DakotaRed -
All I can speak for is my own motivations. I busted my ass for 3 years in the Army, doing what I felt was my duty as a citizen. I'll be the first one to tell you I wasn't a posterboy when I was in, I got in trouble and tried to get away with things like every lower enlisted does. At the same time, I can look back on my service with pride, because I made the commitment and lived up to what was expected of me. While on jump status, I incurred my own injuries including fractured vertebrae, "traumatic spondololysis" (sp?), sprained ankles, 2 concussions, heat injuries, cuts, scrapes and bruises, the usual fare for any grunt. Every time I got injured, I did everything in my power to get back to continue the mission, return to my squad, and live up to my end. I did my job, and then some.
So, when someone makes half assed excuses for their failures, and tries to steal the valor of those who died in combat, and makes themselves up to be something they aren't, that pisses me off as a veteran. Nobody ever lies about being a clerk or a cook or a mechanic; they are always a SEAL or in Special Forces, or CCT / PJ, or Force Recon, or Special Operations, or, yes, a Ranger. There's no shame in giving your all and still not meeting the requirements for service, or getting medically discharged, or serving your time and doing your job without being one of the elite. There is in fabricating a background to cover up your own failures, and pretending to be something you aren't.
I'm a firearms advocate. I'm a machinegun & suppressor & firearms collector. I conceal carry. I teach people how to shoot, on my own dime, and try to do my part to educate, promote safety, and give back to the community.
When I have to go through fingerprint & background checks to buy a NFA registered item; when I have to get background checked to get a CCDW liscense, when I have to deal with the retarded anti-gun hysteria of the Brady group & their ilk, it really pisses me off to see a convicted felon bragging about carrying guns, and showing off his secret squirrel CQB gear with magazines & holsters for firearms he can't touch, let alone own.
I own this site, and a store in this industry. I bend over backwards and pay out the ass trying to provide a public service for everyone, one with 85,000 members and is gaining currently 100+ more a day. I don't charge the manufacturers a dime to be here. I don't charge people to view all the content. All I ask for is that they treat the community, and myself, with common courtesy and respect.
When I find out someone has abused that trust, lied to me, lied to the community, and done so for years, that pisses me off.
Did Mick Strider make mistakes in the past? Yes. No one will deny that. The issue is that he's failed to learn from those mistakes, failed to own up to them, misrepresented himself, outright lied and then when called on it tries to shirk responsiblity and blame everyone else or posture. That isn't behavior that should be rewarded. Covering it up does nobody a favor, other than Mick Strider, because he can't handle anyone scrutinizing his claims because they don't hold up.
If someone wants to call me out on something specific I've done, be my guest. Again, any incorrect information I will correct. That said, I will defend my stance here as long as it takes. Honor and integrity sometimes means taking the hard path and dealing with hurdles, facing your challengers, and shouldering your share of the burden & then some. Lying, hiding, making excuses, and shirking don't fit into that.
How people can make excuses for these things is beyond me. The reason there's been an "extended dialogue" is because people are making excuses for this behavior, or are more interested in attacking the messenger. I started one thread on this, and closed it after a week when nobody could even remotely refute anything I had to say. I didn't start this thread, but if people are going to continue to attack me, I'm going to continue to point out the hypocrisy and double standards, especially when their shit is weak. When a reformed con artist has a written list detailing the behavior I've seen "the other side" display, it's not saying a lot for what I'm up against.