Quote:
Originally Posted by Citrus Dad
FIRST is not a monolithic entity. Of course I'm talking about changing its rules. I'm talking to FIRST here indirectly and also directly. And the only way to get a discussion going about changing its rules is to have a discussion on CD. Your are trying to shut down this discussion by saying "because FIRST said so." That is not a productive line of discussion. That's why I'm responding to you--you're responsible for your thoughts and opinions.
...
And if you're with FRC right now, then put your affiliation on your profile. Right now you have no standing in the discussion because you have no real stake. Past affiliation doesn't count.
|
I agree with you fully, right up until the last paragraph. As I've stated, some rules are meant to be broken. Ultimately, FRC culture has evolved in a way that makes it inherently work against the grain of the current seating rules, and that's fine. In fact, it's good, as the current culture allows teams to be together in the stands. I can't imagine how much less spirited we would be if we were all split apart, and I can't imagine how annoying it would be to hand out scouting stuff across 2 or 3 different sections.
Where I have a problem is the last few sentences. If he's involved with FRC, then he has a stake in the issue, regardless of what team he is on. Although i believe this is what you meant to say, asking him to specify what team he is with goes beyond the fundamental "yes/no" question. The question of whether he is involved with an FRC team is relevant, considering this discussion carries implications for the teams, but what team he is affiliated with has nothing to do with it. Furthermore, I disagree that past affiliation "doesn't count." Let's be honest, it's not like the seat-saving issue is a new thing. If he was affiliated with a team, and has past experiences with seat-saving while involved with that team, then he has the right to share those experiences and build an argument out of them. Perhaps those arguments shouldn't be phrased in the present-tense, but they are valid nonetheless.