Paging combatants

To further the bar analogy: If somebody on GRM asks you to step outside, it should be to show you their car.

I will say this: Every single GRM person I've personally met has been easy to get along with in meatspace.  Politics and such just don't seem to come up, because there is an autocross or rallyX or car getting loaded on a trailer. In other words, we have better things to do. 

If you're coming here to argue, I'm guessing there is a project car that needs work, a book that might be nice to read, actual work at your job to do, family to call or... anything. Life is berkeleying SHORT. There is no spare time, just finite life time. Don't waste it arguing on the internet. 

And, on that note, I'm going to meet a few local friends, have a drink and eat some snacks. 

In reply to Brett_Murphy (Agent of Chaos) :

I often tell the story of Dusterdb13 and I.  We had been friends online and in person for a bit.  I was up at his house and he noticed a political sticker on my truck.  He just looked at it and said "We probally shouldn't talk politics should we?".  I replied back "Probally not." then he said "We both like cars right?".

In reply to Stampie :

Oh I know you and I won't ever talk the "p word" because I am fairly certain we aren't in the same area code. And that's fine. We are all brought up differently in different circumstances with different life experiences. Just because yours are all wrong .... wait that's not what I meant. 
 

it's also why I will never have political stickers on my car. Sone people are just rabid about "their side". They can go key someone else's car or slash tires etc. I'll just have racing stickerz showing how poor I am. 

In reply to bobzilla :

I'll forgive you your politics because you give good full body hugs.

Stampie said:

In reply to Brett_Murphy (Agent of Chaos) :

I often tell the story of Dusterdb13 and I.  We had been friends online and in person for a bit.  I was up at his house and he noticed a political sticker on my truck.  He just looked at it and said "We probally shouldn't talk politics should we?".  I replied back "Probally not." then he said "We both like cars right?".

Sums it up pretty good! We all believe what we choose to believe, and that's ok. You do you, and me do me. Most of my best friends have vastly different views on many things, and it honestly helps me keep an open mind and a better world view. I appreciate the different viewpoints that aren't being forced on me.

Annie asked why I've been silent for the past half hour. I told her I was reading an interesting thread on the GRM forum. (I'm a slow reader).

But I learned long ago to stick to posting only on the benign threads here and to stifle my opinions anywhere else.  So this thread has been very interesting. 

I can say unequivocably that I am not one of the shiny happy people, but I'll go check my emails for verification.  There are several people that I would love to see go, but frenchy sure wasn't one of them.  I don't get that but I don't need to.  I usually leave a thread after 2-3 of the same people start their E36 M3 all over again.  I don't need to come here to argue.  I am married.  

Dragonflies have six legs.  No arms.   

I have structured my life and chosen the people who are in it in order to avoid what I call, "recreational arguing."

Seeing someone demanding to have an argument about why he should be allowed to have an argument got really tiring.

I'd say that the moderators and administrators of the forum are incredibly patient.

In regards to Frenchy, just wait until you are in your mid 70's and your brain has naturally shrunk to 90% of its normal size.

Some degree of cerebral shrinkage occurs naturally with the dynamic process of aging.[3] Structural changes continue during adulthood as brain shrinkage commences after the age of 35, at a rate of 0.2% per year.[4] The rate of decline is accelerated when individuals reach 70 years old.[5] By the age of 90, the human brain will have experienced a 15% loss of its initial peak weight.[6] Besides brain atrophy, aging has also been associated with cerebral microbleeds.[3]

Wikipedia.org: Cerebral atrophy

Stampie said:

In reply to Brett_Murphy (Agent of Chaos) :

I often tell the story of Dusterdb13 and I.  We had been friends online and in person for a bit.  I was up at his house and he noticed a political sticker on my truck.  He just looked at it and said "We probally shouldn't talk politics should we?".  I replied back "Probally not." then he said "We both like cars right?".

I'm not sure which one of you is an shiny happy person.  I love you both!

Let's not talk politics.   Lolz.

In reply to wvumtnbkr :

This.  All of this. 

I'm still "new" here so I generally hang back and let the senior members have their say on these topics.  That said, politics these days seems to be only to divide and make people angry.  I say we may have our differences but we tend to have a lot more in common than what "they" (whoever they are) want us to realize. 

There's a lot of great people here, let's not let "who's in which tribe" get in the way of a great place to hang out together.  I come here to avoid the day to day bullE36 M3 and learn stuff from smart people so let's do that.   I'll admit that I can be just as big a shiny happy person as the next guy but at the core I'd rather learn something or have a laugh with good people.  

Well berkeley me. I go and get Thai food and E36 M3 gets all sideways and frenchy gets banned (again)....

In reply to Mndsm :

Dude you need to come up here so that we can hit up my Thai restaurant.  I went Tuesday for lunch and nothing I've eaten since has heat.

There are eleventy billion places on the internet to argue politics. A car forum shouldn't be one of them, unless it's related to cars, such as things SEMA alerts us to.

I like discussions. I also enjoy the occasional debate. Arguments I can do without.

Want to know what it feels like to get banned? Post on Reddit. I've been kicked out of two groups there because my views were politely contrary (and factual).

I'm not going to propose that Frenchy shouldn't have been banned, and despite the fact that I often didn't read his posts to the end, I'll miss him.  

I may be the oldest rat in the GRM barn now.

I know a handful of people get triggered by his presence and words (and I also understand why) but I still hope the Frenchy ban is temporary. The guy absolutely can't read a room and continually overshares.. but he loves this place.

I understand that decisions have to be made but I still feel like he is in the top 5 most interesting GRM Dorks I'd love to see a long format magazine feature written (about).

And a mute feature would go a LONG way. 

Stampie said:

In reply to Brett_Murphy (Agent of Chaos) :

 "We probally shouldn't talk politics should we?".  I replied back "Probally not." then he said "We both like cars right?".

I don't know your politics, and I don't know Dusterbd13's, and I really don't have a need to know. We all like cars, and have skill sets we can bring to the table to get E36 M3 done when it needs getting done.  Then we can all go eat Mexican or BBQ or something and talk about things other than politics. 

Pic below: "What it looks like when the cops call you." - Woody

In reply to Brett_Murphy (Agent of Chaos) :

That was a hard berkeleying day.  Still appreciate all involved.

In reply to VolvoHeretic :

Dude I'll never make mid-70's. Average life expectancy of a male in this line of Millers is 56. I'm 47 (48 in december). I got 10 years max. 

Stampie said:

In reply to bobzilla :

I'll forgive you your politics because you give good full body hugs.

Duh. All people "on my side" do that. Didn't you know? The lamestream media has been lying to you! 

People.... don't make me explain sarcasm to you.

Stampie said:

In reply to Mndsm :

Dude you need to come up here so that we can hit up my Thai restaurant.  I went Tuesday for lunch and nothing I've eaten since has heat.

Ayo, as long as they bring the pain. I asked for Thai hot and I got warm dishwater. Maybe I'm unfairly biased against heat, but I have signed a release form for spicy food more than once, just to eat. Not even as a challenge. Im

In reply to AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) :

The truth is I often agree with you. But I won't engage with you, because you are a terrible listener and it's not at all enjoyable to have a discussion with someone who doesn't respect your position and isn't willing to listen to opposing viewpoints. 
 

I frequently unhide some of your posts to read because you sometimes make good points. But you make them in ways that make everyone feel like E36 M3. So I hide them again and don't comment.
 

I'd rather walk away. 

SV reX said:

In reply to AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) :

The truth is I often agree with you. But I won't engage with you, because you are a terrible listener

 

Bingo. I've found with most people a good way to de-escalate is to call out areas of common ground. But Anthony tends to turn a deaf ear to that, focusing only on disagreements while making baseless accusations (a couple of people downvote him, so now we are all guilty of censorship?). But talk to him in a car thread and he seems like a regular one of the guys.

In reply to Kreb (Forum Supporter) :

Managing to get your post hidden halfway down Page 1 in a thread entitled "Paging combatants" is not a badge of honor. 
 

The problem is he will take it as proof of "censorship" and be pissed, instead of listening to the silent message from his peers "Please don't say stuff this way".

I'd like to offer a different take on the Frenchy Affair, go figure.

Frenchy brought to this group a set of experiences that should be highly regarded.  When he offered an opinion that differed from that of the mob, he was attacked.  Relentlessly. 

I found that I was often in disagreement with Frenchy.  He was too much a Minnesota lefty nutball, and he got all worked up about battery-powered cars, which hold zero interest for me.  Even so, I found his contributions entertaining and thought-provoking.

The man deserved respect, and he didn't get it here.