I still don't understand why it's offensive (why are so many things considered "offensive" these days? Isn't that one of our problems? People being "offended" by so many things?) and I certainly don't understand why it's scary. It's somebody's hobby. It's not illegal, immoral, or fattening.

Maybe he'd be "offended" by the hobbies of some on this thread.

suzieque, It's a GUESS, but it's probably a sensitive issue A) to someone who has been on the receiving end of an irresponsible gun owner, and B) in this climate. We're all just gun weary these days with people dying for no good reason, and the fight to figure out how to end the shootings. It's merely your hobby in the limelight right now. It's not about responsible gun owners. We all understand those folks, and can appreciate their right to own a weapon.

Not a photo I would use, but I don't see a problem with it. I wouldn't censor it.

Thanks, Rob. I don't disagree with you and completely understand Rhizo's comments; she said that she has been affected. I completely get that sensitivity and am sorry for the impact upon her.

I'm changing my previous view on this.

I looked at his home page, and the picture is larger. Yes, he's aiming at something.......maybe a target?? But the whole thing is too casual, as if he doesn't really care. Is he aiming at a bulls-eye, a squirrel, a neighbour's dog? I don't like it. So I'm against him using that as his profile pic.

Obviously not everyone will agree, that's the great thing about this country. But holy crap, what a slippery slope we could head down over profile pics. Because you can't SEE what he's aiming at he's not responsible, he doesn't really care?

So if a homosexual couple posts their wedding pic, are people against gay marriage allowed to be "offended"? What about pics of your babies sitting in the bathtub....is that going to be kiddie porn? Animals outside in the snow.....animal abuse? Fishing pics......you killed a fish?

Do people boast or talk with a swagger about their new bridge table? Or fishing rod? Ever hear someone say "If so and so person ever tries to come to my house and confront me, I'm going to hit them with my newest Harry Potter book and also my ping pong paddle"? No. Guns give meek people cojones, that's the danger, and having them in households increases exponentially the likelihood that another member of the household, a neighbor, or a friend will be shot.

There are too many of them around. I believe there should be no censorship, but if some little weasel thinks such a picture impresses anyone or shows an anonymous forum how brave they are, I'll speak up. And I'll argue all day with anyone who offers the spurious suggestion that the 2nd Amendment allows them to keep an arsenal in their homes.

I just find it a bit odd that it's a brand new member (1 post) and funny the plant is a deadly poisonous plant that has been used to kill people.

Has anyone posted a comment/question directly to him asking the significance of the profile pic on such a non-violent forum as a Botany? Who knows, maybe he's practicing in what he perceives to be a representation of a jungle, and he's the mighty hunter, LOL. Personally, I prefer that the Garden Web didn't have any profile pictures, period.

very perceptive of you , a-girl.

My MIL (may she rest in peace) had a bucket list. And one thing on that bucket list was to fire a handgun. I took her to the range and snapped a photo of her firing. She was all smiles. Some family members got upset about it, but it was her day and her bucket list wish. She didn't hurt anybody and I viewed anyone who got offended as having their personal issue or fear. There was no way I was going to make their issue her issue.

Maybe he's taking out all of the invasive/poisonous plants. I too noticed that he's only make a couple of posts.

Justlinda, don't you like my little happy guy profile pic?

So Snidely, only tall or big guys can legitimately buy large trucks? Shorter men or women can't possibly need a full sized truck for their personal use? They must only buy the little trucks? Wow. I'm 5'4" and drive an SUV. No matter that I can fill it up with one trip to the feed store, I guess I should be in a compact car so I don't look like I'm overcompensating for my height. What a hoot!

i have no problem with the guy's shooting stance/hobby photo.

Squirt + Gun = Squirtgun? Maybe he's got Roundup in that thing!

OK. Now I've seen it all. Somebody doesn't like a profile photo and is running to the hall monitor/principal's office to tattle.

LMAO.

I don't like ArkansasGirl's photo, because I don't like dogs. I was bitten (in the face) by a dog not long ago, so I guess I'll report her. /sarcasm LOL

The page is gone now

It's there on another forum Audrey, gun photo and all. I showed it to DH just now and he had several things to say, most of them negative as I expected.

So PC. Pffft.

Some people are afraid of dogs. I guess I better not use my Rottie as a profile pic. BTW my profile pic is of a blue ringed octopus. Deadly. If you fear the ocean sorry about that. Maybe I'll change it to a mantis shrimp. You know the violence and all that. Or this. LOL

Taking gun violence, for which this picture stands, lightly is why there are so many shootings.

I don't believe a single one of us takes gun violence lightly, and I think your statement is an insult to the intelligence of everyone here. I'm amazed at how much some of you have been able to ascertain from one tiny photo.

Is this really about a picture of a gun or just another attempt at running the board?

This picture stands for gun violence? Seriously? <steps away, shaking her head in disbelief...>

Wow. What really bothers me is the responses to the OP when clearly she is troubled in a personal way by gun violence. There's too little empathy in this world.

rhizo - I'm glad you felt a bit calmer after getting a few responses.

I hate guns. And I hate sharks.

Mammie, how can you think that Rhizo runs the board? She has never said or done anything to have anyone think otherwise. You said "another attempt". I've never seen any attempt.

Empathy means we've experienced it. Sympathy is more available. I can't be empathetic because I've not personally experienced any gun violence or impact because of it. But I can certainly be sympathetic to those who have, and I am, Rhizo included (as I mentioned above).

Folks - guns aren't the problem ....

Here we go.....there are zero ways to prevent shootings as there are zero ways to check all buyers' mental health and motives. People, we don't all think alike and it's unfair to poo-poo others' opinions.

Yikes.....overreaction runs amok and it's not from me! Let's be a little respectful, people!

Pretty soon someone will come along and say this belongs in Hot Topics ....

Rhizo, I am truly appreciative and sympathetic for your personal experiences with gun violence. IMO, we need stronger means with which to prevent criminals from accessing guns.

For empathy, you only need to have experienced something similar enough to be able to "put yourself in the other person's shoes". To say that someone that experienced a stabbing can only sympathize, rather than have empathy for, someone that was shot, because it was not the same weapon, is nonsense.

Since I don't know the event(s) that might have triggered rhizo's discomfort about the photo, I cannot say if that experience is similar, or very different, from the event(s) that make me uncomfortable. Even though the photo of a single-posting member would not have me notifying forum administrators, the lasting results of my experiences results in a reaction similar enough to that response, that I can empathize with the desire to do so.

The photo is still there, it's his id photo not a photo in a post. Like my dog to the left

For the record I had a concern with one of the home forum sites a number of months ago. I wrote a very nice letter to Houzz laying out the issue clearly and asking for some modifications or at least advice. To my disappointment I received a single sentence form letter back--the "thank you for your feedback; we will be sure to bring the matter to management's attention" kind. My experience is that the Houzz staff, whoever they are, don't really care.

sjerin

"Taking gun violence, for which this picture stands, lightly is why there are so many shootings."

I don't think not being worried about a mere picture is taking gun violence lightly.

Just for the record, I live 15 minutes from that school in Sandy Hook. One co-worker lost his daughter that day. I went over and spent volunteer time there on and off when I could do so, for around two months afterwards, taking time off from work to do so.

I seriously don't think his photo "stands" for gun violence. Photos are NOT guns, even when they depict guns. We can be "PC" all we want, but that solves Nothing.

Rhizo, you have been extremely gracious in thanking everyone for their posts. I don't know the regulars in KT, but it speaks to your good character. The others here, not so much.

I think part of what gave me the creeps about the image is that it is not a target practice photo op. The guy isn't wearing safety glasses or hearing protectors, the first of which is the absolute minimum safety gear for anyone practicing shooting of any kind.

Looks just too much like the "look at me" pictures found on the computers of offenders after the fact of a horrendous crime.

I'm not saying that the person in the picture is a nutcase ready to go on a killing spree, not at all. It's not even about him....but me.

It simply struck me as sinister in a very deja vu sort of way. Obviously, many of you don't agree and that's perfectly fine.

The other aspects are very personal, and have set me up to be extremely sensitive to needless demonstrations of firearm ownership.

I'll leave it at that.

He might just be the person who saves you when you make a stop at a gas station some day.

Yeah, yeah that's it - when there are a lot of people packing everywhere then gun violence is reduced. Just like in the Old West.

i don't even see a handgun!

I don't see a handgun either Marylmi. I think this is a cultural thing. They have a shooting (yes with guns) at our local small high school. The paper shows pics all the time of the kids and their guns. This is their first year for the sport. Some of the kids did very well this year. I see nothing wrong with this profile pic.

The image has been altered! What a great solution to the situation! His handgun is no longer in the frame.

Sooooooooo.......is this a win-win situation? For rhizo_1 because the gun is no longer in the frame, and to Billy Smith because he didn't give a hoot about what went on over on this board....yea to Billy Smith for not getting involved in the shenanigans.

"He might just be the person who saves you when you make a stop at a gas station "

So you think people frequently need to be "saved" at gas stations? I think that's a pretty extreme view - it's not something I've encountered in my 60 or so years of consciously being aware of when I was in a gas station. But if you think that's a real risk, buy an electric car! That way the gun toters can save someone else at the gas station.

I doubt that Billy ever knew about the 'shenanigans'. :-)

Just for fun: Back in the "old" days on this site, Spike ran it. If people complained about your post, he would often remove it. If you had too many violations, you were sent to Disney. That never happened to me, but apparently when the offender tried to get into GW/THS, s/he would be sent to the Disney website instead. (Back in those days, my handle was Colorcrazy.) Fun times.

Good memories! I was given a magic teacup ride at Disney once, but forget why. It was a 'language violation' of some sort, lol. Personal complaints were much more serious and Spike took them very seriously.

I met 'Spike' at a get together in the Chicago area. He was a young guy, and very fond of his GardenWeb family.

POW POW !! Yikes, now that the gun issue is resolved I hope no one posts their fireworks this year. Animals are terrified of them. Fires are rampant in many parts of the USA and Americas.

Oh, AND people are just downright judgmental and righteous with no reason or right to be. BOOM BOOM

Now that the firearm is hidden we can imagine all sorts of horrible things he's got in his, out of sight, extended hand. Maybe a bottle rocket pointed at someone/something, maybe something more horrifying. OOOOO Scary.

Watchme, don't you have some trivia answers to look up somewhere?

Why would this even be brought back to the top??? That's what spammers and trolls would do. It's old news, let's leave it that way.