O.K. Here is what I wrote, and got reluctant approval from Punky to post:
I happen to know this guy, as well as several members of that camp. I've even been there a few times. Most of the guys who decided to move on were older, retired and on fixed incomes.
Being neutral, I can see both sides of the coin. Most of you couldn't have been more wrong about who he is or what his motivation was, though if I were you I would have jumped to the exact same conclusions!
With regards to who he is, he supported Trump and as long as I've known him he has been conservative in all his views. He admitted to me that he would not have been inclined to give to his own cause had he read it here either, when I reversed the scenario.
All that aside, I have known him to be the perfect example of compassionate conservativism. He would be the first person to come to the aid of another in need, as I have seen this in him over the past 15 years plus that I have known him. As for what motivated him to do this? I can't say, other than I know he wasn't doing it for himself as he has always paid his own way and often said no thanks to help from others. If I had to guess, I would say he was trying to help his brother and did a poor job perhaps of communicating the situation in the process.
Now this message is not meant to chide anyone for their comments, nor to justify what was done, but knowing him as I do, I felt it was proper to give you all the rest of the story. Again I would have been inclined to respond in much the same way as many of you did! As to his character? A good and godly man, a passionate outdoorsman, conservationist, and steady solid friend who any of us would be honored to know. So this request would appear to be very much out of character for him.
Yet if any of us were closer to the situation we all, certainly him, would be quick to help. And darned if he hasn't gotten some money at go fund me! Yet those who are closer to the situation, and know him and his character have given. Others, including former camp members are offering to help as well.
Again, not to justify or elicit sympathy, but like Paul Harvey used to say, i wanted to share, "the rest of the story." For me, who, given the circumstances, would have responded exactly as most of you did. Yet knowing more, I learned a valuable lesson from this. I saw that many of you were quick to judge, but also quick to offer helpful advice as well. Those who didn't, I believe would have also offered sound advice, had we not read his follow up messages as "ballzy" (a word I too thought had I not known the man).
My take away is, take the time to try and better understand where the person is coming from. This is a process that I have been learning as I ask folks I know little about to share their story. I am amazed at what folks are actually going through.
His take away perhaps is to consider a bit longer the advice of a friend who cautions that it won't come across well. And for you guys? Maybe there is no take away from this...or perhaps maybe there is!
Our nation is badly divided and both sides are sure they understand and know the motivations of the other. I couldn't vote for Hillary, for example, and didn't vote for Trump, but did vote for Pence and with reservation his running mate (Trump). Now if they can do half of what they promised, great. But it is going to take all we have to help them by stopping the burning of bridges and starting to re-build them by both better understanding the other side of the story and better explaining our position as well.
All in all this is a great site, with great folks, and I look forward to spending some quality time here. Hopefully my first post is well taken and both Punky and I are still welcome here? Thanks for the time and consideration you have given me, and please take the opportunity to get to know Punky Hollow as his outdoors history is long and rich, going back generations and it covers states, nations and continents! Alaska and South America are but two of them.