You have some very good points and I agree with you.

I can’t help but equate this situation with the repercussions from the events of September 11 -- Due to the actions of a few nuts, everyone is afraid of flying. Should we abandon air travel out of fear? No, I say we take back the skies.

In the same line of reasoning...
We should take back this board from the boneheads who’ve hijacked it.

I’ve posted very little recently because I’m sick to death of the inane antics of a couple of people who have no clue what this board is really about. I enjoy intelligent, educated discourse on historical topics, and have no time to deal with the childish petulance of people who have neither the proper grounding in historical study or the good sense to stay quiet when they can’t add anything constructive to the discussion. If I could be assured that these parties wouldn’t waste our time with their idiocy, I would be happy to participate once again in discussions on this board. I also feel that others who have been driven from Firestryker by these parties would also return if they knew they wouldn’t have to interact with these bozos or be bombarded by their drivel every time they logged on.

How can that happen, though? We have tried many different avenues with no success. When I try to be helpful, as I did on the “1470’s Saddle Fitting” topic, I get labeled a jerk.

So far, the only way I’ve found to deal with the situation is to remove myself from it. I believe that the best solution is to curtail their posting privileges, but this is a power reserved for the Firestryker administrators. We have appealed to Bob and Jenn to get these people’s posting privileges revoked, but to date they have been unwilling.

You have my vote to ban those individuals that have nothing constructive to say or add to this forum.....

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I have long lurked about this board, reading posts and following topics but have never registered simply out of a desire not to "get involved" with the issues you are speaking about.

To be very honest, you are simply a part of the solution or a part of the problem. "Going away" and "not posting" doesn't solve anything for anyone--complainers included. And, since I have perused this board for a long time, I can also say that at one point or another almost everyone who posts has seemed short-tempered, rude or something to that effect.

Also remember that it is very hard to read intent into the written word, the "impression" one draws can be wrong. A "smiley" face can seem to lighten the words of a person or be seen as sarcasm. Sometimes a reader might be right about the sender's intent, sometimes a reader might be wrong.

If you complain to the administrators, refuse to post, etc. the only people you are hurting is yourself and those who could learn from your input--not the person you are "annoyed" by.

Perhaps I'm just an old hippie, but I really do try to "walk a mile in someone else's moccasins" and often I have found that the written word on message boards causes a lot of problems that perhaps might not have happened if everyone just tried that mile hike. Perhaps it is because our world is so fast paced now that we often forget simple enduring truths.

Group hug, have a crystal and put on your moccasins. (Smiley face intended to lighten the mood a little)

Ace

I understand that it is easy to get caught up in argument here, because this Board is all about research, disputing sources, alternative interpretations, etc.. Nobody has the last word. If we can all remember that debate and difference of opinion are not the same as complaining and name-calling, we'll be a happier Forum.

It’s still a free country, and that’s their right.

I, as a previous contributor to this forum, can only point out with profound regret that photos of primary research materials, high quality reconstruction's and intelligent discourse have been supplanted with *huge* photos of-- well other things. Remember when Mitake used to post instructions for finger braiding, or Nikki would post paintings for discussion, or Anne Marie would post a recipe reconstruction? All of these valuable resources have been replaced with photos of people in modern glasses and leather “doublets” wearing torses and mantles as *hats* for pete’s sake.

Just like it’s Bob and Jenn’s choice who gets to post here, it’s up to me to decide what’s the best use of my time. Verbally tilting with gadflies and defending myself against their ludicrous assertions regarding my level of paranoia profits noone, least of all me or the other folks on this board. Kent, your advice to ignore the offenders would certainly work if we were dealing with reasonable adults here, but I think it’s clear that we’re not. Witness the recent advice to “post a picture with a rasberry[sic] face” as a response to a post. I have not heard advice like that since I was in elementary school. Moreover, a response like that does not belong on this board, and the fact that it still stands supports my decision to get the hell out of Dodge.

I don’t need to prove myself to anyone, my work speaks for itself. Anyone who wants to see pictures of Jeff and my reenactment company can do so at http://www.historicenterprises.com./redco. The volume of our work appears on our commercial website http://www.historicenterprises.com. The photos on either website are a fair representation of what we do. My work is currently in use at Ft. Caroline National Monument in Jacksonville, FL, Cabrillo National Monument in San Diego, CA, the Higgins Armoury Museum in Worchester, MA, and in the history museum in Barcelona, Spain. I’ve just accepted a commission for another museum installation at Cabrillo. You can see my work in the movies “Outbreak” and “Cable Guy”, and on stage at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego. Jeff and Bella are on the cover of “Costume Business” magazine, and we have an 8 page story devoted to us. Our stuff is in use by reenactors and educators all over the US, Canada, England, Germany, France, Wales, Australia and New Zealand. My stuff is used by interpreters at the Royal Armouries, V&A, and at Historic Trust sites across England. I sure as heck don’t need the approval of a bookkeeper and/or an “equine professional” to validate my scholarship, and I don't have the time to be badgered by them.

I’ve spent my time recently copying patterns and sending them out to some of the folks on this board, and engaging in interesting discussions regarding sources with others--off board. I’m also finding time I would have wasted on the drivel my detractors produce is better used with my horses. They appreciate the extra 10 minutes here and 20 minutes there throughout the day, and I sure as heck feel better for it.

If anyone wants to contact me, I’ll be where I always have been at historic@pacbell.net. I’ll be happy to answer questions, help with research or discuss history with anyone so inclined, feel free to drop me a line. Just give me a couple of minutes to scrape the muck off my boots......

Gwen

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As far as me being a policeman is concerned - I'm not a law-enforcement-officer. Military school, Catholic school, 5 years in the Army, and raising a teenage girl will do this to you!

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Quite so, I am sure.

Now back to the thread.

I do have one more thought to add (here comes the hippie again, you are warned) I see that there are over 200 members on this board but only a small percentage post. While I can understand that there are some people who have problems with other people and want to say that is the reason they don't post, I have a hard time believing that all of the formerly active posters on this board quit posting because of a handful of indivuduals. Message boards and mailing lists go through varying levels of activity and use, depending on the real lives and interests of those who are on them. Sometimes it is easier to "blame" others for you lack of activity than deal with feeling guilty because you are not currently contributing. I am not saying for certain that has occurred here but time and life experience tell me it is a distinct possibility.

Ginevra, while you might view this as elementary in nature (and it was possibly meant that way)

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Witness the recent advice to “post a picture with a rasberry[sic] face” as a response to a post. I have not heard advice like that since I was in elementary school.

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What your letter did was basically tell the rest of Firestrycker's membership that you have no time offer to them because a few people made you angry. That is sad, for both you and them.

One thing I do have to say is that in apparent pursuit of "political correctness", no one is naming names but even a blind man could see who those "Bullies, whindbags [sic] and know-it-alls" that Pieter, Hauptman, Arssante and Ginevra are now taking shots at even though we all know whom you are referring to. I do not understand people who have the nerve to quote a posting but not to name who made it. Most of us who enjoy various forms of re-enactment also enjoy the ideals associated with some of its aspects--whether they came truly into play in history or not. Hiding behind the skirts of political correctness is not where a historian or martial soul needs to find themselves.

Please consider your actions accordingly and do not leave this forum angry because you are depriving yourself and others in ways you could not even begin to understand.

Again, group hug,

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It’s still a free country, and that’s their right.

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Yes it is, by Heaven, and we should all remember that whether we like it or not, Free Speech is both a right and a responsibility. If you want to be free and speak freely, you must allow others to do the same. Which is not always a comfortable place to be.

Bravo and carry on Bob and Jenn--I think you are doing the most humanly civil thing you can.

In light of events of the last two weeks involving this country, would we rather not be better served by discussing the things that unite us, rather than those that divide us?

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Many points have been made. If people think I am a soft touch or don't want to stick around after what I am about to say, so be it.

There was a reason when I chose the caption: Administrator and Devil's Advocate. Despite my feelings, I am in a position and bound by the bylaws of my own board that flame wars, personal attacks and the like shall not be tolerated. My Dad familiarized me with the addage: Heavy hangs the head of he who wears the golden crown. In this case it is "she" and occasionally "he". While there is a call for the expulsion of various members from the board, there is also a call for reason, fairness, and freedom of expression. So hear me out and come to your own conclusions about how you wish to proceed.

Firstly, I think I am going to have to ask that before this gets out of hand that people refrain from responding to this thread. If anyone has any thoughts on this topic, to please express them to the board Admins at the following address:

jlrr@mindspring.com

Secondly, a friend reminded me that in light of recent events, that there are more important things in life: friendship, family, etc... and this is just a hobby and should be fun and enlightening and not cause angst.

Whatever differences we are harboring, anger we are feeling, etc... We need to step back and re-evaluate our positions otherwise I see no point in keeping the board open as it has ceased performing its function as a place where Living historians and Re-enactors can come together a share knowledge. Post. I do not believe the board has been usurped. I think we have had some major derailing of topics, hard feelings because the derailing or ad hominim attacks have occured here and on other boards, and continued "sniping"/button pushing as a result. I am calling for it to stop...NOW.

How we treat each other says a lot about who we are. There are a lot of wonderful people on this board. Sometimes it is not seen in the text we write and can only be seen in face to face meetings. There have been "exchanges" in the past on all sides, some justified, some not. I for one would like to leave them there. I would like to see us gather our composure and move on to something more enlightened.

If a topic is posted, don't feel the need to respond to it if you don't have anything to contribute other than a glib comment. If you do, please state your agreement/disagreement, cite your resources and make your comments. I also ask that you keep it in the appropriate timeframe of the board unless as in the ARMET forum, a different century LH/RE group is cited as an example of methodology for guidelines.

On the note of etiquette, "smilies" can go a long way, but unfortunately it is a two way street. Over use of them while Quoting another's post or starting every sentence with "LOL" in concert with a quote may be perceived as mockery and only adds to hard feelings and the community suffers for loss of knowledgable contributors who are tired of being assaulted directly or indirectly.

This note is to everyone as we have all been guilty of this particular sin.