Chris,
I was member 7 or 8 over there, actually I can't remember what number, but it was very soon after Doug Oliver started it. The rules kinda' crept in over the years. There were changes in them, to be sure. What I signed up for has changed a bit, to be sure. I knew the owner, and he was fairly loose with long term members giving permission to list items they had for sale that were not 16 gauge related, for example, something that has changed mostly due to newer members protesting to the guy that has been left running it. There are at least two newer regulars who feel the need to add their voices when they see something that they don't feel should be permitted, anywhere on the site. They are not moderators, or administrators. Dave had a similar problem here with an individual who felt the need to add running commentary on the for sale section, which, has been corrected. A beautiful thing, I might add.

My problem is the way it is enforced over there. The A-hole first class that put the link to a thread, that was unrelated to what Lloyd had posted, where a member was told in no uncertain terms to stand down with his joke about what ISIS initials stood for, has in his tag line (I'm para-phrasing, since, I'll no longer have anything to do with the site) words to the effect he is a leftist liberal who shoots fuzzy critters, and then a list of guns he does it with. I would also expect he was the clown that ran to tattle on Lloyd for his link, which, I don't remember Lloyd having much to say about it, except it made him sad. I don't know that it was him for sure, but, there wasn't a bunch of commentary on that post. It got scrubbed sometime after I pointed out A-hole first class' hypocrisy, and (politely, even if Drew doesn't think I have it in me) bid adeu to the site. I didn't call him the A-hole first class he is, but, I should have, and will, hence forth.

See, the A-hole first class makes a political statement every time he posts. Every time. No one, that I'm aware of over there, has in their tag line words about how they are a conservative and support certain outdoor sporting groups, as, they would be told to change that. And, A-hole first class shouldn't be allowed to have a statement like that in his tag line to begin with, if it is a politics free site.

But, he does. See where I'm going with this, Chris? It is exactly like when there is a counterpoint article in the Mpls Star and Tribune on, say, global warming, with a plea for some critical thinking, and honest scientific sceptisism, and the hordes write the editor that anyone who has that notion should be lumped in with the people who deny the Holocaust. Not only are they unwilling to listen to you, but, they are unwilling to allow you to speak your opinion.

And I'm sick of that. So, you are correct, it is a private site, and said private site can find someone else to add whatever enlightenment (not much, maybe, but, whatever) I added over the years, for the members-I'm out. Period.

My decision.

I'll repeat what I said that night, I wish every single one of them nothing but the very best. Adios.

Best,
Ted