Are We Doing Each Other A Favor By Not Calling A Spade?

Fifia, the original post was here:

https://goscf.com/t/21112#21112

Oh crap, my cut and paste messed up - I have corrected it

I was just checking the Last 100 Active and came across
The Holocaust stamp collection.
This is another example of how to deal with topics. Reading the article (copied part below). As a German citizen (I am on my fourth Greencard), born in 1945, I honestly can say I had nothing to do with the Holocaust. Fast forward, today I am a stamp collector by
accident. I inherited all these stamps, albums and boxes. I started
dibbling with it and found myself liking what I was doing. Now I have
thrown out stamps, not because of disregard to Holocaust victims,
I have thrown things out because of simply missing perfs....

...and here is a dilemma. I have some nice German stamps, lots of them. I cannot, and as I think about it, I will or would not donate them to the school in Foxbury.

...but what is more important to me is from now on everytime I throw out a stamp, I think about a Holocaust victim. Maybe not such a bad
thing. But I think to tie stamp collecting/throwing away stamps to Holocaust victims will be with me for a while.

Today 40 people died in the streets of this modern world. Nobody collects stamps for them.

Reaction in a situation, unless it is life saving is never a good thing. Anyway....no more popcorn for today.

Why is Foxborough Regional Charter School collecting STAMPS?

Each stamp that is collected symbolizes one wasted life, "thrown away" as having no value, much the same way as an envelope bearing a cancelled stamp postage stamp is tossed in the trash.
To date, the kindergarten to grade 12 FRCS community has trimmed and counted 210,462 cancelled postage stamps, each one representing a single life lost during the Holocaust.
The students ask many thoughtful questions, not the least of which is "Why?" And they also wonder how our world might be different today "if" one of the slain 11 million… might have been the scientist to discover the cure for cancer?

Our goal is to honor the memories the 11 million Holocaust victims and to celebrate the lives of those who still survive today and bravely share their powerful personal memories and stories.

I corrected the link above

On that topic fifia I was actually taught in school (in the 1970's) that the Germans wasn't taught about that in Their schools? I being of German heritage couldn't believe that but never knew if I was accurate?

On the other topic, I would hope that if I mad an outright awful and overpriced purchase you would both tell me but not toatally beat be up over it so I guess there would have to be a "Happy Medium" in there as well I suppose but as the old old GI Joe cartoons always ended with- "knowledge is power!" lol

One can offer negative comment in a measured, temperate way. Some of the posts in the original thread were along those lines, and a very good thing, too. If the simple encouraging posts hadn't been balanced by them, newer, less experienced collectors could have been seriously misled. The greatest service SCF can perform is to educate.

Folks, I tend to offer my opinion regularly on US Classics that I know well-- and I try to say that I'm trying to help-- and I truly am.

Sometimes, it may come out differently. If it ever does, I hope someone will let me know.

I tend to be a little critical on those collectors who buy a few stamps at a garage sale, and ask "is this a 613" or "is this a 594/596"? It's nice if they are collecting and learning, but I need to learn how to have more patience with those who think they can make thousands of dollars on what they just purchased.

Actually, with a GOOD story on Daryl-- he beat me out on a US #85 from Mike McClung a few months ago-- and I've studied Mike's work extensively on the A25, 1861 3c stamp (and I REALLY WANTED his #85). The 85 Darryl got may have been the best bargain he has ever bought (but I know he thinks his 64b was!) So what did I do, I bought an 85, but it has a couple of small faults-- for about what Daryl paid for his sound copy. He may have overpaid on the #191, but DEFINITELY DID NOT overpay on the 85-- Bargain!

I think that folks who buy on ebay, and look for "great deals" are mostly going to get what they pay for, and sometimes less. I tend to be a bottom feeder on eBay-- I buy what I can afford, and look for bargains. I've found a few, but mostly get what I pay for. I see that some of Darryl's purchases are similar, and we are both "beginner to medium" US Classic collectors, trying to learn all we can.

What is GREAT about this board, and VSC, is when members like Daryl put their purchases out there with words like-- "look what I just bought" or "what do you think". Daryl puts himself on the line every time, and I RESPECT HIM GREATLY for that! Everyone that reads the thread learns from his posts.

Thanks to all-- great thread. Ray

Thanks Bee See, I will check before I go to bed.
I went on the Internet for an explanation of 'calling a spade':

To call something a spade:
Meaning:
To speak plainly - to describe something as it really is.

The $ 380.-- purchase of a stamp and my example of the Foxbury school
project (I will post my two cents on the Holocaust thread later) were examples to the topic. At least that is the way I understand this thread.
How honest should we be in our dealings with each other? How much does responsibilty play a role in our Forum relations?
I think it all comes down to who we are, what we stand for and what we believe is worth fighting for. To be free to share what one believes, good or bad, is for me a reason to be here. Everybody who reads my postings has a right to comment and express ones views.
I get over it....
the beauty of age is the second time is not as bad as the first!
...and on this note more

May I congratulate 'Stampvirgin' for being an excellent team player and showing immense maturity in this discussion, the type of human anyone can be good friends with.

My maximum admiration and respect for this SCF fellow member.

a few months ago, I found in my mothers stash pile, an early canada maybe 9 or 16...and asked about it. In here the comments were complimentary.....in VSC..i got a lot of...."burn it"...or "put it out of it's misery", or"i only collect MNH"...to me ...it's more than a space filler...to them , it was fodder for rudeness and disrespect.....maybe im wrong

I do believe you might be wrong. The People that hang out on the "Experts Opinion" over at VSC really are some of the best minds in the World when it comes to US Classics. Your point fits exactly into the purpose of this thread, do not take it personally if someone tells you that you probably paid too much on a certain item or if your Flea Market Stamp collection is actually only worth $10. Honesty always has been and always will be the best policy.

I agree totally.........but there was zero diplomacy from one guy....
just struck me the wrong way

There is knowing your stuff, being an expert, having the experience and then there is having friendship skills also. You can have both but not everyone does on every day.

i appreciate ray.macs post..being a stamp collector of average means..i have to be honest I have always been afraid of collecting United States stamps...the price spread is too immense for me..i have a used copy of U.S. scott #90 which catalogs roughly 400 dollars..it is a heavy cancel..it looks like Washington is looking through a peep hole...i told a U.S. collector that I was thinking of selling it on ebay...he told me exactly what it would bring...$14 or 15 dollars with that cancel..and yet I see almost similar stamps in the APS circuit books for 10 times that amount..of course they are still in the books...i decided that I would keep the stamp in my album rather than let it go for a couple of percent of catalog !