Dear Cindy - There is no question that a first impression of argumentative and frequently irresponsible commentary by a select few can color the entire perseption of the members of this hobby. Kitty Stoops is correct in her statement that some of these invidivual loose cannons do not constitute the majority of those who enjoy the hobby and who contribute to the knowledge of others.
Do not be discouraged by all that you might read, the vast majority of the people in this hobby are sincere and have collector's best interests at heart. A good thing to remember is that if you have to wrestle a pig in the mud, the pig enjoys it. Also I find that some postings confirm Franklin's sage advice - "It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak up and remove all doubt." If we the members of this hobby do not like some of the posts, we should respond to those who degrade our image. Cindy - thank you for your question and Kitty - thank you for standing up for many of us.