Joined
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2,579 Posts
[MODERATORS: This seemed the appropriate place for this thread. Please feel free to move it if I erred]
* * * * *
ALL,
So I have been contemplating my recent conversation (and subsequent foo-bar) with TMG the other day. And it occurred to me that I made a similar mistake in a PM with another member a couple weeks back, which got me thinking. And what I realized is that I owe an apology to all here who care.
My intention would never be to create an atmosphere in which people didn't feel comfortable or motivated to participate. I would certainly not want new/prospective members to feel sketchy about the forum. This is a GREAT forum with some truly knowledgeable people and is a great resource for all. I would hate to see this forum devolve into an ineffective one where only those who knew each other got along and tended to just ridicule everyone else. This forum is great because it embraces newbies and tries to help them become more knowledgeable and comfortable in their Utah gun Rights.
So, to all, please accept my apologies. I am not saying that I agree with those I have disagreed with, but I am admitting that I should not have made personal attacks against those 2 individuals... of whom I know nothing beyond a few comments on an internet board.
I owe the members of this board a great deal. You guys helped me figure out what my Rights are. You guys helped give me the confidence to finally apply for my permit and to carry ALWAYS. You guys have shown me that I need to also work towards getting something heavier for the house. You have shown me SOOOO much -- I would be MILES behind the game if you guys were not here.
But, in my thinking, I realized one of the most important lessons I have learned from you guys. That lesson was the concept of "a polite society". Prior to carrying I had a bit of an issue with road-rage. When I decided to carry I read enough about how to be in the right frame of mind when one carries and the importance of being the "more polite" citizen out on the road (and everywhere else for all that matters), that it really did change my frame of reference. I really don't practice road rage anymore. I'm sure some of that goes along with the increased confidence one gets when one realizes that they are no longer a helpless victim. You no longer feel you have to lash out at every idiot on the road in order to stay sane. But, just as much, the lesson on politeness made a strong impact on me. And for that, I am thankful -- I can't imagine what would happen if I were still driving around angry AND carrying!!! :shock:
I have also come to realize that perhaps I am getting too "chummy" in a public forum with a bunch of private individuals I really don't know. I think part of that is due to my being TOO active on UCC... the blessing of having constantly updated threads dumping so effortlessly into my Inbox via the RSS feed has certainly fueled this to some extent.
Some would comment that none of this matters b/c it's just some place on the internet with a bunch of gun-geeks who don't know each other. I disagree, however. I value what I have learned here, and thus I value those people who gave it to me. One of these days I'm going to be less busy with school and actually make it out to one of the group events -- I would hate to show up only to find out everyone thinks I'm a jerk!
And so, I am going to "go away" for a short while. Just to sort of straighten-out my frame of reference and distance myself a bit. My wife and I sometimes tell younger couples who we observe might be spending a bit too much time together that in the Navy we learned that the saying "absence makes the heart grow stronger" holds a lot of truth. That's what this absence is all about -- to help me appreciate every member here and not forget what I get out of this forum.
So, to TMG and to the other member here that I was so rude to: Please accept my apologies for the way I handled things. I have no excuse for my behavior.
I'll see you guys around in a few weeks or maybe a few months... until then, happy plinking!
:gun10:
* * * * *
ALL,
So I have been contemplating my recent conversation (and subsequent foo-bar) with TMG the other day. And it occurred to me that I made a similar mistake in a PM with another member a couple weeks back, which got me thinking. And what I realized is that I owe an apology to all here who care.
My intention would never be to create an atmosphere in which people didn't feel comfortable or motivated to participate. I would certainly not want new/prospective members to feel sketchy about the forum. This is a GREAT forum with some truly knowledgeable people and is a great resource for all. I would hate to see this forum devolve into an ineffective one where only those who knew each other got along and tended to just ridicule everyone else. This forum is great because it embraces newbies and tries to help them become more knowledgeable and comfortable in their Utah gun Rights.
So, to all, please accept my apologies. I am not saying that I agree with those I have disagreed with, but I am admitting that I should not have made personal attacks against those 2 individuals... of whom I know nothing beyond a few comments on an internet board.
I owe the members of this board a great deal. You guys helped me figure out what my Rights are. You guys helped give me the confidence to finally apply for my permit and to carry ALWAYS. You guys have shown me that I need to also work towards getting something heavier for the house. You have shown me SOOOO much -- I would be MILES behind the game if you guys were not here.
But, in my thinking, I realized one of the most important lessons I have learned from you guys. That lesson was the concept of "a polite society". Prior to carrying I had a bit of an issue with road-rage. When I decided to carry I read enough about how to be in the right frame of mind when one carries and the importance of being the "more polite" citizen out on the road (and everywhere else for all that matters), that it really did change my frame of reference. I really don't practice road rage anymore. I'm sure some of that goes along with the increased confidence one gets when one realizes that they are no longer a helpless victim. You no longer feel you have to lash out at every idiot on the road in order to stay sane. But, just as much, the lesson on politeness made a strong impact on me. And for that, I am thankful -- I can't imagine what would happen if I were still driving around angry AND carrying!!! :shock:
I have also come to realize that perhaps I am getting too "chummy" in a public forum with a bunch of private individuals I really don't know. I think part of that is due to my being TOO active on UCC... the blessing of having constantly updated threads dumping so effortlessly into my Inbox via the RSS feed has certainly fueled this to some extent.
Some would comment that none of this matters b/c it's just some place on the internet with a bunch of gun-geeks who don't know each other. I disagree, however. I value what I have learned here, and thus I value those people who gave it to me. One of these days I'm going to be less busy with school and actually make it out to one of the group events -- I would hate to show up only to find out everyone thinks I'm a jerk!
And so, I am going to "go away" for a short while. Just to sort of straighten-out my frame of reference and distance myself a bit. My wife and I sometimes tell younger couples who we observe might be spending a bit too much time together that in the Navy we learned that the saying "absence makes the heart grow stronger" holds a lot of truth. That's what this absence is all about -- to help me appreciate every member here and not forget what I get out of this forum.
So, to TMG and to the other member here that I was so rude to: Please accept my apologies for the way I handled things. I have no excuse for my behavior.
I'll see you guys around in a few weeks or maybe a few months... until then, happy plinking!
:gun10:
