Since The Cat Is Out Of The Bag What Should We Do??????

[cslinger]

Ok we had the best intentions in mind. We do not want to offend, or alienate any members new, old, or future.

We want THR to be around for a long time and think it does a lot of good for RKBA and puts us as gun owners in a good light. Heck we are arguing over whether or not we should buy gifts for each other. Wonder if the anti's ever saw that coming.....I digress.

Anyway I am posting a poll that we will keep up with till say Thursday morning. Since the mods seem to feel that this is ok I want to know what the membership thinks. Power to the people and all.

So what do we do continue to collect or refund everybody's money. We will abide by whatever the outcome is Thursday morning.

In case anybody is just tuning in see the Oleg Birthday thread.

If the poll says to continue but anybody wishes a refund or an apology or both please email me and it will be done.

Ok have at it.

Chris

 

[Correia]

It has nothing to do with giving back to THR or giving monetary rewards to the boards founder. I just want to give Oleg something nice because he is a great guy. If a couple of hundred other people want to as well who am I to stop them?

 

[Steve Smith]

Exactly, Correia! Chris, you know how I voted!

 

[spacemanspiff]

roger that!

 

[cslinger]

Come on now 38 views and only four votes.

Even if you haven't nor plan to contribute you have a say in this. Everybody does.

 

[voilsb]

I don't see what the problem is. I would love to contribute, but right now I can't spare a dime (though I wish I could).

I don't see what's wrong with giving a gift (even if it is somewhat expensive) from a huge pool of active members here to the guy who got it all started.

kind of a "thank you, we appreciate your efforts. oh, and by the way, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

 

[461]

I'm thinking the folks have already voted by sending or not sending money.

 

[FPrice]

I think that you guys had a good idea. I would support it financially as well but I am also in a bit of a debt problem now. Well, maybe I could add a few dollars.

 

[Greg L]

I'm with Correia on this.

However if Oleg absolutely refuses the pistol how about we send the money to JPFO for use on the documentary?

Greg

 

[DeputyVaughn]

I'll concur with Steve Smith's on the bottom of page three (see Oleg's birthday thread). If all else fails I'll consider my money payment for all of the cool wallpaper I've got in my computer now thanks to Oleg. Seriously, Oleg if your peaking, we think the world of you as a man and a friend. The gift is only for that reason. Just be humble and say thanks and enjoy it. I don't believe anyone has felt like there was pressure to send in anything.

Scott A. Vaughn

 

[Blackhawk]

Being April 15th and all, I sure wouldn't want anybody collecting money to give me anything that has any tangible value....

 

[461]

I'm thinking the folks have already voted by sending or not sending money.

 

[Preacherman]

I think that this situation was not expected when THR was founded. We'll obviously have to find a way to prevent similar controversies in future. IMHO, unless we say something very specific in our forum rules, people will go on trying to do things like this now and again, for Oleg or for anyone else who they want to thank, or to whom they want to show their appreciation. I personally don't have anything against this (I'm in on this one already!). I think that if we want to stop such problems in the future, it will have to be made a rule of the forum. On the other hand, if making it a rule is not really wanted, then we have to accept the problems... (Of course, Oleg could always send me the P7 as a gesture of repentance! )

In this case, I'm staying in, and my money's on the way. Come on, folks, Preacherman's taking up a collection! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!

 

[spacemanspiff]

controversey? only a small handful have voted in this thread for the negative option.... to cave in to the complaints of a few is just like avoiding discussing firearms or the 2nd amendment in mixed company, for fear of 'offending' people.

i'm sick of PC crap. if a person objects to pooling together resources as an act of kindness, then they dont need to join in.

 

[chevrofreak]

i anonymously donated $100, and would like it back

 

[dav]

I'm afraid I don't get it, either.

We all know most of the people on this board are broke most of the time. If they had any money to spend "frivolously" they would have more ammo and guns.

So I don't see how anyone could feel they are being pressured into contributing.

That said, contribute if you like the cause, now and in the future. Don't if you don't like the cause. Or don't if you have general principles against "giving at the office". But don't try to tell me what I can or cannot do! I'm not hurting you if I want to contribute, so don't tell me not to.

 

[techmike]

I don't know Oleg Personally...

but I sent $10 . Just another way of saying Happy Birthday to someone I respect. I really hate it that a heartfelt jesture has turned into such a mess. I would Still Like to see Oleg get a Pistol!

 

[OF]

If anyone wants a refund, let them ask for it. Other than that the people who sent money in already made the decision that they want to give Oleg a #$%damn birthday present whether the ungrateful SOB wants it or not!

I mean, it's mostly us crusty old TFL groupies who have been friends for years, are happy to have had our refugee status resolved and want to say thanks to the one who stepped up and did it. This board is a convienient method to discuss this, nothing more. Now if Oleg is gonna put the kibash on this due to it being discussed on the board...well...lets not discuss it on the board anymore. We can find somewhere else to discuss it...like CSlinger's living room. You have my 10 bucks. Do with it what ye can!

- Gabe

 

[Gewehr98]

And how is a person supposed to voice a dissenting opinion?

Without being ostracized, like the post above mine? It's already to the point that I'm afraid of being ganged up on for sending the PM's that I did over the subject. I was being honest, reasonable, and forthright in my post recommending against buying Oleg that squeezecocker. So now I'm guilty of making things Politically Correct? Is it automatically controversy when a sanity check appears from the membership?

I NEVER said one couldn't be kind to Oleg. Far from it, I even offered some alternatives. Maybe Sheslinger should post my PM concerning the whole schmear.

I'm done. Thanks, Oleg, for the nice forum. Sorry I couldn't see straight to buy you a handgun, hope you'll forgive me. In the meantime, you'll excuse me if I don't stop in here anymore.

 

[Oleg Volk]

Gewehr98,

I PM'd you with some of the details of this whole misadventure. I trust that you won't abandon THR over the our public efforts of reconciling differing views on what's proper and what isn't. I do insist that folks stop attributing sinister or unfriendly motives to those who aren't overjoyed at the situation. It takes true friends to state unpopular views at times.

 

[blades67]

I just don't see what the big deal is.

 

[cslinger]

Just because the majority thinks something is right doesn't always make it so. It isn't right to argue over this and this isn't worth losing a member over.

This board is about community, knowledge and membership. That being said Julie and I are going to refund the money and just ask for Birthday wishes and or cards. No money.

I know some of you did not want your money back but I cannot keep it in good faith.

Can we just forget this ever happened. Geeez if anybody should stop coming here it is us. We started this whole snaffu.

We have decided the only way to make it right is to refund the money and pass on the Birthday wishes.
Chris

 

[Sheslinger]

I will ask Mods to close Cslinger's and my threads...

This has gotten out of hand and is not worth losing members over and being at each other's throats.

We are refunding the money because either way Oleg is in a no win position. His first impulse was not to accept the gift and I respect that and I don't want to argue to make him do something that makes him uncomfortable.

If you feel that the money should go somewhere else, it's up to you to donate it when you get it back from us. This was not meant to be a contribution to any cause but a birthday gift for a friend.

Thank you again and we'll be ducking under the table now
Julie

 

[Navy joe]

I think the poll results speak for themselves. I also don't understand while people would give Gewehr a hard time. We don't need rules for or against this stuff, just vote with your money, if you think it is a good idea support it, if not let it be.

Great, now one member giving another member a gift is somehow improper? We're starting to look like the outside world in here, why can't we just accept that sometimes simple gestures have simple motives.

-NavycouldwelayoffthetinfoilandrecriminationsjustthisonceJoe.

P.S. I'm still in, hope you change your mind.

 

[cordex]

Who knew that getting a buddy a gift would be so controversial?

As for my money, I'm PMing cslinger and sheslinger a couple of ideas, but I don't want them to return it.

I'm with the "Give if you want to, don't give if you don't want to and don't try to force others to do as you do." camp.

*sigh*