I'm not trying to pick fight or anything, but I think that's a little harsh... I personally have no reason to believe that Luke Strawwalker is angry or bitter towards HPR; just disagrees with how some of the regulations are structured.; I can see why he has a problem with rules that are "form over substance."
I have never seen a single one of his posts that was angry, vicious, or attacking anyone. Maybe there's something I'm not getting, but is seems like you guys are overreacting a little. Everyone has a right to their own opinions, but keep in mind that while everyone's opinion is valid, not every opinion needs to be heard every time.
I try to stay out of arguments in general, but I felt that this needed to be said. I've spoken my mind now, and will refrain from further comment on this issue.
Thank you... I DO try to help...
It was not my intention to inflame or start an argument. Whenever this subject comes up, though, that seems to be, for whatever reason, the end result. Why is that??
Why is it that anybody expressing an opinion CONTRARY to those of HPR supporters, no matter how carefully crouched or gently expressed, is INSTANTLY "attacking", "vicious", and "negative"??
Why is it that folks taking the "popular" opinion held by the "majority" is somehow instantly considered "right" and that anyone holding an opinion or position to the contrary is instantly "wrong" or "bad"??
Why is anyone who merely chooses, based on their own EXPERIENCE, NOT to support someone else in their chosen activities, whatever they might be, somehow instantly seen as "attacking" or "vicious" or "negative"??
We used to have an old saying... "ITS A FREE COUNTRY". Apparently not so anymore... guess nowdays the prevailing mindset has become "you're either with us or against us" and NOBODY is allowed to DARE disagree with the MAJORITY holding a certain position for ANY REASON without being some sort of "negative, vicious, threatening TRAITOR" or something...
Oh well, so be it... It's not like I haven't experienced that ATTITUDE from a lot of different people who disagree with me on this issue anyway (or any of a number of other issues for that matter, related or totally unrelated to rocketry... guess it's just human nature), and I'm CERTAIN that I will continue to see that same sort of attitude from the other side... "I'm right, you're wrong, you're just out to spoil my fun, so shut up and get out of the way so I can do whatever I want to do!" Yep, heard that one firsthand a LOT, expressed in a lot of different ways...
I'm not trying to BAN HPR... I'm not out to "get" anybody flying HPR... I don't particularly care one way or the other if someone flies HPR or doesn't fly HPR. I've seen enough FIRSTHAND that I simply do not want it on my property... and I don't care to participate in it, support it in any way, or attend launches where it's being flown. Every serious incident I've seen that could have turned out EXTREMELY badly had it not been for SHEER LUCK and the grace of God has been HPR related... Yes I know that there have been plenty of incidents with LPR/MPR rocketry too, including the child that was severely injured at the Scout meeting in N. Texas a couple or so years back... but when I see SEVERAL bad incidents at a SINGLE HPR launch, and at least ONE at virtually every HPR launch I've attended, read about pastures being burned off and neighboring crops very nearly burned as well, and rockets perforating people's back porch awnings offsite (and could easily have killed anyone who happened to be sitting under it at the time), people sitting a four wheeler getting severe burns when a HPR rocket takes off suddenly while layed down and flies BETWEEN them (which SURELY would have killed or extremely critically injured either one of them had they been hit directly-- and they were only INCHES away from being hit and weren't by sheer luck!), and ALL these incidents being the result of not following even THIER OWN rules governing such things... and I've seen plenty more besides these... that's enough for ME... Maybe some folks live with a death wish-- so be it, that's their right... "It's a free country" still for SOME of us...
BUT, "it's still a free country" and I can CHOOSE to say "not on my property!"... Go somewhere else, have fun, and I hope everything turns out okay... I really do!
Life's too short to argue guys... nobody is going to convince anybody else... that wasn't my intention either... but I DO feel like I have to defend myself here (why I'm not sure... nothing to defend IMHO... why is it now that having a DIFFERENT OPINION is some sort of "offense"... Geesh sometimes you'd think this was Nazi Germany or Stalin's Soviet Union when it comes to expressing a different opinion other than the "party line" in this country anymore... Sad, really... ) Maybe at the worst I'll end up in the "rocketry gulag"... LOL
Still gotta be better than a day at work...
Let's just agree to disagree and move on, shall we... fly a rocket and have fun... even if you have to drive 2-3 hours to get to a waivered launch...
Later and best wishes to everyone! OL JR