Oh well, just ignore them.
Will all respect Spinner:
I have to disagree with your "solution".
Ignoring an issue by closing our eyes is no way forward. And hopefully it is not our NSMBA's solution either!
LINK TO PROVINCE
Who here went to the Board of Directors meeting to share their thoughts? Only one of us: me.
My main point to them, and there were many, was this:
The image in the paper did all the damage in a mili-second as people will look at the picture, create a meaning of the photo in their mind, and then (if we are lucky) read the article. Even IF they read the article, first impressions still last. (I have a background in user experience and cognitive psychology FYI).
The editorial in the link above cannot be cast off as a pundit. This is a person that is motivated to share their thoughts precipitated by a horrible example of photography among other things. How this "scene" even arrived as a photo op is alarming not only to them, but to me, and many others I have spoken with this morning- members of the NSMBA.
I exclaimed to the BOD of our trail association that this picture does not represent "Trails for All, Trails Forever."
To the builders that stand on their mineral dirt pulpit and exclaim just because I (and other riders) have never picked up a shovel and we have no "RIGHT" to criticize… hmmm… maybe the perceived pundit is not so off the mark?
We cannot simply close our eyes. This situation has affected opponents to mountain bikers, proponents for mountain bikers, general community feel, land owner optics, and likely Sponsors and Donor optics of the NSMBA.
Close our eyes? Absolutely not. If this were a business and some one released a photo like that damaging the goodwill of a Brand that has been built up over a period of years by so many dedicated people ahead of them… someone would be fired.
This was a complete miscalculated step causing now, if we are unlucky, a public relations cascade for our trail association. I see the risk clearly. Many I speak to with this morning also see the risk clearly. I only hope the NSMBA Board also realizes the importance of their next steps on this topic.
I support the NSMBA, I support their message "Trails for All, Trails Forever", I am a small time donor… but that does not mean I have to agree with this- that photo does not represent the NSMBA I choose to support.
I also thank the Board for allowing me to share my thoughts last night with them.