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| Ted Keer posted a YouTube video about the Nanny State "Click It or Ticket" law. This prompted me to post a blog entry today that I already planned to post some time this month. It relates directly to this issue. Toastmasters International, the public speaking educational organization, has a monthly magazine called The Toastmaster featuring articles of interest to members. The November 2007 issue offered an article by Darcy Keith about her near fatal car crash at the age of 22 in which she lost some of her sorority sisters and regretted not wearing her seat belt. She suffered severe injuries and literally had to learn from scratch how to walk and do all other normal tasks a toddler would learn. In the article, she extolled Toastmasters for the public speaking training her club gave her which gave her the skill and courage needed to testify before her state legislature in favor of tougher mandatory seat belt laws. (As an aside that exposes Republicans as no friends of freedom, the Rushville Republican Web site sang her praises in this piece.) My heart goes to this woman for her tragedy and triumph. My mind, however, could hardly let this article slide unchallenged. So I wrote a quick response to the magazine and included Ms. Keith in distribution. It saw publication in the January 2008 issue: Less is MoreI found the "My Turn" article "From Tragedy to Triumph" by Darcy Keith, CC, in the November 2007 issue of The Toastmaster both inspiring and disturbing. I found inspiration in her ability to get her life back on track after suffering critical injuries in an automobile accident. I found disturbance in her decision to use her Toastmasters public speaking skills to expand the intrusion of government into our lives still further with more paternalistic seat belt laws. I joined Toastmasters in part because I advocate less, not more, intrusion of government into our lives. Sadly, government usually invites "testimony" from those who support its growth rather than its reduction. I hope Ms. Keith will reconsider her position as it stands squarely at odds with a foundational concept of a free society, namely self-responsibility. Luther Setzer, ATM-B Islander Toastmasters Club Kennedy Space Center, Florida Toastmasters Clubs teach members not only to speak, but to listen and to think. Unfortunately, communication relies on the effectiveness of all three skills in order to succeed. Perhaps my letter proved too terse or perhaps others read too carelessly, but these two responses made their way into the April 2008 issue of the magazine. The first one, by error or evasion, completely misinterprets and misrepresents the meaning of my letter: Less is MoreI found Luther Setzer's letter (January) advocating less government and fewer laws such as wearing seat belts in cars both inspiring and disturbing. I found inspiration in his view that we needless government intrusion into our lives, especially in the arena of car safety. So after a few beers I got in my car. As his letter points out, government supervision stands squarely at odds with the foundational concept of a free society. So I ran a few red lights. After all, I wanted to be free. Paternalistic laws governing a driver's behavior do not promote Mr. Setzer's ideal of a free society and self-responsibility. How else would I ever learn the consequences of my own actions? After doubling the speed limit and driving on the wrong side of the of the road, I hit a pedestrian. Clearly this person was not on the look-out for a self-responsibility free-society-Iover like me. And that's when I found disturbance. I realized that some government guidelines, such as seatbelt laws and traffic rules are there to protect me and the people around me. Shannon Miller, CC Santa Barbara Toastmasters Club Santa Barbara, California The second letter not only misspells my name in the final sentence, but also begs questions about whether a Toastmaster has the right to challenge ideas published in a magazine to which he pays dues: More on Less is MoreI was taken aback by the January issue's letter titled, "Less Is More" by Luther Setzer, commenting about Darcy Keith's choice to use her skills gained through Toastmasters to lobby for a cause that was important to her. The purpose of Toastmasters is to teach communication and leadership skills. How people choose to use them is outside the scope of Toastmasters. In our clubs, we listen and help fellow Toastmasters improve speeches that are political, religious or in direct conflict with some personal beliefs. Hearing differing opinions helps the speaker gain insight into all sides of the issue. The arguments are more powerful when the speaker acknowledges and refutes the other side. We do not, however, chastise or condemn those with differing opinions or try to redirect their efforts. I hope Toastmaster Seltzer will acknowledge that Ms. Keith's right to have differing opinions from his is what ultimately makes the United States a free society. Suzanne Barone, DTM Business Oriented Toastmasters Club Rockville, Maryland I should mention that the decision of the magazine editors to run a story favorably viewing the communication skills of Al Gore in his global warming campaign drew some passionate letters supporting and condemning this choice. So clearly I am not the only person challenging such choices. However, I do not want this blip on the Toastmasters radar to discourage readers of this site from joining a local Toastmasters club. If you want to improve your public speaking skills in a supportive environment, you cannot do better than Toastmasters. Acronym Key: ATM-B Advanced Toastmaster Bronze CC Competent Communicator DTM Distinguished Toastmaster | ||||
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