Quoted: Thats just Funny BeeKeeper. I love how you turn a serious question into a Joke. Many Thanks for that. It was just an Observation on my part and a joke on yours.

Well, for heaven's sake--what was I supposed to do with that??  You, according to your join date, weren't even here in the "good old days" and have no clue what that quote meant at the time.  This site was originally a hobby by a couple of computer geeks who were into guns.  It was just a smallish group of friends who got together online to shoot the breeze.  When I joined (please glance at the date--I can't remember) there was just over 6000 members.  The ungainly size of the site now means we have the <inevitable> significant number of deliberate troublemakers and trolls.  Some are from sites dedicated to our political enemies (think DUh), some are just idiots--but all must be dealt with in order to maintain some semblance of order and decency here.  The present management of the site does NOT mean we don't care about the Bill of Rights.  I would venture to say this site, through the membership, has done a great deal for the cause of freedom and the RKBA--much more than many others who spout on the internet but don't actually DO anything constructive.  

Quoted: Something people Often forget .... Its only the Internet! Back then it wasn't taken so serious and people knew it was Only the Internet... Thats what has changed.

I have never subscribed to the concept of: "this is the internet.It's not real" .........as if the website was a 4th dimension or some Stargate-like place

This is the internet.Full of people behind keyboards that allow anyone to pretend to be what they are not,or say anything in anonimity,but still populated by real -not virtual-people.

Quoted: Hey EdAvilaSr... I have just one question. Is that a real quote from you?

no.That quote is not from me.It is from my son,and it is a partial quote,therefore quoted out of context!

He said that ,and then said something to the effect of:
" You can say anything you want,but say it in a courteous and respectful way.It is not what you say,but how you say it" (paraphrased)

Of course,those quoting him would never want you to know the whole quote,but since you asked now they are going to have to change their sig lines

That is one reason for which lawyers should never ask a question on cross examination,unless they know the answer.

ETA:
Edward Avila is one person
EdAvilaSR is another.Not wiser than the first,just older and with more injuries than the former

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: We will not ban, edit or delete anyone or their posts because of a topic; the Second Ammendment was written to protect the First. Edward Avila-06-08-2000 Ahhhhh, the good old days. Yes--the good old days.  Those were times when site members showed basic respect and appreciation for their friends and fellow site members.  I miss them.   Oh please Mike...........You seem to have blocked out those days, the McUzi days with RBAD, Juan, hangfire, Zen and many others acting like the "five year olds" that are so loathed nowadays. We had a lot of fun back then. It was quite rowdy and we liked it !!!   I recall even YOU having a go from time to time. These days we all seem to take things WAY to seriously.  Something the good old days lacked.

I can't argue with a word of that.  You are probably aware of the history and evolution of things here, but for those who are not--

Once the site grew in membership numbers beyond the wildest expectations of the Avilas, it became prohibitively expensive to keep going.  For the first several years the Avilas paid ALL expenses in an effort to give back to the country for the opportunities in life which Ed Sr. and his family had found here, after having fled Castro's Cuba.  Once things reached a breaking point a decision had to be made--impose limits on the site size by closing new member registration, shut the site down, or accept funds from others.  The decision was made to accept advertising dollars.  I'm not aware of the advertisers imposing any demands as to the content of the site, but with the explosive growth, management had unending problems dealing with such things as flame wars and racist posts.  In August of 2001 GoatBoy made the decision to take the site in a new direction--more "family friendly" (for reasons not revealed to me).  He specifically recruited myself and BenDover to act as GD mods and implement the changes in posting habits.  We did so, at significant personal cost in terms of enemies made and friends lost.  Later, as the ever increasing membership size caused huge problems in site speed, it was again time for a decision--make major financial commitments in order to upgrade bandwidth to adequately handle the load, as well as new servers--or shut things down altogether.  I don't think this has ever been posted publicly, but it is long enough in the past I think (hope) I can get away with posting it--the future of the site hung in limbo for about a week.  Staff collectively held our breath, but in the end the Avilas decided to plunge forward with what you now see--major upgrades and changes.  Not everyone has liked the changes, some have left, MANY more have joined; until things are what they are now.  It's still just a friendly group effort--not a real business, in spite of the behemoth size of things (by internet standards).  We do the best we can--that's all there is.  

Quoted: Well, I was a member 5 years ago but stopped visiting this site for a few years due to a serious illness. I rejoined when I was reminded of this site from a friend. I am not a Trouble Maker, Troll, Political Enemy or an Idiot. I am done now and don't want to argue, fight or upset anyone. It is just the internet and just an Observation.......

I did not mean to imply you were any of those things--and I apologize if I came across that way.  My point was only that such individuals must be dealt with, and if that makes us seem as though we have thrown out the First Amendment then there's just nothing we can do about it.  

I see Ed Sr. pretty much cleared the matter up with his full explanation of Edward's quote, but I did want to address the issue of you apparently thinking I was insulting you--I was NOT.  

I'm glad you're back--and I hope your illness is gone/cured/over and you are doing well now.  

Quoted: As for my Illness I wish it would get better but I have been told I only have a few years left in this world. I won't make it to 40...... Sometimes Life Sucks! We are all going to die I just know my death will probably be sooner than later.

I am truly sorry.  Damn.  

Quoted: I will not change my sig line. I like the quote. Yes it was part of a whole page that Edward had written that I found from one of Innocent_Bystander's links to the Way Back Machine and it had a link to the old board. On another note. Just after the last uprising in the AZHTF,I went back to the page that I had bookmarked to get the entire quote but the whole thing was gone. (Thing that make you go HMMM) And yes if you could find the entire quote from your son I would enjoy reading it once more.

If you can tell me what it was titled,I can try to find it.

It is always fun to read something my sons have written,especially after some time has passed.

Needless to say,they are all smarter and better men than I.On the other hand,I am meaner and quicker,wittier,more pleasant,kinder  ,slower than them

Quoted: Damn it, I love a good rumble but this thread is too confusing for me to figure out who to get mad at... Well except for tfod who called me an asshole. So, UP YOURS BUDDY!

A good rumble -in the dark-  is what we have.

Punches being thrown not knowing if they will land on a friend or "foe"!

Not really foes.
Even though we might see things differently, I would go to bat for any of you;and I am certain that -not all- but many of you, would do the same for me!

Quoted: (Dons Fortune Teller hat) I forsee many more pleadings to the membership to send funds, on whatever flimsy pretenses, as the Avilas realize the unintended consequences of their egocentric, often self-contradictory, and dare I say it? Treasonous... management of their petty feifdom.

I suppose you consider providing support to a member in need of a liver transplant "flimsy" pretenses,but if you ever went for a much needed brain transplant,I would also ask for help.

I have a vision of the Karma Police pulling up outside the ARFKOMPOUND... Irony, it's such a beautiful thing.

My vision is better.
In it,You answer my email (sent last night) and actually call me a traitor to my face in front of all your friends and AZ members

NOTE: Hallowthinking's account was locked by someone else for trolling last night and won't be able to respond here,but I will post his reply to my email.....if he ever crawls from under his rock and identifies himself.

It seems that the nays have it....faulty math and all!

edited because, I have decided to be a nicer person than some people deserve!

Quoted: I have decided to see what I can do with the $24 dollars.

How many Pesos can you get?