As a matter of perspective, there have been many valuable members at the forum that have chosen to leave and no longer share info with us because the place is no longer self governed as family friendly.

I miss many of the nice people who will not put up with this sort of demonstration of callousness.

all the very best,
mike

Can you please be more specific on this Mike.

I really think if you are going to make a statement like that, you need to man up and call people. It's blanket generic statements like this that cause more problems than they solve.

So ... since you brought it up, it seems we have some grievances to air out here and it looks like it's time to address it so things can get back to normal because yes, I've noticed it's changed here too.

And if I am part of the problem ... I will be the first one to admit that I am what I am and will never change. I can be rude, abrupt, obnoxious, opinionated. I could go on, but you get the picture. I say things here that I would say to everyone's face. I don't sugar coat. I'm an old timer that's not really in to the whole 'net' thing and this is the only place I frequent. So, if I am part of this problem in any way, I'll gladly bow out and let things get back to the way they were.

Do families really frequent this forum? Or have ever?

Just wondering...

Well I have received several private messages over the past few years stating this idea explicitly.

I will keep our correspondence private but I will say that these people did make public requests here at the forum and the requests have been ignored and you don't see them around very much anymore.

I do not have a observation about anything you have posted Bub. 

I think the title of the thread where I posted the passage you quoted speaks for itself.

I've been known to hang out with a fairly rough crowd... so I know what that word means. :-)

I don't think any of us should presume to know what others should not be offended by and I think there are some fairly basic notions of what does and doesn't fly.



Posting photos of a sausage that look like penis... it doesn't fly.

Using a word in public that my buddies use every day but that offends my wife to no end... it doesn't fly. 

This isn't some edgy comedy show that I paid a ticket to see... this is a public place where people of all backgrounds can come together and should not feel intimidated by someone else's sense of open minded thoughtlessness.




I'm not trying to bust anyone's chops. I think it can be self governing and easy going... but it takes a group of people acting like a community.




Here's the part that perplexes me... what is up with the spineless, passive, non committal, no comment witness to this sort of behavior that occurs here?

If I see any of my buddies ignoring, or worse laughing along with, this type of behavior in the presence of people who are offended by it I second guess my choice of buddies.

I've known motor cycle gangs whose members exhibit better manners when interfacing with people outside the inner circle. 




It's been a disappointing experience to see it happen.








best regards,
mike



 

Meh, the thing about causing "offense" is that people make a conscious decision to be offended. And they do that because they enjoy feeling indignant. It gets to the point where people are demonizing each other for making what, when it comes down to it, are harmless statements, or at least things which should be water off a duck's back. The whole "feeling offended" industry is offensive in itself (or am I just saying that because I enjoy feeling offended about people who say they're offended by me). 

 
 I ask you to re read the first post I addressed to you on this subject and then I ask you to think about the likely hood that a thug such as myself would have a need to feel indignant compared to the idea that I may just stating the obvious and hoping you will recognize it as such.




 If I ever get to New York City maybe we can get together and go see some cutting edge stand up and laugh like happy fools.


 all the best,
mike

I'm not suggesting that you felt offended by it Mike, and I understand the point you made about other people possibly being offended, but I respectfully disagree. What if I were a militant vegetarian who loved horses, and seeing people being flippant about horse meat in the horseburger thread upset me terribly? Is my indignation valid? Some women feel offended by the word "chick" (I've been berated for using that word too) yet I notice you had nothing to say about the "chicks w/long necks" thread. 

Speaking as a 'Brit' (whatever that is) I could get 'offended' just about every day here by wisecracks about British teeth and cooking. Luckily I have a sense of humour...

...and teeth like a 200 year old graveyard.

Better go, my faggots are burning.

mike - I don't know if you had me in mind when writing that or not, and it doesn't really matter if you did.  I am convicted by your words.  I have been "lax" in my tolerance and even participation of things on this forum which I should not have been doing.

I will re-evaluate my behavior.  thank you.  (I'm being sincere - not snarky).

Hi Beagle,

 I was glad to see you voiced your opinion.

all the best,
mike

jamesg1213


Speaking as a 'Brit' (whatever that is) I could get 'offended' just about every day here by wisecracks about British teeth and cooking. Luckily I have a sense of humour...

...and teeth like a 200 year old graveyard.

Better go, my faggots are burning.

Do they know what "faggots" (the food) is in America, I wonder? I never ate them as a kid but I remember reading comic books in which "faggots" were portrayed as a food that kids turned their noses up at. Kind of like tripe. I had a relative who loved tripe....he said he didn't even have to chew it, it would just wriggle down his throat.