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We have a lot folks on this board, but we only have a few people committing to be in Montgomery for the rally on March 10th. I know that folks have to work and have other responsibilities - so do I - but we all need to decide how badly we want our football program back and how badly we want to free UAB from the evil grip of the BOT.

The stars are aligned, this is our best chance; hell it is quite probably our only chance. It is up to us to figure out how badly we want this; how much we are willing to sacrifice to obtain our objectives. I know what some of you might be thinking, but we can't all rely on others to do the the dirty work and expect to reap the rewards or we will have only a few people at the rally and it will fall flat. We need as many people we can get at that rally. Are you going to be able to do your share? It's one one day, can you spare one day? Only you can answer that question.

Need at least 3 more threads to guilt people into coming.

My personal answer is that I cannot spare one Tuesday.

(02-19-2015 02:29 AM)demiveeman Wrote:  Need at least 3 more threads to guilt people into coming.

My personal answer is that I cannot spare one Tuesday.

Just like we need a letter guilting people to buy C-USA tournament tickets.

If you can't go, hey you can't go. No one is blaming anyone for putting your job first. If you can't go then are you emailing, sending letters, or writing our representatives or senators. Guilt trips just force a push back.
Cajun's just doing what he can to get people to come. The same way Ealy is doing what he can to get people to buy tickets.

Demiveeman, if you can't come no problem. No one is gonna get in a measuring contest with you. You know what you have done and can do and that goes for everyone. For those who can make it, lets saddle up and head to Montgomery. For those who can't make it, keep doing what you've been doing to freeUAB and win this thing.

We have signed up for the 10th. Can't make the 3rd. Taking my dad for surgery.

(02-19-2015 02:29 AM)demiveeman Wrote:  Need at least 3 more threads to guilt people into coming.

My personal answer is that I cannot spare one Tuesday.

Sometimes just saying nothing is better than saying anything.

Notified Kris that I will be going down on the 10th.

What is the deadline to buy all session tickets for the tourney?

Can't they be purchased the day of the tournament?

I am good on the 10th. This needs to be the most serious thing on your agenda.

Sorry if anyone took offense. My remarks were made to ask folks to reexamine their depth of commitment to this cause. It was also an effort to remind folks that our legislative effort in Montgomery is very important. There are folks who simply can't make the trip for whatever reason. You know who you are, and that's fine. I wasn't addressing you. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.

On the other hand there might be others who could make the trip, but are thinking to themselves, "Well, they really don't need me, they'll have plenty of people. Traveling to Montgomery will be a pain. I've helped in other ways; I can skip this one." That is a very human thing to do and we are all human. However, obviously if everyone who could make the trip adopted that attitude, we would be terribly under represented at this rally which is designed precisely to demonstrate the strength of our numbers.

There are folks that are committed to working with the legislature on an ongoing basis until the bills are passed. Not everyone can make that kind of commitment; that's totally understandable. This rally on March 10th is the only event in Montgomery where we need as much representation as we can possibility get. It is designed to get the legislators' attention, to get them thinking, "Wow, look at all these people! This must be important!"

Sorry if I came on too strong and offended some people, and I'm sorry if you are still offended. But this is very important to me as I am sure the entire cause is very important to just about everyone who is reading this. On the other hand, if it takes people getting ticked with me to have a great crowd for the rally on the 10th, then so be it.

If you're on the fence about going just remember:

1. Of all days the 10th is most important

2. Don't assume we have enough going. It's like voting. If you don't vote, that just means one more vote for the guy you don't like.
If you don't go, that's one more person they can point to as not interested.

3. If you honestly can't make it, that's understood. There are other ways to help.

Trust me, Cajun is pounding the drum for a reason. we need numbers and we need numbers. We are about 2 weeks out..and we need numbers. Did I mention we need numbers.

All I know is that there are more than 10,000 people in the Facebook group and we're sweating whether there will be as many as 400 who actually show up in Montgomery. Each of us have responsibilities, things to do, work, school, kids, whatever.

I guess it gets down to what you value and what is important to you. I know that some people just plain can't do it. I also know that some people just won't get off the couch and help when they are plenty willing to sit at their computer and post about it.

Priorities.

Another indication that shows a lack of support is that I have seen almost the same people at every council meeting with very few new people.

I have been able to go to around 8 or so meetings & will make a few more in the next few weeks.

If everyone would just go to the ones surrounding them it would help.

I'm going on the 10th. I'm contacting my current senator and representative as well as my home town senator and representative. Letters going out this week and next.

(02-19-2015 09:55 AM)CajunBlazer Wrote:  Sorry if anyone took offense. My remarks were made to ask folks to reexamine their depth of commitment to this cause. It was also an effort to remind folks that our legislative effort in Montgomery is very important.

When I posted that response, you had just bumped 2 other separate threads about this topic to the top of the boards last night before posting this thread. That is where my snark came from.

But comments like this

Quote:I know that folks have to work and have other responsibilities - so do I - but we all need to decide how badly we want our football program back and how badly we want to free UAB from the evil grip of the BOT.

are condescending. As if people that choose to go to work and tend to their other responsibilities instead of going to Montgomery just don't want it enough. That's all I'm saying. We wanted people to miss work to go to rallies, take half-days to go to Faculty Senate meetings, take off work to march on campus, take a sick day to go to the BOT meeting...and we want people to take off work to go to the C-USA Basketball tournament. And we want people to miss work to go to Montgomery and lobby politicians.

I agree with all of those goals. But some people just can't do it...and it doesn't help those people encourage others to do it if they feel as though you are saying they don't care enough if they aren't missing more work to go. It turns people off.

Totally onboard with the message that we don't have that many people signed up yet and we need everyone's help...but we don't have to ask them to question their true support/commitment to UAB in doing so.

There is a sense here that people have to prove they are "UAB enough" for the more vocal voices of dissent within the Free UAB movement. I've got very personal and deep seeded issues with the killing of football, with the way the University is being run, and with the makeup and governance of the BOT. But, it seems that if you aren't totally, almost fanatically committed to complete separation and hatred from all things Alabama and BOT, you are marginalized by members of the Free UAB movement. Which is fine, but there are many, many good people who love UAB who are not prepared to allow others to speak for them on how far they will go for that.

I think Cajunblazer framed it this way, and I think it is accurate: "we all need to decide (1)how badly we want our football program back and (2)how badly we want to free UAB from the evil grip of the BOT." (numbers added).

Those are two totally different things, and in my opinion, with the right approach the first is doable, and at this point, probable. The second is more problematic. Personally, I don't see that a complete and total break from the Alabama system is going to happen within our lifetimes. I've been forthcoming with what information that I have gotten about that, which whether you want to believe it or not (and it is your choice) comes from highly credible sources.

Based on all this, I don't believe that fringe radicalism here is the best solution, and not the best means to get football restored. So, personally, I am hesitant to join in with a group who wants complete and total separation, and nothing else. I also am concerned about the politics of personal destruction that seems to be going on toward some members of the UAB community. I know Brian Mackin and I have worked with Wes Smith, and if there are two people who are more dedicated to UAB I don't know who they are. Yet, both their personal reputations have been attacked and sullied because they have not been radical enough. I've been attacked on this board as well, and that is fine. I am able to hide behind relative anonymity, but to be honest it is hurtful to be called a plant, spy, etc. when you simply have a differing opinion on the best and most effective approach.

I've been a member of the Alumni Association for over twenty five years, a season ticket holder, an internship provider, and provided jobs for several UAB students. I wish I would have done more, but I am confident I have done right by my University, as UAB did right by me many years ago. So, yeah, I would like to see some change, and have been working for it through various means for the past five months. But I think the fact that anyone who does not throw in with a protest where anyone with a bull horn can say anything which they may or may not agree with makes them any less of a Blazer.

I hope I have made some reasonable points here that will add to the dialogue, and in the end, benefit UAB.

Thanks

(02-19-2015 01:40 PM)demiveeman Wrote:  I agree with all of those goals. But some people just can't do it...and it doesn't help those people encourage others to do it if they feel as though you are saying they don't care enough if they aren't missing more work to go. It turns people off.

Totally onboard with the message that we don't have that many people signed up yet and we need everyone's help...but we don't have to ask them to question their true support/commitment to UAB in doing so.

He's frustrated, as you've expressed a time or two as well. Mobilization is hard work. You have a real knack for it: lend him your advice, contacts etc. You don't have to be present to have a dramatic impact. The strength of our movement is that we are many, and no single one of us has to bear the entire burden.

We're all new to this. Some of us have experience that helps, but we were not a movement until Ray Watts made us one. It's not going to go perfectly every time out. We've done extraordinarily well so far and should be proud of ourselves.

We know that Watts and the Trustees are evil. We have two weeks to explain to more of our people why this is so. We can do this.

We will work together, and we will win this. We fight.

I'm in for the 10th, and got my ticket for the entire CUSA tournament yesterday...With all the I raised about Birmingham hosting Conference USA sporting events, there is no way I could not be there...

(02-19-2015 02:43 PM)PTBlazer Wrote:  ....
I think Cajunblazer framed it this way, and I think it is accurate: "we all need to decide (1)how badly we want our football program back and (2)how badly we want to free UAB from the evil grip of the BOT." (numbers added).

Those are two totally different things, and in my opinion, with the right approach the first is doable, and at this point, probable. The second is more problematic. Personally, I don't see that a complete and total break from the Alabama system is going to happen within our lifetimes. I've been forthcoming with what information that I have gotten about that, which whether you want to believe it or not (and it is your choice) comes from highly credible sources.

Based on all this, I don't believe that fringe radicalism here is the best solution, and not the best means to get football restored. So, personally, I am hesitant to join in with a group who wants complete and total separation, and nothing else. I also am concerned about the politics of personal destruction that seems to be going on toward some members of the UAB community. .....

It is really strange that you should be hung up on a proposal to separate UAB from the UA system, because such a proposal does not exist. If you will go back and read my post where I described the three bills which Jack Williams has has filed with the legislature you will understand that not one of those bills advocates the separation of the UAB from the UA system. There is no bill which it would have little chance of passing and might have serious unintended consequences.

PT, we have a committed group of people who who are going to work very hard with Jack to get his bills passed. I hope that you can maybe find one of those bills you can support.

As for the sentiments expressed of feeling like we already had to attend a countless number events, rallies, etc. to fight for our cause, I know a number of us as well as number of the students are feeling that way; I know I am. There is a word for that, its called "burnout".

Unfortunately as important as every event and every rally to date has been, the most important effort in our fight is the one which will take place in Montgomery. If we win the coming fight in Montgomery we won't be discussing a year from now, or two or three years from now how we are going to fight the next upcoming battle, or the next.

On my high school track team I used to run distance races; I really wasn't strong enough or fast enough to compete in the other events. I can tell you that the last quarter of the mile run, or that last 880 in the two mile were brutal. You already felt spent, but the most important stretch of the race was still in front of you if you wanted to have any chance of winning. That's were we where we are right now.

If you felt like I was personally bashing you - sorry. If you can participate - fine, if you can't -that's okay too. That is something only you can decide, but we have got to get this done! It is the last stretch of a very long race and it is the only thing we can do to continue fighting.

(02-19-2015 04:45 PM)Matrix Wrote:  I'm in for the 10th, and got my ticket for the entire CUSA tournament yesterday...With all the I raised about Birmingham hosting Conference USA sporting events, there is no way I could not be there...

I will be there the 10th and I got my tourny tix. No way Matrix is going to beat me as the biggest UAB fan.