b'residen t\' sArtide ACelebration ofSpeech Free Sometime in April the MR Comment:"T MRCAh suppressfreethought that the CAheas received awith anever published anything like thisMRCA sho dn\'t either. documentcoverulletter from aification writerin an openforumletter before.C "No other publicaspec omment: inconcerning his viewsWhylddo it now?" Mytion in the industry wouldhave Indianaofwou you some particular business prac though onthis arethatevenpublished it. "We q stion this, as tsuetices of agroup oftionalthough Inot sure that this iswe remember well Dick F klas certainna amricm turers.In hisletterthe case, it could be. Irst taking our TCommittee to task anufac coverunde and&R the writeraskedif theMRCAthat no organization, association,inApril, 1997 RSI mtheagazine wouldthis w en matter asor individual likes to have theirconcerninga seminaronroof printrittthemeprintnegative man at an open forum letter innextna inin acoatings th we presented at the is the Midwest Roofer. Thener, particularly when it comes toIndianapolis convention in 1sue of996. le wasforwardedtomeaswhat they do for a living.But eventhat is true, it tterNo oneifbecomes president of the MRCA.should takelightly. On theall the m importantindithisorethat After reading the letter it wasother hand, who should decidev or groups have a idualsvehicle theei frustratapparent that whilesubjectwhat industry issues should beto vent th rions at issues matterofthisletterhadbeenprin or s not,whatthat they feel to be unjust in their tedhouldbe and explored extensively inpubli should be the grounds for thisfield of endeavor. our cation in the previous year, itdecision?Comment: "TheCA should wasMRabout ourindustry, andin theInattempt to answer this Istickwhat it does best- Techanto proper contextshouldbepub went to the library andupnicalandResearch."Times looked lished.Wethereforewrote thethe Bill of Rights of the U.S.change, needschange,issues Conproper disclaim as to its valid stitution,dparticular the firstchange, and although we are very eran in ity and content,pub Ihed itamendment. What afulproud ofT&Rthe andis beauti doc ourCommittee, as an open forumicle in ourument.ItdealswithreligiousMRCAacause assoart is notsingle May newsletter.establishment, freedom of speech,ciation and really never h been. as "WOW"I didn\'t know that soofright to assembledWe have always been active in the press,an to many peoplethisWepetition,asfollows:Congressrights and well-being of our conreadthing. lawactor havereceivedcommentsfromshall make norespecting antr members, and the roofing contractorscondemningusforestablishment of religion, or ofindustryaThis is eviaswhole. printing it,well as commentsprohibitingthefreeexercisedenced by theagreeasapplicator from contractors praising us forthereof; or abridging the freedomment, busin management, and ess our actions,tethat isof speech, or of theor oflegal indu ch overviews bu th grouppress;stryange the most upset are the manufac the right of the people peacefullyperformed by our legal departturers involved, and maybe w hto assemble, andpetition thement, as well as our safety and it to regress good reason.government for aof griev insurance programs. W we have receivedances.T isHaving said all hilemanyhisof comments for our actions fromsodirectth there shou at,Id various individuals and groups,andsim- be nomisunour biggest concern certainly ispleis noderstanding it with our contractor members. Andwond thatbya MRCA erny after reflection, Idto usethemembersorby woul likegovernment this article to answerofhasnotbeenanyoneinthe allthem, and possibly explain, at least par able to change itroofingindustially, why the Midwest R since 1779.try.The knifes oofingcutC ractors Association is what itIt a seemsbothways,aont lsond is, aadvocacy associ to me that if theisroomfor reb al contractoruttation.governmentcannotC dpage 9 ontinue on'