[Rhodes22-list] This day in history

[Herb Parsons]

Why thank you Slim, for the most part.

Here's my view on the bit of nonsense.

As to the notion of insulting others that aren't on-list being somehow 
"ok" - I don't think so. I think if I called your mother a whore, you'd 
be insulted. I think an intelligent, thinking person would know that 
you'd be insulted. As a matter of fact, a NOT so intelligent, UNthinking 
person would be insulted.

In other words, it could be safely assumed that I should know offense 
would be taken at such a comment.

Rob's two statements were totally devoid of intelligent discussion. As a 
matter of fact, they were really just about empty of any real 
discussion. One noted the anniversary of the incident, without comment. 
(I asked his point), and the other was in response to Brad's postings 
about the President's visit on the carrier and pilot credentials, to 
which Rob responded that (in kind) that the President was blowing smoke.

The two together pretty well show his intent. He wanted to bash Bush, 
but not actually engage in a discussion. I think that's called trolling.

So, either he knew exactly what he was doing, or it was a pretty empty, 
stupid set of statements to make. In either case, I think "pathetic" and 
"loser" fit. That doesn't mean he's  not redeemable, it just means that 
was my impression.

When I was 17 and starting college, we had a guy in our dorm that was a 
real dork. The word wasn't really used for that yet, but had it been, it 
probably would have fit. Everyone knew he was a dork, but being the type 
of college it was, most of us were pretty accepting of even the dorks.

On the other hand, Leroy's roommate was totally cool. Every body liked 
him, he was good enough to play on multiple varsity teams, but not so 
good that he was a super-star and "above" everyone else.

One day (shortly after I arrived), Leroy made some of his regular normal 
every day dorky statements that made no real sense to anyone except 
himself. After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, when none of us 
(including Johnny, his rommate) understood what in the world he was 
talking about, he got up and left.

Me, being the totally cool 17 year old that I was at the time, looked at 
Johnny, and said "How do you stand living with that guy?"

Johnny shrugged, and said "I don't know, probably the same way your 
roommate stand living with you."

(We're still friends today, by the way, he's a pastor these days). Even 
though I was 17 at the time, I caught that he was teaching me several 
lessons in that short statement. Among them are:
Be careful who you talk about about in front of others, unless you 
really know their thoughts.
Even those that aren't perfect, have qualities that can make others like 
them, sometimes even admire or love them.
Look closely at where you are before you decide you're "above" someone else.
And when you put others down, you open yourself up to the same 
treatment, deservedly so.

I think a lot of folks on this list could spend some quality time with 
Rev Johnny.


Steven Alm wrote:
> As one who has been an occasional target of Herb's name calling, I'm really
> not offended.  And the list charter does indeed say, "After all, we are
> sailors." [sic]
>
> Herb, I don't think you were here on the list when one of our past members,
> Steve Little, was, um, how shall I put it--way over the top.  You're a
> shrinking violet compared to him.  We didn't kick him off but he eventually
> left on his own and frankly, I miss him.
>
> We don't agree on much in our politics but I take you as a salt-of-the-earth
> kind of guy who's passionate about your beliefs.  Words like "loser" and
> "pathetic" are hardly what I'd call "strong language."  Come to my show
> sometime and I'll show you strong language.  8-)
>
> That said, like we've told Ed so many times, you could lighten up a little.
>
> Slim
>
>   
>