Finally -- it is safe to be an accordionist again.

Well, almost safe. The image of the accordionist still needs some sprucing up, but it is improving fast. Part of that is due to the efforts of Closet Accordion Players of America, a national organization dedicated to eliminating "accordion abuse" in America.

16 years ago, Colorado accordionist Cheri Thurston announced the formation of the group, and now there are over 1800 members from all over the world -- including amateurs, professionals, classical accordionists, polka players, first-time players and people who just love accordion music. There are members who laugh about needing a "support group," and there are members who are deadly serious about their instrument. Closet Accordion Players of America accepts them all.

"It's easy to see the need for our group," said Thurston who has played the accordion since she was four years old. "People who admit to playing the accordion tend to look so sheepish about it, so ashamed. That's because of the way society portrays the accordion."

When television writers need to show that a character is a geek, they hand him an accordion. "Far Side" cartoonist Gary Larson has a cartoon that shows God saying, "Welcome to heaven . . . Here's your harp. Welcome to hell . . . Here's your accordion." Even television re-run nerd Steve Urkel took up the accordion.

Thurston is a good sport. "You have to be if you play the accordion," she laughs. She laughs at accordion jokes and even pokes good-natured fun at the instrument herself, using humor to get attention for her cause. Despite the laughter, she really does think the accordion gets a bad rap.

Thurston has received hundreds and hundreds of letters from accordion lovers all over America who love her approach and her appreciation of the accordion.

She imagines the day when there will be groups all over America, meeting quietly in church basements and community centers. Each meeting will begin with one ordinary man or woman stepping to the microphone and saying, bravely, something like this:

"Hi, I'm Robert. I'm an accordion player."

And there will be people there who understand.

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