[at-l] Open Mike For Doyle

[RussDade@aol.com (RussDade@aol.com)]

Red...
Ya gotta love that fiesty little wench!

I'm kind of glad I missed the Gathering...

I'm almost at the point where I wouldn't miss this list either. It has more Spam than content much of the time. But then I would miss out on Reds little Jewels... :-)  

Warren is kind of tough to take on a good day, but he's got a lot of good information in him, it's usually worth working past his eccentricities to get it.
Usually...
Hey, the Dance routine he did at Concord with his kids was pretty cool.

Russ (Back from cruise land)

> 
> >> If you accept a speaking engagement at a Catholic school, 
>> and the purpose of the speech was to discuss the various Saints, but 
>> instead 
>> decided to give a speech voicing your "opinion" that (insert whatever 
>> insulting things that have nothing to do with Saints here) - would the 
>> students and faculty have a right to be angry about it, without it meaning
>> that they didn't believe in free speech?  
>> 
>> That was the point, in case you missed it.
>> 
>> 
> 
> 
>     ***   Thank you Redhead. I've never been prouder of you. Now just 
> substitute "Catholic School" for "Appalachian Trail Project" and the 
> "discussion of insulting things" with the "discussion of things directly 
> 

That's why I added "in case you missed it".  I was thinking it was a bit 
rude, but pretty sure you had.  Now you've proved it. :)

Lets assume, for a moment, that the reason we all gathered there was to hear 
about Saddleback.  Then Warren got up and did a speech where he insulted 
everything important about Saddleback, insulted everyone who supported the 
Trails issues -

All at a session designed for only Saddleback issues, saving Saddleback.

Now imagine that you went to the ALDHA Gathering (a stretch, I know, as you 
don't seem to want to attend any "hiker" events) and were hopeful and happy 
to hear from a long time ALDHA member things that had to do with hiking.  As 
Friday night is designed, it is to honor past hikers, honor present hikers, 
and honor future hikers.  It is solely about hiking.  ( you should, given 
your postings here, be in tune with that singular purpose type thing).  
Imagine you were a first time attendee, that you intended to hike the next 
year. Thru hike. Long distance hiking type of thing.

Then you hear these comments, poem, whatever.  Nothing to do with Saddleback.
 Or hiking.  Everything to do with telling YOU and the entire audience (the 
entire audience being a) people that came there for the love of hiking and b)
had been in a war, was currently in a war, had lost friends, family, loved 
ones to 9/11, was currently going bankrupt because they are in the reserves 
and went from being Dr. something to Dr. Military in a War and their income 
dropped about 300%, but they still went because they BELIEVED in our country-
yea, that audience) that they weren't there to talk about anything hiking 
related, and they WERE going to insult you.

Freedom of speech?  Yea, that is a guaranteed under our constitution.  Pay 
attention, this is the point.  Freedom to say what he did to THAT audience at
THAT forum?  No.  No more than I would have the right to promise to talk 
about Saints to a Catholic school and then discourse on really objectionable 
subjects - objectionable to the Catholic school, or the Catholic religion.  
In case you missed it again, the point.

His right to feel how he felt and say what he wanted to say wasn't attacked 
HERE on THIS list.  His right to say what he said in that VENUE was. (Do we 
need to look up that word? I'm pretty sure if you go to http://www.aldha.org 
you'll figure out what the venue is, just in context)

I said this in a million paged post I didn't send.  Your lack of 
comprehension makes me want to repeat it, in short form.

We aren't saying everyone doesn't have the right to feel how they feel.  We 
aren't saying EVERYONE, including you, doesn't have the right to express 
their opinion.  We are saying that at the ALDHA Gathering opening ceremonies,
it didn't have a place, it was wrong, it was INSULTING (to everyone who had 
ever FOUGHT for our COUNTRY and those of us who support our COUNTRY).  We are
saying it was out of place, hurtful to the community that you seem to abhor, 
even though you love the Trail we hike.  If you can't see the difference, I 
will join those who no longer read your posts.

Red (that at-l homecoming queen, as you put it)