[RangeRatt]

in as much as I can't answer for Kim, I haven't noticed where you were the past few nights on these van Dam Threads, but I can tell you, I was here, and things, well, they got kinda ugly. I am glad to report that we are now able to interact with each other, if not in a completely civil manner, than at least with enough humor to know when flames are being hurled and when we are just loosing a little good natured steam at someone who might not share the exact same viewpoint as we do.

'Cause is that what THIS (FR) is all about? Many people, different views, offering opinions, theories, and ideas? That's what I signed on for.

[BunnySlippers]

in as much as I can't answer for Kim, I haven't noticed where you were the past few nights on these van Dam Threads, but I can tell you, I was here, and things, well, they got kinda ugly.

I was here and checked in on the Van Dam thread as I do every night ... Fresno had pinged me. Yes, noticed the nastiness and didn't post on the thread.

I don't agree with everything every single poster on any thread says ... but I don't understand why there are two or three on these threads who can't bear that someone might feel differently. I do know that there are people who are reluctant to post knowing they are going to be bashed.

[MizSterious]

RangeRatt said:

'Cause is that what THIS (FR) is all about? Many people, different views, offering opinions, theories, and ideas? That's what I signed on for.

This is just so well-said, I thought it should be repeated. Often. And we should also remember that little ditty we used to say at university: Opinions are like belly buttons: everyone's got one, and everyone thinks theirs is the center of the universe. There's another one about armpits which also applies: Opinions are like armpits: everyone's got them, and everyone thinks everybody else's stinks to high Heaven.

And then there are the words of one of my old profs: Don't bond with your opinions so strongly that you can't gracefully back away from them when, as inevitably happens, the errors of your thinking become overwhelmingly apparent.

Sometimes, there is truth in cliches, which might explain how cliches come into being.

[Freedom2specul8]

I agree with what you said to bunny...and you stated it VERY well. (I'm not going to mention the examples of flaming first time posters/dissenters on the VD threads)...So yes, everyone has an opinion and FR is about NOT suppressing opinions. Since quotes are being thrown around, here's mine. I think its message is a major factor how we treat other people.

''To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society.'' -- Theodore Roosevelt