voice for every person... and when projects came up, it was not a case of major vote rules, but those that wish to support a project, can do so... and those that do not, are not obligated to... and the way that worked, ONLY those that wished to support a project, contributed funding / financing.... and in the event of a buyout, we, as the group, had first option to buy out other members......
in this case, that has been done... most of the members are going to continue on with supporting their projects but the impact on the community funding is going to be felt and already there are issues over who gets what funding and who is entitled to how much..... the trouble there, is that it was group funding and that means that everybody got a equal share, with a top up from individual members..... if there was 10 groups and 100k, each group got access to 10k, the groups that needed less than 10k, had the option to save it for later or request that it was shared out over the other groups, and as a result, most of the groups did not lack for funding....
so that was how the group worked and worked well........
what appears to have started the cracks, is something that I have seen before..... the * don't treat us any differently to anybody else, but treat us differently based around who we are and our needs, which are different to other people *..... it just doesn't work, unless people can let go of the * we are all equal * thinking.........
it needs to be *we are all INEQUAL and DIFFERENT by way of sexuality, gender, culture, race, individual situations etc but please treat us with the same respect, tolerance and understanding that you wish for yourself, regardless of those differences, for we are all still people and human......
much of the division in the group, has also come from the communities we support..... simply, support in numbers and voices, made it easier to those groups... and harder to support the groups that did not seek our help and support, but then accused us of not looking out for them......
rather than stay in the group and continue to stand on a sinking ship, some members have left the group and created smaller groups with friends, to continue their work....others have withdrawn cos of personal health issues that are serious enuf to have me and others concerned about their immediate future.... and some will remain, I will not be one of them.....
I wish them the best of luck and I will continue to help and support them all as best I can..... but its a bloody crying shame this has happened, and its my hope for the future, that all the work that has been done, doesn't all fade away to nothing.....
rather than play the blame game, its just easier to acknowledge that all that glitters, is not gold... and while hope reigns eternal, dreams do not last forever.....
on that note, I wish the best of luck to the many LGBT groups over the world, that have done some a amazing job over the last few decades, in terms of support and community spirit, the advances in human and LGBT rights... and for helping so many people realise their dreams, even for a short time...... and thank you for doing so much for so many......
meanwhile I am going to have a drink and quietly tell people what I really think of them under my breath, so its easier to smile at them next time I have to deal with them.....
as a loose group with different projects, we were a success, and personally I think that is how it best worked, the individual projects.. as people enjoy the LGBTA community spirit but they still hold firm to their own separate groups such as the gay mans and lesbian ladies groups etc...and that, unfortunately, is what has led to the internal implosion of the group..... I I will explain that shortly )
while there was not a equal number of members for each group, there was a equal voice for every person... and when projects came up, it was not a case of major vote rules, but those that wish to support a project, can do so... and those that do not, are not obligated to... and the way that worked, ONLY those that wished to support a project, contributed funding / financing.... and in the event of a buyout, we, as the group, had first option to buy out other members......
in this case, that has been done... most of the members are going to continue on with supporting their projects but the impact on the community funding is going to be felt and already there are issues over who gets what funding and who is entitled to how much..... the trouble there, is that it was group funding and that means that everybody got a equal share, with a top up from individual members..... if there was 10 groups and 100k, each group got access to 10k, the groups that needed less than 10k, had the option to save it for later or request that it was shared out over the other groups, and as a result, most of the groups did not lack for funding....
so that was how the group worked and worked well........
what appears to have started the cracks, is something that I have seen before..... the * don't treat us any differently to anybody else, but treat us differently based around who we are and our needs, which are different to other people *..... it just doesn't work, unless people can let go of the * we are all equal * thinking.........
it needs to be *we are all INEQUAL and DIFFERENT by way of sexuality, gender, culture, race, individual situations etc but please treat us with the same respect, tolerance and understanding that you wish for yourself, regardless of those differences, for we are all still people and human......
much of the division in the group, has also come from the communities we support..... simply, support in numbers and voices, made it easier to those groups... and harder to support the groups that did not seek our help and support, but then accused us of not looking out for them......
rather than stay in the group and continue to stand on a sinking ship, some members have left the group and created smaller groups with friends, to continue their work....others have withdrawn cos of personal health issues that are serious enuf to have me and others concerned about their immediate future.... and some will remain, I will not be one of them.....
I wish them the best of luck and I will continue to help and support them all as best I can..... but its a bloody crying shame this has happened, and its my hope for the future, that all the work that has been done, doesn't all fade away to nothing.....
rather than play the blame game, its just easier to acknowledge that all that glitters, is not gold... and while hope reigns eternal, dreams do not last forever.....
on that note, I wish the best of luck to the many LGBT groups over the world, that have done some a amazing job over the last few decades, in terms of support and community spirit, the advances in human and LGBT rights... and for helping so many people realise their dreams, even for a short time...... and thank you for doing so much for so many......
meanwhile I am going to have a drink and quietly tell people what I really think of them under my breath, so its easier to smile at them next time I have to deal with them.....