Time to Rethink Our Role?

I had 2 hours to reflect over the events from this past week on my drive to VT right after work on Thursday. Sue had to work on Friday and I had this "alone time" to pause and re-examine what I had posted on this site about publishing anothers' stamp images on a website. Don't you find car rides on a sunny afternoon are the perfect moments to just think?

There has been some trouble on the Newboxers list that stemmed from my post on this website relative to publishing stamp images from another boxer on an individual's website. I also brought up the question on the Newboxers list to raise awareness and generally to get a feeling for how others viewed this practice. The boxer who owned the website was upset and posted such and it caused one boxer to leave the list after some words were exchanged and the "E" word was mentioned. While controlled, things took a turn downhill. Thankfully, it never erupted into a huge blowout but it still bothered me. This was a list Sue & I started to be a safe haven from the junk on some of the other lists. It was never our intent to dictate what should be done, or that our idea was better than others but the major intent was to put out there and check others opinions and reactions.

Was I too outspoken? Should I have not mentioned this at all on this website or the Newboxers list? I've never professed to be an expert in letterboxing but just a reporter of things that are happening. I've tried to be as objective as possible but maybe I let my feeling on this subject get in the way.

If I have offended anyone, then I apologize since that was never my intent. Those that know me realize this is the furthest thing from our nature. I cannot apologize for raising awareness or bringing something to the forefront or for challenging newbies on controversial subjects. That won't change - that's what we do on this blog. Maybe next time I'll leave my opinions here, on our blog, and off of the Newboxers list. Or should I? Is it wrong to use our bully pulpit to try and raise awareness?

And the "E" word - Elitist - just ruffles our feathers as it did others on the Newboxers list. That's when I got angry. Sue & I try to be so inclusive in all we do. We constantly send emails of support or advice when asked and even when not. We've taken more than a few new letterboxers under our wing to help ease them into the community. We are constantly arranging get togethers of one kind or another. Sue teases me that I'll arrange a mini-gathering at the drop of a hat. The email we receive on a daily basis of a personal nature sometimes leaves Sue with her head spinning. It's amazing the personal triumphs and failures that the letterboxing public choose to share with us. I posted that we have never acted elitist in answer to that charge. We've got to believe we've been doing something right and do not act elitist if others feel so open to share with us.

We hope we aren't viewed as Elitists - whatever that means. Aren't we all just in this for the fun of the hobby? Is advice we offer considered elitist? Wouldn't an elitist not bother with the rest of those they view as below them? I know that's not us. Again - it's just our opinion.

Do we have opinions on how this game should be played? You betcha. We hope we don't try and exert our will on others but just offer another way to look at something. But I'd like to believe that our opinions are in the mainstream and the reason why this site has had over a quarter of a million visitors. Either we're doing something right or many of you have nothing better to do than stop by here! Are there boxers out there that disagree with us? Hell yes. But that's just reality.

Do we know all the answers? Hardly. Sue & I continue to learn everyday about a subtle nuance that we might have missed previously in letterboxing. I can't tell you the number of times we miss bonus boxes because we're too busy talking or forget to look carefully in a logbook. Are our opinions right? Probably not but I would think we're just as entitled to have an opinion as those that think differently.

Well, that's our explanation. One fault of online posting and chatting is that inpersonal nature of the written word. So many times something typed without any mean intention can be misconstrued due to the medium. Much better to talk face-to-face so expressions and the tone in which a comment was meant can be discerned without any mistake or misinterpretation.

We continue to appreciate the emails and your stopping by to read this little boxing page. We hope we still maintain your trust and you still enjoy stopping by here once in a while. We've been through a lot together, haven't we, and we hope that continues. Now let's just have fun and get out there and box!!! (You knew I'd say that - right?)