Date: Sun, 22 May 2005 09:49:02 -0500
Reply-To: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: Can Terry K be with us? / Why Not.
In-Reply-To: <15.45419031.2fc1c3c2@aol.com>
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Re: Terry K:
I have never met Terry K. Never talked to him on the phone. Never even
seen the man. I do know, however, of the history of the problem on
this list.
There are ways to communicate without being directly insulting, being
full of BS, without race baiting, without using epithets and
vulgarities, even when one holds strong views.
In the time of Woodrow Wilson, one of his opponents, trying to
denigrate him, attempted to describe his mind. He didn't swear at Mr.
Wilson, or call him names, but chose instead to describe Mr. Wilson's
mind as "being like a New England field - infertile, but highly
cultivated!" The point was made!
In the case of groups such as this, where a specific subject is the core
of the group, in this case - Vanagons - all the other language and
rhetoric is best left at home, where one can behave as one has the right
to in his on home. Don't drag it into the face of the group. That is not
why we are all here. Whomever goes down the track of getting off the
point of this list and is chastised, deserves what's coming. Prudence
demands that we be aware of our citizenship in such a place in order to
communicate, and still have order, even as it is so in our larger
society - community, town, county, state and country. We willingly
accept having a moderator, currently Tom Carrington - who in my opinion
has done a terrific job of keeping us all on track, without having to
rule with an iron fist as is done on many other newsgroups. There are
rules, but room within them to wiggle, even as he enforces them. I
hope it remains so. . Kudos's to Tom Carrington!!!
It is justifiable to periodically ponder the questions, "What sin
cannot be pardoned after penance?" and " Who is so free of sin as to
throw the first stone?".
There is an ancient principle in medicine where a poison can be used to
cure a sickness. But the poison itself will worsen the condition or even
kill. So, the "Essence" of the poison is used instead. This "Essence" is
acquired by a series of dilutions, whereby each dilution is cut in half
then diluted again. This is repeated over and over again until all
traces of the poison are gone, leaving the "Essence" behind in the
solution. It is the "Essence" that affects the cure.
But in the conversation going on here, already I can see that the
dilution of the poison "TK" has not yet been reduced to it's essence,
given the vitriolic verbal exchange taking place, and thus, even as in
ancient medicine, a "cure" cannot be affected.
As I said in the beginning, I have never met Terry K. Never talked to
him on the phone. Never seen the man. I do know, however, of the
history of the problem on this list.
If Terry K wants back on this list, he should work that out with Tom C.
directly, and we the list members should be spared all the load of
e-mails the subject would generate when aired openly, as the final
disposition is - and justly so - going to remain in the hands of Tom C.
Regards,
John Rodgers
88 GL Driver
George Goff wrote:
>In a message dated 5/20/05 7:06:34 PM, kintail@SHAW.CA writes:
>
><< What say you?
>
>Zoltan
>
>
>Not worth a response........ >>
>
>........ but we'll still respond.
>
>There is a concise, but scholarly book entitled "On Bullshit". Since it
>pervades our lives to such a degree, the author attempts to explain the whys and
>wherefores of bullshit. Banning Terry is bullshit. If I ever knew what
>heinous sin Terry K committed, I have long forgotten, but whatever it was it
>certainly was not irredeemable. Anyone who has ever spoken with Terry K knows that
>while he might be a great raconteur, he is not full of bullshit - that alone
>should punch his ticket for a return trip from the Village of the Banned.
>
>The quality of Mercy is not strained . . . allow Terry to return. If nothing
>else, he can learn from our Goodness.
>
>An old Sicilian would say, "Never judge a man by his last act."
>
>George
>
>
>
>
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