sending and receiving CW isn't a building block
to anything else.....

Yes, it is.

okay, time to fish or cut bait... in what way is CW
a building block to the operation of a ham radio
that you can't say about so many other more
modern, up to date and applicable modes?

I mean, ORIGINALLY, the first communication that
was EVER sent was a spark with a spark generator.
The do not require you to show profeciency in building
a spark generator and using it; if you say "well, we just
SKIP that step and go to CW", then you can say that
about EVERY step along the way of learning
ham radio.


Clint
KB5ZHT