Heck I've even checked out his blog!
I make it a personal rule that, if a person coming across as somewhat confrontational and spoon-wavey proffers more information about himself, or a way of finding out more information about himself without undue effort, then I shall examine that information before engaging. In rare instances I will even make an effort to find out information that is not readily available.
The first thing I did was check out his blog. It's a blog. That's what it's for. People to read. In this particular instance it was actually kind of handy that everything was cross-posted from there because it meant that the full evidence of his own prejudices were there for the reading even after he deleted them from this site.
It's kind of sad, really. I don't understand why it's so difficult to understand that behaving in the way he did on a forum is the internet equivalent of preaching. It's all very well going to church and having the man in the pulpit lecture you about morals and rights and wrongs and virtues and sins; it's quite another to have a random stranger wander into a bar where everyone is socialising and preach there.
Many would argue, and it's a point, that the content of the message should be more important than the mode of delivery. It doesn't work like that, especially if someone is trying for comedy. Many would also argue that you should just walk away from threads like this. My take on that is: you not enjoying reading them doesn't mean others aren't enjoying participating in them. You don't have to be talking about tea and cakes or hugs and bunny rabbits to enjoy a thread.
And I made Arch spray foodstuff over her keyboard. Happy days. Besides, I've lost my voice, so you lot are the only people I can talk to properly right now.
It's just a shame that this one was in the Café, really, where things are generally more amiable.
My only regret is any offense I may inadvertently caused to Mr GerryAttrick, with whom I have no quarrel despite my deep distaste for the aphorism he used.
Sam
).
