Date:         Fri, 7 Nov 2008 13:22:34 -0500
Reply-To:     Bill Glenn <idahobill@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Bill Glenn <idahobill@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: NO POLITICS ON THE LIST was: Crowded at the polls today

It is now Friday.

I agree with David Marshall's complaint, and the follow-on complaints of
others, with respect to no politics on the list (though the "politics"
label as applied to the original post by Al Knoll was a bit tenuous).

However, I found it curious that the original complaint and a number of the
follow-up complaints came from those who routinely post on all manner of
subjects lacking Vanagon content, not limited to Friday postings.  VW LT,
Toureg, and Routan, immediately come to mind, just to name a few.  I'm not
saying I mind, and yes, I do know where my delete key is, but it IS the
Vanagon List, not the Anything-Made-by-VW List, and I'm just thinking about
glass houses and stones and wondering about tolerance being a two-way
street.

I am even more curious, however, about the first part of David's
statement, "Politics, sex, and religion are not converstions for mixed
company...".  Really?  I've been around just shy of six decades and I've
never heard that one. How does that work in practice? Does one visit a
monastery to be free of women when these subjects arise?  Does one order
all women out of the room whenever politics, religion, or sex are to be
discussed?  Do discussions take place and are opinions formed without any
input from 51% of the population?  Or does one simply not talk about these
subjects, ever?

In my experience, converstions on these subjects in mixed company are often
lively and enjoyable, not something to be avoided, not the least on the
latter-most of the three subjects.  With due respect to the female members
of this list, my experience informs me that talking Vanagon in mixed
company is more likely to elicit a negative response from women than
talking about politics, religion, or sex, but do what works for you.

Personally, a lively discussion about politics, followed by a religious
experience having sex in my Vanagon while parked at a great campsite would
be of more interest to me than the LT, the Toureg, or the Routan, but none
of it would be appropriate content to share with the Vanagon List.  But if
you insist, at least extend the courtesy to others that is extended to you
when you do so.

Bill