God - here too? Spark's crap is spreading.
OK - have any of you ever met Mick Strider? Personally - as in, shook his hand and said "hi"? Have you talked to him? I would say for the majority of the people piling on here, and at BF, the answer would be "no". If you had, a LOT of you would dismiss this garbage for what it is - garbage. Everything going down now, and in the recent past is a sad attempt from individuals to smear the reputation of a good man, whom they're jealous and envious of. Does that sound petty and childish? Yes - because it is. I ask you guys - what purpose does dragging Mick's past into his and our present serve? Mick did some things in the past. He admits it. He did his penance, and has moved on. It's HIS life - who are we to point fingers? Honestly. Do any of us have the right to post his personal info on the internet (like Spark is doing, and Kevin McClung has done), and say "lookie here!"? Would YOU want information about yourself posted somewhere for people to gawk over? Of course not. So why are you all acting like people rubbernecking at a traffic accident?
If you had met Mick, hung out with the man, seen how he treats others, and how people treat him - seen how he cares, acts, and conducts himself, you would wonder (like we - his friends - do) what this is all about. Mick was in jail. He screwed up, and paid the price. So what? He has grown from that experience, moved on, and conducted himself with nothing but honor, class and integrity from that point on. Does that count for nothing? Did time stop for him when he entered the pen? Please, people. The fact that he's been in jail says NOTHING about who he is, or the knives he makes.
Jerry Hossom posted a brilliant point to all this talk. Spark, McClung and others are screaming holy murder that Mick was not a Ranger. Yet, each year, Mick and others attend Best Ranger over at Ft. Benning. Mick hangs out with Rangers. Mick TEACHES Rangers. The Rangers there accept Mick as one of their own. Do you think, for a microsecond, that if Mick were pretending, or lying about his past, these people would give him the time of DAY, much less embrace him? Please. The Ranger Association says Mick served as a Ranger, for God's sake! Are you now calling the Association liars?
Many in the Special Operations community use Mick's products. They respect him, and, you have to be honest here - his work speaks for itself. Do you think that these Operators would turn a blind eye if Mick were making up his past? That they'd accept it because he's "Mick Strider"? Again - please.
Things are secret for a reason. You don't tell random strangers everything you've done in your life, correct? Why should Mick be any different? He did things while in the military he can't talk about. Because he can't talk about them, he can't defend himself when people throw crap at him. Kind of a sucky situation don't you think? If we - the general public - needed to know the details of what he did, there would be no need for clearance to access it. But there is. There's a reason. We don't NEED TO KNOW.
I'm proud to call Mick a friend. It's sad for me to see you people dogpiling him. Because you really don't know him, and don't care to, obviously.
Aint that the truth. 
I said my peace in the other thread.
