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Topic: An apology (lengthy) |
Stephen Gambrell
From:
Over there
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Posted 14 Dec 2008 12:02 am |
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I believe that I still have a few friends on the Steel Guitar Forum, and I am thankful for the new friends that I have made here. Eric, you're a good dude. Tony Prior, we'll be talking. Arch, kittens to ya!
I have been provoked into a situation where I allowed emotion to take control over good, rational thinking. Provoked by one cowardly person, which makes my behavior all the worse. I have said some things due to the provocation of this one person, whose obvious vendetta has pushed me close to the edge. So I apologize to those of you who saw that side of me---The side that gets a little bit crazy.
You see, as much as I pretend to be something else, I am, simply, redneck Southern cotton-mill trash. And I'm damned proud of that. I grew up in an environment of "one for all, all for one," where a kid learned early on the importance of being honest, and polite, since he would be in daily contact with those folks he'd insulted. I also was taught the value of honesty, however brutal it might be, and witnessed the ostracization of the cowardly. I was also taught to defend myself, my honor, and my family when assaults, verbal or physical, occurred.
I am sorry to those forum members whom I offended at my reaction, and my reversion to my roots, by this coward's repeated attacks and insults. I'm supposed to be a little less Neanderthal than that, now. I will respond to no comments from this person, since I do not like to release that side of myself.
Again, to those who got caught in the crossfire, I want to offer a sincere apology, and a little bit of advice. It is VERY easy to hide behind a keyboard, and consider oneself Superman. Not so easy to face the REAL world, armed with false accusations, innuendo, insults, and out-and-out lies. There will always be trash like me, who treasure ethics and honesty, in the real world. At least, I hope there will be.
It now becomes necessary that I stop reading the Forum. I will still be posting, especially during the four time a year when I am blessed enough to participate in the Southern Steel Guitar Convention in Saluda, SC. Conventions that benefit the Shriners' Hospitals all across the country. These Conventions were founded by two gentlemen, Buddy Walker and Charles Reece, who've both gone on. Both were honest, and ethical men. It was an honor knowing them both, and a pleasure to help Charles' son, Jerry, carry on.
But I digress. I cannot hear myself being defamed, without responding. There are several extremely angry posts directed at me, that have not been removed. So I apologize to those whom I won't be "seeing" here on the Forum as much as I used to.
Merry Christmas, and peace on earth, to you all. |
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Joe Casey
From:
Weeki Wachee .Springs FL (population.9)
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Posted 14 Dec 2008 4:49 am
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Bro. Steve, I got the feeling you found out communicating with some people is just impossible.  I for one never felt you owed anyone an apology. 
 I think this picture relates sometimes how one feels in some conversations.  |
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Zeke Cory
From:
Hinsdale, New York USA
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Posted 14 Dec 2008 6:15 am Stay with the brotherhood
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| Steve. I am not familiar with the disagreement that occured but just let it go and continue on as one of us. We all have disagreements from time to time. You are still a brother and will continue to be just that. Many Many good friends still to be made here. Work on that. Just my respectful opinion. Thanks and happy holidays my brother. Zeke |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 14 Dec 2008 6:24 am
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Hey Steve, If you need to apologise, there's a few more who need to aplogise a whole lot more than you do. At least your man enough to "get it done". You 'de man. There are plenty on this forum who enjoy your comments, please don't quit over a few.  |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 14 Dec 2008 6:30 am
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| Steel Players? |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 14 Dec 2008 6:36 am
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Well Stephen, I had no clue what this was about, I had to come out of my little "bubble around my life" and do some research to discover that wacky thread.
So after reading it (total waste of out of bubble time) I've come to the conclusion that I retreated to my "bubble around my life" for the right reason, many folks are just wrapped too tight,way too serious and need to watch more Seinfeld or King of Queens re-runs ! Not Raymond though, that show is to insulting to his wife.
It's a very difficult society to participate in when all 50 people in the same room have different opinions and they all think they are right.
Ok, back inside the bubble.
till next time
tp |
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Tamara James
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Posted 14 Dec 2008 6:53 am
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Dear redneck Southern cotton-mill trash,
The next time I get home to Union, SC, I'd sure like to drop by and meet ya. I'd almost bet If I time it right there will be a jam or somethin'. It would be fun to swap some stories over a real glass of ice tea. I'll be in contact when I start organizing my vacation. 
My Aunt Tish lived in Ware Sholes. She was a school teacher. Miss Tish Frank.
Might be able to swing by and meet Tony P. Maybe sign up for a lesson too. 
I served my time (15 years) in the cotton-mill related manufacturing market. 
Sincerely,
Redneck Southern rebel girl |
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c c johnson
From:
killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.
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Posted 14 Dec 2008 7:06 am
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| If you let your detractor keep you from the forum,he,she, they, or it have won. As Gen McArthur is credited with saying, "don't pay attention to your detractors, they are jealous of your high standards. cc |
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Jack Dougherty
From:
Spring Hill, Florida, USA
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Posted 14 Dec 2008 7:50 am
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Steve,
I have not viewed your posts re: this matter.
And I won't. I have some very good friends who also go to the Saluda Jam. It is always spoken of with high regards. Including all the participants of which I believe you are one. An apology in the defense of your name, honor or your family is never required. What is required is for people on this forum to do the right thing. It's all about the music. Something I believe gets forgotten a lot. I too have relegated most of my posts to get well and birthdays for some of the same reasons. We have no doubt a very good and well run outlet for the steel guitar. But sometimes, opinions get out of control to the point of ridiculous.(IMO)
Opinions, I thought were based on knowledge and life experiences. But sometimes it seems those prerequisites are disregarded leaving only inflammatory responses.
So my friend there is no apology needed for me or expected. My tongue is already sore from bitting it so many times. Don't let yours. And don't stop posting. You have as much right to be here as all of us. In time peoples true colors will always show and
then their posts will not be responded to. Steve, you have friends here so don't forget us.
A Blessed HolyDay season to you and your family...
JD
_________________
There is no such thing as too many steels!!
Emmons P/P 8/7 Strings....whatever I have.....Picks..mixed...Bars...one of four..but I like the Bullet Bar
Walker Stereo Steel Amp
TC M1 XL
Peavey Nashville 400. Fox Mod
Various sundries and toys.. |
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Charles Curtis
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Posted 14 Dec 2008 8:54 am
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| Stephen, I hope that you will continue to post on the forum. I enjoy your posts; IMO, try not to let anyone "get your goat." |
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Ron !
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Posted 14 Dec 2008 11:12 am
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Stephen......it takes a man with guts to apologize in public like you have done in this post.
If I have said anything wrong in my posts then except my sincere apology.
If I hurt you then please forgive me for doing so....it was definitely not my intention doing so.
I hope that you will stay on this forum and post like you always have done.Our steel guitar community is a community that needs all the help and support it can get.
Ron |
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Eric West
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 14 Dec 2008 11:15 am
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Me too Steve.
A LOT of people are and will be having things that "drive them to the internet", forgetting what is REALLY important.
I have my fight with my mortality, and the economy, that with God's help, I'll continue winning until I turn it over to the man that made it all.
On one hand, many many things don't look as important now, and I always said that I enjoyed posting "before the indictment" or "before the diagnosis".
Well, it was the latter. Of course even with a clean bill of health, a person at 55 has a LOT less years to live unfettered than one at 50. Just the way the game works.
I think it boils down to what you want to be remembered as.
I think I want to be remembered as opinionated, helpful, without being argumentative or compromising my principles, and reserving the worst parts of myself for my own private perusal.
I liked the Old Me Steve, and I miss him.
I'm working through it.
Hang in there.
We've all got a lot of things to deal with "coming up". Mostly difficult things.
One person out of any three will not like you. One person out of the three will. The one in the middle gravitates toward the one of the two other types you surround yourself with.
Tired from a good gig this weekend, getting ready for the next few weekends of them.
Wth God's help, and that of my many friends. Like you.
I'm reminded that every hour in church, even for an axe murderer, is one less hour he or she is out plying their avocation...
EJL
Last edited by Eric West on 14 Dec 2008 6:18 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Ernest Cawby
From:
Lake City, Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 14 Dec 2008 3:23 pm go steve
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Steve I for one would miss your being here, I was one of the ones that told Jack what a good person you are and a help in all ways at Saluda, keep on keeping on.
your pal as always
ernie |
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Jeff Hyman
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 14 Dec 2008 3:52 pm
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Stephen,
I don't know you, have not met you. My only opinion of you (or anyone) is how they present themselves on the forum. I, for one, appreciate when someone has the *alls to say whats on their mind. You do not owe me an apology. I'd be disappointed if you parted. Remember... you were not a bully, but just someone who tells it like it is. The forum needs more guys like that. Helps filter out all the BS. |
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Henry Nagle
From:
Santa Rosa, California
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Posted 14 Dec 2008 5:25 pm
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| A little tact can go long ways. It's nearly always possible to make a point without hurting or baiting someone else. |
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Randy Gilliam
From:
San Antonio, Texas, USA
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Posted 14 Dec 2008 10:14 pm Dont Quit us
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Stephen their are a lot more Goodguys On the Forum Than Bad ones , So Dont Quit us Or they will be catching up, Your Pal Randy.  |
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Stephen Gambrell
From:
Over there
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Posted 14 Dec 2008 11:05 pm
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| Tamara, read your email, or PM's, or whatever. Miss Letitia Frank was an old-time EDUCATOR, not a babysitter! We need more Tish Frank's in our schools today! |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 15 Dec 2008 3:47 am
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Stephen, I think you should retreat to your own private bubble, practice your guitar ( you really need it ) forget about all the people in the world that hate you, you can't change that, and even if you did , a whole new bunch of people would show up and start hating you and you would have to start all over again ! Think of a Dog chasing his tail. Now I'm not saying you are a Dog or anything like that but the other day on the phone I did hear a lot of barking coming from your end of the line...
Go back to bed is my advice . oh, and if you really want to continue our friendship, you may want to seriously consider giving me that AC15 , that would be a good down payment for continued friendship, I'll use it in between using the step stool to press the A and B pedals !
tp
ps:
out of 300,000,000 people there is always gonna be one or two that don't like what we write on Forums. |
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Tony Davis
From:
Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Posted 15 Dec 2008 4:02 am
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Stephen...
I am about 12000 miles further south than you..............so makes me more Southerner !!!!
Sure I am a Hillbilly and Redneck.....if doing right by the people you like,,,in fact......anyone........and lending your Buddy your Amp or giving him a couple of strings...."Whose Counting?".........What goes around comes around !!!!
So dont leave the forum......you need help..Me an Zeke...an Granpaw will come give a hand
Tony |
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Drew Howard
From:
48854
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Posted 15 Dec 2008 7:22 am
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Steve,
Take a break, heal up and then return!
Merry Christmas,
Drew
_________________
http://www.drewhoward.com |
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Don Brown, Sr.
From:
New Jersey
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Posted 15 Dec 2008 7:36 am
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| Stephen Gambrell! Sit back down, class is in session! Besides, ya remind me of myself. |
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C Dixon
From:
Duluth, GA USA
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Posted 15 Dec 2008 9:55 am
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Steve.
Jesus said, "You will be persecuted for my namesake".
No prophecy ever spoken has been more fulfilled than that one. As I often tell people in my Christian chatroom, "If you are not being persecuted all the time, you NEED to reasses your faith".
Remember that John the Baptist was beheaded for speaking out. So was St Paul, for speaking truth. So were 9 of the 12 disciples of Christ. And even "God in the flesh" was crucified with the most painful death ever contrived by man, for speaking truth.
So be proud, knowing that. And be prouder of the fact that persecution is also fulfillment that Jesus was God, since all of his prophecies have been and being fulfilled as we speak.
History is always the prover of fact versus fiction, over time. Since every bible prophecy ever spoken has come to be; except those concerning the "end times; it should prove beyond any shadow of a doubt that society ALWAYS lauds evil, and persecutes good. We have an ex-president and a retiring president that is the epitome' of that unfortunate reality.
Love ya dear brother in Christ. May He richly bless you always,
carl
_________________
A broken heart + † = a new heart. |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 15 Dec 2008 11:16 am
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Speaking from experience of a few years ago, having let non-steel related emotions take me down the low road and behave unacceptably on this forum, and in the end, making a full appology to all without placing blame or a focus on anyone else but myself, I have laid off of this thread to see what would transpire.
Seeing now that no one is up to mentioning the glaring pink elephant in the room, I'll suggest that Stephan's 'appology' rings rather hollow in that instead of taking the high road and first appologizing to his feuding opponant, there is in it's place several defensive remarks and indeed further attacks.
| Stephen Gambrell wrote: |
I have been provoked into a situation where I allowed emotion to take control over good, rational thinking. Provoked by one cowardly person, which makes my behavior all the worse. I have said some things due to the provocation of this one person, whose obvious vendetta has pushed me close to the edge. So I apologize to those of you who saw that side of me.
I also was taught the value of honesty, however brutal it might be, and witnessed the ostracization of the cowardly. I am sorry to those forum members whom I offended at my reaction, and my reversion to my roots, by this coward's repeated attacks and insults. |
While I'll always accept and applaude a true/heartfelt appology, this example by Stephan does not fit the bill. It instead seems a roundabout way to continue the fight, throwing more punches while hiding behind sympathy skirts. You can't have it both ways if you are sincere in making amends and moving forward in a completely positive manner that would not leave at least reservations from the other party.
I don't have a dog in this fight, and believe Stephan to be a valuable member of the forum, and hope to see him continue providing that value.
But I've been on both sides of the fence in this community, and fully recognised my mistakes and finally offered total contrition when I pushed the negativity way past the limits. After taking stock of the situation I'd built, nothing else was acceptable to myself, and thus could not possibly see it being acceptable to a single other person.
Stephan and others may have differing opinions on my thots here, but I felt it needed to be addressed, and if the hopes of Mr. Gambrell were to smooth out the rough patches between these Hatfield's and McCoy's, then much more needs to be extended. I certainly can't imagine the other side feeling too good about the appology, and that's were it truly should be focused, then a peace feather to the rest of the forum would be due, but not before. |
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Joe Casey
From:
Weeki Wachee .Springs FL (population.9)
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Posted 15 Dec 2008 12:59 pm
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Here we go again Everyone says they don't have a dog in this hunt then why is there so much barking?
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 15 Dec 2008 1:25 pm
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It's 'this dog don't hunt' or 'no dog in this fight'.
Even a cute pic of big and lil Santa doesn't allow you either to have it both ways.
But, holly jollies, non the less! |
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