In article , "Clint"
rattlehead@computronDOTnet writes:

But they DO want to force CW on people that don't
necissarily have any interest in operating it. "basics"
arguments fail; "selftrained skill" fails because everything
is a selftrained skill, why put the emphasis on an outdated
mode instead of testing selftrained skills on new, modern
modes of communication?

Clint:

Last time I looked, Amateur Radio was a strictly VOLUNTARY
activity. Nobody has ever been "forced" to do anything related to
the hobby/service known as Amateur Radio. If you want to have
privileges within the ARS, you meet the licensing requirements --
as a voluntary act. Only NCTA whiners who are too lazy and
indifferent to the true nature of the ARS to be bothered to learn
a useful communications skill like Morse/CW drag out the "I'm
being forced to learn Morse code" or "I'm having Morse code
shoved down my throat" arguments. This is truly pathetic.

The truth is that a lot of hams, myself included, never imagined
themselves becoming CW operators until they made the effort to
meet the licensing requirement to pass Morse code tests at
various speed levels for increased operator privileges. This is
the genius of the Morse code testing requirement -- it brings out
the best in interested, motivated, and incentive-driven people,
who, for the most part, become the best hams.

73 de Larry, K3LT