Just saying

[sirs]

No one claimed life should be fair.  Only that fair treatment from those in a leadership position is preferred.  I'm dealing with it fine, as you can see.  I'm still present & posting.  I didn't run away when things got heated, personal, or deemed "not fair".  Nor do I have the power to prevent others from posting, when they've erroneously felt their ethical compass was being questioned

Just saying

[Plane]

At the racetrack, there are authoritys whose task is to make the race more fair.

These are called "handicappers", they add weight to the saddles of some horses .


Well they make the race closer ,but from the horses point of view, not more fair.

[sirs]

I get what you're trying to say Plane.  The horse thanks you, even with the apparent added weight being applied   

[BT]

This boards main purpose is not to be a forum for the trading of insults, from any side. When the posters veer from trading ideas to trading slurs, the thread then ceases to bear fruit and should be terminated.

If you notice i neither named names nor pointed fingers. I simply pruned the rotten branch.

[sirs]

Riiiiiiiight     You would have been better off, taking Plane's approach. 

Just saying

[BT]

Did Plane offer an approach? And you making this about you speaks volumes.

[sirs]

Naaa, Plane merely explained the situation better.  I've the one that has actually proffered an approach. 

You see, Xo wants to make pretty much every response to me or Cu4, or one of Plane's more conservative postings into an immediate slur/insult barrage.  My posting that you quickly shut down was an attempt to turn that vitriolic knee jerk response, into an effort to debate the why, perhaps even come to some level of epiphany, by 1 side or both.  That was a sincere effort, while you appear to pfffft at any sincere effort I try to make, be it this thread or the infamous bear thread.

And that, my dear leader, speaks volumes

[BT]

Your effort failed because once again a thread disintegrates into an insult fest by both sides.

That isn't what we are here for.

And if that is the destiny of this forum, i see no reason to continue it. I'm sure all of you will find a more robust forum elsewhere. This one has pretty much committed suicide.

[Xavier_Onassis]

Well they make the race closer ,but from the horses point of view, not more fair.

===========================================================
The point of a horse race is not to convince the horses of the importance of fairness or ethics. It is not even to make the winning horse happy.

The goal of a horse race is to make money for the horse breeders and the track. The closer the race, the more exciting it is and the more likely that gamblers will come and bet on the horses.

I thought the handicapper's job was to set the odds on each horse. I was unaware they added weight to the saddles. I find gambling to be both foolish and boring, and cannot bring myself to care even a little bit about who wins what.

[Plane]

 Nothing lasts forever, I will miss this forum.

 I have learned a few things , had a good time and at one time I even made my hand sore from so much typing.

  Mostly I feel as if I have friends here, some who argue and some who don't.

[sirs]

Well, I for one hope it can continue.  I hope our leader takes notice, I'm not the one initiating any of these insult fests, that I too am sorely tired of.  Which is why I was trying to steer the latest one into some field of understanding.  I actually make an effort to avoid such zero-based debate responses.  To be honest, I rarely see it (some initiation of insults) from anyone on the right.  I see it in responses, myself included, but not in initiation. 

Just saying

[BT]

Again

I did not assign blame nor point fingers.

Why you insist on defending yourself as if you were singled out  is a very curious response.

And neither here nor there.

The point is that participating in the devolution of a thread into an insult fest is not why we are here and it matters little who fired the first shot. What matters is that this is a refuge for friends to talk about the issues of the day in a civil and enlightening manner.

The questions is are the current active members up to the task. If not, i see no point in continuing.

[sirs]

Curious only for those who may not pay that close of attention

But as I've already said, which my record supports, I don't initiate these "insults", and don't intend to.  I can't vouch for others, but I've noted a significant effort at NOT initiating such insults from those members on the right side, yourself included

So in that case, I've been up to the task, since the beginning

[BT]

I am glad you can go to sleep at night with a clear conscience, because although you participated in insults you didn't blatantly initiate any, at least in your mind.

But i am pretty sure you are missing the larger point i am trying to make.

And i really see no point in repeating that point for the 4th time.

[sirs]

I am glad you can go to sleep at night with a clear conscience, because although you participated in insults you didn't blatantly initiate any, at least in your mind.

At most in fact.  Nor do I respond to some of the vitriolic gutter levels, when I do

But i am pretty sure you are missing the larger point i am trying to make.

Not at all.  And for the 3rd or 4th time as well, I'm game to continue not initiating these personal insults and attempt to debate issues.  Can't vouch for anyone else, but I'm confident that folks on the right will do a pretty good job at it as well