I will admit, and apologize, I fell into the trap. The original post was like someone with thumbs in their ears wagging their fingers and going "na na na na na na naaaa". Well the response then is "Oh yea, well take this". Two little kids doing battle. That was the only way I could interpret the need for him to post which was childish, and quite frankly my response was also. He could have simply folded his club which would have proved his point without the need to try to evoke a response on a public forum.
One of my female friends chides me saying men can have a fight and 30 minutes later be drinking a beer together. well I hope that's the case here.
I value all woodturners, and woodworkers,and carvers and I think I prove that daily with my efforts to educate fellow woodworkers.
Some people simply don't want to be active club members and certainly not to join the national group. It's a fact of life. Still I welcome them to the fold however active or inactive they might be.
I try to look at the bigger picture. I've seen how the growth in the AAW has affected the availability of tools, lathes, chucks, and turning videos and books.
John, point well taken.