Dwight Stewart wrote:

"Dave Heil" wrote:
Dwight Stewart wrote:

But we're not talking about a woman with
several children or NASA engineers - this
is a discussion about government policy.

Why, Dwight! It was you who brought up
those very items. How can it be a dodge
when I respond to them? (snip)

As you know, they (child birth and NASA) were brought up in a discussion
about government policy. Your reply was a dodge because you tried to apply
those comments to something other than government policy rather than
addressing them in the context they were made.

Your earlier comments:

"Dave, I don't have a background in a lot of things (child birth,
international affairs with Belarus, NASA space missions, to name just a
few), but expect to have a voice in those things when I have something
to say and would be darn offended, and very confrontational..."

Please point out the portion in which you state that you're discussing
government policy on child birth, NASA, etc.

(snip) What value would your suggestions on
child bearing policy or NASA policy have to
those making decisions? (snip)

We were talking about opinions, not suggestions. My opinions affect how I
vote, which effects who is elected, which effects where tax dollars are
spent, and so on. My opinions, voiced to others, may affect their opinions,
which effects who is elected, and so on. Is this process all that unfamiliar
to you?

Not at all. Opinions become suggestions all the time. Are you familiar
with Len's lengthy submission to the FCC regarding the morse test?
Would you believe his words could be construed as being suggestions to
the FCC? Would they be considered as Len's opinions?

(snip) Don't expect others to greet your views
with reverence if you have no background in the
matter under discussion. (snip)

Don't be so vain, Dave. You don't speak for "others" and I don't
expect anything from you.

My comments had nothing to do with vanity.

(snip) The mistake is in the view that morse use
is declining in amateur radio. (snip)

I haven't said Morse use is declining in Amateur Radio. My exact words
were "...Morse code is a declining skill throughout the radio world."

That's what you wrote, alright. I pointed out that morse use is not
declining in amateur radio. Amateur radio is certainly part of the
radio world.

Considering far fewer people in radio today are using code compared to just
few decades ago, that isn't exactly an astonishing revelation, is it?

(snip) It matters not that the morse isn't used much
by other radio services. (snip)

Oh, it most certainly does matter. As I've already stated, if we're going
to remain a valuable radio service, worthy of the massive frequencies we
hold and unlike personal radio services (CB), we must consider the needs of
the other radio services when discussing any licensing issue - including
code testing.

The needs of other radio services? What need has any other service to
tell hams which modes to use? How would a great number of hams using
morse be less worthy of the "massive" frequencies we have for our use?

The FCC did exactly that in the Report & Order following the last round of
restructuring when they looked at personal communication services, satellite
communications, fiber optic communications, high definition television
systems, and police, fire, and rescue communications. In that Report &
Order, the FCC stated that "...no communication system has been designed in
many years that depends on hand-keyed telegraphy or the ability to receive
messages in Morse code by ear"...

Simple statement of fact. No new system has been developed. Yet
thousands of radio amateurs use morse daily.


and that "...the emphasis on Morse code
proficiency as a licensing requirement does not comport with the basis and
purpose of the service." Finally, the FCC said, "...reducing the emphasis on
telegraphy proficiency as a licensing requirement will allow the amateur
service to, as it has in the past, attract technically inclined persons,
particularly the youth of our country, and encourage them to learn and to
prepare themselves in the areas where the United States needs expertise."

Yup. Five words per minute isn't exactly emphasis on morse, is it?
Technically inclined people didn't let a morse test stop them in the
past and don't seem to let it stop them now. Much of the youth seems
busy downloading MP3 files and playing computer games.

In
my opinion, the exact same argument could be made for eliminating telegraphy
proficiency as a licensing requirement.

Maybe it could--if you believe that 5 wpm constitutes "emphasis".

Dave K8MN