Friends & enemies

[red]

As look back over the past years I realize that I've made many wonderful & close friends. Some of these people like Gidget; I’ve never even met but almost think of her as a sister. Others like Ohio Breeder, I’ve gone to shows with him & talk on a regular basis. One of the most important things that I’ve discovered is that we don’t always agree.
I look back over my life & realize that had I been closed minded there would not be certain people in my life. By opening my mind and heart, I’ve truly been blessed. One of the things that I enjoy is a lively discussion whether it is cattle, politics or even religion. I grew up in a family where open discussions at dinnertime were encouraged & where we were taught to read & expand our minds. We had many disagreements & many lively discussions during those times; but we always remained a family.
I don't want to live in a world where everyone agrees with me. I truly think that would be very boring. Nor do I want a board where only one opinion matters. We all come from different backgrounds, have different life experiences that have shaped us. We do have a love of cattle in common. I don't want a board where people feel that if they post something that is not in the majority's stance than they will be bashed or ridiculed. This is supposed to be an open forum where people can come to learn, be somewhat entertained & express their thoughts. It's not up to us to decide what is right or correct. As long as it's not said w/ malicious, slander or done obscenely, it should be allowed & welcomed. Who knows, we might learn something. We pride ourselves on being a different type of board but sometimes; I think we are the same.
I look back on some of my posts from another boards & I have to cringe to be honest. At times I seemed very righteous, single minded & actually a little self-absorbed. I’m really sorry for this attitude. Everyone has a right to his or her opinions, dislikes & thoughts. To condemn someone just because they don’t agree w/ me doesn’t make me right, just close-minded. I view many people as friends & feel I have very few enemies & I want to continue that.
What I'm trying to say is that I might not always agree w/ someone but I still consider him or her my friend. I don't want a small circle of friends that just see things my way but a larger group of friend that can get together & discuss things & maybe not always agree. We can argue & disagree & you're not going to become my enemy but will remain my friend.

Red

 

[Telos]

Red, I know that took some courage for you to write. Thanks for the reminder. Most of the time when I don't agree I will just not write anything. We have become so close knit with each other that it's normal for many of us to want to agree with one another but from now on, watch out. I must disagree on one thing you said though...you are the last person to being self righteous or single minded.

Maybe we could get 'John in Okla.' to chime in, for some balance. You know he's better then pot full of coffee. He just needs to leave out all those cuss words.

 

[Show Heifer]

Telos: How dare you cuss in this post!!! ;D And please don't keep your disagreements to yourself...how much fun is that??

Red, You know I have always spoke (typed in this case) my mind. :-\  Nothing malicious, nothing mean meant by it.  But, I feel fairly safe on this board of not making too many "real" enemies. And not getting ripped from end to end by people that do not know me. My comment on the other post was said tongue in cheek and maybe should have been stated "Get ready, I'm about to stir the pot."
I also enjoy a lively discussion about cattle, or anything for that matter. Keeps the blood pumping, and the mind sharp!

You have been above fair on allowing post of whatever to go in whatever direction the members take it. And that is cool!

So, Red, carry on!  ;D ;D (clapping)

 

[shortdawg]

Red, Thanks for the post ! True friends can discuss an issue, state thier opinions, and maintain thier friendship & respect for one another. I consider everybody  on this board my friends and respect their opinions whether I agree or not. One of my goals in  life is to maintain an ability to relate to all types of people. I love being around people period, whether on this board or in person. Thanks to everyone for making this board what it is, a great source of information about cattle and life in general. 

 

[cowz]

Very well written, Steer Planet gang!    I agree...life would be pretty dull if everything was black and white, cut and dried.  We all do things a little differently than each other.  What works for some doesn't work well with others.

This can be a fun place to kill a few hours....but we all need to feel comfortable saying what we want or ask any question at all, without worrying about retribution.

Too little sleep, waxing philosophic!!  I'm at the fair...have a great week guys.

 

[showcattlegal]

That the good thing about friends we all have different ways of doing stuff, but at the end of day we are all still friends. But the thing we do have to remember is everybody on here is from a different part of the country and we all didn't learn the samethings about cattle, people, etc. We can also learn from each other and that's whats fun about this bored. (cow)

 

[chambero]

The "dog days" of summer always help people get agitated a little quicker. 

 

[farmboy]

The "dog days" of summer always help people get agitated a little quicker. 

wouldnt be so bad with a cool room 

 

[justintime]

I have not been on this site very long, but I felt really " at home" right from the first moment I started reading the posts on here. There is a different atmosphere in here, than some other sites have. I also feel that several people on here are my friends even though we have never met. I really do not think there are any enemies on this site

. I think sometimes some people take some of the posts from myself as well as some others as being close to open warfare... I think that is far from the case. When I see someone who is willing to speak their mind on here, I see someone who really takes ownership in what they are doing and I see this person as being someone who believes in what they are doing. I have great respect for that person, even though I may not agree with their point of view. I like people who are dedicated and work hard for what they believe, providing they don't get so tunnel sighted that they cannot try to understand another opinion or another way of doing something. I see nothing wrong with what I consider to be " healthy debate" as it helps us all roll a topic around so that we can see all the various sides of it. I do take exception to people who use a post to make generalizations about anything that are wrong or just made for some kind of affect.

I hope everyone ,who makes this site their second home, will feel free to debate the issues as they see them. There are people on here from all parts of this continent, as possibly even further, so we will always have major variations in our views and opinions. Many times these views and opinions will vary and some times they will grate on someone else. This does not mean that someone is right and someone else is wrong. It just may mean that we see things in a different light because of our location, our markets, our goals, and our dreams.

I probably would not stay on here very long if we all agreed on everything, or if everyone was afraid to really speak their minds. Sometimes the printed word can be confusing as you cannot hear the way the writer is saying the words as they type them out. I do think that it is fairly easy to get a pretty reasonable mind picture of a writer's committment and belief systems, from their words. From what I have seen in my few brief weeks on here, there are very few wishy- washy or fence sitter types in this forum. That suits me just fine, as I find these people rather boring at times. As long as we all accept the fact that we can debate without losing respect for the other person's opinion, I think we will continue to learn from each other and hopefully become more tolerant and more open to opinions that vary from our own. That does not for a moment mean we shouldn't speak up when we disagree, but it means we need to openly debate .

I find this site refreshing in that there is also time for some fun and trivia as well as time for debate and discussion. We would all be rather boring people if we couldn't take a little time to have some fun and even a few laughs, even if they are are ourselves. I hope this continues on here. It is a very nice part of this site and it certainly makes it easier to make everyone feel like they can particapate and it is in some ways very welcoming to new people who find this site. We are brought here by a common thread, that being our love of livestock and the love of working with our families with livestock. This site is one, that helps bring us all together to help each other to get better at what we do, and also get more understanding of each other . I think the people who work so hard in moderating this site, should be commended and applauded  for what they do. I think it is much appreciated and I wish there was some way we could show our appreciation in a more visable way than by just a few words.

 

[red]

Thanks guys, wasn't wanting any pats on the back but just wanted to a get out a reminder. Just because we might disagree & point out a difference it isn't a personal attack. Now calling someone a name or bashing their family or something along that line is.
I know it's hard to not want to jump on someone that disagrees w/ you, especially when it's a subject that you're passionate about but maybe they are too. I'm w/ JIT if this was a yes board it would just be pretty boring. I've learned so much about different breeds, different areas & more trivia than I could ever imagine. Give everyone a chance & you might be surprised at what you learn.
Telos- John has been so quiet, not sure if marriage mellowed him out or if he's gone underground!

Red

 

[red]

I'm just sorry that when people don't like the tone of a thread, they feel the need to pull it. The "Maine Future" is a prime example. Just because post was going a certain way, it should never have been pulled.
I'm sorry to see things like this develop. If anyone wants to discuss this w/ me in private, please send me a message. Not going to continue w/ this way of thinking.

Red

 

[cowz]

Just a reminder that this is an American-made site, where a democratic philisophy rules!  (You know that idea that everyone, and I mean everyone, gets the opportunity to join in the conversation, ask questions, and form opinions!)

It doesn't matter if we are discussing genetics, policies, people, or purple monkeys----Everyone has the right to express themselves here--without SOMEONE ELSE coming down on them.

Enough said!  As long as I am one of the moderators, you should feel confident that your input is welcome, without others feeling they have to have the final word on everything.

 

[shortdawg]

I'll be honest , I miss John Okla being around. His posts were always to the point and informative.

 

[red]

I'll be honest , I miss John Okla being around. His posts were always to the point and informative.

Actually I was checking on him & "up North". Haven't heard anything from either for a while.  He was blunt to put it mildly! Knows his cattle too.

Red

 

[Show Heifer]

I'll miss him like I miss the rock in my shoe!!!  ;D

Let the opinions rip...I LOVE IT! I have been known to play the devils advocate just for fun so beware!!!  (pop)

 

[Jill]

Telos- John has been so quiet, not sure if marriage mellowed him out or if he's gone underground!

Red

You know I really miss John, he brings a total different perspective and I think he also has a great deal of knowledge, hope he and up north find their way back.

 

[red]

read my post in the Thoughts & prayers section. I think they have more on their hands than cattle boards right now.

Red

 

[CAB]

  Cathy, one of the best posts that I have read anywhere. The people on this site are very intelligent and caring people. I lay back some mostly because I am very opinionated & strong headed, but I am always cking this board for information. You just haven't had the problems with people bashing others as bad on steerPlanet. I hope it remains that way. Thanks Cathy for a very well written post and your sentiments. Sincerely, Brent

 

[justme]

Cathy you are a Rose within thorns lol.  Great post and I think the world of you too!  Thank goodness for YAHOO!

Tell Mark you need a corgi to hug! (dog) (dog) (dog) (dog) (dog) (dog) (dog)

 

[afhm]

John kind of went M.I.A. after that ruccus he caused on showsteers recently.  Its not like him to stay away from the boards very long.