Michael! Bravo! How I wish that every list would look at this phenomena. I just left a list because I was passionate about what I believed in, and didn't even make any insults towards anyone, but ended up getting flamed big time. I tried to respond, but then realized that this is the second assault from the same person, and realized that I just didn't have the energy, it was far too draining. Why is it that we can't be passionate about a situation or about a subject without people thinking we are personally attacking someone else? Why can't we debate and agree that we may disagree...I don't understand the PCness of all this. We may find, eventually, that we DO agree on things, but the only way we may find that out is by getting rid of our attachment to our opinions occassionally....heck, we can even take the opposite side of a issue, even if we disagree with something, just to play the devil's advocate (who is that btw?) to expand the understanding of all sides of the debate. Of course, there is also the aspect that some people don't really think about what a post looks like on the other end of the dataflow. That's why it is so important that people read their posts more than once if it is at all provocative, because the people on the other end don't hear your tone of voice or see your body language or facial expression. And some seem to forget, relatively regularly that there is a living, breathing human being, with their own history and personality who is going to read those words...that person may be having a very bad day, we don't know. We come to forums like this one because of the name, and we expect to find like-minded people who share a common interest in the subject. We get to know each other in this context, but we really don't know a whole lot about each other. The mailing addresses of people don't always reveal where the person is, and we don't know what kind of jobs people have or much less else. We don't get a picture in our heads as to what people look like, and when a list is so focused on a topic (such as this) we don't get a lot of the freeflow thoughts that really do reveal the nature of the very different personalities on the list. The fact that we can't see each other makes some people more dramatic (especially on the USEnet), but I think it also in turn makes people much more sensitive...sometimes people freak out about things that were they hearing it from the mouth of that person, they wouldn't even get the slightest bit ruffled. (Then again there are some folks who just have an exceedingly thin-skin) That's why acronyms and emoticons were developed, and that is probably why it is important to reads one posts a couple of times before they go out, so that a hopefully a person understands the "tone" in which what is being written is being said in the HEAD of that person. (Or am I the only one who hears my voice in my head as I write my words?) Anyway, this is kind of diverging from your original post and idea, I wanted to conclude with one note about the free flow of ideas and "politing" ourselves to the detriment of really being able to say what we feel and how we feel. I think that everyone ought to perhaps "lighten up" a bit. Before we post, think. Reread. Don't get angry if someone DISAGREES with you. Disagreement does NOT mean disrespect. If you get called a name though, then you have a right to get angry, but I wouldn't post anything until you have really calmed down and REALLY read the post that is making you upset a few times, and try to ask one's self, is it the post that is making me upset, or the person, or is there something else which is coloring my perception? And if necessary, ASK the person if they were meaning to insult you! They could have just really messed up! I try to give everyone a couple of chances, cuz I figure that we all have bad days. I've done it myself, and know how things can happen. Blessings Joy Williams [EMAIL PROTECTED] Scion in the Church of All Worlds "The Garrulous Grok Flok" Thou Art Goddess!
