How does Chess Politics Affect Chess in Kalamazoo Michigan? by Andrew
Zito

I really don't like these lines of discussion others raise because it
seems some what naive and I have difficulty finding a place to begin
but certainly when people enjoy chess and sports and culture one is
entitled to an answer to their questions as why the president may
interrupt the Super Bowl.

The answer is simple though it is not one which Bobby Fischer had
really grasped as he acted primarily as an individualist. The Pushed
Pawn has adopted the Beastie Boyz theme song line of "You have to
fight for your right to party" into You have to fight for your right
to play chess!"

Chess is not merely a game between one player and his mates but an
international mental sport that has millions of enthusiasts
nationally and internationally, of which there are only 90.000 in the
US organized into the USCF representing the estimated 20,000,000
chess players here in the US which is because of reasons beyond
merely playing chess. Now if you wish to chess and have a great club
with facilities to go to that is affected by issues that arise when
the membership numbers are restricted by them being keep low due to
policies which are corrupt backward and simply wrong. What occurs in
chess on a local level occurs because of what occurs on many other
levels that has a ripple effect directly affected by reactionary
beliefs that doesn't even value chess (art, sports, and music for
that matter) unless there is a specific monetary value placed on
those activities.
How does all this Chess Politics Affect Chess in Kalamazoo Michigan?
Well to be fair beside aspects of the support that could be better
organized on the local level related to funding so that high school
chess clubs get equal treatment with football and basketball, so that
they can have access to official boards, sets, clocks, and staff,
community centers and libraries made available without chess
organizers having to beg borrow and steal to get them,

So that funding can be made available for teaching, coaching, travel
and hotel stays and merely middle class kids will not the only ones
able to afford what is denied kids and players of lower incomes.

'Stuart Finney' is a case in point as "a forward on his soccer team"
who "can play Haydn on the piano with his eyes closed *** is
currently the fifth-ranked 8-year-old in America", who has been
encouraged by the extraordinary provisions of his father who is able
to "shepherd him to tournaments every month, take him to chess club
on other weekends, buy him more than 30 chess primers, and pay $50 an
hour for weekly chess lessons". .(Ibid.. Child's Play: Grade-School
Grandmasters Square Off By ROBERT ANDREW POWELL Published: December
19, 2003 New York Times Online Travel Section)

Though admirably

"Mrs. Heung, a stay-at-home mother married to a civil engineer, feels
the expense is justified by her son's ability.''It's a sacrifice,''
she said, estimating she spends about $10,000 a year on chess for her
son, a sum that the family struggles to afford.'' (Ibid. Child's
Play: Grade-School Grandmasters Square Off By ROBERT ANDREW POWELL
Published: December 19, 2003 New York Times Online Travel Section)

I ask if that is the case for a civil engineer's family with a stay
at home mom what is the hope for a children with two or even one
parent barely surviving on minimum wages (which doesn't mention the
issue of health care).

When American chess players compete internationally why is it that
they are represented by a chess federation of less than 40,000 voting
members corrupted by private financial and commercial interests and
the Russians, the Chinese are represented by federations of millions
of members? Why is it that Germany and European countries subsidizes
chess as a sport but here in the good ole USA high school chess clubs
are lucky to get anything?

When an American gets into a confrontation with FIDE does he or she
want to be presented by a federation of approximately 40,000 voting
members or one with millions of members as one which represents the
United States?

It is not a question of parents making sacrifices, I am tired of
hearing how parents are being forced to take individual efforts to
provide their children what in needed in America. It is a question of
America and Americans ensuring that what is required to be done is
done not as a privilege and vested interests (as all too often rights
become merely privileges catering to special constituencies in senior
residencies and centers).

Perhaps you should visit the high school track in Flint, and ask why
though that High School team had a very impressive track record some
years that and they didn't compete at home (because their running
track was muddy and in permanent disrepair due to a lack of funds,
financial, political, and corrupt mismanagement in matters related to
social programs. Whereas rhetoric is the staple and starvation is the
result it is time to end those and other more egregious practices and
to encourage an appropriate outlook in chess..

And any one wishing to separate the chess from the politics or
dictate where and when those matters are to be discussed are not
doing chess America or any one any good but instead act in a rude
inappropoate socially myopic narrow minded sectarian manner
perpetrated under pretexts of what is supposedly good for chess.

THE PUSHED PAWN http::/pushedpawn.org

----- Original Message -----
From: Palin Quintara
To: chessplayersinmichigan@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2005 2:03 AM
Subject: Re: [chessplayersinmichigan] USCF Crossville Tennessee
Building


I think Jeff's point was more that this particular board is geared
toward discussion within Michigan. Surely if people from Michigan
wanted to discuss a national topic it would be appropriate. But
discussing something national with national figures just doesn't seem
to fit. That and honestly.. I'd rather not see the board begin to get
spammed by messages like so many others are.

Anyway, just my 2 cents.
----- Original Message -----
From: Norman E. Browne
To: chessplayersinmichigan@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, October 30, 2005 10:12 PM
Subject: Re: [chessplayersinmichigan] USCF Crossville Tennessee
Building

Jeff,

With all due respect, USCF operations do have a direct effect on
Chess in Michigan. I don't have a dog in this hunt, but as USCF
members we would do well do be active in questioning the wisdom or
lack of it on the part of those we elect to spend our dues money.

Could it be that we are all a bit disconnected from the realities of
the organized structure that represents us, and that may well explain
why so many people who play chess, disdain organized play? I mean,
if we who do participate in organized chess don't care, then why
would casual chess player want to sign onto such a system?

Regards,
Norm

----- Original Message -----
From: Jeff Aldrich
To: chessplayersinmichigan@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, October 30, 2005 8:23 AM
Subject: RE: [chessplayersinmichigan] USCF Crossville Tennessee
Building

This group is for discussing chess in Michigan. If you want to
discuss national politics, please take it to RGCP.

Thanks.

-----Original Message-----

From: chessplayersinmichigan@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:chessplayersinmichigan@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of The
Pushed Pawn
Sent: Sunday, October 30, 2005 5:25 AM
To: chessplayersinmichigan@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [chessplayersinmichigan] USCF Crossville Tennessee
Building

Doug first I know you love to speak off the top of your head ..... in
your writing broadly ......

but if you didn't read the article I would appreciate you not casting
you comments ......

refer to my artilce as it involves a lot of money

though that is what I could politely call ignorant I don't ...

I know your position in local chess and respect that but ....

as the Russians even after the fall of the Soviet Union can claim
millions of members though the USA has 20 million chess players, what
can the USA claim for chess in that your leadership and the rest of
the USCF has not produced more than a few thousand if those many ...
Sam Sloan doesn't have a formal membership group which is one of the
points I have criticized him ..... we participate in email lists
technically these were originally called email lists

I repeat you made comments without reading and appropriate
consideration of what I wrote

the USCF generally is a friendly group of friendly people

bad leadership should not be cause for what I percieve from you as
disrespect ....

As so far a UFOs are concerned if someone said there were UFOs

and aliens on earth to play chess Sam Sloan probably would ask them
to prove it

My original article reports numerous significant financial
shortcomings

USCF Crossville Tennessee Building Construction a Bad Investment
by Andrew Zito October 29. 2005.

Though I am not an architect nor in the construction trades recently
I mentioned in passing references views that generally challenged
accepted references regarding the USCF decision to construct a
building for its use as a headquarters at the new location of
Crossville Tennessee . I write this at the bequest of Mr. Sam Sloan
who expressed that it was generally accepted within USCF circles that
such a building would be constructed of masonry and be of a permanent
long lasting nature rather than frame stud construction. This is the
culminative result of information, belief and knowledge, and further
research relating to the matter.

AS this article includes photographs in support of what is said it is
posted in full on pushedpawn.org

Click here to read the whole report:

----- Original Message -----

From: Douglas M. Forsythe

To: chessplayersinmichigan@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Saturday, October 29, 2005 10:48 PM

Subject: Re: [chessplayersinmichigan] USCF Crossville Tennessee
Building

Well, a statement from the Sam Sloan group. Glad that Sam Sloan does
not hold the idea that UFO¡¯s come to Earth to play chess. If he did,
he would be demanding all USCF members would need to prove what
planet we are from. Or does he, never know what strange ideas pop
into his mind.

Douglas M Forsythe

The Organization <the_pushed_pawn@...> wrote:

I write this at the bequest of Mr. Sam Sloan who expressed that it
was generally accepted within USCF circles that such a building would
be constructed of masonry and be of a permanent long lasting nature
rather than frame stud construction. This is the culminative result
of information, belief and knowledge, and further research relating
to the matter