[Vision2020] Doug Wilson Interview

[Andreas Schou]

On 1/25/07, Ted Moffett <starbliss at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Andreas et. al.
>
> Why make a personalized derogatory attack on Wayne, when responding to
> content I authored to engage Chas in discussion on Wilson's interview?
> Wayne's mental health was not specifically a part of that discussion in that
> post, nor do I think it relevant to the general discussion of Wilson's
> interview, nor do I think that you are qualified to make an assessment
> regarding Wayne's mental health on a public list serve, or privately, for
> that matter.
>
> I'd rather not have my Vision2020 post content linked with a declaration
> that someone is a "nut job," regardless of their mental health or the lack
> thereof.  I'd rather not read any Vision2020 posts that declare anyone to be
> a "nut job," regardless of what behavior they are engaging in that might
> suggest mental illness.
>
> If you don't have the presence of mind to first check whether you are
> sending a private or list serve message before calling someone a "nut job"
> in an e-mail, an insulting and potentially very hurtful and demeaning
> statement, that in an ideal world would never be uttered, especially if
> aimed at someone who really does have a mental illness, you might reconsider
> the wisdom of your psychoanalysis of Wayne's psyche, in light of your own
> shortcomings.
>
> Ted Moffett

Ted --

I've never been unclear that I'm uncomfortable with people trying to
enforce real, life-altering consequences against people for
disagreeing with them on the Internet. Wayne's done that, and I
consider it a pretty important line to have crossed, even against
people whom I don't particularly care for, and whom I have never been
unclear that I don't particularly care for. Now, Wayne tells me he has
a good explanation for this -- but I'm not sure what it would be.

I've also got to say that I've Sista Souljah'd Wayne a little
unfairly: Dale's attempt to get Tom fired, and Doug's below-the-belt
sniping at J Ford cross exactly the same line in exactly the same way.
The fact that I work in a somewhat obscure sector and that very few
people here actually know me has, I think, prevented people from going
after me the saem way, but I've got a fairly long written record.

I've always been a, well, pugilistic participant in the dialog here.
I'll take credit for that. But I'd like to think that I always try to
stick to the Marquis of Queensbury rules

All of this, though, is just beating around the bush; trying to avoid
or qualify an apology, which, frankly, is what I owe Wayne. His font
annoys me, but I've never been known to come to blows over typography
before. And I'm a little more sensitive to what I feel he does wrong
because we are effectively on the same side. Still, I've tried to play
Internet Police and made a mess of it, exacerbating exactly what I was
complaining about. I'll be quiet now.

-- ACS