Wingnut Booted me!!!

[Todd Kirkendol]

Just thought that yall might get a laugh that Wingfooted booted me off trail place for respectfully disagreeing with him about the "purpose" of a thru-hike. I was replying to a tread that was in response to a fellow hiker who was obviously excited about attending trail days. Wingfoot told the guy...trail days shouldnt be a factor in anyone's AT thru hike. I responed to Wingnut...Hike your on hike...and dont let anyone tell you what makes a "good" decision for deciding to thru hike the AT. Then...no longer register user....

[dje97001]

Well... join the club.

Previous threads will list all of those people (including myself) who are no longer welcome (or wish to be) at that other site.

[AbeHikes]

I have to say, I've spent about 10 seconds on that website and I thought the guy was a big turd burglar. What I've seen posted here (if it's all true) just confirms it.

I read one of his threads on cell phone usage (a hotly-debated topic, I know) and I swear, if he happened to confront me on/near/whatever the trail using a cell phone in the way he described, something attached to him would go crunch.

I agree that people should abstain from noisy electronic devices while hiking, but his proclamation regarding what he "would do" brings out the "oh yeah?" in me.

[hikerjohnd]

I just got booted today too! Here is why:

Wingnut: Yes, I moved you to guest status when you called me "shortsighted" about Bill Bryson. I'm not interested in having a discussion on Bryson in the forum.

My response: So the expression of an opinion is forbidden on your website? I feel sorry for you if your ego can not take the free expression of someone's opinion. The theory you seem to operate under is that your ideas are supreme and all others offering opposing viewpoints should be suppressed (case in point, my posting - 1 comment and I have been relegated to a lower status) Your attitude is reminiscent of mid century dictators - Wingfoot, get a grip - your site will wither and die if it is not allowed to grow through free discussion. The chosen title, Forums, indicates that it is a public meeting place for open discussion (by definition). Evidently, this is not its intended purpose as you have chosen to be the dictating entity in the discussions. I suggest a different format, one that more truly represents what is actually occurring on your website. Your decision to censor opposing points of view means you truly do not have a forum, but desire a homogenization of your own thought.<o></o>

I don't think he will be reactivating my membership anytime soon.

Oh well - I like it here better anyway!

--John

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[Morning Glory]

Yes, I'm a member of that club too. He was opposed to me wanting to offer some trail magic because it turns the trail into a circus atmosphere. I reassured him that what I had planned would be far from a circus atmosphere...next thing I know, I'm banned. Oh well, it's his website and he can do with it as he pleases.

[Lone Wolf]

Reminds me of those Hornsby lyrics, "That's just the way it is...some things'll never change..."

[grandview]

I get a kick out of how his site is soley for the purpose of discussing the True Purpose of the AT...but if you notice, one of his "forums" is titled Americans in Exile in America
A place where those in the A.T. community who reject the Bush/Cheney vision for America can find fellowship (no "Bush Davidians" here, please)!

Someone's a few irons short in the old golf bag.

[A-Train]

Guys, don't get your panties all in a bunch. 95% or more of Whiteblazers here have been kicked off his site. It's his party and he can cry if he wants to. At times I see where he's coming from and I admire him for taking a stand and being an individual. Sure I don't agree with the way he goes along with it, but the point is, he's not torturing anyone or making them use his site, just like he doesn't make anyone buy his guidebooks.

Definately don't wanna re-hash this argument for the millionth time. Rest assured your at a better, more interesting, more accepting site and leave it at that!

[grandview]

the a-train has spoken...all others be silent

[Lone Wolf]

A-Train speaks the truth.

[grandview]

who said otherwise

[Jack Tarlin]

Gotta dis-agree with A-Train's last comment. Whiteblaze has almost 5,000 members here and I have trouble believing that 4500 of them have been tossed off another A.T. website. I think that figure is ridiculously high. Most Whiteblaze folks are here because it's the best informational site on the Internet, and not because they were tossed out of somebody else's private party.

True, there are probably a bunch of folks here who were in fact booted off the site in question. And there are others, like myself, who left that site
voluntarily.

Likewise, there are folks here at Whiteblaze who have never visited the other site; just as there are probably folks here who choose to visit both sites.

And that's as it should be; people should be able to seek out and exchange information at all sorts of locations. And people need to know that different A.T. sites operate differently, with different levels of administrative control. Some, in my opinion, have too much control. Some, regrettably, have too little. Some, like this one, (at least in my opinion), seem to have it just right.

I encourage folks, especially new-comers to the Trail community, to keep an open mind and visit all sorts of sites; you'll find all sorts of perspectives and all sorts of information, and I'm sure everyone is capable of deciding for themselves which sites are worth their time and which ones aren't. Different places will appeal to different people, and this is as it should be.

Instead of people spending so much time discussing other sites and other site administrators, I think it's far more positive for folks to concentrate more on why they go to sites this this in the first place: To learn, to teach, to share information, and to help others.

[minnesotasmith]

Or any other site: www.alexa.com . Just input the URL into the search box, and off you go. I particularly find the 2 year/page view combo to be illustrative; the only site of consequence I ever got booted from is at about half of what it used to be according to Alexa.

[Caleb]

WF keeps getting weirder...His is a very fearful and non-trusting take on the hiker community. I subscribed years ago when he was apparently only half as schizto as he is now. i never managed to get kicked off, just got bored with the straightjacketed exchanges. it is too bizzare...he seems to be exiled from his own self-determenied exile: he abhors Bush, yet in style they're no different. they are brothers in arms. i understand the need to be militant about protecting the AT, but top-down suppression of free exchange is supremely counterproductive. For instance, rather than attempt to dictate cell phone behavior, free discussion could have the effect of pulling hikers into an even broader concensus on the subject. ok, no more from me C

[A-Train]

Jack is right, I pulled the number out of my behind, I just figured no one took me serious here or I wouldn't get caught.

I'll leave the hard number facts to "Dewie" and "Blue Wacko"

What I should have said were, a lot of people were booted that use this site regularly. Many of our 5000 members never say anything or use this site.

[Newb]

Apparently this "Wingfoot" would hate me. I'm a Republican who is considering purchasing some A.T. land for the conservancy. The entire thought would probably cause him to have a seizure.

[Totally Different Subject]

would it be considered tacky for a guy to register with trailplace.com for the sole purpose of professing a guys love for the Republican Party, America and President George W. Bush?

TDS

feeling a little onery.

[Tractor]

...and I also visit WF's site from time to time. Years from now neither might exist and one or two or three other sites may take the place. Who knows how they will be. I, fur one, think just about any of us who visit either site are a bit daft and to be kicked off one or the other is no big deal. Badge of Courage or some such. What are we interested in in the the first place, hmmm? Does it matter who we voted for prez., our opinion on some such or the other, our stance on rubber tips on hiking poles, cell phones vs. future in hell, dogs on the trail vs. dogs on the grill, hammocks & shelters & tents oh my, food-in-my-tent vs. food-in-my-belly vs. food-in-a-tree.... I get carried away..... It's all interesting and if it isn't, i skip forward or skip over it all together. Peace (haven't said that in a few...)!

[rocket04]

I found trailplace.com prior to my hike and didn't know about Whiteblaze.net (don't know how that happened). My greatest source of information for my hike was trailplace, so I'm confident in saying that even though I'm not a cheerleader for Wingfoot's methods, it's still and excellent site with lots of info. Choose what you prefer and move on.

[TakeABreak]

I got booted off, a couple of times myself, the first time I thought it was a computer thing, but then I realized after the second time,, that it was just too co-incidental with post I made, so please do not feel like the lone ranger.