:) Lara

My post wasn't intended for any one person, action, or statement.

It was just that the thread was taking a certain direction and wasn't correcting itself, so I wanted to try to help that along...for all members.

We're a great group of ppl...people with feelings, opinions and experiences...all of us.

KD

G'day KD,
Yes, I know your post wasn't directed at me. It was just my observation after going to sleep and coming back and reading the rest of the posts. lol I'm more of a fire stopper than a fire starter. I was just throwing a little water around.

Absolutely no worries this end. Happy as a lark. Well, a lark with a broken wing maybe.

Chemar my high school motto was "Forth with Courage". It was actually in Latin but that's what it meant. Actually our school badge was very modern. It had a rocket ship on it and that was before man landed on the moon.

:Tip-Hat:

Now Lara, don't be throwing the water around...I thot it was rationed. :p

And what happened to your wing? :hug:

I am offended...

I am offended when people are offended by me...when they misunderstand me...

I am offended when people look at me funny, when they think I look funny...

I am offended when people tease me...because they think I like being teased...

I am offended when people say when either the left or the right are evil....when both are or are not...

OK, those above are NOT directed at anyone...but it opens the door to a few things I'd like to share...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have tics...you know, barking like a dog, twitches, eye blinks, spits, blah blah blah...

it is funny how people would look at me and make assumptions...they think:

1: this guy is retarded, my mom would be asked if "I" was retarded(while they point at me asking my mother)

2: this guy is "funny" with all the noises he makes

3: this guy is winking at me, what a jerk!! (from the ladies, usually...and a guy named Bubba, LOL)

4: this guy is spitting in public!! What a nasty (___@___)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was a time when I would get offended, hurt, angry, really mad, and then, I'd feel the need to shoot these people...don't worry, I won't...

but then I realized that in this world, the thing that leads to most the arguments, offensiveness, wars, bickerments, battles are usually stemmed from this ONE thing: miscommunication

everyone of us are probably ignorant about something at some point...

that is OK...as long as we are open to being "educated" or "communicated with"
I think that is OK?

people are passionate about their religions, politics, beliefs and everything else. It doesn't really make one person badder or better than the other/next person.

so, I'd like to lay out this question as a challenge to everyone...

let's say you are a Bush hater or a Clinton hater. And yes, they've done bad things. Does anyone REALLY REALLY think that they want the WORST for their country and their country men/women?

Step back a second before you answer this and please don't use the simple answer "Yes, he wants the worst for their country!"

think about it carefully and ask yourselves this other question.

While you may disagree with their policy (and I do with many of their issues, by the way) does that make them "bad" people or "evil" people? (Doody, hold your thoughts here, I know you hate all republicans. LMAO...)

the truth is, NO! They are NOT evil. Bush isn't evil just like Clinton isn't evil either, they may be (_@_)'s...but that's whole another subject...I believe that they are passionate about what they BELIEVE in in that they are RIGHT about the path that the country should take. And that passion is often disagree by the "other side" that is also passionate about their own views. Thus the two passionate yet opposite parties argue and fight over the very same thing...

Remember when Clinton and the Older Bush got together to speak for the Hurricane Katrina victims to help raise money?

now, keep that point in mind and then think about how heated it was when the democrats and the republicans went at eachothers throats(they still do and always will, and that goes for any political parties)yet, when tragedy struck, everyone in both parties were able to come together and let go of the arguments and debate because they DO care deep inside because of their passion to the people...


the two very different Presidents who are very passionate about their own political parties were able to throw away their difference to come together to aid the victims, why? Because behind all the political non-sense. They TRULY care!

Yes, there are bad seeds in all political parties...I am not referring to those people. I am referring to those that truly believe in what they believe in and this next word "compassionate" about what they believe in.

And while people may disagree with what they are compassionate about. You can't take the passions out of it....

So, it comes down to this...as I step back and read all of your comments. I see one thing...EVERYONE, and I mean EVERYONE is compassionate and passionate about this issue...

yes, there are old feelings being hurt, new feelings being hurt. But it all comes down to because we all CARE....that's all...actually, we are all talking about the same thing, really...

if there were a hurricane tomorrow here in the U.S. Then those that are else where in other countries (that come to this forum)would jump right in to do all that they can to help the U.S. no matter the differences.

If there were to be a crisis in England, Australia, or NZ , or any other countries tomorrow, those of us that are in this country that visit this forum would do anything they can to help. I've seen it...with my own eyes and ears...(well, I can't see with my ears, but you get the photo?? LOL)

I know a lot of personal stories because (this is where I disagree with Thelma about not making friends on line, respectively though) I know a lot of these folks personally. I am only going to speak for the folks that I know personally and have met...and I am NOT saying this to say that they are more special than anyone. But just what I've seen...I've seen it! Compassion? YES! Do I always agree with them? NOOOOOO!!!! But I know that deep inside, they do! They love and they CARE and they are deeply passionate about what they believe in!

now, let's talk about the folks that I haven't met in person...
let's take the mods, for example. Curious, she has tons on her plate, but I see her here giving support and some of them are pretty silly ones, but because people know that she cares, it doesn't matter. I see jo55 ubiquitously to offer her support as much as she can as well to any in need. Chemar going around being the peace keeper and reminding us why we are here...Kimmy dawn's over all loving grace and that she usually have the final words(thus the thread killer. LOL)

OK, these folks above I haven't met, but I've seen their names around and they are truly supportive.

And then there are all these other names, too many to delve into. As I do a search on where you post and what you have posted. My gosh, you all are compassionate wonderful folks!! And I applaud you for your hearts and your passions about what you truly believe in!

And that is where COMPASSIONs and PASSIONS can turn into heated debates about what we all care about...which is usually the same thing(s)...

SO, OK, a lot of folks got heated over this, cool. Sometimes, we need to vent...but then, let's go back and look at this again...was anyone wrong in their views? NO...because that IS their view and they can and have the right to their views. Sometimes, it just gets misinterpreted. Nobody really wants to hurt anyone except for an evil few, but I don't think that they(evil ones) are around here...

perspectives can be a difficult thing...

"an Indian Prince brought an elephant to his court, he brought in five blind men. The first blind man touched the elephant's nose;The second, the elephant's ears; the third, the elephant's body; the fourth, the elephant's feet; the fifth, the elephant's tail.

None of them got to feel the whole elephant.

The prince then brought them in one by one and asked them to described what an "elephant" is:

each gave the description of what he felt.

but remember, they are still describing an elephant. It is just a different perspective."

Now, someone will read what I've wrote above and say this: I think who moi is calling us blind...

and that will be ok, that will be their perspective...as long as they let me know and are willing to let me explain back that I am NOT calling them blind...just (_@_)'s. LOL

alrighty...now, I am not lecturing...I am asking everyone to look behind the names...and see what flows out...we are all compassionate about this place and BT..it is human nature...

my own two cents on John Lester isn't that he doesn't care...I think he does, or at least he did at one point. I think he got tired of it, just like a lot of people would. If he really really didn't care. He'd just let the whole BT thing shut down, to be honest with you...

but I do think that he has slacked off thus have let some of those mods run amok over there with over banning and such...and that, is why a lot of us are here...right???

But there ARE still real human beings over there...they are there because they feel safe, they feel it is HOME...I know that while I really like it here...I still feel like I've lost my "HOME" there,even though I am rebuilding it over here...

I lost my real house due to hurricane Floyd back in 1999. 10 feet of sludge went into my house, I slept in hog/chicken poops for 3 days...I left heartbrokened...

but now, I have a new home, with my new lovely wife...but it still have to be BUILD...

let's build this place...let's support the other place(for those that want to)

yes, people are allowed to love or hate Lester. That is fine...but there are tons of people there...lost, needing support, needing love...

let's have that compassion for them...

the above post is meant for all the smurfs and not for anyone else...

and I am going back to retirement...

sincerely(very very sincerely and I will apologize in advance if this offends anyone, it is not meant to, but if you are offended, that will offend me and we'll have to duke it out in private. LOL)

moi

What a wonderful post Who moi;)

I don't know you, moi, but with this one post I know a couple of things about you...you are WISE and A BEAUTIFUL SOUL.

It's a pleasure getting to know you.

KD

Do not encourage that man! you will live to regret it! :D

Oh I hope it is who I think it is...............................

Moi and his wife are two of those special souls I met and spent time with when I travelled 1/2 way around the world way back in '98. I think I mentioned my amazing trips in one of my posts above somewhere.

Moi, we don't have Walmart here... yet. It'll be here any moment I'm sure, but meanwhile everytime I go to KMart I think of you. :D I think of you other times as well of course.

Alffe, long story about the wing.
Now I'm feeling all sentimental. :cool:

'There's a pale light in the east
All the stars are in the west
Oh, here's to all the dreamers
May our open hearts find rest
'Cuz the wing & the wheel
Are gonna carry us along
And we'll have memories for company
Long after the songs are sung'
~ The Wing and the Wheel - Nanci Griffith

:thud: Okay, someone needs to pinch and pull this guy's ears. :rolleyes: It just so happens I know at least 1 republican I adore. So there. :p