Arabian Horse Times
P.O. Box 1736
Waseca, MN 56093
from the Editor

Can't We All Just Get Along?

Is discord a perpetual human condition? What is it in our genetic code that causes us to continue our caustic ways, year after year, decade after decade, and century after century?
Dissent and discord are understandable. Just look at history--they are always there. One individual's righteous indignation at a perceived wrong soon becomes a clarion call for action to other like-minded persons. This spawns an inevitable reaction from opposing parties, and a circle is soon created that ultimately breeds discord aplenty--a circle which is hard to break and when broken often leaves a veneer of uneasy sentiment that can never quite be wiped away. Take for example the myriad of contentious matters within our Arabian horse community. It is not my place to take a position one way or the other on the issues; however, I do take umbrage with the difficulties these disputes--phrased in such a way as to draw fire rather than discussion--may pose to the viability of the Arabian horse breed.
So, at this point might I humbly suggest that it is in everyone's best interests (and I mean everyone, whether a owner, breeder, trainer, exhibitor, aficionado, etc.) to maintain a degree of civility with our discourses. We need to present our thoughts on these matters within forums which are best mediated by common sense, decency and an egalitarian process.
It is also important that we consider where we stand in the much larger design of life and how it relates to current state of affairs in the Arabian industry. The Arabian horse community, collectively, is very important to the continued growth of the breed; a fractious Arabian horse community can do a great disservice to the breed. It is my belief that the greater good of a unified front far outweighs the entertainment value of frequent disharmony. Or, in other words, exchanges of ideas and constructive conversation are great and healthy for our community, but ego-driven diatribes and their resultant repercussions are definitely not.
With an Arabian horse community working together, we can accomplish much more than if we are spitting venom at each other. If everyone would work together and do their part to promote, protect and cherish the Arabian horse, then at the end of the day maybe we can all look in the mirror and glimpse something besides discord ... maybe even contentment and peace.

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