Something that really bugs me

Something that really bugs me
Jun 21st 2008
wolfmoonsleddog
Southeast
Location: Northwest GA
Time - 3:43pm
Temperature: 84 degrees F
Conditions: Mostly cloudy, humid
Forecast: Thunderstorms tonight, sunny tomorrow. Highs in the 80s, lows in the 60s

I’ve been involved with the mushing community for a long time now and I know a lot of mushers and dogs. It’s a wonderful community united by dogs and, for the most part, I really enjoy the other mushers.

However, there is something that bothers me - the way mushers go at each other. Not all mushers are like this. In fact, most aren’t. But I’ve heard Musher A slander Musher B to a crowd. Here’s the thing - I know and really like both Musher A and Musher B. So it’s hard for me being in the middle (it’s part of the whole TAKE SIDES mentality that drives me nuts). In fact, I often hear some mushers dis another musher (never to their face, mind you) for one reason or another. Generally it has to do with treatment of dogs - and believe me, I don’t want anyone mushing if they aren’t good with dogs. Most of the time I don’t know diddly squat about the musher in question and just sort of go along with what is being said. But there is slander that I KNOW isn’t true.

I have a friend who is musher and whom I really respect. I’m not naming anyone here for a variety of reasons but this person is very experienced and very good with dogs and really seems to be on the same wavelength. I’ve known this person for a good long time now. Recently, I said something about this particular musher to another mushing acquaintance (who did not realize this person was my friend) and this acquaintance launched into this diatribe about how the musher was cruel and didn’t care for dogs, was completely clueless and self-absorbed, etc. (those are common attacks in musher vs. musher slander). That really threw me as I KNOW THAT NONE OF THAT IS TRUE. And there is nothing that makes me madder than that.

So what the heck to do in a situation such as this? Do I give the person spreading this stuff a piece of my mind and tell them to lay off my friend and that their rant was uncalled for? No, that wouldn’t do anything good and would make things worse for the whole TAKE SIDES mentality. Sheesh.

Somehow, I’ve always been able to be friends with people on opposite sides of seemingly un-bridgeable issues. Now it seems I am friends with mushers who, for one reason or another, basically hate each other. Weird. So where does that leave me?