In article .net, "Dwight
Stewart" writes:

"N2EY" wrote:

(snip) What we're saying is that on the single
issue of continued Morse code testing, (snip)

(snip) Not me. I EARNED mine. I encourage
others to EARN theirs. Is that bad? Shall I
apologize for my accomplishments and sit idly
by while others try to trash a community I
belong to?


If what you're demanding to "earn" that license is unnecessary and based
on a false premise, then I think it is bad.

OK, fine.

You haven't established, at
least not to my satisfaction (nor the satisfaction of the ITU, FCC, and
several countries around the world), why Morse code is necessary (notice I
said necessary, not enjoyable) for ham radio today.

You mean the code itself, or the test?

And there is no truth
whatsoever to the premise that those without code skills in the ham radio
community are trashing anything. Instead, the vast majority are dedicated,
well-behaved, enthusiastic, participants of this community.

I wasn't just talking about the end of code testing "trashing ham radio". There
are a lot of other bad ideas out there.

Several countries around the world have moved, or are moving, forward to
eliminate the Morse Code testing requirement while the United States sits
back and watches.

What's the count now?

How many countries have eliminated the code test, vs. how many have retained it
so far?

Is this the actions of a modern, progressive, country with
feet planted firmly on today and eyes on the future?

What does all that mean, exactly? Besides the removal of the last remaining
vestige of code testing?

It's time to move on, Jim.

To what?

Let's say that tomorrow FCC just dumps Element 1. One sentence: "Element 1 is
waived for all applicants, pending revision of the rules". Could happen,
y'know.

What happens next?

Morse code is going to be even less necessary in the future. As such,
Morse Code testing has no ligitimate place in that future.

My mileage varies on that...

73 de Jim, N2EY