FIRST OFF :greg you are welcome, it was not my intention to belittle you or this forum,but allow me to retort/clarify my posting. I am NOT repeat NOT offended by stars. it was the way the star was USED that concerned me. the use of a star to CLASSIFY ones STATUS as a member/non-member- is what evoked my response. the use of an emoticon with a frown would not have affected me. the use of the star FOR THIS PURPOSE ! was troubling to me on a personal level, had I known that voicing that concern would have have started such a tirade I would not have posted it!! HAVING SAID THAT, I would respond to my fellow divers with this, MALIBU- -YES i get upset when I see the stars on the american flag! when I see those stars being burned, urinated/depicated on!!-and very emotional when I see the star of david !! FINS UP: I am fully AWARE AND PROUD to have the star of david on my back BUT did you also notice the three crosses at the apex of each trident?? as far as the hypocrite statements are concerned?? Ill be nice...MAGDALENE: understand things AS WE CHOOSE?? HISTORY IS HISTORY? madam! those who forget HISTORY are doomed to REPEAT it !!! IT is not my intent to be malicious by this response, but I feel that a response was warranted!! SMITTY