So, I been thinkin’. I re-read the thread about the Mashburn in the classifieds. I admit it. I laughed. Some of you guys have killer wit.
And I think I’ve read all of the threads about Mr. Claiborne’s alleged character flaws over the past year or two at least. Laughed at those too. Vividly recall the one about the Uberlanche. 'Nother side splitter, I admit.
That said, we’ve had our laughs. Is it not time to to call it good and be done with it? I think so. Don't mean to preach, but I think its just gone too far. First, it was way, way over the top to bring his wife into the discussion. Yes, he posted the glamour shot of her in the bathing suit. (Who wouldn't; she's a looker.) But that doesn’t justify some of the crude shots taken at her in the classified thread. A man’s wife is off limits. Plain and simple.
Second, conceding the guy has made mistakes, who among us hasn't? Some of us are kicking this man when he is down, way, way down and its just over the top. It isn’t funny anymore. It borders on cruel and abusive. The man suffers from a congenital kidney disease, was on dialysis, near death and required a transplant from a relative who stepped up to save his life and then had extreme difficulty post surgery. (Didn’t they have to re-open her?) Could not have been easy on the man who benefitted from her generosity to see her back under the knife because she chose to help him in his hour of need. And pre-surgery, from his posts, it looked like Mr. Claiborne himself was in physical agony. From what I hear, dialysis is hell. Sounds like the man was staring death in the face. Don’t imagine recovery has been easy either. On top of his severe health problems, he’s lost his license to sell insurance, lost his livelihood and has apparently filed a Chapter 7 BK.
No reason whatsoever to continue to put the boots to a man who is down on his luck that hard.
It’s not right guys. It paints those of us who are laughing at his misery in a far more negative light than Mr. Claiborne. As far as the theft from the old folks, it appears society got their pound of flesh with the insurance license revocation. Its done with. The law has dealt with it. Its over.
The man is coming here posting, looking for friendship. Let him do so without being continually and unmercifully savaged for his past. I just don't think it becomes any man here to rhetorically beat the man or his wife into the ground under the circumstances of their lives as they currently are. Sorry to preach. I’m as guilty of mirth at Mr. Claiborne's expense as anyone. But at some point, enough is enough.
My .02 worth—and my apologies in advance to anyone who sees it differently. (And yes, I am a frigging hypocrit).
Jordan
