Democrats not welcome here anymore?

[WellArmedLiberal]

Has this organization quietly become the Republican Firearm Owners Association of PA, a partisan political place where we spend more time talking about politics and law than we do about guns, oil, ammo and helping each other?

I know in my little town and where I work, we kinda avoid discussions of religion and politics as we try to go about living and being neighbors. Maybe it's time we make a generic "politics" or "lounge" area for people to vent. PA Patriot pointed out in a recent post that many anti-Obama posts are just reasoned attempts to educate others, and that's fine, but I'm reading a lot of hate posts and it's making me ashamed of being part of this organization for the first time.

We need to begin thinking about how these forums look to new visitors. We need more members. We need to reach across the aisle for new members and to form a bipartisan coalition to protect our gun rights in PA. But a new visitor to these forums who might choose the "General" thread will get a healthy dose not only of intelligent conservatives and libertarians expressing their frustration, but also rambling diatribes about our President-Elect being everything from the anti-Christ to Marx to Hitler, and a rare few threats that are serious enough to draw the FBI's attention to these pages.

A new visitor to these forums would have difficulty finding a significant number of discussions about survivalism, tactics and training, or concealed carry, but lots and lots of political posts, some that are well-reasoned, and many that are bitter, hateful and nasty. The Express-Times would love to quote some of these epistles, as would any number of folks who'd like to ban guns or have legal cases against our members. These are public pages.

I'd normally be the last one to tell somebody else what they should or should not say. I don't post a whole lot, and try to stay above the fray. But the current level of hate and bitterness is making me long for the days of 9mm vs. .40 caliber flame wars. Personally speaking, I'd welcome any member of this PAFOA into my home, probably lend them a gun if they needed.

But I'm not going to stay around here much longer if the environment and mood is hostile and unwelcoming. Democrats or more liberal members can form their own organization and forums, the road unfortunately to the self-fulfilling prophesy of gun bans that some here seem drawn to inexorably.

I'm not suggesting that members shouldn't have fun, cut loose, and be able to speak to their friends here in a frank, politically uncorrect, unguarded manner. I'm just saying we should begin to tone down the Democrat and Obama hate levels, and move them off our main pages where newcomers get their first impressions and where gun-related chat is being overtaken by posts more suited to a Fox News blog. We Democrats can leave, and eventually will, if things stay the same. That may make lots of people happy, but they'll be depressed and bitter once more when they lose their guns because they were still thinking of the "I" instead of the "we."

We're all in this together. Al Qaeda didn't ask who was Democrat or who was Republican when they took down those towers. Let's get back on track around here.

[Damage control]

Its always Donkeys vs. Elephants just 1000% more so during an election.


DC

[Kaos]

It's hardly that way, keep in mind the subject matter of the board and what party's candidate was just elected and their stance on guns? Especially considering what the last democrat president did to us. Check out the change.gov's quotes for his plans on gun control

The stupid party system is flawed anyways...both sides suck. The republican party was no where near what it once stood for this year.
My thoughts....retire the republican party, and out of it's ashes form a party that will appeal to republicans, and independents and thrid parties alike.

[SteveXD]

I welcome everyone I think the majority of gun owners are Republicans and based on the election we are faced with a MAJOR gun grabbing liberal as well as house/sendate. There is a lot at stake. I really think we will be fighting gun bans and ammo bans for the next four years. Even worse if he gets a second term, since that is where I believe he'll do the worst damage.

[marinakorp]

At last... a voice of reason!

[Buckmark.35]

DC and Kaos are correct.

I can't imagine that someone who has been here a while doesn't realize that it isn't so much that Obama is a Democrat. It's that he's extremely anti-gun. You can't expect the members here to not be outraged that an anti was elected to the position of President. There are a lot of ladies and gentlemen here who hold the RTKBA above many other political issues. Besides... we're bitter gun clinging Pennsylvanians, what else did the president elect expect.

[jahwarrior72]

<<<<<< not a republican.

[Exbiker]

I don`t get the OP`s thoughts. You bought into a hobby, lifestyle and passion that tends to be dominated by right thinking individuals. The left tends to have a whole different set of values. Why should free thinking patriots pretend to welcome dissenting opinions. Go into the average gunshop or gunshow with an Obama hat or shirt. That would be like walking through downtown New Hope or San Francisco with a shirt that is anti-gay.
I`d bet over 90% or more of all passionate gun owners are very conservative.

[ThomasJ]

Has this organization quietly become the Republican Firearm Owners Association of PA, a partisan political place where we spend more time talking about politics and law than we do about guns, oil, ammo and helping each other?

I know in my little town and where I work, we kinda avoid discussions of religion and politics as we try to go about living and being neighbors. Maybe it's time we make a generic "politics" or "lounge" area for people to vent. PA Patriot pointed out in a recent post that many anti-Obama posts are just reasoned attempts to educate others, and that's fine, but I'm reading a lot of hate posts and it's making me ashamed of being part of this organization for the first time.

We need to begin thinking about how these forums look to new visitors. We need more members. We need to reach across the aisle for new members and to form a bipartisan coalition to protect our gun rights in PA. But a new visitor to these forums who might choose the "General" thread will get a healthy dose not only of intelligent conservatives and libertarians expressing their frustration, but also rambling diatribes about our President-Elect being everything from the anti-Christ to Marx to Hitler, and a rare few threats that are serious enough to draw the FBI's attention to these pages.

A new visitor to these forums would have difficulty finding a significant number of discussions about survivalism, tactics and training, or concealed carry, but lots and lots of political posts, some that are well-reasoned, and many that are bitter, hateful and nasty. The Express-Times would love to quote some of these epistles, as would any number of folks who'd like to ban guns or have legal cases against our members. These are public pages.

I'd normally be the last one to tell somebody else what they should or should not say. I don't post a whole lot, and try to stay above the fray. But the current level of hate and bitterness is making me long for the days of 9mm vs. .40 caliber flame wars. Personally speaking, I'd welcome any member of this PAFOA into my home, probably lend them a gun if they needed.

But I'm not going to stay around here much longer if the environment and mood is hostile and unwelcoming. Democrats or more liberal members can form their own organization and forums, the road unfortunately to the self-fulfilling prophesy of gun bans that some here seem drawn to inexorably.

I'm not suggesting that members shouldn't have fun, cut loose, and be able to speak to their friends here in a frank, politically uncorrect, unguarded manner. I'm just saying we should begin to tone down the Democrat and Obama hate levels, and move them off our main pages where newcomers get their first impressions and where gun-related chat is being overtaken by posts more suited to a Fox News blog. We Democrats can leave, and eventually will, if things stay the same. That may make lots of people happy, but they'll be depressed and bitter once more when they lose their guns because they were still thinking of the "I" instead of the "we."

Just an observation, and I'm not a Republican, but I always find it interesting how Democrats are always telling Republicans what to do and how they should stifle themselves. They never see the wrong in their own ranks. It's never a two-way street. And this particular board (General) is pretty much a catch-all forum.

[BerksCountyDave]

1. Well written post, props for speaking your mind.

2. It's not just here. Go to any gun forum on the net. We recognize the threat that Obama imposes on our 2A rights, and we wish to discuss it. I see no problem with that. You might not wish to accept the fact that your candidate is staunchly anti-gun, but the rest of us know it's the truth.

3. Wanna know why we hate Obama? Read this:
http://www.rightsidenews.com/2008102...ack-obama.html