A great revelation

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You posted:

The highlighted section is what I was referring to. You didn't say I gave anyone a pass? I disagree, and your own words verify this. You say that I ignore disrespect from the right, then insult my intelligence with the "as you seem to have missed" comment. I didn't miss anything. I don't like the way that you, martaug, or Snook have talked to each other in this blog. Am I blind? Am I a fool? How could I ignore the disrespect from the right? It is plain as day.

So if you were basing that comment on my posts, how did you derive that I was ignoring it from the right? If it wasn't based on your expectations of me (based on my conservative nature), what was it based on? The comment about Snook and martaug not getting agitated? Because I left you out? You have not expressed any desire to leave or any desire to hurt anyone. You have not directly expressed agitation at all, so why would I include you in the comment? Neither has Tal for that matter (nice of you to pull his name into the discussion).

As for moving on, yes, good idea. This sort of parsing is exhausting and holds no interest for me. However, I'm glad that I visited the blog, it has reminded me of why I stopped actively participating in the Alleys. For me, it was a good decision.

 

And with Jack's departure another conservative bites the dust. Mission accomplished DR, good job. I feel somewhat guilty. I knew I should have turned on the "censor comment" mode, but I really didn't want to.

 

What we have heah is...failyah, to communn'cate. Some minn...you just, cayn't, reach.

Jack,

You're right. Suffice to say, I should have worded my last response better. I went back and read what I wrote and it confused me, too. That's what I get for posting when I'm on deadline - I tend to rush through without really thinking or revision. When I said "I didn't say you did give anyone a pass," I was referring to Snook and martaug specifically. I should have said "them" and not "anyone." I apologize for not making that more clear. I can see how you would have taken it the way you did. I have disagreements with the rest of what you said and how you said it, but my failure to articulate my last point properly makes further belaboring the point moot, and kind of sucked the air out of my larger point, so I'll gladly concede yours. "You must have missed" was uncalled for, too. I can't criticize the way someone else "comes off" when I've been a rhetorical bonehead myself. I really have no wish for further disagreement with you and hope we can still remain friends.

As for Snook - I said it before and I'll say it again: you really do need to grow up. I told both of you I enjoy your presence and don't want you gone, despite our disagreements. Saying "Mission accomplished, DR" is such a sniveling cop-out it makes my ass hurt. If you or Jack or anyone else leaves because of something I say - a guy you clearly dislike and don't respect - that's on you. If you say something on the boards that provokes a negative response from people, guess what - that's also on you. Stop blaming everyone else. Take some responsibility. I've said things that have pissed people off and I've dealt with it, learned from it, and in some cases paid for it. I can take my lumps. But you fail to see anything at all wrong with your own behavior, and that's really irritating.

You both complain about the vitriolic discourse here but take no responsibility for being a part of it, blaming everyone else for sullying your BoM experience. That's absolutely your prerogative, which I could have ignored. And I called you out on it. That's MY prerogative, which you in turn could have ignored. You're welcome to ignore it still and continue liberal-bashing, Snook - you've already got a doozy of a blog post up indicating that nothing I said to you sunk in. I take full responsibility for that.

I consider myself an effective communicator, but when my emotions get the best of me I end up resorting to scorn when I should be appealing to logic. It's a character flaw of mine that I am working on. I should have sent you a PM pointing out how your posts come off, and done so in a constructive and empathetic manner, despite how justified I may have felt in doing the opposite. I did not. I should have been the bigger man. I was not. For that, I'm an @sshole, too. And I'll take my lumps.

But this entire blog post has been @sshole fly paper, hasn't it.

When I say I want serious, factual, non-derogatory, non-condescending discourse, I mean it. I can't very well expect it from you if I don't do it myself. So here's my sincere pledge. I will make a concerted effort to treat your posts and ideas with respect if you will do the same for me. When I said I was interested in your take on things, I meant it. I will dial back my snark several notches and try to absorb what you have to say, even if I do, at first blush, find it distasteful (as I'm sure my posts do for you, Snook). We both love this community, we both want to stay. And I assure you, I don't want to drive anyone away. I meant everything I've said, but that doesn't mean I want the bad vibes to continue, either.

So here's my olive branch, Snook. Or white flag, or 30 year old bottle of Scotch, whatever. You can of course take it or leave it, I wish you the best either way. In fact, here's one for martaug, too. We're all adults, we're fellow countrymen, and I think at the end of the day there's far more that unites us than divides us.

So there it is, fellas - what say you.

 

That works for me. I can't change the way I conducted business in the past. I have changed my approach over the last few years. Probably has something to do with focusing on God, getting help for my PTSD, getting clean (yes, addict), and living a more healthy lifestyle (clean diet and bodybuilding).

I hope you can see from my posts here that I am not interested in bashing anyone. In fact, I can agree to disagree on most topics (abortion being an exception).

I will not be an active presence in the Alleys in any case. This has nothing to do with this blog. I'm just not interested enough in (optimistically) debating the folks there. I know where everyone stands.

I will continue to pop in from time to time. I find it instructive to read a completely different point of view. Hopefully I will be able to maintain a positive (if disagreeable) presence. "Be like BTA, be like BTA, be like BTA, ...."

Best to all of you. Please look at this as an intellectual exercise, and try not to let it get to you emotionally. It really isn't worth it.

 

Thanks, Jack. Good on ya. I'd rep you for that post, but I don't think blog posts work that way.