Having learned some difficult lessons about life and people in some hard ways, the events of the past weekend on this forum remind me of some things I feel compelled to share with you here. I'm not real good at making thoughts clearly understood on the 'net; in fact I find this a very easy medium to generate misunderstandings. My intent is not to judge or point fingers. Instead, I hope good things will somehow come out of this for all of us.
You don't have to agree with me, but I just ask you to test what I say. Truth has a hook and a barb, and it's not always the way we want it to be.
There are two things that keep coming back to me, no matter how much I refused to want to believe them, or how poorly understood: 1) we act as we do because of the amount of revelation we have; 2) the things that irritate me the very most about others I do myself but don't know it.
I don't doubt the sincerity of beliefs about Craig Gottlieb. I sadly recall times when there were so many facts that supported my opinion of someone that I felt justified for all of the ugly things I said about and to them. I also had company, and we delighted in mistreating the targets. It was a rush to smite the heathen, and we stirred up others against them and got drunk on the revenge we lusted after. They could do no right in our eyes, deserved our worst, and no apology was good enough when they made mistakes. And they made lots of mistakes sooner or later, because they were human. We also made mistakes, but that was okay. It even got to the point where we plotted afainst them, and were always ready to use their own words against them, just as we had rehearsed -- we did our homework and had undeniable quotes ready. Outnumbering them made it even easier.
There was one co-worker that didn't give up. She rarely defended herself or offered explanations. After a long time of not fighting back, more information than I had known about her wrongdoings would surface. The damning evidence was still there, but I started to see more facts that were previously hidden. There was much more than I wanted to see if I objectively looked and listened to those who disagreed. I kept myself from admitting that she wasn't the dishonest, self-seeking, uncaring person the "facts" and unfortunate circumstances had made her out to be in my mind. There were even a few others who had quietly disagreed with my judgements, but we had shouted them down and made them look weak and disloyal. She had different standards, wasn't genteel, and from the north. Even I was starting to see she wasn't really who we had made her out to be. She was actually proving to be the opposite, and what the dissenters had said all along. She said and did things differently, and had different standards, but this wasn't actually wrong, even though disliked. I never 'fessed up to this, and held out long enough until I had transferred to another unit. Looking back, it wasn't until the shoe was on the other foot that was forced to see it in myself. Oh, how I wished I had been strong enough to not go along with the mob and go to that person and straighten it all out.
I thought knowing lots of true things was the same as the whole truth. Instead, there were hidden things that couldn't be seen or heard unless everything was known. Things like thoughts and what is in the heart can't always be seen clearly or known from a distance. We just aren't omnipresent enough to judge accurately.
Another thing that came hard was for me to see that my anger against another doesn't justify mistreating them. I'm ashamed to say that it's been extremely rare that my impressions of a situation when angry were correct. Worse yet, I'm no less responsible for making it right just because I did it out of anger.
When I got interested in khukuris, I lurked in old postings and spent days off in the archives, learning much. Something that came up was the history of HI and GH. Looking at the postings, I could interpret the writings in more than one way, and easily choose a side. Many have done that. I've relearned the same lessons too many times. I'm convinced that even though many have strong feelings, there is ablsolutly nobody involved who knows it all. As humans we simply aren't capable. This is a situation where it's the knowledge of "good" that's dangerous. We think we know enough, but there's no way we can have that kind of knowledge to judge what's "good" for us. It's forbidden. I ask you to test what I'm saying, and not just to dissect my words here. What is the "spirit" of what I'm saying?
I've never met Craig Gottlieb, and we're not kin. The first and most of the khukuris I've bought were from a master knife maker who carries a few to round out his display at knife and gun shows. My preference is to choose from a group of them in-hand. It's the way I got started, not that I have anything against Bill, HI, or anybody else. My dealings with Craig have been above reproach. For example, he has never even hinted for me to deal directly with him, and has sent knives to the dealer voluntarily. I've gotten to know folks that know Craig personally, and they all really like him, and have a high regard for his character and ethics.
Have I overlooked somebody in the posts, or is there nobody out there who claims the neagtive and has actually met him or knows somebody who has? I know how easy it can be in a tight group to get ticked off by an upstart -- especially one who makes some mistakes. I just don't get any minuses on the guy, and I've been told many, many times that I have a sensitive crap detector. And get this: he doesn't seem to hold a grudge or have animosity or unforgiveness toward HI. Let's get serious and examine attitudes, motives, biases, you name it. He just doesn't seem to be the antichrist worthy of damnation and every kind of abuse that can be heaped on him.
What I do see is somebody that is more than willing to own up to his goofs. Do we really think his mistakes should be paid for in blood? It seems to me that this is one of those situations we can't afford to be wrong on. I for one don't want to have to answer for a lynching.
There seems to be a movement to be ready for the next time. I wonder if something ought to done about the past and present. I'm talking about the threads that are locked. Maybe they should be deleted. What good can come of referring back to them and stirring up a wound that we don't need to have in the first place? Look, while we're alive to do something about it, we can redo the concrete before it sets up. But once it's set, it's there forever, long after the last precious khukuri has rusted and its scabbard rotted.
Sincerity can be good, but it's possible to be sincerely wrong. Divide and conquer has been around a long time, and lays souls to waste. I submit this to you as one who is lesser than you, because I've done all this and worse. Who am I to stand before you and say there might very well be a common misconception here?...ablolutely nobody. All truth comes with a price, and pride can be blinding and prevent good folks from getting along and sharing on common ground. I submit this to you: don't allow yourselves to be robbed of the truth by settling for deception.
Respectfully....Dan
You don't have to agree with me, but I just ask you to test what I say. Truth has a hook and a barb, and it's not always the way we want it to be.
There are two things that keep coming back to me, no matter how much I refused to want to believe them, or how poorly understood: 1) we act as we do because of the amount of revelation we have; 2) the things that irritate me the very most about others I do myself but don't know it.
I don't doubt the sincerity of beliefs about Craig Gottlieb. I sadly recall times when there were so many facts that supported my opinion of someone that I felt justified for all of the ugly things I said about and to them. I also had company, and we delighted in mistreating the targets. It was a rush to smite the heathen, and we stirred up others against them and got drunk on the revenge we lusted after. They could do no right in our eyes, deserved our worst, and no apology was good enough when they made mistakes. And they made lots of mistakes sooner or later, because they were human. We also made mistakes, but that was okay. It even got to the point where we plotted afainst them, and were always ready to use their own words against them, just as we had rehearsed -- we did our homework and had undeniable quotes ready. Outnumbering them made it even easier.
There was one co-worker that didn't give up. She rarely defended herself or offered explanations. After a long time of not fighting back, more information than I had known about her wrongdoings would surface. The damning evidence was still there, but I started to see more facts that were previously hidden. There was much more than I wanted to see if I objectively looked and listened to those who disagreed. I kept myself from admitting that she wasn't the dishonest, self-seeking, uncaring person the "facts" and unfortunate circumstances had made her out to be in my mind. There were even a few others who had quietly disagreed with my judgements, but we had shouted them down and made them look weak and disloyal. She had different standards, wasn't genteel, and from the north. Even I was starting to see she wasn't really who we had made her out to be. She was actually proving to be the opposite, and what the dissenters had said all along. She said and did things differently, and had different standards, but this wasn't actually wrong, even though disliked. I never 'fessed up to this, and held out long enough until I had transferred to another unit. Looking back, it wasn't until the shoe was on the other foot that was forced to see it in myself. Oh, how I wished I had been strong enough to not go along with the mob and go to that person and straighten it all out.
I thought knowing lots of true things was the same as the whole truth. Instead, there were hidden things that couldn't be seen or heard unless everything was known. Things like thoughts and what is in the heart can't always be seen clearly or known from a distance. We just aren't omnipresent enough to judge accurately.
Another thing that came hard was for me to see that my anger against another doesn't justify mistreating them. I'm ashamed to say that it's been extremely rare that my impressions of a situation when angry were correct. Worse yet, I'm no less responsible for making it right just because I did it out of anger.
When I got interested in khukuris, I lurked in old postings and spent days off in the archives, learning much. Something that came up was the history of HI and GH. Looking at the postings, I could interpret the writings in more than one way, and easily choose a side. Many have done that. I've relearned the same lessons too many times. I'm convinced that even though many have strong feelings, there is ablsolutly nobody involved who knows it all. As humans we simply aren't capable. This is a situation where it's the knowledge of "good" that's dangerous. We think we know enough, but there's no way we can have that kind of knowledge to judge what's "good" for us. It's forbidden. I ask you to test what I'm saying, and not just to dissect my words here. What is the "spirit" of what I'm saying?
I've never met Craig Gottlieb, and we're not kin. The first and most of the khukuris I've bought were from a master knife maker who carries a few to round out his display at knife and gun shows. My preference is to choose from a group of them in-hand. It's the way I got started, not that I have anything against Bill, HI, or anybody else. My dealings with Craig have been above reproach. For example, he has never even hinted for me to deal directly with him, and has sent knives to the dealer voluntarily. I've gotten to know folks that know Craig personally, and they all really like him, and have a high regard for his character and ethics.
Have I overlooked somebody in the posts, or is there nobody out there who claims the neagtive and has actually met him or knows somebody who has? I know how easy it can be in a tight group to get ticked off by an upstart -- especially one who makes some mistakes. I just don't get any minuses on the guy, and I've been told many, many times that I have a sensitive crap detector. And get this: he doesn't seem to hold a grudge or have animosity or unforgiveness toward HI. Let's get serious and examine attitudes, motives, biases, you name it. He just doesn't seem to be the antichrist worthy of damnation and every kind of abuse that can be heaped on him.
What I do see is somebody that is more than willing to own up to his goofs. Do we really think his mistakes should be paid for in blood? It seems to me that this is one of those situations we can't afford to be wrong on. I for one don't want to have to answer for a lynching.
There seems to be a movement to be ready for the next time. I wonder if something ought to done about the past and present. I'm talking about the threads that are locked. Maybe they should be deleted. What good can come of referring back to them and stirring up a wound that we don't need to have in the first place? Look, while we're alive to do something about it, we can redo the concrete before it sets up. But once it's set, it's there forever, long after the last precious khukuri has rusted and its scabbard rotted.
Sincerity can be good, but it's possible to be sincerely wrong. Divide and conquer has been around a long time, and lays souls to waste. I submit this to you as one who is lesser than you, because I've done all this and worse. Who am I to stand before you and say there might very well be a common misconception here?...ablolutely nobody. All truth comes with a price, and pride can be blinding and prevent good folks from getting along and sharing on common ground. I submit this to you: don't allow yourselves to be robbed of the truth by settling for deception.
Respectfully....Dan
