Thanks purple gem, all is good and in perfect condition. I noticed a 'foster me' on the listing, so i decided to foster it.

If anyone who knew her and wanted to foster it, I will be fine with turning it over. But it needed a 'foster' so I figured I will do it since its a special box for me. Just let me know..

happy AQ cake day Riggs Raven. 5 years sure goes by fast! 6000 boxes in 5 years is quite an accomplishment! wishing you many more years of boxing!!

I think you just got your answer why us Conservatives don't bother posting on this site. It's not a discussion, it's an attack.

That’s perfect! I never thought to do that :)

Thank you!

Heck that has never deterred me from posting! I am a moderate conservative, but I also despise almost everything Trump has done. And I refuse to be a brainless lemming. Although they are adorable little things :)

Trump is not a conservative, he simply usurps certain conservative ideals for his own personal gain. He is a maniacal sociopath and an embarrassment to our nation. I am astonished that otherwise reasonable people still worship him. It's truly baffling.

Happy AQversary! It’s been a lot of fun seeing your creations in the rings we’ve participated in together!!! ♥️

I'm sure there are liberals who felt that Narock's post was an attack on trans members, but you probably just consider it a "discussion," right?

Would you feel the same if he said such things about gay people? Black people? Or that a woman's place is in the home? From my point of view, he's spreading hate speech. That's not a discussion--that's an attack.

And yes, if someone on AQ is racist, homophobic, transphobic, xenophobic or whatever, they're better off keeping their opinions to themselves.

If you want to discuss the pros of high tariffs, why funding for border security should be increased dramatically or show support for the new White House ballroom, let it fly.

I'm actually proud that the AQ community won't put up with hate speech, though. If you want to surround yourself with that sort of thing, there are other platforms for it such as Facebook and Twitter.

-- Ryan

Due to a dropout, I’ve reopened Winter Wonderland (#12211). It’s a microPLB ring that starts January 5. Come grab the spot!

Riggs, happy AQversary! I’m so glad you became a boxer! Your Halloween series from a couple of years ago was one of my favorite boxing experiences ever! Plus, you’re an awesome person! ❤️

The thing is, the commenter who posted that trans people are mentally ill, crazy, delusional, and need therapy posted their comment while this thread was still on the LGBTQ board. How is that any less of an attack than if someone went on the Prayer and Healing board and said that people who believe in God are mentally ill, crazy, delusional, and need therapy? (That’s not my belief; I’m giving an example that might be relatable.)

My point is, going on a board that people go to for solace/fellowship and then attacking those folks is completely inappropriate. If someone can’t control themselves from attacking people on a board of that nature, just hide the board!

***throws confetti, releases balloons and rolls out the cake****

Love your confetti

I admit that I just joined this conversation. Watching the boards and attending countless events, yes, it seems that it is mostly left leaning people who are associated with letterboxing -- or at least the AQ related aspects of letterboxing.

As a conservative with very close, liberal friends, we have been able to have conversations (discussions) with differing opinions, we have been able to disagree, yet listening and learn why the other person believes the way that they do, and we have often come to the conclusion that we want the same things, though we have different thoughts about how to get to those things.

I have unfollowed this message board multiple times, yet the posts still keep showing up.

Since I am here, I will say that while some people are good at discussing, there are some very nasty people on these message boards -- so much so that they have a reputation for it within the AQ Lb community.

I have expressed this before, and while it may be an unpopular opinion, my thinking is that there is no need for message board on a hobby web site that are topics unrelated to the hobby itself. What good, kindness, productivity comes from a message board where people are constantly criticizing, being criticized, and getting angry. It cannot be good for anyone's mental health.

We are still in need of a few more images for the attached trackers. If you feel like adding your artistic endeavors to our mix, please consider signing up. I will close all trackers on January 15th. Live & Breathe Event

Also - if you have signed up to carve and have not gotten them in the mail to me - time is ticking away. Before you know it, June will be here. When you do mail, PLEASE use tracking.

If you've sent stamps recently - trackers will be updated soon... December was crazy for me, so please be patient.
Happy New Year!

It's a common mistake that people think that making a board "not a favorite" is the same as ignoring it, but it's not. You have to actually ignore a board for it not to show up in places. There's not really an "unfollow" option.

If it's not ignored and it's not a a favorite, you'll still see the posts--just not on the favorite boards widget. But it will still show up in regular searches, or on the recent threads/boards widgets, etc.

Also, if you post to a board or thread, AQ will assume that you are interested in it and will cause you to "follow" the board again.

So if there's a board that you really don't want to see, set it to ignore--then don't look it up or post to it. =)

-- Ryan

Did you follow these steps, RDHG? Doing this is the only way I don't get messages from a board.


I've met almost all of the people who comment on this board. Honestly, I don't think anyone on this board--regardless of their politics--is a nasty person. It's just that politics seems to bring out the worst in us these days, especially when we aren't speaking face to face. ☹️


While I disagree that there's no need for non-letterboxing-related message boards, I do agree that it may be time for this political board to be retired. It only seems to drive people apart.

⬆️ This ⬆️

A dedicated board for politics can help to contain the contentious topics so they (hopefully) don't appear in other boards. So if the politics board goes away, it would be best to have a "no political discussion" rule for all boards.

also a newbie to this conversation. i do think its interesting that the majority of people i've seen say there's no need for this message board are conservatives who's 'political opinion' is that i and people like me don't deserve the same rights as them.

to be clear, i don't necessarily mean you're among them (although i'm admittedly hard-pressed to believe that anyone who calls themselves a conservative and is supportive of conservative policies isn't), but how could you possibly be here feeling attacked and criticized when the only opinion i've seen be attacked and criticized is 'lgbt people don't deserve rights' or something of that nature?

to be frank with you, the ardent support of my community on this board─the stuff you've just called 'constant criticism and getting angry that can't be good for anyone's mental health'─has been absolutely amazing. i've loved it and i've loved seeing it. i've felt safer in this community with people i've never met than i do visiting the town where my grandmother lives and speaking with her close friends.

if we can't get angry at and criticize people who have decided that an administration or policies that have caused measurable, evidenced, extreme amounts of harm to both our country and many minority groups isn't a deal breaker for them, regardless of their own personal opinion on said minorities, then what do you think is reasonable for us to get angry about?

Bravo, excellent reply!

Who said that? I've read through most of the posts and I didn't see any post about taking away rights, other than the original post which mistakenly thought Trump was trying to revoke marriage licenses. Miss Moon provided two links that same day that Kim Davis's case was before SCOTUS. Kim's case was not accepted. Phew!

Help clear this up so we can rain down scorn on those haters on AQ who think you don't deserve rights.

i don't think it's been said as such word for word but going through even this thread alone there's been a couple people who have been particularly outspoken against trans people ;0 i also am of the belief that actions speak louder than words; while i try to be understanding and give people the benefit of the doubt when it comes to their beliefs, there's only so much ignorance i can forgive before i have to believe its malicious.

(i dont feel the need to respond to those people in particular when plenty has already been said on the topic but yknow. if anyone wants to hear the many many reasons 'its biology' is an insane argument against transness, let me know lol)

You're welcome. We learn by sharing😉
condo

You are correct in that you do not actually know me, though we have met. I believe that all people should have the same rights. A challenge in today's society is that people think rights are what they want when rights are actually specific and defined.

Did I say that I feel attacked and criticized? I do not remember saying that. I thought that I said that people attack and criticize one another. I will have to go back and read my own post. LOL. My statement was intended to be in general and not about me. My skin is thicker than that.

I am sad to read that you feel less safe visiting your own grandmother. That is not right, and if your grandmother lives anywhere near me, I would be happy to visit her town with you and have your back. While I may get flack for saying this -- although anybody who knows me probably already knows it -- I am a Christian. My Jesus says that we are to love everyone. It does not cost people anything to be kind.

You can absolutely get angry. You (any you, not only you specifically) can disagree. My point is that people should be able to discuss and disagree without name-calling, hate, and vitriol -- none of which are productive or provides solutions. That does not seem to be what happens on this, specific message board.

Back to when I said that we have met. We were both at an event together in October. We exchanged pleasantries and chatted briefly a few times. I thought that you looked great at the gala and told you so. I did not have a problem with you, and I do not think that you had one with me.

When people get on here, behind a screen, it seems that a mob mentality takes over, and we forget that we are talking to actual people on the other side. Sometimes it is people with whom we agree. Sometimes it is people with whom we disagree. Sometimes it is even people with whom we letterbox.

Thank you, Ryan. Perhaps I was mistaken. I will figure out how to ignore and appreciate your clarification.

Rocklun, thank you kindly for those instructions. No, I do not think that I went through those steps. I will.

Thank you for sharing your other thoughts. I can agree that in over fourteen years of letterboxing, I have encountered very few people who are actually nasty in person. Something behind being on the other side of a screen seems to change people.

Yes, politics do get people riled up. If folks would speak with less hate and more reason, I suspect that more people would be open to listening to opposing views.

Based on what I learned both as a teacher and in multiple graduate-level human development courses: children are aware of their expected gender-related behavior & socially enforced "identities" by the age of 2, both for themselves and others. Children recognize their sexual identity by the age of 5. I find it interesting how we are so hell-bent on deriving our wisdom from all credible sources except the most credible of all -- countless trans and gay people who have shared their stories.

I also find it fascinating that of all the health and mental health issues you so passionately form opinions about, none of them have anything to do with you, and I wonder how all you so opposed to government oversight being limited in the private arena of our homes are so very comfortable weighing in on subjects that belong between people and their private medical care, all while knowing nothing about that, either. Why aren't you as concerned about the wildly higher incidents of violence against gay & trans people (especially if you just think they're mentally ill, and therefore even more vulnerable) beginning in middle school where they kill themselves in record numbers??!!

Where is your outrage at a christian nation who incarcerates more people than almost any other in the developed world? Or a great christian nation that refuses to feed children and those caring for the physically & mentally disabled (the ones you care so much about)? Where is your outrage at a president who rapes children?

Lastly, everyone here has called you out on your bigotry, and you just keep doubling down, despite your gross incompetence to speak on ANY of the issues you've raised. So it's especially ironic you feel so entitled to weigh in on what a 12-year-old can and cannot understand. (Also bet you money you haven't read them, either.)

But what is truly a stunning and egregious audacity you have to correct a trans person about their own lived experience. It just strains forebearance.

What? Christian nation? Not really sure what you are implying but please do not blame your stated grievances on Christianity. It's simply not accurate to conflate Christianity with national policy. But perhaps your intended message was something different which I failed to grasp.

Yeah, that is kinda the point. We have never been a nation founded on christianity. But even those who favor it, or claim to, aren't very christian, either. And they are making disastrous inroads into politics, courts, schoolboards and our classrooms.

Wow, well your superior intellect certainly put me in my place.
It must be a very proud achievement to obtain all those degrees and multiple graduate level human development courses. I would only be guessing. , but with all that education you must be a teacher at one of those prestigious ivy leagues school.
With your master of the English language, and your ability to articulate your eloquent point. I’m certainly out of my league.
Here I was just sharing my opinion, lije so many have done before me , . But of course some folk just like to hear from others that share their opinion. No.youre so right, I do not feel the need to defend my opinion. What I’ve found in life, is that , I’m not going to change and others opinion, Not even going to try. I think I might have stated this before, you are entitled to your opinion. But I try real hard not to stoop to calling people , whose opinions differ from mine, names.

I have noticed that some folks really enjoy throwing around insulting names.

But like someone else mentioned, I have thick skin. Been called many names throughout my lifetime. My mother always insisted that sticks and stones might break some bones, but names don’t hurt.
Not sure where you’re from, but in my country , we help people the best we can. Now. Again. We probably might not agree on how that help should be applied. But that’s okay, I’ll continue to help out my way, won’t call people insulting names, and I’ll try not to make you , obviously superior intellects , to angry with my opinions.
You have a blessed day. Merry Christmas