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This is in response to a post made yesterday, but has been deleted (I think) by the moderators. I didn’t respond yesterday due to time so if the moderators want to, please feel free to delete this post as well……
We've all been to grammar school. We've all seen bullys in the playground pick on younger/weaker kids. Did you defend those kids, did you stand by and do nothing, or where you a bully? If you did nothing, your complacacny was a vote for the bully. There is no middle ground here. Either you're an instigator or a defender of others.
This post is my step into the playground as a defender of others who’ve been anonymously attacked. A link was posted yesterday to a website I’m sure we’ve all been to. The website was designed by an anonymous person who seems to thrill at the misfortune and misguidance of other hobby members. This website exploits weight problems, impression flaws and embarrassing moments caught before the camera's eye. All are living historians and all are members of our hobby.
We all have photos in our closets of our less authentic days that most of us are too proud or too ashamed to bring out. There are hundreds of members on this forum, but NONE of us know everything. We all may be an expert on a few narrow topics, but if there is one person who knows every fact about the 1860’s, I’ve yet to meet that person.
I know hobbyists who’ve written uniform articles for the Company of Military Historians on Confederate uniforms, but have the worst impression you’ve ever seen. I know curators of museums who have mistakes in their impressions and I’ve seen some of the forum members here today (including moderators) who have things to improve upon. My impression isn’t perfect and never will be. I dare any member of this forum who thinks he has a perfect impression to enter the Miller Award contest and let those judges tare you a new hole.
Regardless of what we all say, we all do the same hobby. Farb and authentic alike do the same hobby and it is up to us to be leaders in the hobby. Some may choose not to follow, but for those that do, I think we should be shining examples of those who take the latest research and translate that information into a physical impression. Some authentics choose respond to overweight and unauthentic living historians with snipes, critiques, jabs, personal attacks, cruel actions and hatred. Life is too friggn’ short folks. We’re only on this planet once and if we can’t stand up for the little guy, then why even bother.
Try to educate, try to inform and try to be kind to those less informed. If you can’t be a kind educator, then please do nothing. Not every farb will want to learn. I know guys who have the WORST impressions you’ve ever seen, but they can run circles around me talking about button backmarks. I know guys who can’t drill their way out of a paper bag, but know more about the Seven Days Campaign that I ever will. I know mainstreamers who look like they haven’t changed their kit since 1975 who are more knowledgeable about firearms than the self proclaimed experts on this forum.
Folks, it’s a new year. I’m not about to spend another 12 months as a forum member rehashing the same topic of how ‘they’ just don’t get it. This sort of civil war within our hobby is destructive and serves no purpose. East vs. West, Farb vs. Authentic, Sutler vs. Vendor and the other internal wars inside this ‘one’ hobby will do nothing but diminish how the veterans look at us in the end.
This post isn’t intended for the large majority of the forum members, but for the chosen few (the bullys) who decide they are beyond learning and above educating.
Anwyay, Happy New Year and Peace On Earth (and in the hobby) in 2004!
We've all been to grammar school. We've all seen bullys in the playground pick on younger/weaker kids. Did you defend those kids, did you stand by and do nothing, or where you a bully? If you did nothing, your complacacny was a vote for the bully. There is no middle ground here. Either you're an instigator or a defender of others.
This post is my step into the playground as a defender of others who’ve been anonymously attacked. A link was posted yesterday to a website I’m sure we’ve all been to. The website was designed by an anonymous person who seems to thrill at the misfortune and misguidance of other hobby members. This website exploits weight problems, impression flaws and embarrassing moments caught before the camera's eye. All are living historians and all are members of our hobby.
We all have photos in our closets of our less authentic days that most of us are too proud or too ashamed to bring out. There are hundreds of members on this forum, but NONE of us know everything. We all may be an expert on a few narrow topics, but if there is one person who knows every fact about the 1860’s, I’ve yet to meet that person.
I know hobbyists who’ve written uniform articles for the Company of Military Historians on Confederate uniforms, but have the worst impression you’ve ever seen. I know curators of museums who have mistakes in their impressions and I’ve seen some of the forum members here today (including moderators) who have things to improve upon. My impression isn’t perfect and never will be. I dare any member of this forum who thinks he has a perfect impression to enter the Miller Award contest and let those judges tare you a new hole.
Regardless of what we all say, we all do the same hobby. Farb and authentic alike do the same hobby and it is up to us to be leaders in the hobby. Some may choose not to follow, but for those that do, I think we should be shining examples of those who take the latest research and translate that information into a physical impression. Some authentics choose respond to overweight and unauthentic living historians with snipes, critiques, jabs, personal attacks, cruel actions and hatred. Life is too friggn’ short folks. We’re only on this planet once and if we can’t stand up for the little guy, then why even bother.
Try to educate, try to inform and try to be kind to those less informed. If you can’t be a kind educator, then please do nothing. Not every farb will want to learn. I know guys who have the WORST impressions you’ve ever seen, but they can run circles around me talking about button backmarks. I know guys who can’t drill their way out of a paper bag, but know more about the Seven Days Campaign that I ever will. I know mainstreamers who look like they haven’t changed their kit since 1975 who are more knowledgeable about firearms than the self proclaimed experts on this forum.
Folks, it’s a new year. I’m not about to spend another 12 months as a forum member rehashing the same topic of how ‘they’ just don’t get it. This sort of civil war within our hobby is destructive and serves no purpose. East vs. West, Farb vs. Authentic, Sutler vs. Vendor and the other internal wars inside this ‘one’ hobby will do nothing but diminish how the veterans look at us in the end.
This post isn’t intended for the large majority of the forum members, but for the chosen few (the bullys) who decide they are beyond learning and above educating.
Anwyay, Happy New Year and Peace On Earth (and in the hobby) in 2004!
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