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What we are and are not going to do

6/10/2020

7 Comments

 
Everyone,

I truly want to let everyone know how proud I am of having a community that can discuss things in an open and civil manner.  Not everyone has felt comfortable posting on this forum and several have approached me personally.  Others that have been silent in public, I have sought out because I feel that their opinion has more weight than others.  I wish I had more time to  respond to each conversation directly, as I tried to do originally, but the hours of my free time are not enough.  Lacey, Ryan, Ali, and Ashley please forgive me for not responding to your most recent posts directly.

I was going to wait until Friday so that more discussion could be had, but I feel there has been enough time for everyone to say their piece either privately or publicly.  There have been tears, hurt feelings, but I value that we can all remain friends and value each other as intelligent people with our own differing points of view.  At this time waiting on action for more discussion is causing more harm than good.

Actions speak louder than words.  Here is what we are doing as we move forward.  In February when our affiliation with CrossFit is up at this point we are choosing not to renew.  That is a long ways away, but such is the process of contractual obligations.

If all we did was not renew I would feel that it was an easy out. At Alternative Athletics the affiliate fee has already been budgeted for.  I feel that we can do more good by donating those funds to a local charity.  I'm open to discussion on where is should go from our community at large, but it will be put to good use.  There is a lot of national attention on the Black Lives Matter movement right now, so I feel that our contribution would not have as great of an impact as helping on the issue of un-investigated missing native women.  This is something that is in our back yard right now, and not on the national agenda.  They need our help.  If you have something that is meaningful to you, please bring it to my attention.  This will be an annual discussion of what we can do as a community to help in local matters.

Things that I am not going to do.  Publicly declare Greg Glassman a racist on any forum.  For those that are embarrassed or can no longer associated with our place of business because of that, I'm sorry you feel that way.  He is insensitive, arrogant and ill advised on what has come out to the media at large.  In no way am I defending him, his statements or actions.  He said several things, tried to articulate his original intent and then choose to relinquish power.  To say that any of us have never been misunderstood, communicated ourselves poorly and or placed ourselves in a position which required us to apologize for our own actions is inhuman.  I will give anyone the benefit of the doubt, because I myself have failed.  Everyone has the ability to form their own opinion, no one has the right to dictate what another person's opinion should be.

However, I will not follow or be associated with an ineffective leadership.  The choosing of Dave Castro as his successor is a continuation of the same, rather than a change for the better.  I can go on at length for those that are interested, meet with me in private.  CrossFit is full of intelligent, accomplished, amazing people and there had to have been a better choice available.

We are dissolving our affiliation over many issues, and not just this most recent one.  

-Over the years CrossFit has chased off many people that I value and seek information from, Rob Wolf, Mark Twight, Mark Rippetoe, Kelly Starett, Pat Sherwood, Tony Budding and now Nicole Carroll to name a few.  

-There has been the give and take of using the word "Pukie's" as our annual competition, in reference to Pukie the clown an old school CrossFit mascot and ending in a cease and desist letter from HQ.  

-There was the watering down of things to make it more acceptable to the population at large as they lean towards the sport of fitness rather than the sport of life after their association with Reebok.  

-The fight over who had the rights to the annual Fight Gone Bad fund raiser has turned a great and beneficial situation into dust.

- Finally and most importantly to me the trend of CrossFit gyms to equate "Elite Fitness" with the Financially Elite.  You don't change the world by catering the rich.

I have never stated that black lives or any other lives were up for debate.  I never defended what Greg Glassman said as being correct.  I will never assume that my opinion or social sense is definitive in nature.  I don't seek others opinion as a way of outsourcing, I value it as I come to a decision that effects a community which to me is family.  When I say that anyone is welcome at anytime, it is sincere and honest.  The only one that is unwelcome is the person that makes others feel so.  Being able to express your feelings does not make you an outsider.  It makes you family.

I want everyone to know that I still value the community, research and all the good work that has been done by CrossFit over the 11 years of our partnership.  Why has it taken so long to break ties with the corporation?  The only reason is this community.  People enjoy calling themselves CrossFitters.  It is an easy label that describes, hard work, self discipline, a personal responsibility on health and wellness.  The label paints a picture with few strokes.  In February you will still be a able to call yourself a CrossFitter.  We will still recognize CrossFit training as a valid way to become a trainer at our gym, along with USAW, NSCA and having a bachelor's degree in a related field.  We will still host the CrossFit open at no cost for those who would like to participate.  What you won't be able to do is say that you work out at a CrossFit Gym.  We dropped the name off of our sign years ago, but February will be the time that we go our separate ways.

Thank you for participating in this discussion, even if it was only to read the words of others.  I value you all.  To those that have reached out to make sure that I was doing Ok personally, or made gestures of sympathy concerning the situation at large.  I am deeply touched.

-C-

From Katie, Friday morning trainer, my wife, founder of Alternative Athletics and Co Owner.

Actions speak louder than words. But apparently, for some people, not so much. Clint and I have spent the last 11 years building a place that is a safe haven for people of every race, creed, and walk of life. We have intentionally built a community that is supportive, with the aim of building stronger humans; physically, mentally, and socially. It is unfortunate that for a handful of people, the actions of 11 years are outweighed by the perception that we have not put out the right words on the internet. I guess we haven’t racked up enough virtue points over the years to outweigh the social pressure of hashtags.

I don’t know Greg Glassman. From what I’ve read and heard I think he’s pretty much an asshole. I think what he tweeted and said was insensitive and tasteless. We are leaving CrossFit for a number of reasons which we are more than happy to discuss with anyone. But I’m not going to put up a post labeling him a racist just because someone tells me to. We are living in a time of knee-jerk reactions and echo chambers. If you think I sound a little bitter, you’re right. I think it’s a natural reaction in this situation.

If you feel passionate about the BLM movement, I encourage you to follow your heart. By all means, protest and post on social media. But don’t forget to also educate yourself about the policies and problems in your local area. Canvas for candidates that run on social justice platforms, join non-elected local committees and action groups, run for local or state office, volunteer your time with local chapters of the NAACP, ACLU, BLM, or other groups. Find leadership from those who have been in the trenches of this battle for years and decades. Find a way that you can make your actions speak for you. If you feel that the first step on this path is leaving the gym, then I support you in that decision.

Demographically, most of Billings is white. Most of our gym community is also white, though we have had members of lots of races, ethnicities, religions, and orientations over the years. The people that have expressed distress because we have not posted a statement denouncing Glassman as a racist are also white. Our non-white members and friends don’t have an issue with us not putting out a statement about Glassman’s comments. We have sought out their opinions on this. We’ve had the conversation. Several of them have, in fact, encouraged us to stay with CrossFit. I’m not saying that white people can’t be in this fight, but I am letting the opinions of our friends of various races inform my own thinking on this. Racism is a crime against humanity at large. But let’s not shout our voices so loud that the cries that need to be heard get drowned out. 

For those of you who feel you need to leave our community over this, you will always be welcomed back. People have left us before over things that we have or have not said, some have returned and some have not. Clint and I are human, we have our own beliefs and values, and our own struggles to live up to them. Sometimes we are in the right, and sometimes we’ve been wrong. We have both made and accepted apologies over the years. I regret if some of you feel you need to disassociate from us at this time, but it doesn’t dim the pride I have in what we’ve all built together over the last 11 years. I’m proud of the community we’ve built. I’m proud that we’ve brought people of diverse walks of life together in the shared struggle of workouts. I’m proud that we’ve become something bigger than just a gym.

We will miss those of you who leave us. In the meantime we will continue to speak with our actions. We will continue to fund-raise for causes that are meaningful to our gym community. We will continue supporting our members through fitness, but also with friendship and compassion. We will keep handing out tough love and calling BS when we see it. We will keep banding together when the tough times come, lending our ears to listen, our muscles to work, and our shoulders to cry on for those who need us. Whether we see you tomorrow, or not for years to come, you will always have a home with us.

Katie

7 Comments
Juli Price
6/11/2020 05:26:46 am

I just got on and saw all of the dialogue. It seems to me that it’s a lot easier to tell people what’s what online and march downtown one afternoon, than it is to dig in and invest in people and a community for years and years and years. All of a sudden being concerned about systemic racism in the criminal justice system doesn’t give anyone’s opinion weight. Saying you’re racist if you don’t immediately determine someone else is racist doesn’t make sense. Show me the years and hours and blood sweat and tears you’ve put into taking care of the marginalized, and I will listen to your opinion.

Reply
Michelle W. link
6/11/2020 03:00:33 pm

Clint,
I am so sorry that you and Katie have been forced into this due to some stupid comments from Greg Glassman. Glassman does not represent AA. Anyone who follows CrossFit at all knows he is pretty much a d*ck. In my seven years at our gym, I have never seen nor heard any racist or divisive comments or actions from anyone. In fact, I am a better person for being at the gym and getting to meet and know so many new people that I now call friends. AA might have needed the CrossFit affiliation when it started as CrossFit was "the" thing. It was not as commercialized, and I feel it probably helped the gym to gain a lot of its initial memberships. I know that is why I wanted to join: I was wanting the challenge of CrossFit. However since then, people have stayed in the gym and recruited friends to it because of you and Katie, and the community YOU have built. It is not because of Greg Glassman, Dave Castro, or CrossFit HQ. That being said, I understand the decision to not renew in February. I think that money is better served elsewhere.

This current climate is ridiculous. It is insane that someone labels another person as a racist because that person doesn't take to the public podium and declare "I'm not a racist!". This is another attempt to divide people, and it has that ol' Sharpton/Jackson "shakedown" feel to it.

We are living in a scary combination of "1984" and "Fahrenheit 451". We have the thought police and the burning of books because they perpetuate free thought (no free thinking allowed, and anything that perpetuates that has to go). Looking at the riots and the threats of people boycotting, leaving a gym, attempting to ruin people, etc, we are shockingly closer than we think....In "Fahrenheit 451" if someone was discovered with books, that person's house was burned down. Sound familiar?

Reply
...
6/12/2020 04:10:51 pm

No one called Clint or Katie or the gym or anyone in the gym racist. No one asked for Greg Glassman to be labeled a racist. The requests seemed to be that his statements be addressed. Again this is coming from the "leader" of Crossfit. It seems like a small ask of owners of a Crossfit gym. The agressive and seemingly angry responses seem out of place. Clint asked for feedback these women gave it honestly and now members of the community are making statements implying that they've "attacked" the gym in some way. Disagreement is not attacking. They clearly want everyone in the community to feel comfrtable coming to the gym. Seems like a reasonable response when the statements have offended many many people across the country. I'd guess they made their statements because they love the gym and the people in it and anyone who might want to join. Not because they are judging anyone.

I love that you're donating the affiliate fee. That's amazing. Clint, I applaud your willingness to keep an open mind and hold dialogue.

Katie, Julia, Michelle. I don't know where the anger is coming from. No one has called the gym racists, no one has called for a crusade against it. No one is attacking the work you've done over the past 11 years. These are women standing up for what they believe in. These are members of your community. They want the best for your community, they want it to grow. They've brought in friends and family members. They were asked for their opinions, they gave them and publicly they've attracted almost as much scorn from the community as Glassman. You've accused them of feigning real concern. That doesn't feel open or accepting.

I'm open to the idea that I'm reading more anger into these posts than actually exists. But if you feel indignant that these women want to denounce insensitive and hurtful remarks then I urge you to take some time and really examine exactly why you feel the way you do.

Reply
Michelle W
6/12/2020 06:21:46 pm

Anonymous:
I am not angry that people posted their opinions. It is what Clint requested. My note wasn't angry at anyone is this gym or on this website. What I am not thrilled about is the current climate in the country. I never said anyone has called for a crusade against the gym, but people have suggested that they can't continue to be members. I never said that anyone's concern wasn't real. What I don't like is that in today's climate if a person or business person does not publicly denounce what the "mob" has deemed inappropriate, then they themselves are attacked. How "inclusive" is that? That isn't right. What Clint and Katie have done with the gym speaks for itself. Denouncing or not denouncing an ass like Greg Glassman doesn't change it. I am open-minded enough to know that and not tarnish them for this decision.

PS - Please don't tell me to go analyze myself. You don't know anything about me as a person, and you don't have the right or any moral high ground to insist that I need to do that.

Reply
Clint link
6/12/2020 09:50:14 pm

Michelle,

Your comment on the social situation at large is spot on.

I knew where I was going to go with my decision pretty early on, but I also recognized that I didn't have a full perspective and wanted to see if there was something that I missed before I pulled that lever.

The current climate is so divisive, I was hoping that instead of having an internet keyboard war, we could have civil discussion and I think that has happened.

I have always believed that if you didn't like something, but where unwilling to work towards a solution, you were part of the problem. I had the opportunity to create a situation where we could all find common ground (the gym) and work out our differences, rather that start at our differences and dig trenches in the sand from which there was no retreat. Social media and media in general has lead to having to defend your view point / lifestyle / idea / etc. Instead of finding middle ground to agree on something and then work on solutions for change.

Maybe I failed on this and did nothing more that get everyone fired up. The minute that I explain that discussion itself was my only goal, the experiment would fail. There is too much hate, anger, us against them in the world right now. If we can take a very hot topic, discuss it from different view points as adults, with meaningful change attached, maybe then we can learn to respect each other and coexist as humans. Some would call it a pipe dream, but I am proud of us all to be able to do that very thing.

The word "γυμνάσιον" (gymnasion) was first used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men (I prefer humans, as I am no longer young, but still educating myself.) The latter meaning of a place of intellectual education persisted in many European languages (including Greek, German, the Nordic languages, Dutch, Polish, Czech, Slovak and Russian), whereas in English and Spanish the former meaning of a place for physical education was retained instead, more familiarly in the shortened form gym. This is what I want to hod onto with all my heart. A gymnasium is more than just a collection of barbells and pull up bars. The people that are willing to invest in themselves are also willing to invest in bettering the world at large. How we all choose to do that is as varied as our own personal backgrounds.

I have said it privately and I want to say it pubilicflly. With all that you have on your plate right now, the fact that this little issue is even on your mind touches my very heart. Thank you so much for being passionate about the gym and our community.

We are all here for you and your family. If there is anything, even if you don't feel like cooking dinner one night, let us know and we will make it happen. Because of age and fitness levels, I believe in my heart of hearts that everything is going to come out fine in the long run, but I won't for a second assume that I have any idea what you are going through.

We love you and our thoughts and prayers are with you. that doesn't sound like much, until you ask for help. Anything that is with in our power to aid we will. Just let us know.

-C-

Clint link
6/12/2020 09:17:47 pm

Anon,

I believe everyone knowing who they are speaking to leads to a more civil discourse. It is hard to get all fired up when you have to look your friends in the eye the next day, however I also believe that everyone has a right to privacy, I would only ask that you disclose wether we are continuing a conversation from before, or if this is a brand new person.

You are correct, No one called anyone at the gym here a racist. This is great group of people and it would be a hard argument to make stick.

It was approached offline about what a powerful statement it would be to issue words to that effect.

To refer to Greg Glassman as the leader of CrossFit is an interesting concept in itself. He is the undisputed 100% share holder, owner of CrossFit. However, it is tough to call him the leader or face of CrossFit, when most people do not know his name until it makes the news, or they take their CrossFit level 1 certification. I have been an affiliate owner for 11+ years and never even had a phone call with the guy. When he was divorced and had to buy half of his company back from his wife, people started mentioning his name to me. Then this most recent incident. The face of CrossFit for almost everyone is the community at the gyms that they attend, and this is something that I hold dear.

I absolutely did ask and receive feed back. Both Ali and Ashley and I have been talking offline as well. We are gym family, we are passionate, this is what I was looking for. Open discourse among diverse mindsets. Even though the end decision was mine, I don't assume that I have the perfect social sense to view the situation and am willing to listen.

All three of these ladies that you listed are also passionate, and have extensive resumes on giving back to the community. What you are reading as anger is more of a resume check. Experience leads to better judgement and statements are easy when actions are hard, very hard, life changing hard. Veiw it less of an attack and more of a resolution. Before making suggestions of what others should do, what have you done? Where does the wisdom of your suggestions come from.

Not knowing who I am talking to makes it hard for me to understand what your background is. I'm going to go out on a limb here as a veteran and say that sacrifice lends credibility. Until you have worked and risked to make change, words are just words. What you are interpreting as anger is urgency, real sweat equity change.

I would love to have a more personal conversation on any format, but not knowing if you are even a member of our community or not makes it difficult. If there is anything that you don't feel comfortable saying on this forum, please text me at the cell phone listed above.

-C-

Reply
clint link
6/12/2020 09:56:06 pm

It was approached offline about what a powerful statement it would be to issue words to that effect.

in reference to your statement that no one asked me to call Greg Glassman a racist.

I apologize, but do to the nature of this subject there is even more conversation going on behind the scenes than there is in this forum thread.

-C-




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