This is SO IRONIC!
I was walking through the halls of school yesterday (Friday) and my mind wandered to the group. I was thinking.....
"What has happened? We went from a few guys sharing our thoughts on model railroading to a group of "angry men" spouting rhetoric, out to cure the problems of the world! What's up with THAT?"
THEN, this morning, I read Pete's post and it all crystallizes.......
One of the "Golden Rules" I was raised by was "Never talk politics or religion in polite company."
Well, I blame the "Politically Incorrect" thread for ALL this descension! Yes, it was light-hearted and fun AT FIRST, but quickly evolved into a forum where we, ALL WHO CONTRIBUTED, felt it okay to vent the worst sides of our nature. (Racism, gay-bashing, intolerance, "pomposity", etc) Quite frankly I felt WORSE AFTER reading those posts than I did before! If I were a moderator I would have deleted some of MY OWN posts, after I saw how they "read" on the computer screen.....AFTER the "heat of the moment", so to speak.
Then there have been a couple newer additions that CLEARLY don't "fit" the mentality of "Our Group". I don't want to step on toes, but let's just say "Know-It-Alls" annoy me!
That's NOT what I come here for! I have ENOUGH problems...we ALL do! I come here to read about modelling, trains and, YES, maybe have a few laughs. NOT to become embroiled and enraged!
I think Doug did a good job during his tenure. I also feel, and I MAY be wrong,(correct me if I am, Doug.) that the "Mantle of Command" was, kind of, thrust upon him and maybe he wasn't so comfortable with it after a while.
SO, let's take a deep breath, step back and realize, we are a handful of folks who met in cyber-space and have grown rather close, some more than others. Let's call this a "Family Spat"...we've ALL had those, I'm SURE!
Hurt feelings will calm down. Tempers will cool.
Hell, my sister and I didn't speak for a year, a couple years ago....we are fine now......
I say DELETE the P.Inc. thread and be done with it! I know it's hard for intelligent adults to converse without talking about the "problems of the world", but let's think of Our Group as a REFUGE FROM that crap!
Now I want everybody to shake hands (we get to hug Dot! :x :D) and let's get back to trains and some light-hearted fun...............
Oh, and I say...If Doug REALLY wants to quit (after he cools off)Pete for leader!
Marc (can I still be Mr. Breeze? ;\)