[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by MuseChaser

The part that I guess I took wrong was where you wrote "Now a whole word is ruined for eternity." It seemed to indicate that, simply by being alive and having the misfortune to be named "Trump," our President had ruined a word in your opinion; yet one more thing to blame on President Trump. If that's not what you meant, then I took it the wrong way and I'm sorry.

Conversely, I can see how my statement about "adhering to the principles upon which the U.S. of A. had been founded" was unclear. Sorry about that, too. I wasn't suggesting that the FORUM should adhere to those principles, I was saying that there may be members on the the forum, both U.S. citizens and citizens of other countries, that would like to see the U.S. adhere to those principles and feel that President Trump may be a step towards that desire for the U.S., and that perhaps those members and viewpoints could be allowed to coexist here without having to see a President they, at least in part, support villified here. That's all.

Yeah, I was probably way too touchy about the situation. The day after our election, as I was walking to my car after a day of teaching jazz piano at Syracuse University, I had to walk through an angry group of about 40 students blocking my way to my car, carrying signs and literally screaming, with faces contorted in anger and hate, spittle flying, "LOVE TRUMPS HATE!!" Perhaps the irony of their actions escaped them... in any case, it was a very uncomfortable walk to my car. I didn't bother to confront them and try to reason with them; it wouldn't have done an ounce of good. I have to walk on eggshells around the vast majority of my colleagues, and I would never attempt to influence my students politcally (although the vast majority of my left-leaning colleagues do so daily). I have to listen to the most hateful, vitriolic rhetoric at my places of work and I keep my mouth shut simply because it does no good and I'm pretty much an "army of one" on campus. I hope that helps explain my admitted hair-trigger when I read stuff here.

I AM sorry if I took you the wrong way, T.. and Ultra. You guys know I enjoy and respect you both.

Thanks again,

Barry

Yep. I simply meant that from now on the use of the word "trump" will be linked to an individual and cause exactly the sort of reaction you had when misunderstood. I will have to attempt to not use it anymore unless we are specifically talking about card games.