Shameful Judgements

Frankly, I'm disgusted with some bitching and whining I've come across in comment sections out in the blogosphere.   Some truly offensive things have been posted regarding the manner of the disapperance of Kim's blog.

Consider this:

*   Over four years of constant posting, even logging posts in advance to go up during business travel, vacations and other absences from the screen.

*   Bandwidth out the wazooo, with expenses to match.  Without the advent of Blogads & Google ads, the site most likely would not have made it to this present day.

*   Unceasing attacks by critics, trolls and the whole assemblege of asshats from the left from every niche of the cesspools of socialism.

*   And lastly, a highly litigious and predatorily greedy corporate culture; ranging far beyond the norms of laissez faire captialism.

The sudden disapperance of Kim DuToit dot-com and associated sites has been called rude, by some.  I would say it was indeed, abrupt.  Calling it rude is an ill-judged conclusion, reflecting perhaps, the bias or selfishness of the accuser, especially given the absence of facts so far.

But in times of dire crisis, really, is courtesy always a possiblity?  Required, even?

No.  It is not. 

On an airliner, when you and I de-plane, we leisurely stroll down the aisle, up the jetway and away down the terminal concourse we go, bags in hand.

Conversely, the manner of Kim's departure, to me is redolent of a crisis requiring the immediate employment of the Ejection Seat.  Such indicates a far more urgent necessity than standing politely at the jetway to bid adieu to the departing passengers; thanking them for flying this metaphorical Air DuToit.

Yet some complain about their airfare being abused, even though they were really only tipping the pilot for a job well done, as opposed to hiring him as beholden to work yet to be performed. 

And it's not like any given reader of Kim's was without parachute, so to speak.   Whether sustained by the recollection of the strength and wisdom gained from Kim's rants and essays, or bolstered further by the incredible, aggregated knowledge of the Nation of Riflemen, substenence for the heart and mind yet abounds.

Further, NZ Bear offers up nintey-two  gunbloggers other than Kim DuToit for one's perusal.  Chris Byrne has already announced that the NoR will carry on at The Anarchangel. 

It's not like Kim's readers are left utterly desolate, with no recourse or refuge.

In the larger picture, what few sheckels Kim has drawn from the tip-jar contributions of his readers would cover what....  maybe three months of bandwidth?  I'm speaking of his direct appeals for the support of his efforts, as opposed to the occassional "kid before christmas" wishes spoken of this gun or that.  Even those contributions would fund but another week, three at the most.

And for damn sure, every cent contributed to the Walter&Adam fund has gone exactly there.

I have stood in Kim and Connie's study with them, as they packed the Nightforce scopes, bases and rings.  Those, along with untold miscellania of other goodies the guys need in the sandbox.  I know where that money went; I saw every bit and piece be packed for it's fateful, eastward journey.

So, for the total out-of-pocket contributions per individual complainer that would pay maybe less than a week's bandwidth out of over four-years blogging, they'd want to bitch and moan about Kim's smoking hole in the cockpit where the ejection seat used to be?

It is obvious to me that they never really knew the man, nor gave much credence to the soul of his rants and essays.  Knowing Kim as I do, I have the measure of the man, and he is not found wanting.  No doubt, when the time is right to do so, I'm confident that Kim will either re-open the domain or offer a letter through the various gunbloggers, providing such details and explanations as he sees fit, or feels free to divulge.

I know Kim DuToit to be the epitome of a deeply unselfish man.  A man of great honor and integrity.

If you believe otherwise, pehaps it is that you're just a shallow, selfish, self-serving sonofabitch who isn't worthy to lie in the shadow that a great man casts upon the ground.

You got your fifty-dollars worth from that bit in his tip-jar, many hundreds of posts and tens of thousands of essay'd words ago.

Already, the vultures of pettiness circle dishonorably in the sky.

Some of you out there need be ashamed of yourselves. 

Deeply and truly ashamed.

Comments

[Hood]

Thank you.

[Hood]

A handfull of the NoR have checked in at
www.bootsandsabers.com
as a port in the storm, with thier blessing.

[MoK]

[From a newbie/baby/(as well as silly)/ 'blogger' if I can even be called that--I much prefer commenting]

Anyway, this outrages me. Whatever happened to the notion of "assume positive motivation"?

I haven't seen the negative comments that you allude to, Jim, but from what you are conveying here, disparaging comments about this moratorium (temporary or no) cannot possibly be from people who have been reading Kim's (or "The Mrs." her site is down, too) blog for long, or who understand their philosophies.

What a fine (read: lousy) howdoyoudo.

They've proven (many times over) themselves worthy of the highest respect.

I'm disgusted.

[og]

Show me someone who makes disparaging comments about the DuToits. I haven't opened up any whoopass for a very long time.

They'll be back. And we'll be here.

[Rivrdog]

Jim, I can't fathom your take on this. Are you saying that those who read the site without offering a substantial contribution to it are scum?

I have a substantial income, but if I had to contribute substantially to every blog I read, I wouldn't read any, because the total would bankrupt me.

I have contributed to Kim and his causes, and I stand ready (read MY blog-post on this) to form a partnership to take over his site, WITH HIS PERMISSION AND BLESSING, IF HE AGREES.

Also, if Kim wanted to blog as an occupation, I'm sure he would have told us that. The inclusion on his blog of a PayPal tip-jar was, as I saw it, an effort to recover some of the expense of blogging, not to support him, his family and his lifestyle.

I don't have a tip-jar precisely because I don't want those entanglements (and because PayPal is a crime-magnet).

[Jim]

Rivrdog,

I don't know where your getting that I infered that non or light-contributing readers of Kim's site are scum? Were such the case, I'd be chief among scum. I'd be floating at the top o' the pond, in fact.

Seems like you're kind of in the scummy race with me though. Puts me in good company.

What I was refering to was a commenter at another blog, one I shall not name out of deference to it's honorable author(s).

But a couple commenters there lamented both the manner of Kim's having taken leave, and expressed ire at having contributed to Kim's tipjar, that he/they felt less-than-pleased that Kim had accepted said contributions yet disappeared without a proper explanation, of sorts.

Though perhaps cryptic, this is as close as I care to identify the site and/or commenters.

Suffice that my rant serves notice that I won't countenence petty guttersniping towards Kim or Connie, ever, and especially not now,in the face of adversity.

MoK. Pink Fluffy Bunnies everywhere give thanks. /cryptic

Jim
Sloop New Dawn
Galveston, TX

[Jay G]

"Show me someone who makes disparaging comments about the DuToits. I haven't opened up any whoopass for a very long time."

I'll make that a tag-team, og.

[homebru]

The interesting part of this episode is that the tunnel-visioned maroons who ordered the defenestration of Kim's site probably think that they own him lock, stock, and barrel.

Somehow, I doubt that Kim would sign either a contract of perpetual servitude or eternal silence. Which means that, sooner or later, the truth will out. And somewhere in the blogosphere, there will be a friend of Kim in a position to cancel a contract or call due a note, demand COD terms, or just decide that "I'm just too busy to order the parts to fix your broken air conditioner today. Maybe next week."

Payback can be a bitch. Maybe even a pack.

[TheWizard]

"Show me someone who makes disparaging comments about the DuToits. I haven't opened up any whoopass for a very long time."

"I'll make that a tag-team, og."
Jay, I want in on a piece of that action too, as Jim said Kim is a great man i think he deserves as much respect, he has put up with more flak than i ever could have. Kim is a much better man than i am and i am not ashamed to say it.

[Bruce Edwards]

Everybody seems to be jumping to conclusions without enough data. I have been a more or less daily reader of Kims site for the past couple years. Now maybe Chris or Jim know enough about Kims reasons and/or the pressures that may have been brought to bear on him, but that information has not been made public. Kim may simply have needed as much cash on hand to finance a move out of state. He did say the new job would not be in Texas afterall.
Personally I wish Kim and Connie the best and offer my support in their endeavors. I hope to be reading them soon.
I will be reading the extended family that makes up the NoR for any new info on Kim etal.

[toad]

I got mad at Kim a while back for what I thought were disparaging remarks about the US. But I didn't know the full story at the time of it. Frankly I'm surprised that anyone is surprised that they had to shut down the site. I got more entertainment from the site than I ever put in as far as money goes. Yep I'll miss it but nothing is forever and Kim and the Mrs. are like everyone else, you have to survive first.

[Dana]

It is impossible for me to think that someone who contributes to a cause sincrely feels that something should be returned to them. In that case, it is not a contribution, but a loan of sorts. What my family would call an "Indian giver."

Blogging isn't a cheap hobby. It takes both time and money to keep a blog rolling. To think that because you have contributed some funds here and there gives you part ownership...part say so, is incredulous.

How anyone handles their own blog is their own business. It's their time, their money, their sweat. I am baffled by those who feel that ridicule of Mr. du Toit is warranted. But then again, there are fewer good people in this world anymore.

I have one word: karma.

[Starhawk]

Jim,
I was surprised when I tried to get on Kim's site today and was going to email him when my email starts working again and then I came here and saw this. I am very sadded to see his voice leave the blogosphere. I didn't know him very well but the trip to his home last year was one of the highlights of last year. I have the utmost respect for him and Connie and I am sure that the reason for his site disappearing will come out in due time. I just hope I am able to regain contact with them in some way because they are two of the finest people I have met in the past few years and I will be pleased to defend them on any day of the week. It is rare when you meet rare people and I hope this is not the last we or I have heard of them.

[MorningGlory]

I'm very confident that The Clan duToit will be back. At the very least, when they get settled in wherever it is that they're going, Kim and/or Connie will pipe up on this or another NoR Family blog, and let us know that they're well and that life is going on.

I am a little distressed at the number of people who are presuming that Kim was somehow forced to take down his site. The Kim I think I know would not allow that to happen. His First Amendment rights are just as dear to him as his Second.

He'll be back, and we'll be waiting to welcome him.

-MG-

[Moriarty]

The sad reality is that when you give away a valuable service in a the spirit of generosity, there will always be those who come to view it as an entitlement and carp endlessly when the service is withdrawn.

Kim blogged as a hobby and set up the NoR as a public service. While I don't know about their finances, I strongly suspect Kim and Connie could easily have used their talents and time spent blogging to make much more money elsewhere. My limited understanding is that, for very good reasons, they've had to abruptly step back for an indefinite period.

Anyone who finds this situation offensive needs to STFU, get their own blog and do better. (Lotsa luck.) You got innumerable free lunches - now it's your turn to cater. As for the rest of us, I'm sure we'll find a way to keep the discussion and the ideas flowing. We owe Kim that much, at least.

[David R. Block]

The only thing I know is that I obviously missed the memo. I knew there were financial issues to be addressed, but the sudden disappearance is uncharacteristic of past hiatus times and even the total disappearance of Connie's site for a while.

[Sam]

I've never met Kim or Connie, but through reading their posts and essays, feel that I have some clue as to their measure. I think it unlikely that I'll ever meet two more honest and principled human beings.

Sure, it sucks that Kim's site isn't up any more. He'll have a good reason, and that sucks even more, because Kim doesn't deserve the sort of thing which would make him close his site.

You have to play the hand you're dealt, and make the best of it. Those that know Kim and Connie personally have assured us that the family is OK. If Kim and Connie need assistance of any kind, those friends know how to find the rest of us. Probably all they need is space to breathe and time to regroup, and concentrate on other things.

[mt]

I can't believe (and have not seen) people are making snarky comments about Kim shutting down. Sure, it was abrupt, but I'm positive he would have done it differently if able. And if not, so what, his site/his rules.

[Cythen]

Damn, and my fiance and I thought it was my ISP crapping on us. We were just worried, I figured that with the startup of his new business and working and all, the site had to take a back seat. I look forward to his re-emergence, should it happen. :)

[John in Longview]

I think I might have jinxed the NOR. I finally got around to buying a rifle and was going to check the NOR forums to see which version of a Mark 4 No 1 I should purchase and "Poof", the site is down. :-(
I'll fire off some .303 in your honor, Kim, Connie, and Jim, once the rifle arrives. Are his PayPal addresses still valid?

[Chris Blake]

Ever since I discovered Kim and Connie, I've been to their site a couple times a week. I tried to go on and nada mas! To whoever may read this that knows them, please pass on my deepest respect and sorrow. Hey, if you want to give them my email, feel free. This man, and his wife, have shown me someone worthy of respect. I'm retired military, and extremely impressed by this citizen. I'm one of those who takes the "citizen or civilian" (Starship Troopers) concept very seriously. Again, pass on my personal salute, given in the truest fashion intended.