[DeTomaso] Dear Boyd - was Rookie needs help

[boyd casey]

Dear Larry and other interested members,
I want to preface this by saying I like Mike drew, he is a wonderful person,
he has personally helped me on more occasions then I can count. I know he
dedicates a very substantial part of his time and resources to helping other
Pantera owners in some cases the heirs of deceased Pantera owners who are in
a real bind and completely clueless and Mike has helped them to either get
the car to a saleable point to provide much needed funds for the family or
to allow to car to be passed on to a child of the deceased owner as a
memorial to a lost father. All wonderful deeds and not the actions of a
person that doesn’t care about other people. That is the main reason I am
making my views on this public. The origins of this discussion were on the
open forum as well as the letter from Larry otherwise I would have responded
of the list.  I don’t think Mike is intentionally hurting peoples feelings
and I wouldn’t waste my time if I thought he didn’t care if he was hurting
people. The idea that his actions have hurt people is NOT AN OPINION I have
been contacted by several people who have expressed their feelings and
experiences to me. Some have stated that they were reluctant to post a
question due to their fear of being ridiculed or criticized. . In my opinion
Mike is unaware of the effect his actions have had on these people.
My point was not to judge Mikes opinion only to point out that he has a
habit of presenting his opinions as statements of fact. I don't believe that
doing a burn out on a green is appropriate behavior no matter what kind of
car a person is driving, like wise urinating on someone’s Ferrari is also
inappropriate but again has very little if anything to do with the kind of
car the person was driving. Mike is a great guy. I know he goes out of his
way to help people all the time. You may share or agree with his opinions
(some of them or all of them) My problem is not with Mikes opinions , and
not with him voicing or sharing his opinions, my problem is with has lack of
sensitivity to other peoples feelings and his lack of respect for other
peoples opinions. If he doesn’t like the fact that I put 18 " wheels on the
front of my car and 19" wheel s on the rear he is entitled to his opinion
and he is entitled to share his opinion. I personally don't care to hear
that he thinks it will make my car look like a Ghetto master or something to
that effect. I can't quote his exact comment because I threw it away as soon
as I received it. Opinions are opinions and facts are facts and unless you
are Adolph Hitler your opinions remain opinions NOT FACTS! My opinion is
that if someone doesn’t have something constructive or helpful  too say then
don't say anything. Or say I don't care for that. Don't make disparaging
remarks about the people who have ideas or taste that is different then
yours. The news papers have a page that is dedicated to items that are not
news ( the news  is supposed to contain only factual reporting) it is called
the editorial page. If Mike would say I personally don't care for cats eye
lights or larger wheels and reiterate that this is his personal opinion
instead of making comments to the effect that people who have altered their
cars in a way’s not to his liking are knuckle draggers, trailer trash,
Ghetto masters ( which is also racially disparaging) buffoons ( the list
goes on). Don't bother to tell me he was referring to peoples behavior
because he has made either the same or similar comments based on peoples
choices in modifying their cars. Don't tell me he is talking about the
quality of work. Some of the cars have been modified by the best pantera
shops around. This is supposed to be a forum for sharing ideas and
information about Detomaso cars . It is not a soap box to support or promote
one persons ideas of what a Pantera should or should not be. This country is
based on the freedom to express yourself and your ideas and not to stifle
the creativity of others. Maybe we should establish  different categories
like one people who only like 100% stock cars, then one for people who like
cars that are modified as long as they look stock, and then one for people
who like cars that are modified from narrow bodies to wide bodies because
they think all Pantera should have flares. And we could have a category for
people who only believe in modifications that make the car faster, or safer,
have rear wings. It doesn’t sound very practical. How about one where we can
all make fun of the people who’s cars don’t meet Mikes standards? To me the
diversity in what people have done with the Pantera is one of the most
appealing things about it. It provides a platform that allows for a wide
range of modifications and an unlimited opportunity for creative expression.
I see plenty of cars that I don't personally care for. That doesn’t give me
the right to personally attack or belittle the owner. If Mike weren't such a
prominent member of the Pantera community it wouldn't be such a big deal.
But as a member of the Pantera community that has so much exposure and
serves as an example of an American Pantera owner in the International
Pantera community he has an even greater responsibility to show tolerance
and to keep an open mind and perhaps a closed moth when dealing with his
OPINIONS of other peoples taste and choices. I have been guilty of this at
time s in my life but I was given this bit of advice “ Make sure brain is
engaged before putting mouth in gear.”

Boyd

On Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 12:55 PM, <fresnofinches at aol.com> wrote:

>
>
>
>  Dear Boyd,
>
> You wrote:
> ....The article you wrote last month .....
>
> and you were referencing Mike Drew's most recent "From The Driver's Seat"
> column,
> which you took some intense exception to.
>
> I on the other hand found Mike's viewpoint to be right-on!
>
> Part of Mike's column discussed the knuckle-dragger contingent of our
> group.
>
> Boyd, perhaps if you had Mike's history of viewing hundreds (thousands?) of
> Panteras, or even my
> nine year's worth, you would better understand what Mike was referring to.
>
> There are some Panteras out there with such unsafe, thoroughly
> under-designed, and BUTT-UGLY, modifications
> that they would make some of the current Rat Rods look like Pebble Beach
> material.
>
> As for some Pantera owners' behavior, I wish you could have been at this
> year's Concorso Italiano to witness
> the exiting Pantera perform its golf course burnout. Yes, true class.
>
> Agreed, Mike is a bit biased to the more stock looking car. His choice. And
> mine.
>
> But the gist of his column was, as usual, worthy of endorsement.
>
> Larry
>
>
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