Posted on Feb 24, 2017
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Over the past few months I, along with several other User Admins, have been hit with complaints about people's behavior. Most of these reports come out of people acting disrespectfully towards another normally centered around a political post. Every day, countless posts from both sides of the political line are posted. I was hoping that after the election was over and people settled back into their routines these posts would start to dwindle in number but sadly, that isn't the case. In fact, I think people's reactions only made people want to share more. Other social media sites are covered as well but here I think it's different.
I understand that for many of you, this is your one stop shop for social media actives. And I understand that you have the right to voice your thoughts and concerns but what I don't get and what I will not tolerate is the name calling and personal attacks. I think for some of you, you are so wrapped up on what others have said or done that you yourself are losing touch with reality. Rather than finding a healthy way to express your feelings you are just so hyper-focus that it's causing damage to yourself. Some of the actions I've seen here are simply not healthy.
When RallyPoint first started. it was started to a place where service members and veterans can come to get connected with others and get answers to their questions. Now, with over 1.1 million members we are still that place but have this dirty shadow following us.
So the question I have for you, as one of the original members and as one of the Senior User Admins of this site; why are you here? Are you here to connect with your brothers and sisters-in-arms and to help provide meaningful answers to questions or are you here in some effort to spread your ideals onto others? Why do some of you feel the need to attack others just based on the fact that they voted for someone different? When will you pause and step away to realize that no one person can make American great again, to do that takes all of us. It takes all of us to come together, support the powers to be and hold them accountable as a collective body.
I understand that for many of you, this is your one stop shop for social media actives. And I understand that you have the right to voice your thoughts and concerns but what I don't get and what I will not tolerate is the name calling and personal attacks. I think for some of you, you are so wrapped up on what others have said or done that you yourself are losing touch with reality. Rather than finding a healthy way to express your feelings you are just so hyper-focus that it's causing damage to yourself. Some of the actions I've seen here are simply not healthy.
When RallyPoint first started. it was started to a place where service members and veterans can come to get connected with others and get answers to their questions. Now, with over 1.1 million members we are still that place but have this dirty shadow following us.
So the question I have for you, as one of the original members and as one of the Senior User Admins of this site; why are you here? Are you here to connect with your brothers and sisters-in-arms and to help provide meaningful answers to questions or are you here in some effort to spread your ideals onto others? Why do some of you feel the need to attack others just based on the fact that they voted for someone different? When will you pause and step away to realize that no one person can make American great again, to do that takes all of us. It takes all of us to come together, support the powers to be and hold them accountable as a collective body.
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RallyPoint
RallyPoint
Posted 7 y ago
Responses: 240
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I'm here because the military has been so much a part of my life, when I was a Civil Air Patrol Cadet in my teen years, entering the Army right out of high school, and retiring from the Air Guard. Even as a scout before all of that. RP is a community that I can be a part of where you can associate with others that have served. In other words, the military runs through me veins. I have a need to serve. A lot of my family has served. I do still volunteer for various things as I see it as my civic duty to do so. I probably will always be a volunteer for something. Sometimes, the way the military operates seems to make more sense than every civilian job I've had, even defense contracting.
I do get tired of the name calling I've seen, and a lot more of the political posts seem to be of the far right, which I will admit tend to get under my skin. Sometimes I respond and call out people. Especially, when the name calling starts. I see it as conduct unbecoming. There's no room for it. Sometimes I overreact when I should just leave it alone. If I post something, I try to post authentic information. But just because it doesn't match what you agree with doesn't mean it isn't factual and authentic.
It's all about perspective. Just because you disagree with a news site doesn't make it fake news. I try to look at all news sites, whichever way they lean.
Except for all of the political posts (which I should ignore really) and the name calling I see at times, RP is a good site to belong to.
I do get tired of the name calling I've seen, and a lot more of the political posts seem to be of the far right, which I will admit tend to get under my skin. Sometimes I respond and call out people. Especially, when the name calling starts. I see it as conduct unbecoming. There's no room for it. Sometimes I overreact when I should just leave it alone. If I post something, I try to post authentic information. But just because it doesn't match what you agree with doesn't mean it isn't factual and authentic.
It's all about perspective. Just because you disagree with a news site doesn't make it fake news. I try to look at all news sites, whichever way they lean.
Except for all of the political posts (which I should ignore really) and the name calling I see at times, RP is a good site to belong to.
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Great question
I am here to provide any additional assistance to others with their questions. Also to connect with all people. Lastly, share a quote or positive note to help people get through their day w/a positive outlook.
I am here to provide any additional assistance to others with their questions. Also to connect with all people. Lastly, share a quote or positive note to help people get through their day w/a positive outlook.
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There are a few that do not come to RP to do more than incite. Others, are making some of the worst comments that I have ever seen regarding a Constitutionally elected president, which is against the UCMJ. Some that unverified and be of the resistance movement. I have a thick skin, but need to respond when this happens. Hope that is understandable.
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I am here to hopefully meet up with some old friends, meet new ones and keep up with changes in the military system over all and the Army in particular. The Army has changed a lot since I got out, we were using computers and made the switch from 5 1/4 floppy's to the 3 1/2 in disk. There was no internet so it's kind of fun to see how things are moving along. As for me and politics, I don't care how old you are, what gender you are, what color, race or religion you are. I want someone that will look out for the American people, protect and defend the United States and their primary goal for getting into politics is for "We the People" and not how full can I get my pockets. As for the posts that I disagree with or might find offensive I don't read or follow them and go on about my day and enjoy it. Thank you RP I enjoy the site.
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LCDR (Join to see)
Ha, ha. When I retired, PC's were a "strange animal that few, if any understood". I had learned a wee bit of BASIC programming, so I had limited use of a machine I received WITHOUT DOS (even). Go figure. As for race, creed, or what ever, we all wore the uniform, so the only recognizable differences were rank, rate, or whatever in pay grades.
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SGT Ben Keen Great question! I actually brought up some of your question here once before in a post:
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/do-you-think-it-is-right-to-insight-anger-in-other-rp-members-with-your-comments
The points are secondary to me, believe it or not.
Getting the word out on jobs, employment, transitioning, motivational quotes, Leadership, PTSD, TBI, and other disabililties, Suicide Awareness, honoring fallen veterans, motorcycles/Veterans Organizations that do great things in the public, meeting veterans in my local area from RP, and connecting with individuals that can use my help to reduce suicides is my mission.
Just wanted you to know where my heart is. I'm a leader for Sponsor a Vet Life, and Board Member for the National Veterans Transition Service and Victory for Veterans. I'm also a Volunteer Admin here on RallyPoint and get a lot of messages and questions that I help other members with.
I'm a Life time Member of the VFW, Member of the American Legion, and American Legion Riders, and the Patriot Guard Riders in Colorado. There is still time for more.
The only way I'm going to find these individuals that need help, want to help, or need someone to talk to is through connecting.
I hope to do more in the future, if I can.
Thank you,
Mikel
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/do-you-think-it-is-right-to-insight-anger-in-other-rp-members-with-your-comments
The points are secondary to me, believe it or not.
Getting the word out on jobs, employment, transitioning, motivational quotes, Leadership, PTSD, TBI, and other disabililties, Suicide Awareness, honoring fallen veterans, motorcycles/Veterans Organizations that do great things in the public, meeting veterans in my local area from RP, and connecting with individuals that can use my help to reduce suicides is my mission.
Just wanted you to know where my heart is. I'm a leader for Sponsor a Vet Life, and Board Member for the National Veterans Transition Service and Victory for Veterans. I'm also a Volunteer Admin here on RallyPoint and get a lot of messages and questions that I help other members with.
I'm a Life time Member of the VFW, Member of the American Legion, and American Legion Riders, and the Patriot Guard Riders in Colorado. There is still time for more.
The only way I'm going to find these individuals that need help, want to help, or need someone to talk to is through connecting.
I hope to do more in the future, if I can.
Thank you,
Mikel
Do you think it is right to incite anger in other RP Members with your comments? | RallyPoint
Can we ALL be Professionals? LET'S RESPECT ONE ANOTHER ALWAYS! THINK BEFORE YOU RESPOND! THANKS I've noticed a lot of adverse and derogatory comments made by some of our RP Members lately! When you read some of those comments it's clear those Members are trying to insight anger and/or attack the other individual's intelligence or just plan being unprofessional. I like RP because the majority of Service Members have been very professional! What...
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SGT Ben Keen
I don't think anyway can question your willingness and drive to help others COL Mikel J. Burroughs. And you are right, the only way to find those that need help is to connect. I'm just fearful that those that get involved in unprofessional actions here do more to scare newer members away rather than encouraging them to ask the questions that are on their minds.
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COL Mikel J. Burroughs
SGT Ben Keen - That is a very good point and it is our job (me and you Ben) to make sure we take care of those members that violate the Code of Ethics here on RP and counsel them on the professional behavior we need here on RP. I've had no problem in reporting violations to Carlos and JP, as well sending a personal message to individuals in an attempt to bring them back to the military bearing they were instilled with! It's training, coaching, and leading all the time! It never ends even after we retire or hang up the combat boots!
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I am here to enjoy, communicate and see the pulse of those with similar backgrounds to myself. I enjoy the diversity of opinion except one personally attacks another and find some of the humor and stories downright hilarious and easy to relate too. For the most part, this is one of the few forums that we can agree to disagree at times without the childish and insulting name calling found on other forums.
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Brother....many of us share the same feelings and thoughts. I myself have decreased the amount of time that I spend on here because I felt tat RP for the most part no longer feels like a place to come and reminisce. I know I too have shared and made comments that I am not proud of. We as people feel a need to convert or belittle others. We no longer see each other as brothers when we follow our base prejudices. That is the think about movies and books about Nam that I love. No matter the color of a persons skin or their religious background, or whatever.....those guys had each others back because they all wanted to make it home. Do we have each others back here? No Matter what? You are right...no one person can save America...it is going to take us...each of us....caring about each other and coming together as one. It is going to be tough because we each are programmed from our childhood to think and act and see a certain way...that is what makes up each of our own personalities. And that is beautiful. But we have to remember that ....it is sort of an illusion because each of our realities comes from a certain point of view that is based upon and focused through a lens of our own belief system which again is based on our conditioned past. When we become so attached to what we believe instead of believing the truth about life then suffering and chaos is all we will get. Let's make RP great again...
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honestly, these reasons in pretty much this order:
1) Boredom.
2) I enjoy conversing with other veterans. I relate to y'all better than most others I know.
3) Hopefully I can do somebody some good and help others avoid the mistakes I've made when I transitioned out.
1) Boredom.
2) I enjoy conversing with other veterans. I relate to y'all better than most others I know.
3) Hopefully I can do somebody some good and help others avoid the mistakes I've made when I transitioned out.
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I'm here to get advice and learn from others experience. I've also found that me being a new Soldier I have a view point or information that my older counterparts do not.
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As a National Guardsman, I'm here to get my fix of military life between drills! I enjoy discussion of military life, history, and current events as they pertain to military service. Also anything firearms related.
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