Nails in the fence

[45nut]

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails and told
him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of
the fence.
The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next
few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily
gradually dwindled down.

He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than
to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't
lose his temper at all.

He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for
each day that he was able to hold his temper.
The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails
were gone.

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, 'You have done
well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence.. The fence will
never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like
this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. But It won't matter
how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound will still be there. A verbal
wound is as bad as a physical one..



The same goes for things you post here.

[Von Gruff]

We need a smiley with a BIG THUMBS UP.

That needs one.

Von Gruff.

[casterofboolits]

I seond that that. [smilie=s::popcorn:

[jsizemore]

Sometimes the fence needs a nail or two to mend it.

[krag35]

Amen

I think I'll hold on to that one and share it down the line.

[smoked turkey]

Well said Ken. We all need to think before we hit the post button if what we have said is what we should have said.

[Lively Boy]

well said...very well said! thank you!

[9.3X62AL]

Full agreement with all above.

There are those here--few in number, but devastating to board ambiance nonetheless--who insist upon being intentionally and directly antagonistic and confrontive with those whose views they disagree with--whose home areas they disparage--whose form of employment they loathe--or some other cockamamie reason, not one of which is valid. I don't know what attracts such persons to sites of this sort, but my main attractant was its entitled subject matter--CAST BOOLITS. As Ken has said throughout the time this board has existed, this place is about the boolits.

Sure, thread drift and content dynamics happen. I don't think that's an issue. But the malice expressed within threads casts a pall on further positive conversation, and both invites and encourages further negativity. I know it drives me off, and I can't help thinking it's a turn-off to other folks with positive content to contribute. I get a genuine case of the a-- when some cretin tees off with another malicious, hateful slam in the subject areas that affect me personally, and my strongest natural reactions are to discontinue contributions to the site.

Recently, I absented myself for some three weeks after a particularly virulent spate of this negativity that went largely unchecked for an extended period of time. Now, I don't regard my experiences as being especially deep or my expertise as being of great intrinsic worth, but I do contribute it freely and without expectation of any return other than similar contributions by other interested parties on similar paths. Negativity as above is one of the purest and most powerful disincentives to voluntary participation and contribution that exists on a site like this.

I sincerely hope the admins and mods get a leash on the mad dogs that infest this site, and euthanize some or all of them to discourage such incursions in the future.

[BruceB]

"I sincerely hope the admins and mods get a leash on the mad dogs that infest this site, and euthanize some or all of them to discourage such incursions in the future."

My friend AL "nails it" (couldn't resist) as usual, and I agree completely.

"it's about the boolits." Yes, and the extraneous pet dead horses need no discussion here. I still find the Political and Religious forum to be a seriously-negative factor on this wonderful website.

[Charlie Two Tracks]

Sticky time. Good post.

[btroj]

Very well said

[Rockydog]

"I sincerely hope the admins and mods get a leash on the mad dogs that infest this site, and euthanize some or all of them to discourage such incursions in the future."

My friend AL "nails it" (couldn't resist) as usual, and I agree completely.

"it's about the boolits." Yes, and the extraneous pet dead horses need no discussion here. I still find the Political and Religious forum to be a seriously-negative factor on this wonderful website.

Even as a person who routinely posts in some political forums (seldom here though). I think the political and religious forums have led to the death of some gun related web sites. The "holes left in the fence" there just bleed over to the other forums in due time and weaken the site as a whole. I don't see too many mad dogs on here compared to the number of members. The staff here is among the best on any of the sites I frequent. RD

[Catshooter]

I try (and sometimes fall short) to maintain the idea of, "Would I say what I'm about to post to a man's face?"


Cat

[Von Gruff]

I post as if the readers were in the easy chair next to me and we were having a conversation. I do not respond to negativity but will explain a position to clarify. I came for the cast boolits but personally I like the P@R forum and find it (for the most part) a very civilised place to discuss a subject.

Von Gruff.