A Call To Arms

[BillPaxton]

My fellow gliders,

I am appalled by some of your behaviors and I can't hold my tongue anymore. I would like to urge you all to take a deep breath and think about some things:

1. This forum is about SEGWAYs. We all have that one thing in common.
2. We don't have to agree. God bless America. If you hate ***'s posts, for everyone's sake, BLOCK them and get over it!
3. Can't we be civil, please? I would like to think if I need a fender or tire, there are 30 people that can help. THAT is what this board was meant for. Be a source of help for those that need help and put your petty bs behind you. You can all take a page out of Dr. Marty's book and see what difference one person can make to someone.
4. Grow up. Personal attacks are about the most childish things you can do - why is this such a frequent occurance among people that all share #1???
5. Be constructive with your criticiscms - you serve no one but yourself with a rant. Have you never heard Eldrige Cleaver's "if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem" speech? I say SHAME ON YOU. Again, grow up, and find a way to find equal ground with your peers.
6. Whatever happened to kindness? You don't have to be any religion or belong to any political party to be kind to people. Just try to see the other persons perspective and try not to be so judgemental - there are SO many other things we can all agree to be angry about. Just try a bit harder to be kind, its really not so hard.

Why did I post this? I was so angered by a post I saw today that I was tempted to just fade away. But I decided to chat for a bit and then I realized that this is a big part of the problem here - the members get upset and either stomp off or make a huge show of their departure...and who does that serve?
We need to put our indifferences aside and realize our similarities, that was the basis of this [and every] forum - to welcome the new people and share knowledge. But remember too that this board did not spring up when you joined, and I think it won't die out just because you storm off in anger. Be an adult - talk, PM, chat with the folks that urk you. I did and now I have new friends as a result.

+B

[jryan]

Originally Posted by BillPaxton

My fellow gliders,

I am appalled by some of your behaviors and I can't hold my tongue anymore. I would like to urge you all to take a deep breath and think about some things:

1. This forum is about SEGWAYs. We all have that one thing in common.
2. We don't have to agree. God bless America. If you hate ***'s posts, for everyone's sake, BLOCK them and get over it!
3. Can't we be civil, please? I would like to think if I need a fender or tire, there are 30 people that can help. THAT is what this board was meant for. Be a source of help for those that need help and put your petty bs behind you. You can all take a page out of Dr. Marty's book and see what difference one person can make to someone.
4. Grow up. Personal attacks are about the most childish things you can do - why is this such a frequent occurance among people that all share #1???
5. Be constructive with your criticiscms - you serve no one but yourself with a rant. Have you never heard Eldrige Cleaver's "if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem" speech? I say SHAME ON YOU. Again, grow up, and find a way to find equal ground with your peers.
6. Whatever happened to kindness? You don't have to be any religion or belong to any political party to be kind to people. Just try to see the other persons perspective and try not to be so judgemental - there are SO many other things we can all agree to be angry about. Just try a bit harder to be kind, its really not so hard.

Why did I post this? I was so angered by a post I saw today that I was tempted to just fade away. But I decided to chat for a bit and then I realized that this is a big part of the problem here - the members get upset and either stomp off or make a huge show of their departure...and who does that serve?
We need to put our indifferences aside and realize our similarities, that was the basis of this [and every] forum - to welcome the new people and share knowledge. But remember too that this board did not spring up when you joined, and I think it won't die out just because you storm off in anger. Be an adult - talk, PM, chat with the folks that urk you. I did and now I have new friends as a result.

+B

Very nice thread Bill +R for you!! I just wanted to intercept for a minute if I could. Negativity and attacks lead no where! I am not saying I have never done it myself, to say that would not be wise! But the fact of the matter is that when someone is attacked they hardly listen. Instead they toss the actual message behind the attack in the trash and get a sudden defensive urge. Soon both sides are toggling between the offensive and the defensive, and no one gets any where.

I think we all have the capability of making friends of each other if wwe would let each other! I have made several friends here. Many of whom were my biggest critics in the past. There are some who I absolutely cannot stand but you know what, that's between me and them. This is not a public matter nor do I try to make it so. This is, my friends, common decency! Also, it is very difficult to tell character on an online forum. Certain aspects such as body language and tone are simply missing, which could make all the difference.

Lastly, I think it is important that you have open communication with those that irk you, assuming you do not want to block them. Let them know, but when you send a pm, please do not dehumanize them. I know that I have gotten several pm's through my few months here! I got pm's from some that basically said they hope I die and rot in he!!. I have enough respect for the forum (no respect for said members but that is between me and them not a public matter) to not mention names. What good would it serve me. In these little messages of hate was something hidden..... A message on how I could improve myself!

You see, the problem was this. Given as they wanted to address me as though we were both still in kindergarten I took no notice to the credible aspects of the pm. Disrespect is never really heard. Then, later on down the line some other people decided to address me like a man. I listened and suddenly saw I was way off and made neccessary apologies! You see, it is not what you say but how you say it. Both the hate messages and the constructive ones in essence had the same advice. I, like a normal human being, disreagrded the hate messages. I did listen to the constructive ones however.

I urge you, if you have a problem with another member (and certainly me) please pm them and let them know in a constructive way. I have never left an question brought about by pm unanswered. I always respond and I dare anyone to say different. I will listen and have listened and I think most here will if approached the right way. Oh, and one last thing. I have been honest in sharing my life with you all. I put myself on the line whenever I am honest because many do not believe and that is fine. I understand that it is hard for people to understand my expieriences if they have not had them themselves. I understand that it is hard to fathom that at 19 years old I have seen and done a lot of "abnormal" things.

But I am begging you, ask the questions you need to ask. Many here doubt me, but I find it hypocritical because I have invited everyone to, if they have a question, pm me and ask. Public forum is not a place for Jeremy Q&A but pm is. I will answer just about anything you want. I have yet to find someone who will take me up on the offer. So, unless you are going to ask the questions, do not, at least publicly doubt someone elses credibility! For now, I will just hope things improve and great post Bill!!!


Jeremy Ryan

P.S. You can always e-mail me at [email protected] or [email protected] or call me at 608-469-8232!!

[RAG1247]

Bill - well written and thought out post and you did it without the whine, whine, whine, and the me, me, me aspect.

Not sure I completely understood the part that stated why is this such a frequent occurance among people that all share #1???

[nora k]

Originally Posted by RAG1247

Bill - well written and thought out post and you did it without the whine, whine, whine, and the me, me, me aspect.

Not sure I completely understood the part that stated why is this such a frequent occurance among people that all share #1???

ragster ... by #1 he means the common bond of segways

[jryan]

Originally Posted by RAG1247

Bill - well written and thought out post and you did it without the whine, whine, whine, and the me, me, me aspect.

Not sure I completely understood the part that stated why is this such a frequent occurance among people that all share #1???

Not sure if you are referring to me wth the whine, whine, whine and me, me, me aspect. If you are I am sorry you took it that way! I was merely citing examples of common problems so that maybe others could realize more in depth! Examples never hurt! These examples are from my expieriences because although I have seen and heard others I am not in a position to make judgements nor cite how I saw it without knowing the whole story, which is really a matter of opinion!


Jeremy Ryan

[pam]

Somehow, jryan, I don't think he's talking about you.

Pam

[wwhopper]

Originally Posted by pam

Somehow, jryan, I don't think he's talking about you. Pam

If you think he is talking about you, think about what you have done.

Of course if you don't think he is talking about you, Think About What You Have Done.

Rep Points for starting this thread!

[quade]

Segway Chat is pretty mild both in terms of hostile environment and in moderation; seriously.

I've seen much worse internet bullying on other forums and the worst participants here are nothing to worry or get excited about. Besides which, this forum is moderated to, well, nearly "Focus on the Family" standards. Argue all day and all night and it's still really nothing to get excited about. Although I will say that what would be considered simply an aside elsewhere here is sometimes laughable in the amount of umbrage some people can take away from it. Seriously folks, sometimes comments are, in fact, innocent and don't always have to be taken the "wrong way" simply for sake of argument.

There are as many reasons to join and participate in a forum as there are users. Each of us makes our own decisions to come and go. Nobody is forcing anyone to stay and people leaving on their own do so simply because whatever motivated them to be here in the first place is either not here or has been fulfilled.

Those leaving and writing emotion filled good bye letters, well, I'm no psychologist, but to me that's not a good bye letter; it's a cry for help. They still need something, but can't find it and unfortunately either pride or lack of vocabulary prevents them from asking in a way that would actually be useful.

[jryan]

Every forum has drama, it doesn't matter which forum you choose. If moderators are present and actively moderating than there is drama with the moderators (although participation significantly lowers this, it is a lot easier to respect the decisions of someone who takes an active posting role)! If there are no moderators (very few forums have this but there are some) or if there are moderators that never log on or moderate than there will be drama between members.

Here we have both, but not to the extent that many forums have. There is only one forum in which I have been a member for 6 months and have never seen any drama towards mods or between members and that is the newf.net forum. Now, if you do not own a Newfoundland (or a Newfoundland doesn't own you) than this forum would probably not have much for you!

You will find the drama everywhere you go, that's just the way it is. This is not only online forums yet this is life! Get used to it! It may not be right but it is the way it is!


Jeremy Ryan

[nickyboy]

Well said Bill. I have to say I was getting more than a little frustrated and bored by the "politics". Some times it is easier just to not bother, and as you say, fade away. Tough, y'all stuck with me for a while longer yet.
+R to you Bill.