[pct-l] USMC Birthday & Veterans Day

Tue Nov 13 17:50:04 CST 2007

/go to any VA hospital and tell me how well we treat our veterans. Talk is 
cheap.           Kerry
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Donna Saufley" <dsaufley at sprynet.com>
To: "'Tom Bache'" <tbache at san.rr.com>; "'Jim and/or Ginny Owen'" 
<spiriteagle99 at hotmail.com>
Cc: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 12:32 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] USMC Birthday & Veterans Day

As the mother of a young veteran, the day we honor our vets has never meant
more to me, and giving thanks for their service on the day set aside to
remember them will never be unwelcome. We should use every avenue we have to
let them know we appreciate their service and sacrifice, past and present.

On this post I've seen people wish moms a happy Mothers' Day (likewise with
dads on their day), happy Thanksgiving, happy New Year, and yes, even the
now un-PC and much maligned "Merry Christmas."  The Veteran's Day postings
seem to be a tradition during the years I've been a list member.  I've also
noted over the years that there are a surprising number of veterans on the
trail. It is always an honor to provide a small bit of hospitality to them.

I for one am thankful that this list is about community and for any time
good wishes and warm sentiments are shared among members, even if it doesn't
specifically interest me. It certainly helps to balance the times when
dialogues become discordant and the virtual fur starts to fly.

The fact is that at least once, though likely more, all of us will find some
topics and discussions on the post to be disinteresting, repetitive, or just
plain drivel. The administrators do a great job of moderating and stopping
real violators (thank you). Bottom line, if you don't like certain threads
or posts, delete them.  If you get the digest version and can't delete,
well, that's the down-side of getting the digest version. Someone suggested
the alternative of receiving neither and reading the posts in the archive,
which eliminates clutter in your inbox and adds to your ability to pick and
choose the topics you do want to read about.

L-Rod (owner of a well-worn "Delete" key)

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Tom Bache
Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2007 10:20 AM
To: Jim and/or Ginny Owen
Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] USMC Birthday & Veterans Day

I read your note as saying "you're welcome" in response to my note thanking
you for your post.

I worded my "thank you" as I did to  make the same point you are making --
some off-topic posts are ok because the topic is universal.

But I hope we can cheerfully acknowledge off-topic posts and ask for
indulgence for special cases (Veteran's Day is such a special case).   I am
one who hopes the number of special cases stays small (maybe just this one).

And, of course, your many contributions to the hiking community earn you far
more latitude than is deserved by a newby like me.

All the best,

Tom Bache
San Diego

On 11/12/07 7:06 PM, "Jim and/or Ginny Owen" <spiriteagle99 at hotmail.com>
wrote:

>
> Tom Bache wrote:
>
>> Jim and Ginny Owen,
>>
>> Your post was totally off-topic for PCT-L and off-topic posts usually
>> annoy me.
>> But this is so much on the topic we should all think about on Veteran¹s
Day
>> that I must thank you for posting it.
>>
>
> Tom -
> I was one of the original members of this list - long before most of those
> who live here now ever heard of it.  For the first 6 or 8 years, it was
> customary on the appropriate days to thank and honor those who are now and
> have in the past put their lives on the line to keep this country free.
If
> that practice has fallen out of repute, then the following quote is
> appropriate:
>
>> "There's sore decline in Adam's line if this be the spawn of Earth"
>>        ----- Rudyard Kipling
>
> Telling me the subject is off-topic or inappropriate in any forum or any
> conversation is not something I'm likely to accept.
>
> The real problem here is that there was so little appreciation from those
on
> pct-l for those who have in the past - and are still - paying the price
for
> their freedom.  Instead, there was apparently the fear that expressing
their
> appreciation would be "inappropriate" or "off-topic".  And I'm giving the
> benefit of the doubt with respect to motive.  Whatever - this quote was
> posted here today - it was appropriate -
>
>>   "I insist on my right to say what I please, no matter whom it may
>> offend.  To say what I please even when I may myself be doubtful of its
>> truth.  And to say what I please even when I am certain of its truth, as
>> for instance crying "Fire" in a crowded theater when the theater is in
fact
>> on fire.  I resent the current effort to place certain subjects, e.g.
>> racial differences, beyond the pale of permissible discourse, and the
>> constant attempt to intimidate the outspoken and to suppress free speech
by
>> hysterical screams of "racism! sexism! fascism! communism! homophobia!
>> anti-Semitism! terrorism! anarchism!
>>    In our taboo-ridden, cult-obsessed, hypersensitive, creed-crazed
>> culture, anyone who attempts to examine tough social questions in a
>> logical, analytic, empiric manner must learn to expect a blizzard of
>> rhetorical abuse from all sides.
>>    Anyone with any experience of the other animals takes for granted the
>> hereditary nature of basic attributes.  Only we humans like to pretend
that
>> we are superior to the laws of biology and evolution.  Vanity, vanity,
thy
>> name is humanism - whether Christian, Marxist or "secular".
>
>                                                        -------------
Edward
> Abbey
>
> I think Ed Abbey would have had a few unkind things to say about those who
> are so closely related to the Grinch that they believe the subject is
> "off-topic."  And he didn't write those lines only about da gubmint - but
> I'll let that one lie there and fester for a while.
>
> OTOH - the subject became "off-topic" and inappropriate in later posts.
> Those of us who have lost friends and family don't think remembering them
is
> humorous.  Which may be why Brick commented on it.
>
> In any case, you're welcome - and the bottom line is - I'll do it again
when
> it's appropriate.
>
> Semper Fi -
> Jim
>
> http://www.spiriteaglehome.com/
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Connect and share anywhere with Windows Live.
>
http://www.windowslive.com/connect.html?ocid=TXT_TAGHM_Wave2_connectshare_11
20
> 07

_______________________________________________
Pct-l mailing list
Pct-l at backcountry.net
To unsubscribe or change list options (digest, etc):
http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l

No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.15.31/1128 - Release Date: 11/13/2007
11:09 AM

No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.15.31/1128 - Release Date: 11/13/2007
11:09 AM

_______________________________________________
Pct-l mailing list
Pct-l at backcountry.net
To unsubscribe or change list options (digest, etc):
http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l