I read the post by Dr. Sasiene and can
appreciate his frustration at what he perceives
within the APMA and/or his state society. I
would like to provide my two cents worth, so to
speak.
It was Former Secretary Donald Rumsfeld that
stated "You go to war with the army you have -
not the army you might want or wish to have at a
future date." This quote is especially prophetic
in what we all face with the turmoil of
healthcare reform in the future. Your state and
national organizations (APMA) represent your
interests on a much larger scale than that of
the individual in most cases.
I serve on many organizations within and outside
my profession. Are there instances when some
organizations can become "tone-deaf" to the
needs of it's membership? Are there instances
when "new" ideas are not received well by some
within organizations from the membership? It is
possible that can occur .... "been there, seen
that!" Alas, men are imperfect!
The organizations that thrive are those that are
open and inviting to new ideas and members. Any
organization that fails to implement this
philosophy, with time, devolves and degenerates
to the point it becomes extinct, through
abandonment, and heaped on the trashpile of
history.
However, I would ask Dr. Sasiene to reconsider
his membership withdrawl from the APMA and/or
his state component society. There are many
people involved in those organizations that do
help the average podiatrist in practice. Not
every "goal" sought by an organization
will "fit" every member's need every single
time. In fact, I would strongly suggest that he
not only become a member but participate
actively if his time permits. I would also
strongly suggest he contribute financially to
the political lobbying efforts of these
organizations. Why? Because in the end, Ben
Franklin stated it best ... "If we do not hang
together, we will certainly all hang separately."
One of the organizations that my family and I
that I proudly serve is the Boy Scouts of
America. One important lesson that is provided
through its ranks from member, to volunteers, to
leaders is that "leaders make change ... they do
not wait for it." This is a lesson all of us can
take from and any organization can use.
Gino Scartozzi, DPM, New Hyde Park, NY
Gsdpm@aol.com
