Well, let's end this and get it all out and with any luck get back to what this forum .........

[General Ray]

is and was, a great spot to land and rub elbows with friends and family and I'm gonna toss out my thoughts and hope you at least try and understand what I am about to say because I really do think it needs to be said and I should have said it long ago, my bad

We have lost many many long time poster's on this forum because of politics, many that I have met and hunted with and laugh and broke bread with that are gone now because of how this forum has changed, I tell you this because it is a problem, you've seen the post, you've known the people, your friends just disappeared

Why, because this forum didn't listen to the great guild lines Ed worked on and came up with at the top of this forum. (we offer a bit of "lite" political opinion / humor)! As time has moved on we seem to have lost that fact that Ed pointed out and knew from the start and where it would lead us, to today, boys being boys

Please, don't tell me our format is a mini views format because it's not and it wasn't set up that way and you folks know that, all I'm trying to say is in my view, the (we offer a bit of "lite" political opinion / humor) has become a problem here on the Friends & Finds Forum because it's not lite anymore, it runs the forum and I see it as a major problem!

I enjoy the views of this forum as I do the good stuff that is posted about trips and finds, family and baby's and even dragons but the politics that keep getting posted is tearing us apart, why can't we see that

I try to keep my views on politics on the views forum where it should be for the most part as far as the heavy crap, I nic here and there like it says above in the great guild lines Ed worked on and came up with. (we offer a bit of "lite" political opinion / humor) is cool on this forum but shouldn't tear people apart like it has and it has!

I love the views forum because I know and have met most of those good folks in the past and still do today, I have good long time friends there and enjoy that forum as much as I do this one. With that being said I think in my view, the (we offer a bit of "lite" political opinion / humor) has become a problem here on the Friends & Finds Forum because it's not lite anymore, it runs the forum and I see it as a major problem. We have lost many great long time poster's from this forum because of that one simple fact and why the people here can't see that troubles me, I know that because I get the good bye messages as a Moderator.

Yeah we all have our views and that is great, I'm right there with that but when it takes this forum in a different direction and turns it into a daily mini views forum and we keep losing peoples interest than what's the point, doesn't work for me

Like Ed put together above, (we offer a bit of "lite" political opinion / humor) and that's where it should stay, lite, need the heavy stuff, that's why Findmall has a free for all Views Forum for the heavy hitter's.

Hey, we all have a opinion around the dinner table but we should keep focus on the dinner and not start tossing bones and potatoes at each other

Not looking for smart azz replys, just honest replys from people that care about this forum and their friends because I do care but losing interest in the direction we are headed, just need some feed back gonna pin this and check back in a day or two, got a big day planned for tomorrow, Miss Sassy is coming over and ribs on the grill, life is good as Elson says

 

[Don/Michigan]

n/t

 

[Brandy[Ma.]]

n/t

 

[Vernon in Virginia~Formerly Alaska]

"As fair warning, the [size=medium]majority [/size]of this forum participants tend to be more conservative than liberal in their thinking." Whoop` there it is.

 

[Jim C (Mich)]

n/t

 

[Elson(La)]

First off I don't see any change in the forum and I been here longer then most people.I think the worst thing we can do is to start picking out thing we can talk about,unamerican stuff here.Any time you start censoring any thing we are going back to Hitler time.

I don't know any one that ever left the forum because of politices,can you name a few so we can see? Cause I know why most of them left the forum that did leave.

The old saying if it looks like you don't like the post,don't open it.Yes it's that easy.May be I might like the post and you want me not to read it?(Censor) I think you need to stop and think what you are wanting to do here.I think this will hurt the forum and we will lose lot's of old people on the forum.

My opinion

Y'all have fun now

 

[Brian(upstateNY)]

n/t

 

[Brian(upstateNY)]

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[Brian(upstateNY)]

n/t

 

[Butch in Colorado]

Miss posted my reply to Ray's o/p.

 

[Butch in Colorado]

RANT ON!

I don't come here for the friggin politics of the day. If I want that I can go to the copious lists of poilitical links I already have. I have stopped posting on the Views Forum (not that I was a regular there) because even that has turned into a cesspool.

I come here to see how and what my friends are up to. Keely in KS was driven off of this forum because her politics differed from many here. And that seemed to be OK with many here. Problem is it smacks in the face of what this group is supposed to be about. At least what I thought this forum was supposed to be about. Keely had great finds and storys but that didn't matter because her politics were not in line with the majority here. Well guess what, my views are pretty much in line with the majority of people here and with the crap I see here, I would not miss posting here in the future if it continues down this line. Driving people from this site because of their political bent is not what this place is supposed to be about. Those of you who's opinions differ from this, do you really mean that? Is that really what you want here is a bunch of people that think "just like me"?. I know I don't!!!!

This was supposed to be a place were a group of people with disparate backgrounds come together as a community to cuss and discuss a common hobby, as well as a friendship. It is not that way anymore. It has since become a reflector for the political crap that is going on. I don't need it, I see enough of that mess daily from TV and radio as well as the many forums that I traverse.

There is a forum on this site for that mess and the lionshare of the crap that is posted here should be posted there first or at least moved.

I have used the excuse of school as to the reduced amount of posts from me but to be brutally honest, I'm tired of the political crap I see here when I do log on. And I just don't care to participate in the "me too's" when it comes to that crap.

You folks want to talk politics with me, there is a place for that and I'd be happy to discuss my opinions there, but most certainly NOT HERE.

RANT OFF

 

[Don/Michigan]

n/t

 

[Elson(La)]

I been here a long time and feel like I help make this forum(I think).We all have different opinions here,Lets not post any kind of sport post cause Elson don't like sports,Lets don't post movies post cause Elson don't like movies.lets don't post political post cause Elson and Butch don't like politices,See where this can go.I do agree about political post,too many.But it just have to be cause it part of life.I hope you and other on this forum don't get mad at me for my opinion.

Life is good

Ya'll have fun now

 

[Don/Michigan]

 

[Butch in Colorado]

...but I simply cannot deny the fact that the political posts and comments associated with them have become the dominating topics of this place. I just do not come here for that as there are far too many other places to post these things. Even Findmall has a Views Forum and that is where I believe the majority of the posts should be posted and discussed. Lately the Friends and Finds Forum has become a Mini-Views Forum and I simply don't care for it. If I'm in the minority when it all is said and done with this particular post, then I'll really have no qualms about walking away from here.
But I think I'm not the only one here that feels this way. Ray has as much as said that people have left as a result of the political posts and I do know personally of one person (Keely of KS) that left here as a result of the political views of many here.

She may not have posted a lot here but she was part of the group as it traversed across the different forums. Now she is gone, and other unnamed folks have left as well. Leaving those of us here to make comments from time to time "Hey has anyone heard from so-and-so lately?" sure do miss their posts. Never thinking that maybe they left because of the focus shift of this forum.

I cannot deny that I really get tired of the continuous droning of political drivel here Elson. I just don't need it and don't come here for the political discussion. I'd much rather talk to you about your buggie rebuilding and how much you enjoy that hobby, your donkey adventures at all the different casio's that you go to, and other things. I'd much rather hear about how Vern's daughters are growing and maturing into young women and I enjoy immensely how they have developed their different talents and we get to see the results of those talents with those types of posts.

It is fun to hear about Charlie's adventures as well as Ed's, Ray's, and Craig's. Every so often I get an opportunity to personally meet the people here and really like the ability to extend that friendship in a more personal manner. I am seriously looking forward to the day that I finally get to meet you as well as your wife personally.

But I really do not care about coming here on what seems to be a daily (or at least pretty much every time I visit this forum.) occasion and see the politics droning on and occupying the majority of the posts here. I just do not care for it.

That is where I stand on the matter Elson. No hate, no hard feelings whatsoever my friend.

 

[Vernon in Virginia~Formerly Alaska]

[size=large] "Give me liberty or I'm outta here".Some of you might not remember why we left the Whites forum. If I can't post an occasional conservative post on a mostly conservative, supposedly open forum that we all worked to bring about with Ray's help then we're right back to the old Whites forum. Birds of a feather flock together. It only takes a couple complaining liberals to take down a cross, or take prayer out of the school or start killing babies by the millions or put the United States in the financial mess it is in today with dumb liberal policies. And now it looks like we're being infiltrated by a few complainers to change the freedom we've enjoyed on this forum. I think everyone should decide who they are and get in their own camp. I'm not much on this AC DC communal living stuff.

I have nothing personal against anyone here; Don, I have enjoyed your posts in the past about fishing, working on lawn mowers, metal detecting, etc. The problem is you and a few others are offended by the mostly conservative nature of this forum. I have posted probably well over 30,000 post in the last 15 or so years with this group. I would hope most have be at least been entertaining. of the few political post I make, you are free to read them or not but I will not stop being me because it offends you. I will not take my cross down for you or any other crybaby. [/size]

 

[Butch in Colorado]

n/t

 

[norman maassey]

I would Try to change some one political views by being a Bully. If some one EVER lets Any Post of mine Upset Them. Call Me. That is The Last thing I want to Do.


I got to a Man one day. Ever other words were Kike this, Ni--er that, Spiks are------------ After ten minutes of this Looked Him right in the Eyes. Smelled ear to ear. Then Said "You Man after my own Heart!"
He stood there for a few minutes the ask "Are a Racist too?"
With Out a Blink of a Eye I said "I sure Am..........Biggotts and Ass--l-s and I Learned a long time ago they run together."

I lived next door to that man for man ten years and you know he never waved back to again after that.

 

[Butch in Colorado]

In fact I agree with a good portion of the posts. Hardly offended by them, I just don't care to see how they have dominated the discussions here. That's all......

 

[Vernon in Virginia~Formerly Alaska]

[size=large]When a tornado rips through a town it becomes the talk of the town; when a hurricane floods New Orleans, it becomes the talk of the country; when a terrorist flies planes into buildings it is the talk of the world; hence, the crumbling foundations of this country blamed on what I see as liberal policies enacted by special interest groups over the last 80 years has helped to get us to the dire straights we are in today. You of all people here should understand this; I don't know your political affiliations but politics today is certainly worth talking about because believe it or not, we are at a point where life as we knew it in America is rapidly changing. I'm a little in awe at your lack of interest in this national/political meltdown. Because if something doesn't change in the next election, you just ain't gonna believe what happens next. [/size]