By Chuck Woodbury
EDITIOR
I received this letter after last week’s issue:
“I have been reading your newsletter for several years and have learned from the many articles. However enough is enough so I am asking you to remove my email from your address list.
“I almost cancelled when you got on your liberal soap box about Camping World and guns but decided to continue reading to see what happened. Your most recent article telling people what they can say and read and how they should behave is the straw that broke the camels back and I can no longer stand to be part of a liberal group from Seattle and we all know the problems it has.
“Your lecture and censorship is very much like what we experience from Facebook, Apple and Google where they make their own Constitutional rights and we are old enough to decide for ourselves how we want and should behave. I will be surprised if your publication is around much longer because most of the older generation I speak with in campgrounds are conservative like me and have had enough of your and other liberal views.
“I wish you well because you are on a slippery slope.” —Ken
Dear Ken,
For the record, not every person in Seattle is a liberal. I have been told that there are at least 23 conservatives in the Puget Sound area. My comments about guns? I guess I don’t mention in every single article I write that has the word “gun” it that I personally believe the Second Amendment should be preserved. That said, I do have a personal problem with angry young men using military-style rifles to mow down people at Walmart.
I believe that it is people who kill, not guns. But few would argue that a gun is more efficient at it than a knife.
I don’t think a person needs an AK47 to hunt rabbits or deer. I do not believe that bazookas or short range missiles should be used for hunting moose. A .30-06 rifle will do just fine. I am not a hunter myself, as I prefer fishing. But when I was young I did do some quail hunting with my father.
I am not a liberal. I have always considered myself middle of the road. I vote for the person, not the party, so have voted for Democrats, Republicans and Independents throughout my life. I do have some liberal views, but I also have what might be considered conservative views. I am a man without a clearly defined personal political manifesto. I never could buy into either major party hook, line and sinker. As a writer, I try my best to be objective.
But, really, I do try to stay away from politics on this website (sorry, I guess I just broke that rule).
I have removed you from our mailing list as you requested, which of course doesn’t mean you can’t read this newsletter by going directly to our website as many of our readers do.
I’m not trying to be a smart-ass, but I get tired of people proclaiming me or a reader one thing or another when the accuser doesn’t present any evidence.
As far as RVtravel.com not being around much longer, I’d have to disagree with you on that one.
Ken, you are probably a decent man, and I suspect if we met in a campground we’d get along just fine. This darn Internet brings out the worst in people, and that gets me down sometimes.
P.S. Sorry to other readers for me being a smart-ass, even though I said before that I wasn’t trying to be. Sometimes me ol’ brain needs to release some steam, and I think that’s just what happened.
I don’t know where civil discussion has gone these days. There are people, some from other countries, who are doing their best to fracture our American democracy by breaking our people up into “tribes” who cannot agree on anything. Doing what is best for the country is not a concern for many, they want it their way or the highway.
What happened to agreeing that your don’t agree. When did disagreeing become a reason to destroy democracy?
I support you Chuck, and will always support your site and efforts to protect RV’ers and RVing in general. If people don’t like what they read then I suggest they go elsewhere for quality RVing information.
My take on civil give-and-take and why it’s changed so drastically lies at the feet of what’s generously called “social media.” When dealing with reality (i.e. face-to-face discussion with another person) one very, very seldom gets into a heated discussion about politics and religion. “Social media” really isn’t “social.” It divides us and makes us vulnerable to outside “conditioning.” I never use it, myself, and find it distressing that so many are willing to put their opinions, warts and all, out there and defend same with rudeness and lack of civility simply because they’re not face-to-face with another person. “Facebook”??? What a joke.
I’m one among many folks weighing in, reading what you say, enjoying the comments and Free advice. For what it is worth though Chuck, you and I differ greatly on who you vote for.
You say you vote for “the person, not the party” I say that’s is exactly why we have in your country and mine (Canada), so many wingnuts in administration.
I vote party policy as that’s what will influence how my life goes along this oft rocky road – thus I vote for the party.
Your “person” also votes for the party when its time for a show of hands. There is very little evidence to the contrary, There’s very little evidence a free vote exists in our governments.
Actually I really don’t know why we have expensive elections at all, the Prime Minister in Canada and to a lesser degree your President, pretty much run the show, your elected rep is a dog without a dog house.
The way I see it, words written or said are just your opinion, everybody seems to have one, you don’t have to agree but if you get upset and angry you are part the problem
No I don’t think so but I do question why I no longer receive my regular RV travel
Hi Brent, it looks like you accidentally unsubscribed from our RV Electricity newsletter via spam complaint so it automatically removed you from all of our lists. Would you like to be resubscribed to all your previous lists?
Analogy. We have strong feelings about Marc Lemonis and what he has done to the RV industry.
Yet some of us feel that they can advocate limiting our 2nd Amendment rights because nutcakes, who don’t obey laws anyway, to decide that law abiding citizens don’t have a need, in their opinion.
Does Lemonis ‘ business affect me more than someone who uses a forum than someone who advocates restricting my rights?
Hate to say it, but I can buy an RV from someone besides Camping World. But when someone advocates restricting my Constitutional rights, they are doing something more harmful than Lemonis.
Just a comment to the reader who defended the inability of the government to regulate “mass murder” weapons, stating that if that was so, a lot of Americans died from using automobiles, and the government wasn’t doing anything to regulate automobiles.
I spent 4 years of my high school on the debate squad and one semester in college. The first thing we have to do is agree on terms. A “mass murder weapon” would not be considered as a car as it is only capable of killing a few people at a time. Mass is short for massive in this instance.
Next automobiles are very highly regulated by both state and federal agencies, especially as regards to safety issues, starting with the exam for a driver’s license which is a 2 ppart exam, not only written but also physical to demonstrate mastery. My Boy Scouts routinely did Hunter Education every autumn and we actually had one father who did the hands-on training including shooting pumpkins with a high powered rifle (demonstration of gore vital to impress teenagers). Now, we just asked our boys not to sign up for riflery merit badge unless they’d had the weekend camping trip with hands on weapons and had passed his hands-on testing. There were some who didn’t pass believe it or not. And the father didn’t want to go thru the process of becoming a merit badge counselor.
Now having a Boy Scout Merit Badge is not a free pass to owning guns. It does, I believe speak to the need for education. But you need government permission to concealed carry in this state, and if you purchase a rifle at a specialty gun shop you will undergo a background check.
But please, stop torturing me by referring to automobiles as mass murder weapons or weapons of mass destruction.
Chuck and RV Travel Staff- Thank you for all that you do!
I have not read every comment so if this is duplicative, I appologize.
Why does anybody think an AR15 is a military style weapon? It is basically a .223 rifle. Is it because of the frt rail system? Gee we can actually mount a scope or flashlight. Makes it more accurate is what it does. A Sharp knife is more safe than a dull one, hence a more accurate weapon is a safer weapon.
Could it be the Pistol Grip? Which allows for better grip and control, Again, More accurate?
Please do not say anything about the adjustable stock, That is not new. and again it allows the user the ability to fit the gun properly to each user. Oh yeah that would make it safer. (please note I am not speaking of a bump stock)
20 + round magazines have been around for many many years and have not posed an issue. I can swap out a Mag in under 2-3 seconds, no matter how many rounds it holds.
Though most of you know the AR stands for Aramalite Rifle. The name of the first company to make this gun and has been for over 60 years.
So please lets look at the heart, the morals or lack there of, The AR has no ability accept the intent of the user. And there are many “Normal” looking rifles out there that have same capacity and far more leathal rounds than an AR15
Much had already been said, but this being the land of the free (for now) I’ll add my 2 cents.
First, I fully support Chuck saying whatever he wants. I don’t always agree with his editorials but I never get angry about them. (Seriously if words on the Internet enrage you, get help)
Chuck – you are clearly an expert on RV matters, at least from my perspective. But no one can be an expert in everything, and for you one of those subjects is guns.
I am a Soldier, weapons are something I am intimately familiar with. No one can go to any store in America and buy a weapon of war. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. There are a number of ill-informed people on the subject up thread including some who claim military service. A one-tour draftee from the 60s really isn’t the expert they think they are.
To end on a positive note, love the newsletter. Even when it moves ever so slightly into politics it’s always worth reading. And although I disagree with you on some issues I hope you keep speaking your mind. If we all thought the same the world would be very boring.
I agree with you on the subject of weapons of war. In my humble opinion a lot of people who buy the AR-15 are people who never served in the military and are “pretending “ they are military veterans with such a purchase. I served 7+ years in the Marines and I have no desire to own an AR-15 or any other military style weapon. I own a .22 semiautomatic rifle that holds 17 long rifle shells, but it’s not considered an assault type weapon, I also have an semiautomatic shotgun that could do more damage than any rifle. It is the mindset of the person with the weapon that is the problem, until Congress amends the law concerning privacy between a Dr. and patient to where the authorities can be notified when a person with mental problems is thought to be dangerous these mass shootings will continue. ITS THE PERSON, NOT THE GUN THAT KILLS!
Keep up the great work Chuck, I also believe RVTravel will be around for a long time. I have never voted 100% party line. I vote for the individual who I feel will do what’s right for the majority of the people. You do know you can’t satisfy everyone, some people you upset and some you make happy…. just like life, you take the bad with the good and the good with the bad. Learn to live with it! If you get upset about something, you should engage your brain before engaging your mouth to reply. Really folks, everyone needs to CHILL.
I would gladly pay more taxes so that every US citizen could be given a musket, the gun of our forefathers and the guns THEY were referring to at the time!!
When you give up your computer, ballpoint pen, Internet, TV and radio and go back to the quill and the printing presses available at the time, we can talk.
FYI our founding fathers knew about magazine feed crew-served weapons. Maybe you could research a subject before commenting next time.
Just a point of clarification… As Yuval Noah Harari points out in his excellent book “{bleeped} Deus,” we’re more likely in America to die from diabetes than gun violence. According to the American Diabetes Association, “Diabetes is the primary cause of death for 79,535 Americans each year.” In contrast, in 2017, gun deaths were responsible for 39,773 deaths; of those, more than 14,000 were suicides. Mass shootings are terrifying and repugnant acts. But statistically they account for fewer than 1000 deaths in the last seven years.
As Harari says, we have more to fear from sugar in the USA than we do from gun violence.
Just sayin’.
The second amendment was great when every able bodied man was considered to be ‘militia’. But today we have police and real military to protect us. Do we all need assault weapons for protection? I don’t think so. But we do have the right to own legimate hunting and sporting weapons.
10 U.S. Code § 246.Militia: composition and classes.
If you’re a man between 17 and 45, congratulations! You’re in the militia of the United States.
So very few people understand this. Most think Militia means Military. The Militia is the Last Line of Defense. We are the MIlitia.
FACTS ARE FACTS —Keep up the good work Chuck with RV News. We RVers need your information. Lee….
Chuck, I look forward each week getting the Newsletter and reading whats on your mind. Please continue and always present the facts. If I don’t like the subject I will read it and decide later if I agree or not. I don’t expect every article will be to my liking, but that way it opens a door for discussion and reflection. I worked for over 30 years in Law Enforcement and seen the worst in people and the best. Everyday was different and confusing. RV’ing is my way of relaxing and forgetting the worst of times. Two days of camping in my RV is priceless!! The information you provide allows me to seek new ways to enjoy and spend time in my RV. Please continue with the RV news, we need it.
Ditto for me too!
Ditto
Chuck, keep up the great RV news letter
Chuck, you wrote. “I have always considered myself middle of the road.”
This is true of almost everyone. Political left and right are relative. Even people who consider themselves liberal or conservative, judge the position of others based on their own views being the center.
So, if someone calls you a liberal, they are really just saying that they believe your views are to the left of theirs. A different person, having views far to the left of yours, might well consider you a conservative.
Keep up the good work Chuck with RV News. We RVers need your information.
Hi Chuck, first time I’ve posted but did want to encourage you to continue with your. Newsletter. We love it. Not everyone has to have the same beliefs to get something out of your newsletter don’t know why there r so many nasty people online. Whatever happened to the golden rule. Keep up the excellent work. I look forward to Saturday mornings as I know there will be another newsletter. Thx for what you do. It is appreciated.
The internet just did something larger than CB radio back in the 70’s. When the CB craze was happening the ability to be anonymous and say what you wanted was the big thing, back then you could be a butt head for 5+ miles. The internet solved the limited range by being world wide, now you can say what you want and be READ around the world. The same type of person that was a butt head on CB is now the butt head on the internet.
Actually Chuck, I am sorry the reader chose to leave. Life is about education and I go out of my way to read articles, speeches, etc. with those with whom (I think) I am going to disagree. One person early in my life taught me that as soon as I feel myself “feeling” strongly about something to ask myself if I am educated on both sides of the subject. One of my political science teachers always made us debate the side that we disagreed with. From these two valuable lessons I have learned not only to “listen” to other side, but to be open to learning new things. I was rated an Expert in the army when I completed “arms” training. Yet to this day I can still feel the “pain” when my DI literally kicked me in the ribs because I had not seen a target and was now “dead.” I have a very healthy respect for weapons, am an ardent supporter of the 2nd amendment, and I also categorically understand that with today’s technology we have to do something to solve these mass shootings. There is room in the second amendment to protect society and I wish the NRA and my fellow supporters of the 2nd amendment would offer some solutions. The alternative is to watch more innocent citizens die and there is nothing in the Constitution that would promote that. I agree with you that some weapons should not be in Civilian hands. (I was on the range when a second lieutenant died because he tried to “un-jam” a weapon by banging the stock on the ground; even the educated make mistakes).
Great points (IMHO). Thank you, Joseph. 😀 —Diane at RVtravel.com
He literally made no points. He offered feelings and vague notions of “we must be safe”.
What room does he see in the 2nd Amendment? What technology does he believe will stop [the statistically very rare] mass shootings?
I have to be honest here – anyone who claims to be a vet and also claims that any civilian weapon on the market today is a weapon of war (and shouldn’t be in civilian hands) either is lying about their service or only touched a weapon once a year to qualify.
Just because something bares a superficial appearance to something else doesn’t make them the same. If I paint a big number 3 on my RV it still isn’t a race car.
Well stated, Joseph. ??
Chuck, keep up the great work.
Chuck, I actually like everything that you cover because I take it in the spirit that you intend. Sometimes people bring their own agendas into the equation and totally misinterpret what you are saying. Plus the web removes all the nuances that are involved when talking face to face. Keep on keeping on because I know you will be around for a long time…at least I hope so.
Well said Chuck! There is no reason for someone outside the military or police to own assault weapons….that’s why they are called assault weapons. In this recent political climate there is so much hatred and bigotry displayed that it is only considered okay to express an opinion if it comes from a place of bigotry, white privilege or narcissism. Anything else decent has come to be labeled liberal.I never considered myself as liberal because like you I have voted for the person in whatever party based on their history of performance and behavior. Their actions, their work and voting history always carried more weight than words said during a campaign. But now because I stand against bigotry I am called a liberal. So be it! As much as everyone would like to have no politics involved in anything we do when we are RVing in community, everybody still has their own beliefs so it’s still gonna rear its ugly head. Three weeks ago I was at a rally in a campground but was parked away from my group a little ways . Next to me were about 7 RVs that had a large political banners and signs hung from their rigs. Times have sadly changed!
I am not trying to change or devalue your opnion but, only the media, gun grabbers and the un-informed refer to these rifles as assault weapons. The AR as in AR15 stands for armalite rifle which is the company that invented them. It is not the same rifle as the M16 (military version), just looks the same.
Liberal groups like BLM and Antifa make threats against my wife and me because I choose to serve in the Army (and yes, there have been credible threats against members and their families). So as the good book says, when you sow the wind…
Also, there are no such things as assault weapons. There are assault rifles, which the typical civilian can never own. Beyond some cosmetic similarity the rifles one can buy are nothing like a military weapon.