Doug your decision to boot gary off LBO is completely irrational. gary (as bruno s) joined LBO a month ago. He didn't join as Bruno S. in order to play games but because he has a crummy server. Thus far, Gary's posted 5-6 times: twice to Yoshie and twice to doyle and on the porn thread. The posts to Yoshie were quite serious and would have made for an interesting thread about the author/reader, derrida, etc. The posts to doyle were flames, of sorts, however, it certainly wasn't a flame that completely dismissed doyle as incapable of a conversation. Indeed, Gary (as Bruno s.) actually tried to engage doyle in conversation. This hardly constitutes a reason to be kicked off a list. Gary didn't just call Doyle an asshole and leave it at that. Instead, he pointed out that Doyle was unreasonably obsessed about certain things. He then went out to engage Doyle in a conversation.
Secondly, if you reckon that folks involved in the events that led up to doyle's ridiculous and abusive outburst, hardly the first I'd point out, ought to be kicked off the list, then you ought to kick me off the list as well. it is very clear that I played a bigger role in inciting doyle than anyone else. read doyle's post again: it was very much about me and doyle was the one who took up list space even after i responded off list. Gary (as bruno s.) had nothing to do with anything that occured most recently. Doyle made the decision to post abusive comments to the list in the first place. Doyle made the decision to forward off list mail and reply with more abuse. Doyle was the asshole, not me and not Gary. But, if you boot
Gary then you have to boot me because, on your logic, people who incited or contributed to Doyle's ire are just as responsible as Doyle. Well, Doug, I'm the biggest contributor to Doyle's ire, aren't i?
Finally, if this is the way you feel, then i must conclude and say that I completely disagree with you. This is completely unreasonable position. Why? because Doyle's outburst was Doyle's responsibility, not mine and not
Gary's. Yeah, so maybe Gary handled doyle wrong, given Doyle obvious state of projective paranoia. But, first, why would Gary know that Doyle reacts in such violent ways. And, second, why should Gary get booted off LBO after five posts? none of which were so awfully offensive that the avg person couldn't have dealt with them in a civil manner. Doug, your attitude here is akin to the attitude that suggests that victims are responsible for the abuse or the rape or whatever. Neither Gary nor I are responsible for Doyle's recent idiocy. And yet, in kicking Gary off the list, you have made both me and Gary feel responsible. And that isn't fair.
On a personal note, this entirely pissed me off because i explained things off list and yet you kicked Gary off the list anyway. And yet, to me, you're Mr. Nice Guy and telling me it's not my fault after I apologized for possibly inciting Doyle's outburst. What bullshit doug. This makes no sense, especially since I've watched you dish out endless patience to assholes on LBO who've said things that are much worse and far more damaging. You didn't even give Gary a chance here and yet you gave Doyle months and months of leeway in order to hang himself and prove himself to be that asshole that, say, Frances knew he was way back in Novemeber.
If you don't like the particular way Gary flamed at LBO, then i'd argue that you should off list him and tell him to play nice. But to boot Gary off the list completely goes against everything you've every said and done regarding free speech and open dialogue and debate.
keley "Let me eat my heavy revolvers in peace."