... >> In the drug world ..., those who manufacture and
>> push the product are as guilty as those who sell it.

... is invalid, Archie. Assuming that your reference is to the illegal drug trade (as opposed to otherwise legal drugs being sold without prescriptions), there is no comparison between the drugs (inherently illegal) and the non-genuine brass cores (not inherently illegal).

A better analogy would be to guns, which are not inherently illegal, but which can be put to illegal use. Blaming David Whalen for the fraudulent sale of a non-genuine brass core is like blaming the gun manufacturers when some thug commits a robbery using a gun -- blame which is illogical.

>> In my humble layman's opinion, if were not for David Whelen
>> (who admits to making misleading non-genuine chips of bogus
>> colors for others to sell in our hobby as genuine) ...

David has admitted nothing of the sort. Had he made such an admission, I would have recommended sanctions against him, too. Had there been any evidence that he made bogus chips for others to sell as real, admitted or not, I would have recommended sanctions against him. Not only was there no such evidence or admission, even Mel's statements exonerated David of any such implication.

>> .... THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO BRASS CORE MESS.

If you really mean that there would have been no "brass core mess" had David not produced the non-genuine chips, regardless of his intent, you are, at best, only partially correct. As indicated in the brass core report, there were at least two others and perhaps more who were also producing these chips.

>> David Whelen has wreaked havoc in our organization ...

Actually, he did nothing of the sort. Havoc was wreaked on our hobby by those who fraudulently sold these chips by misrepresenting their nature. One of the responsible individuals has been expelled. Others, apparently, are going to get away with it. Still others -- well, at least one other -- who could have assisted in the investigation, essentially refused to do so and, apparently, nothing is going to be done about that, either.

>> ... and I for one personally hope that he is banned from joining the club forever.

I believe in accepting (and assigning) blame when it is due. But, even if you are 100% correct that there would have been no "brass core mess" if David hadn't made his chips, that would still not justify his banishment from the club because what he did was not a violation of the club's rules.

>> I have only one response Jim .... and I'm not going to
>> spend the next several days rebutting your rebuttals.

Of course, you can respond or not, as you see fit, Archie. I must say, however, that I am always somewhat disappointed by this kind of attitude, which implies, "I've had my say and I'm not interested in what you have to say." Sort of a philosophical hit and run, if you will.

----- jim o\-S