Toellner Tells it

Carpe Diem

Yesterday I talked about how sometimes you are forced into taking positions on things, because silence is its own decision.  Now the important correlary, once this opportunity presents itself, you must cease it like it is your one and only chance to make a difference.

Last week one of these opportunities presented itself to me...and I had no choice but to take it.  The Kansas City Neighborhoods committee met regarding the dangereous dog ordinance and our group, Kansas City Dog Advocates was given special permission to speak for 15 minutes.  The meeting was set up on 3 days notice, we got the invite for the speach on about 36 hours notice.  I had assembled a presentation that I'd used elsewhere, and was familiar with the material -- and by the nature of my job, I was one of the few KCMO residents who was going to be able to attend on short notice.

Let me first say, I'm not the most likely candidate to do this.  But the opportunity to do this was there and it was time to jump up and do it.

This is where the correlary kicks in, don't do it half way.  I presented for nearly 20 minutes.  I had details, I had slides, I had facts, I had applause from the audience (thanks friends!).  I think it was very good.  Kicking the bucket on this could have been devastating...It could have cost our group a lot of credibility.  Instead, the total number of people who have joined our group has increased pretty dramatically, we have several media hits, and two positive articles on pit bulls have run in the media since then (I specifically called out the media in my presentation for their unbalanced reporting).  We now have a big event with a special guest speaking coming in that will happen in 2 weeks.  What is happening is pretty unbelievable.

Don't do things half way... you may never get the chance to do it again...so step up and do it right when the opportunity presents itself.  Overdeliver.  It takes courage, but it's important.  I came across a quote last week from the FAst Company newsletter from Senator John McCain:

"You can live with pain.  You can live with embarrassment.  Remorse is an aweful companion...Whatever the unwelcome consequences of courage, they are unlikely to be worse than the discovery that your are less than you pretend to be."

Cease the moment.

Silence is a decision

You don't always ask for it.  You seldom want it.  But every once in a while a situation arises and by the nature of who you are, where you live or what you do, you are faced with a choice. You can either take a leadership role and fix a situation, or you can do nothing and hope for the best (which seldom works).  And even if you don't want to take on this role, there is something about you that makes it imperitive that you step up. 

Over the past three months, the entire metro of Kansas City has been dealing is issues regarding pit bulls.  There have been three major attacks in the metro, including one death.  All three had similar situations including absentee dog owners who allowed the dogs to live in an abandoned house without food or supervision.  The dogs get out, and attack.  Two of the owners had criminal records.  Meanwhile, the only solution many cities can come up with is banning pit bulls.

While many volunteers and pit bull owners have bound together to fight off this legislation, the animal welfare community has remained mostly silent.  HSUS, the ASPCA, shelters, trainers, boarding facilities, rescues, veterinarians (with some notable exceptions -- thank to you all!) etc have been mostly silent.  Even the Missouri Pit Bull Rescue has adopted a stance that they are about rescue and not politics (although a few of their members are acting independently)...never mind that if BSL gets enforced, there will be no one to adopt to.  Same with vets and boarding facilities who haven't stepped forward even though it would dramatically affect their business...and I have no idea why HSUS and ASPCA have been non-existant.

The standard response when we call these places is that they don't have time, or their primary objective isn't BSL (although they all have statements on the matter).  But here's the rub -- by the very nature of what they do, what their career calling is, they HAVE to have a response.  No response is a vote in favor of pit bull bans.  And yet, many do nothing. 

One of my favorite quotes says that sometimes remaining indecisive, is a form of making a decision.  I couldn't agree more.  I know that we may not always sign up for it -- but it looks us square in the face, and either we can react, or not.  But not fighting is the same as agreeing.

This same premise happens in every industry, business, city council, neighborhood, or community group anywhere. Silence IS a decision.