Other Responses RE: Questions from Hanson (Carnage & Culture)

[Ian Andrew Bell]

John,

I just realized that you forwarded my message to some list of unrelated
neo-conservative jingoists and solicited them to blast me with reams of
electronic inanity.

Simply put, you had no right to do this.  I typed what I felt to be a
considered and thoughtful reply on a private mailing list to your message
and you responded by:

A)  Insulting me personally
B)  Subjecting me (actually, my mailing list -- you got "my" email address
    incorrect) to drivel from dozens of people whom I do not know, and who
    do not participate in FoRK
C)  Not really understanding or addressing anything said in my posting

Do you understand how that's a breach of ethics, or even downright impolite?
Are you so fixated on your narrow world view that you think that you can
beat me into changing my opinion, or better yet silence me through a
constant barrage of personal abuse?

I engaged a debate on the subject thinking that it would stimulate an
interesting discussion.  Instead, you have responded in the most puerile and
self-effacing way possible.

I would respectfully suggest that you:

A)  Apologize (to me personally, not necessarily in a public forum)
B)  Send a message (Cc'ed to me) to the same list of folks to whom you
    solicited replies to go directly to me, kindly asking them to refrain
    from wasting their or my time any further

And I thought that FoRK was a forum for clueful people..  Thanks for
teaching me that FoRK, too, has now been infiltrated by morons.

It's too bad you're not capable of realizing the benefits of a mature and
thoughtful debate.  You obviously have the time to engage in many of them.


-Ian.


On 3/18/02 11:25 AM, "John Hall" <johnhall@evergo.net> wrote:

>> I got this response. He sent it to me directly, so I feel entitled
>> to post it here.
>> 
>> Lots of bar posts agree with each other, so I thought that putting
>> this here would increase the diversity of the opinions expressed.
>> 
>> His Email is foib@ianbell.com, apparently, and his name is Ian Bell.
>> 
>> People with problems concerning blood pressure might wish to avoid this
> post.
>> 
>> But if anyone has a stronger stomach than I do, feel free to drop
>> Ian a note...