The folks who have been here a long time have heard this before, but the new folks haven't. When I launched the Forum, I thought it would top out around 200 members. Well, I certainly missed that call! Six years later with almost 8,000 Members and approaching one half million posts, the Forum is the go-to Internet site for accurate information on a wide range of gun-related topics. You the Members did this, not me. All I did was load the software and push the "go" button.
People who have taken the PSC CHL classes with me as an instructor have heard this before, as have some people who have attended the Texas Self-Defense & Deadly Force Laws Seminar. I met my wife on a school bus when we were twelve years old and I've been crazy about her ever since. Nevertheless, we don't agree on everything and our differences in opinions are often very strongly felt. But that doesn't alter the fact that we love each other and are dedicated to each other in spite of our disagreements. It is similar with the Members of the Forum. We have differing opinions on certain goals, their priority, and/or how and when to reach those goals. With some obvious but few exceptions, our Members express their opinions respectfully and the discourse encourages participation, rather than isolation. This is probably the primary reason the Forum has grown as it has, and why we have between 7 and 9 million hits each month, during the off season.
On behalf of the Moderators and myself, I want to express our sincere appreciation to our Members for their collective efforts in making the TexasCHLforum a true Internet community that not only welcomes but encourages everyone from every walk of like, age, and political persuasion to participate in our discussions. I am both proud and saddened that six years after its creation, the Forum is still a unique and rare phenomenon on the Internet.
My God bless all of you and have a wonderful Christmas!
Chas.
