Letter regarding the article “quo quadis bulletin” May 2011
Hartmut Heiber, Colonia Swingers

I would like to comment on the article “quo quadis bulletin” (shouldn’t it say “Quo vadis, Bulletin?”) because I cannot follow all the accusations and critics of Stefan Burger.

Of course, older articles written some ten or twenty years earlier are reprinted once in a while in the Bulletin, but the mix of problems and the subjects are nowadays often the same and as topical as they used to be, aren’t they? Besides, you should keep in mind that many new dancers have joined Square Dance since then and haven’t read those articles, i.e. could find them as interesting and up-to-date as they were when first published. They’ll not bother to look at the original publishing date first of all.

I don’t think it’s true that nowadays almost no letters to the editor or articles to the print media are written. Of course, these letters are not sent via the Post Office anymore, more often in their electronic form as an e-mail, but these letters are still addressed to the media which surely will print them, when they make a statement on the relevant subject.

Of course, nobody will contradict that our time has become fast moving and therefore more shallow, but you should also see that the use of the different media, if electronic or printed, is also dependent on the user’s age.

I think that the middle and older generation can still live very well with letters to the editor, while the younger generation, which has grown up with computers and IT, is certainly inclined more by the “quick media” including internet, blogs and SMS.

In my opinion, letters to the editor and printed articles still have their right to exist, even when they are published 2 to 4 weeks after they have been sent. Only seldom, these things are so current and important that they must be printed promptly.

For prompt information the internet is of course available at any time and the EAASDC uses that media in full extent as well. Nevertheless, EAASDC should continue the double track, as they have done for quite a while.

Receiving the blue booklet eight times a year, I personally enjoy very much because this is not a fleeting media and because I like reading it. I have archived all booklets since the beginning of our Square Dance career in 1989 and I even have a look into old booklets, once in a while.

Reducing the costs of printing and sending is of course an argument, which could be of importance if the cash situation should become critical, but fortunately the EAASDC is not in any danger from this, as far as I know.

And don’t forget: Who doesn’t like to take the printed club directory published four times a year along on a journey, e.g. for a quick search of addresses of dance places. I wouldn’t like to relinquish on that.

Transl.: Claudia Burger