[OP] Tradewinds II Rumors

[Pharaoh 6]

So now it begins…..

TWII has been officially postponed as John and I either re-engage the Parks Service to use Fort Worden at a later date or start from scratch and search for a new AO. In the meantime we are getting unconfirmed reports that members of the PNW airsoft community may have been purposefully undermining this event with the intention of ensuring it doesn’t happen. I don’t know who these people are or what, if anything, was done to undermine the event. Right now they are rumors.

What I do know is that I met with the Head Park Ranger last Friday and everything was good to go, including the permit. Then on Monday I received a call from him stating the event was off. The explanation given was out of character and did not seem in line with everything I heard and experienced the week prior. I think someone above him pulled the plug based on these rumors we are now hearing.

My intent here is to treat the PNW airsoft community as family with all of its great relationships and great dysfunctions (and I own part of those dysfunctions). Whether we agree with one player or team’s style of play, version of MILSIM or choice of gear does not matter in the end. We are all in the same family. Many members of this family are excited to experience LC events that can be financially out of reach for them due to the additional costs of travel. Many wanted another level of play. Most of us are looking for the next thing. It was my plan to deliver.

If the rumors are true and there are players, teams or groups of people out there who set out to undermine this, then I am calling you to the mat. It is one thing to voice your opinion publically or in private about John Lu and his events. It is a whole new level to go out of your way to undermine an entire event and ruin a great experience for the rest of the family. One person, team or group does not speak for the community as a whole. The community speaks for the community as a whole by either attending or not attending these events.

If you are the person or one of these people who has done this then I am calling you to own that and reveal yourself to me. You don’t need to publicly shout out your name, but I would ask that you contact me directly and privately. I will not reveal your identity to anyone, but I would like to talk with you and discuss your specific issue and find a better way to deal with this than to shut down an entire event. If you are brave enough to undermine the event then you should be brave enough to have a one on one conversation with me to work through this. Don’t let your personal opinion or feelings speak for the community as a whole.

I can be reached confidentially at analoglife@comcast.net.

Erik Hickly
Chief of Staff

[Matt]

Say it aint so! The venue seemed pretty particular about Airsoft - said we can't even use ThunderB grenades because it might scare wildlife, and restricting us all to semi-auto everywhere so we shoot less BBs (means no SAWs at all). The game was getting less and less appealing with every restriction, you dodged a bullet IMO. Sounds like a high-maintenance venue is the problem here. While some folks may have called (Alex admitted he did), I doubt anybody intentionally sabotaged the event. It seems like they were reluctant about Airsoft from the get-go.

But I was going to be on vacation anyway, so I'm glad that when this does finally happen I can actually attend. I think I just provided motive. IT WAS ME!!! Nah, just kidding, I've got better things to do.

[Heretic]

Yup, Alex did call 2+ months ago. I was there all 3 times. He asked if there was and event at said dates (I'm sorry, can't recall the dates because it changed once in between calls) and they said they were "unaware of any event taking place." End of conversation(s).

I highly doubt anyone intently destroyed your event.

Liked to see it go by the wayside? Sure, every event has those.

Are some gloating because they predicted it would get upsidedown up? (LC w/ GMR, Route 66 and some even say TW I)

Yes.

*Edited for my shitty grammar n shit.*

[Osmo]

What evidence do you have to back up these "unconfirmed reports?" There's no value to speculating or making accusations without more information. At this point, it seems more plausible that internal problems within Ft. Worden were to blame.

[Variable]

I'm going to lock this for now unless something new comes to light. Let's keep civil and not point fingers or witch hunt.