DISCLAIMER: NONE of the comments below reflect those of Cigar Box Nation site or as a whole nor any of its members nor Shane Speal himself or anyone associated with him. These are my thoughts and opinions solely. I don't own the site nor am I admin of any kind. Please pardon the length whatever it becomes. Stop if you had enough. I warn you, its a manifesto. In fact, this might get me kicked off (I hope not tho). Rebut if you will. Its a free country. - WY

Wes,

the Nation is a rhorshock test.... it is what you want to see it is.
Under Shane it's nature will ebb and flow like the seasons. But, it is
big enough that you can find a little corner and get comfortable.
...

Sam

So I have to reflect on these words now as I have been in the middle of trying to decide how to react to a growing sentiment from old Nation members as to how the Nation has changed, what it's doing wrong: basically the state of the Nation currently. It indeed is what you want to see it is. It's different from one person to another. That's really cool and that is how it should be. Problem I have is when some folks come back over to the Nation and decide somehow that we shouldn't be doing what we do or how we're doing it (make CBGs and CBG music).

Before I even start and before anyone gets a case of the ass here, NO ONE should do ANYTHING they don't want to do here in the Nation -- no matter what. You don't have to build anything, you don't have to chat, you don't have to post messages or reply to them, you don't have to log on even once. Nothing. Come and go, log on or not, hang out, grab plans, steal ideas, post your Viagra and Cialis ads, listen to music, post a manifesto... whatever. It's an Internet based community. Shane holds the keys and has had need on many occasions to use them to 'lock the doors'. It's a free online community.

What irritates me is, as stated above, former/current member(s) taking time to make it criticize the Nation and its members as a whole.

As an example, I wish I had a copy of the chat that someone posted this morning. It read like [the members of the Nation] are producing crappy CBGs just to sucker eBay buyers into buying bad instruments and that we have 'no ear for tone'. That comment set me off. Where the Hell did that comment originate from and why did they feel the need to get onto our chat and pass that comment? This was someone who had been associated with the Cigar Box Nation since the Yahoo Groups day (before my time) and should know damn well that. Gee, most new people here now might have been them those years ago or they might have helped someone new then or are STILL helping someone new. This guy is a well known, well respected person too. That's what kills me. The 'poster boy' for CBGs. Here's one excerpt that kills me: 'I would rather take up knitting than pursue the deadend work that is taking over [the Nation]. No Imagination .'

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So if you got this far, you might have seen instances like this or experienced this type of behavior or you might be some of the ones posting negative comments. You might agree or disagree. Whatever, you see a point here.

Ya'll here's where I stand and let me reflect back to the message from Sam: The Nation is what you make of it. Not what I make of it. Not what someone on chat makes of it. Not someone of name makes of it. And if you want to make something good of it, do so. Negativity like above is not a solution, it's a problem. A problem for anyone who sees and reads negative crap like above and it's a problem for the person who post this junk.

Am I taking it personal? Yeah in a way I am. Not for the sake of the Nation and its members but because [in the context of the post regarding us a making crappy instruments and selling on eBay] it was personal. The audacity of saying we collectively as a group of home built instrument makers are doing something they think is bad. Say 'I think the site is getting way to focused on promoting bad builds' or 'is too focused on selling to other members' or 'is too focused on playing gigs in their own town' or 'the Nation is not chatting actively'. Something concrete like that, but to generalize that all of the members as shit builders. Now it's personal and shameful on their part.

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Here's what I'm saying now, I've said it in chat and I'll say it here: If you don't like the way [the Nation] is running or being run, move on or make things better. Don't piss in our cornflakes just because you can or you think you're 'somebody'.

-WY