Pissing Contest

I find the following exchange hard to believe, Gentle Reader. Just as background, Lori (my Good Friend of 30 years) asked in comments yesterday if I would send my VALOUR-IT post to the USAF Radar Sites Veterans and the Fortuna Air Force Station Vets groups on Yahoo! (I’m a member of both). A great idea, that, so I did as she suggested. Well, the Fortuna AFS group put the post up with no questions asked. The USAFRSV group was an entirely different story. And it isn’t a good story either. Here, for your amusement bemusement and amazement, is the sum total of my correspondence with one of the group's moderators:

From: Buck Pennington 7:57 am
To: Lowell
cc:: Dick
Lori Fye
date: Oct 30, 2007 7:57 AM
subject: Re: USAFRSVets Message Not Posted

You didn't answer my question, Woody. But I get the drift. And I will unsubscribe to the group once I get back from my doctor's appointment this morning.

You'll allow a ten-part thread on "blue dot" tail lights while at the same time you'll delete an appeal for a charity that's supported by HUNDREDS of milbloggers.

I don't want to be associated with you any longer.

Thanks for frickin' nothing. My blog is small, but you can bet your asses that USAFRSV will be highlighted as uncaring non-players who, given an opportunity to support wounded veterans declined...because the thread was "off-topic."

I don't believe this.

On 10/30/07, Lowell wrote:

Buck,

The primary intent for our message board, is to allow the radar sites veterans the ability to share experiences and knowledge from their past service on the radar sites. We moderate the messages to keep as close to this primary intent as possible.

Thanks,
Woody

-----Original Message-----
From: Buck Pennington
Sent: Oct 30, 2007 8:26 AM
To: Lowell
Subject: Re: USAFRSVets Message Not Posted

Woody,

So. Are you saying my message was "unsuitable?" Because it apparently was rejected.

I cannot believe you would reject an appeal for a charity...especially one dedicated to helping wounded troops. Tell me if this is the case. I really want to know.

Regards,
bp

On 10/30/07, Lowell wrote:

Buck,

Our policy for moderation of messages pending for our message board is as follows;

E-MAIL MESSAGE BOARD; To prevent SPAM and off-subject messages our message
board is moderated and we reserve the right to change, reject and/or delete
unsuitable posts, partially or in full.

Thanks, Woody

-----Original Message-----
From: Buck Pennington
Sent: Oct 29, 2007 11:19 PM
To: Woody
Subject: USAFRSVets Message Not Posted

Hello Woody,

Just curious... did you or the other gentleman moderating USAFRSV receive a message from me today (subject: VALOUR-IT), just after noon MDT? I've been waiting for the message to appear on the group all day...and so far it has not.

Attached is a screen cap of my submission notifying me that my message was "awaiting moderation."

If you did receive the message and decided not to post it to the group I'd like to know why. And if you did not receive the message I'd like some insight into what went wrong. I'm not a computer neophyte and the attached screen cap indicates my message went into the moderation queue as it was supposed to.

Thank you for your attention.

--
Be Well!
Buck
Exile in Portales

And the moderator, Gentle Reader, is a veteran. I still find this exchange hard to believe. Suffice to say I’m no longer a member of USAF Radar Sites Veterans. Oh, and Lori? She’s pissed, too.

(Update 10/31/2007. This post has been updated here.)