Addicted to Forums? Do what I did.

After more than 10 years as a member of the collector website www.wehrmacht-awards.com, I called it quits in a letter to the owner, Sebastian Bianchi.  Higher-ups at the website moved quickly to cover their tracks by expelling me after the fact.  Oh well, I guess I had it coming, or did I?  What was behind my decision to leave many friends and colleagues?

To answer that question, first ask yourself why a dealer with a transferrable lifetime guarantee of authenticity is pilloried as a villain.  Or try to figure out why a dealer with thousands of verifiable sales under his belt and not ONE SINGLE customer "left holding the bag" after a fake item was sold to him, is considered "dangerous" to do business with.  Or why an author of three peer-reviewed books on various collecting subjects is continually branded ignorant.  Or finally, why the most collector-friendly auction on the planet for military collectibles is considered collector enemy #1 by a small but vocal crowd?

It reminds me of the scene in Monty Python's "Holy Grail" where the townsfolk have captured a young woman, taped a carrot nose on her face to make her look more "witch-y" and are crying for her burning.  In one scene, John Cleese answers the constable's question "How do you know she's a witch" to which he answers, "Uh, well, she turned me into a newt, but, uh, I got better."

It is true ... there is a small but vocal crowd who seem to run things at "WAF" who act like playground bullies picking on the flavor of the moment, which on and off for the past 10 years, has been me.  It's a popularity contest where people addicted to the narrative that I'm somehow a "bad person" are given virtual free-reign to character-assasinate.  Void of facts, they are reduced to rumor-mongering.   Though my record is clearly outstanding, my motives are questioned, and the hatred boils over into strange scenes that remind me of the rabid rage you might find at a lynching.

The leadership is not innocent either.  They do not stand on principle but relish in their power to censor.  Several years ago they "voted" to remove me as an advertiser on the forum, to the chagrin of Bianchi, who told me in a letter that he just couldn't figure out why so many people were "out to get me."  And after my resignation, they branded me "expelled" (I have the emails to prove I resigned well in advance of my expulsion).  It might interest people to know that after I was expelled as an advertiser, Bianchi let me secretly donate to the website to the tune of $500 a year, in exchange for a "personal moderator."  The guy did a heroic job, and in his defense, tried to stay objective.  He's a friend, and I would never "out" him because his fellow-moderators would EAT HIM ALIVE.

Frankly, I'd love to see how huge the empty hole in people's lives would be, if "WAF" ceased to exist.  Something tells me that they'd suddenly find themselves with a lot of free, lonely time, with no internet friends to keep them company.  If you're an active member, ask yourself how much of your life is taken up by thinking about your online life at WAF and other forums?  Are conversations on your mind 24 hours a day, and do you get an emotional rush by writing something, and then watching for people's reaction?  If you are, you may be addicted to forums!  Google it if you dare ... there are actually forums dedicated to forum addiction!

But why did I resign?  Simply put ... I would rather spend time with my family, free of thoughts of "what I'm going to say to so-and-so."  In short, WAF became a waste of time for me.  I love my wife and my son, and spending time with them, free of stress caused by internet bullies who hide behind childish monikers, is enough reason to have quit.  In addition, I would rather focus on continuing to be the best dealer I can be, enjoying commerce with collectors who know the truth about me (ironically, it's a very broad-based group that vote continuously with their dollars because they know I'm good at what I do).  Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of great people on WAF, but their voice is often too small, and their patience too short, to become embroiled in one of the "witch hunts of the week."

There was a time where the attention was good for business.  People would read these witch-hunt threads, and then go to my website to see what all the fuss was about.  And they'd see hundreds of peer-reviewed authentic artifacts, accurately described, with a lifetime guarantee behind them.  It still happens daily ... guys come to me amazed that the feeding-frenzies on WAF are still going strong.  But the truth is, I don't need it anymore.  I'm popular enough, and people know enough about my sterling record.  Sure, a few people may "get the message" that the Gottlieb-haters love to preach, but oh well.  It's their loss.

I am happier now that I'm not a member, I'm free of the incessant "so-and-so has replied to your topic" emails that kept me coming back for more abuse.  Ironically, I hear that the conversations continue even now that I'm gone.  They're still the LONGEST threads on the forum.  Of course, I can't defend myself anymore.  But guess what?  I don't care.