Ok, so looks like I need to stand down from the community page for a while. My most recent post got deleted for inappropriate material. Hmmmm, no nudity, no foul language. But whatever, this will be my last post for a while, I can’t say when I will be back, but I will eventually.
I do believe it was George Carlin who said if it doesn’t offend someone, then it isn’t comedy. So on that note, I bid you farewell for a while.
Brian out!
The mission of the USCCA Online Community is to provide a place where people of all backgrounds can come together to have educational and supportive conversations about self-defense and learning how to defend yourself and loved ones.
Some off topic conversations have been allowed as long as the content of those threads abide by the rest of the Community Guidelines.
Inappropriate material is not just nudity or foul language and will be removed as it detracts from the mission of the Community.
Hey Brian, I’ve been in the same boat and had posts flagged and deleted. I freely admit that I was getting snarky with other members and was being abrasive rather than treating them better. Sometimes we all get a little heated over topics that are important and it’s nice to take a break. in my case, I now treat the community as a bunch of friends and the topics as inquiries and not declarations of war or something serious. I hope you come back soon and don’t let what happened detract from what I do feel is a nice place to share information. Until then, take care bud.
@Brian_J, treat this Community as pure “firearm” forum. We discuss, we make a jokes - all is good. The problem starts when politics, racism, LGBTQ++ and other "fancy"stuff arrives.
I personally have been “reprimanded”, "“blurred” and “deleted” several times… so what? I don’t care. It has never happened during “firearm” nor “training” nor “self / home defense” nor “gears” discussions. 
We stay on Community’s tracks - we good. This is not an “another social media portal”… and I hope it will never be.
I’ve been less active on the community page lately also but for an opposite reason. I believe in the mission of the community page and don’t expect to be attacked for my comments. I have changed my views when respectful members have challenged me and explained their position. I salute them and USCCA for demanding civility here.
You’re absolutely right, Dawn.
I’ve been shooting my mouth off quite a bit, and for all my protests about politics here, I’ve not only ‘let’ myself get drawn into it, I’ve stuck my opinions and personal politics into discussions.
I realize I was wrong to do this, and have no excuses. I don’t know if any of my rants have been deleted, because I’ve decided to simply not. Not get involved in those discussions, not stick my personal politics in other’s faces, and not reply to any responses to above-mentioned rants.
I apologize and will stick to the topics of guns, CCW, safety and the like.
This isn’t always a bad thing if it’s done respectfully. Some of us might be across the aisle from others in this Community, but having difficult, passionate conversations can lead to a better understanding of other’s viewpoints and help us express our own points in a more effective, respectful manner.
Humor can definitely be helpful to build a bridge, but we have to make sure that it isn’t attacking, crude for crude’s sake, or derogatory.
PLEASE have the difficult conversations - with the intent of learning from each other. You might not change anyone’s mind, but you may plant a seed that will help others see things differently. And the more we celebrate or embrace our differences respectfully, the harder it will be to divide us as a group and country.
Like I have said in other topics. Not always going to agree not always going to disagree. No one thinks absolutely the same way and people will get offended that’s just fact. And if you say or do things on here that you know your not supposed to @Dawn will let you know without fail and cut you off lol. And everyone moves on
Respectful disagreement is healthy. It’s when we begin to belittle m and call names. We’ve all felt the wrath of @Dawn’s banhammer for one reason or another. We take our licks, say we’re sorry, and move forward.
I for one can truly understand the frustration, we all know what happens when there is no outlet for frustration. It’s here that I thought I could let loose on ears that felt the same frustrations. I was wrong, I need to watch my tongue. Many times, I’m very passionate about my rights and my country, and I usually say what I feel. I could spend my time yelling at the television, if only they could hear me! Here at least someone who feels the same is listening! Take your licks, embrace the suck, and stick with the mission! There is a distinct mission here and, IMHO, is to maintain our precious way of life!
I try to be an equal opportunity offender… but it’s my day off today…
@Brian_J, it’s nothing personal friend.
The first time I was flagged and deleted, I became “offended” as well! So, I know how you feel! But rest assured, it’s not what you said specifically but we all must remember what this web-site is for… Self-defense topics.
OK, Time for my two coppers.
I have not been very active with posting for the last 6 weeks or so for a plethora of reasons. It has NOTHING to do with an individual here but rather with myself and NOT wanting to get myself emotionally involved with subjects I feel strongly about.
There has been things going on in the real world near enough to where I live where I did not want to make emotionally charged online responses to things which would make me look bad in the eyes of the law should something happen.
I still come here everyday and read many of the posts (I cant keep up with all of them like I use to). It would not surprise me if others are doing the same.
I guess my point is this; I am still around and if I think I have something to contribute I will. I am still around for those occasional messages to me with a question. I will always try to get back to you.
Don
I completely get it @Brian_J. People say this is open community and you can say what you want but the moment somebody doesn’t like it, they want to jump all over your butt because they’re offended over something stupid. I too have considered dropping the community and just keeping the self defense insurance because honestly it’s more of a headache lately than anything.
The other day there was a member that was commenting on a thread and because somebody was offended they flagged his comment and it was deleted. he said nothing offensive but because that person didn’t like it they flagged it. It was on topic and within “guidelines”.
Sorry to see you go but completely and utterly understand why you’re leaving. I’m sure like you, there will be other community members to leave because it’s the same thing . Like I said I thought about it myself.
Well, since we are going to have a biatch session… my .22LR cents worth.
Early on, I made a comment, dealing with training, practice, muscle memory, and that with all of that you react as you have trained, that you automatically disengage a safety when you draw, and do not need to pause or lose time in the draw to do so.
The other person made a false accusation, accused me of being unsafe, using a firearm on ‘autopilot’ which means totally without thinking or planning (which is totally opposite of planning, training, practice and muscle memory), and when I attempted to clarify to explain that he was wrong and what I said, he repeated his accusation of unsafe firearms handling.
I responded with my OPINION of his intellect, and was flagged… all while he was NOT.
I also thought about leaving, as it seemed certain people could make false accusations and get away with it, while defense of your comment put you in the penalty box.
But hey, even with that knowledge, it is still a place to discuss viewpoints (though there are far more here that are actually less concerned with the Constitution and the law than one would have thought, but that is for another discussion), and while I did avoid the ‘community’ for some time, I did read the occasional article and comment, and remained.
Though I still miss the old online monthly newsletter, which to me had a better format than the new newsletter, this is not that bad a place.
Many of us have been there, and many of us have been in the penalty box.
It’s great to read this thread. We do our best to keep the Community a friendly, welcoming place. People are always going to be upset because we don’t all agree - and we don’t expect everyone to agree. We expect people to have constructive conversations. No name-calling, no personal attacks, and staying within the Community Guidelines.
I’ve spoken to some of the “biggest offenders” and most realize why we require respectful conversation. We’re all very passionate about self-defense and the current political environment is increasing tensions. I’ll ask everyone here to be a “force for good” in helping keep the Community on track so that we can all have a place to have good discussions without the personal attacks. If you see the personal attacks, please do your best to redirect the conversation in a productive manner.
Please focus on what we can learn and how we can grow from differences instead of dividing us further.
We’re all in this together! I appreciate the feedback and look forward to more difficult conversations handled respectfully as we go forward!
Sorry I disagree, protecting the offended from the truth is the same path big tech took, look how biased they are now.
I do thank all the patriots here, but with pms and postings being silently removed and trolls, it feels just a little too much like Facebook. My mistake for jumping in too far too fast.
I always feel that here…lol…but I return regardless, even though I know many here wish i didn’t.
I consider myself part of the diversity this community needs, after all it would probably be a little boring if everybody here felt the same and shared the same ideas and/or logic.
