"Willi" wrote in message
...
Wolfgang wrote:


is that anyone that would say things on the Internet he wouldn't have the
balls to say face to face deserves punishment. Now I mean that more in
a social sense than a legal one, as free speach is something we need to
defend.


So, what you're saying is that free speech can only be defended by
beating someone up.....or being beaten up.....in a face to face
confrontation? But then, it isn't really punishment, is it? I guess I
probably wouldn't tell you to your face that the logic you display above
is twisted. Personally, I think that isn't necessarily a matter of
balls.



Then maybe you can explain to me what it is?

Maybe.

You and I met at Penns a couple of years ago. Now, we didn't exactly hang
out together for the whole week, but we did bump into one another on several
occasions and we DID spend a couple of hours together at the Millheim
hotel......even sat next to one another at a table back by the bar. A
perfect opportunity for you to say to my face any or all of the things
you've said to me here. Didn't happen.* What's up with that? No balls?
Or was there, perhaps, something else at work? Oh, and lest there be any
confusion about dates, I suspect it wouldn't be hard to confirm that you'd
been critical of my behavior before then.

This is the "trouble" I have with you and it's a behavior that makes no
sense to me. What's ironic, is that I agree with the position you take
in many situations, however, what I don't understand and find
distasteful is the manner in which you do it. I've discussed your name
calling/insulting behavior on ROFF with a number of people who have
spent time with you and their response is that you act in a completely
different manner in person. For me, the way you treat people on the
internet is just as much a part of "who you are" as how you treat people
face to face. I don't understand what you hope to achieve with your
personal insults and name calling. Sure, you can do it, it's "FREE
SPEECH" but IMO, it's also totally counter productive if you have a goal
of something other than ****ing people off.

Well, first of all, there are many possible goals. Are you absolutely
certain that you've examined ALL of them?

If you know anybody.....or ever meet anybody.....who behaves in exactly the
same manner in all social contexts, in all milieus, in all situations, be
very very careful......there's some serious pathology at work there. Fully
functional human beings just aren't that simple.

You're right, the way one behaves on the internet IS as much a part of who
one is as what one does in face to face encounters. Well......not
quite.....or not necessarily quite, that is. The way one behaves....in
person or on line....is certainly indicative of SOMETHING.......but it isn't
always easy to determine to a high degree of accuracy just what that
something is. Take it all at face value and you end up living in a
terrifying world, and hell, it's already scary enough without that ****.
But, I know you don't do that.....I mean, that's what this little chat is
all about....right? Odd, though, that you single me out for what is, after
all, a very common pattern of behavior. Haven't you noticed that your
friend Steve is frequently in the middle of these little puppet shows? Do
you also pity him?

Actually, why don't we cut the **** here. We really aren't talking about
pity at all, are we? I mean, there have been a number of notes that come
through pretty clearly in these communiqués of yours and pity is not among
them.....but contempt certainly is. Mind you, that's o.k......in fact it's
more than just o.k.....I heartily approve. And while I may never have
stated it quite so baldly, I think I have been pretty clear about it.
Curious isn't it.....that one should carry around such a boatload of
contempt for the one person in this newsgroup who has expressly stated his
support of your right to do so......and to express it in whatever manner you
wish. Or maybe not. After all, YOU aren't hurting anyone's
feelings......right?

Wolfgang
*well, you WERE a bit.....um.....shall we say taciturn?