Enough is Enough is Enough!

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Keith2324

Keith2324

Member
Apr 1, 2015
503
50
FL, United States
When I got back into this sport, I must admit I was a total neophyte. The only guns I had as a kid was a Daisy Red Ryder and a Crosman 760. I knew nothing about pellet weights and sorting. All I knew was to go down to my local Western Auto and pick up bb’s in the 500 count milk carton when I got my allowance. My weekend would consists of shooting the occasional sparrow and shooting a few tin cans. And back then, if you could get the bb to go through the can, you were actually doing something. But it was fun. No expectations. No worrying about hold or holdover. Just pure unadulterated fun.

 But now we come to the present. My enthusiasm has changed a bit but I’m still that same kid at heart. I still love to shoot cans and the occasional sparrow. But what has changed is what I use. I no longer have that Red Ryder or 760. I have FX’s, Daystate’s, Benjamin’s, Gamo’s and Xisico. I also try to shoot ½ inch or better groups whenever I can. I have a nice range in my back yard and I can shoot everyday if I want. And most of the time I do.  

And then there came forums. What a concept. I can share my experiences with airguns and learn about others’. And it all started out great. People shared stories, pictures, hunts and target practice. They shared their experiences with certain guns they either liked or disliked. It was truly a great community to be in.

 But with a lot of families or communities things sometimes take a turn. We forget about the passion we used to know as a kid plinking away on a weekend. We forget that some people are just that; people. So when we disagree with these people we lash out. We call them names. We threaten them, their families and there way of life. Over what…….bb guns. Folks it isn’t that serious. And I am finding myself getting upset over being banned from a forum over bb guns. We all need to get things in perspective. I have and I hope you do to.  

  ( I could have gotten really deep with this and named people, places and things. But I won’t do that. I just hope all of you can read between the lines and realize what’s going on in our beloved sport. Stop with all of the nonsense and get the passion back before we lose it altogether. Let’s get back to enjoying our bb guns)  Keith.
 
Things will never be the same as it was a time back and even more different the farther back you go. It's always the one thing that messes everything up. Again read between the lines. But we should be able to say what we think and feel and that has changed too. What always works is find a place and people where you can have fun with and understand each other.
 
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Hey big guy, thanks for your time and effort in sharing your thought, which I'm sure is in the back of every ones mind, that views this thread. The beauty of this issue is, "people" along with forums are easily and readily ignored. If you don't like their feedback or reaction, pay it no never mind! In most cases, per your concern, just embrace the fact that their is no fixing stupid. 
 
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One way to look at it. 

We would not be trolling and posting if air guns were not our passion. When your that into something it is easy to go a little overboard. Add in the relative anamonity, and the speed at which we can post... Things can go south.

It's a bummer but I use my "anti road rage technique" (I used to teach drivers Ed). I tought kids that they do not know what is going on is the bonehead drivers head. Maybe they are taking their child to the hospital, or they lost their job, whatever... Life is too short to waste energy on negative thinking.


 
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I agree with everything that has been said, but I do have to say, in general 98% of the people I have dealt with in the air gun hobby have been wonderful people. You will always come across one or two who will just be impossible to please and as a maker it is sometimes a bit hard to always keep your cool and be polite. We are all human and I know I may have been a bit short with a few customers, but that is usually after I have had to deal with one of those impossible hard to please people who I generally give up on and give a refund to. So I do agree with the previous post, you don't know what the person has just had to deal with so try and have a little bit of understanding and patience. I hope by reading the posts here that it makes me have a little bit more patience and understanding of what the person I am dealing with might have going on in his or her life. 
 
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I to understand, why must someone be band for expressing an opinion? Makes no sense to me, after all this is the point of a forum. I'm hopeful that people are not being banned for expressing options that are against the sponsors of the forum, if so then banned me, because I beleive that our opinions are the substance of a forum. We are here to gain knowledge about airguns and if the sponsors or their morderators are trying to control the conversation then this forum is not for me, I'd rather participate in a forum that is open to all opinions. If this is the case then there will be a forum for us in the end. I have to wonder why others who have added so much to my enjoyment of air gunning have been banned. It's short sighted in the long run and gross.
 
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The banning seems to happen both here and at the tweety forum. Very, very sad indeed is the reason: Talking about a certain vendor or brand of airguns.
Don't think it doesn't happen here: There is a 10 page thread on another forum titled "HaHa... You got banned from Airgun Nation!!!!".

I was out of the airgun world for about 8 years, didn't follow the forums.
Now I am back and find that several of the bigger forums are owned by specific airgun vendors and are being censored Russia style:
If the mod or owner doesn't like the information or opinion, you could get banned. Not just your post moved, commented on or deleted, no your user ID gets banned.

Very, very sad.

I wish greed and politics could stay out of this great hobby.
 
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Pretbek there are a number of members on the other forum who just joined this one to cause trouble, those who got banned from here deserved to be banned from what I saw of their posts.Those who posted on the other forum just delight in causing trouble and stirring up emotions, there are a lot of people who belong to that forum who would love to see this one fail and will do anything to make it happen. Do not let the small minded people who make those posts influence your opinion of this forum, just look at the posts on here and you will see how well behaved the members are, very little bitching goes on here, Neil.
 
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The point was....Why does ANYONE have to be banned, aside from foul language or threats to someone's wellbeing? In those cases sure and absolutely. In my way of thinking freedom of speech applies to forums....unless the forum's goal is marketing...I don't care which forum it is makes no difference. The proof is in the forum's controllers actions, as to what kind of forum it will be.

Beach-gunner
 
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It is not quite that simple, if a forum has sponsors that have to pay to sell their products on the forum then it is not fair to the paying sponsors if non paying dealers try and sell their products on the forum.There are also certain people who will join a forum just to stir up trouble and antagonize other members, for the sake of peace an harmony it makes sense for the owner and moderators to deal with these individuals. I have seen on some other forums just how out of control the language and abuse can get without proper control, I would rather be a member of a forum where I know I can post something without someone attacking me just for the heck of it. And believe me, some people will do that, just to get a rise out of you, without the proper control things can really get out of hand very quickly. personally I would rather be a member of a forum that has sensible moderation, than none at all. 
 
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I am as guilty as anybody when it comes to getting caught up in forum drama or industry drama. Hell, it can be somewhat entertaining. Sometimes we all get a case of negativity due to forum politics. Forums are a great place for information, but a greater place for pot stirring and BS to surface. I am learning to treat all forums as entertainment with the possibility of learning something new or sharing and helping others. We all can survive and continue airgunning without ANY forum!! We all need to remember that. If things get to bad for someone on a forum, they should leave. Its that simple. This is not life. The forums are not life. Airgun forums are a hobby within a hobby and should be treated as such. Again, I am guilty of getting wrapped up in forum drama, but we all have to remember that this forum or any for that matter really doesn't matter!! Taking things with a grain of salt and having a better understanding of how the industry works (whether you like it or not) would probably help all of us!!
 
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I think Neil and AJ both make great comments. Like it or not we are in Ted's and the sponsor's back yard. This forum should be dictated by them! The fact is Ted does want an open forum and he does allow honest criticism of the sponsors. I think they really want the feedback from us. Like Neil said there are people with their own agendas, troubles makes, and ones that just want to trash or spead rumors about the sponsors. I personally support their @@$%^ being thrown out of this forum. I really don't want to read their rants, read their character assassinations, or have their products shoved down my throat….. I don't want to read their commercials. Many of you know I was personally trying to keep a predator away from the new shooters on this forum. It is hard not to let it get personal. That person was kick off this forum and another forum for being a A-hole there. When you allow a predator/trouble maker on the farm thing can easily go south. Best to kill it and put a final end to it. Everyone is at ease once they are gone. 
The way I see it, this forum is truly setup to be about airguns. Some people have alot of time and money invested in this venture. They have the right to safeguard it's success. You, and all of us, have the right to participate positive or negatively on this forum. We have the right to abide by their guidelines or suffer being banned. We also have the right to leave this forum or form our own if we do not like the rules. 

AJ is right, this forum is about having fun and we should understand this is a hobby. These are not life threatening issues! I truly believe Ted and Michael are honest and caring men and want what is best for all parties. Remember this is their backyard we are playing in and I have no problem in playing by their rules! 

George W. Harper DDS, FAGD
 
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Folks I have been sitting back and trying to take a break from the forums for a while, but I think I need to clear up a few things.

First of all I was NOT referring to this forum when I mentioned being banned. I was banned on another forum for giving another member the address to this forum when the member asked. The forum moderator didn't like that I was was exiled. No big deal. I guess I broke the rules.

Additionally I was accused of being a Ted supporter and nothing could be further from the truth. I don't know Ted in any shape, form or fashion. The only thing I know about Ted is what the majority of us have seen on his various YouTube videos. But again I was accused of coming to his defense when I stated all of the "hate" on the forums needs to stop. I was referring to all of the unnecessary rhetoric being spewed no matter what direction it was going in. Hell some people even went after Nomadic Pirate for his and only his honest opinion on bullpups. My feeling was if we are gong to be ambassadors for this sport, we are going about it the wrong way. But some people didn't see it that way.

I mentioned I had no dog in this fight. I am just a simple guy living a simple life. But I love this sport and just wanted to see some of the craziness stop. So I don't want this to turn into a forum vs forum thing. We all pretty much visit all of the main forums anyway. And there are good members throughout. I just wanted to see our sport grow in a positive manner and leave the politics and strife out of it. And as was stated before, 99% of us have no idea what goes on behind the scenes, so just stop with all of the speculation. We can have good discourse about any gun out there. And we can all agree to disagree from time to time. But when it devolves into what we have seen in the past few months, it doesn't do anything for our sport as a whole.

This is one man's feelings. That's all.

Keith.

 
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Well said Keith and like you I was banned from another forum for asking that all of the politics stop and we get back to talking about air guns. I believe it is a great hobby/sport and as for the dealers there should be plenty of business for all of them, I see a growing industry here with plenty of money being spent. Lets all just enjoy our interests and share our knowledge with each other and help each other whenever we can. Now back to work for me, I wish all my fellow air gunners well, Neil.
 
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