A final note to Danny and PriusChat

I am Jack 06. You can check my e-mail address and e-mail me for proof if you like.

Though I've loved my PC experience overall, I'm leaving PC and want to tell you why.

I disengaged from the discussion Tuesday night for two reasons: I was emotionally spent, and I wanted to see what would be said in the aftermath without my participation. I have seen enough.

There are a couple of facts I'll point out to explain what I'm doing.

On the "destroy America" thread, a member with the screen name "horton the elder" made an anti-Semitic remark, apparently paraphrasing from Mein Kampf , and justifying Hitler's actions.

I called out HE as soon as I saw the post. Had I been a moderator, I'd have done the same (and I'm not criticizing any PC mods; I assume they didn't see it before I did, but I'm letting you know about my "freedom of speech" limits).

Soon after, MS posted, defended HE and added his own anti-Semitic spin. These posts exist somewhere for verification.

Partly because a couple of PC members had just recently complained via PM to me about MS and his tactics, but more because of the anti-Semitism, I decided to not back down from MS's "challenge", and, if necessary, to flame it out. I PM'd both Tony and Danny to alert them to what I was doing. There was no "meltdown" on my part. Every word was carefully chosen, as are all of MS's.

Cut to the chase. In all the post-flame war discussion, one thing, to me, overshadows all else: save for one passing remark by Sufferin' (" not cool"), not one question or rebuke to MS (or "horton") for the anti-Semitism came from Danny, mods or any other PC member. None. At least not on the forum.

During the course of the flaming, I repeatedly challenged MS to clarify his anti-Semitic stance. Repeatedly, he ducked, choosing instead to taunt me as a "whiner" and an "old lady".

One interesting thing MS did (and I think it's still on the "liberal" thread) was to make a veiled threat to me by GOING BACK TO EDIT one of his posts, noting that I displayed my e-mail address, which contains my real name, and that someone who really wanted to cause mayhem to me could use that e-mail address to "get information" about me. Then, of course, he added the customary disclaimer that he's not the malicious type, and would never do such a thing. Then why would he even think to "call it to my attention" at the height of a flame war? The answer is obvious.

Anti-Semitism, to me, is beyond the pale. Legally, it is "hate speech". Say what you will about things being "too politically correct" these days, and the "thought police", anti-Semitism will be "hate speech" until the day I die. And if there's anything MS cannot abide, above all, it is any restriction on his words. It's who he is.

Maybe the 60 years since Hitler and the Holocaust has softened some people my age to that horror. Maybe to younger people it's no more than words in a history book. Maybe, in my preparatory courses to becoming a high school World History teacher (1965-68), I "OD'd" or got fixated on all those photos of heaps of Jewish bodies, bones protruding, before they were bulldozed into pits for burning.

And maybe simply the fact that I'm a New Yorker, and actually knew more Jews than non-Jews while in college, made it everlastingly more personal to me.

In the post-flames discussion, it has seemed to me that, by virtue of what has NOT been said, saying anti-Semitic things is no more and no less heinous an "opinion" at PC than disliking Britney Spears. That's very, very sad.

And "profanity", too, seems to be on the same level. In the poll, the FEWEST number of "votes" were cast for "banning someone who INCITES flaming". What's up with that?

My bottom line is that I cannot resume posting and bumping into MS. He has made his point. And again, that's who he is.

I want to express my affection for Kiloran, Green Machine (no longer here), hyo silver, maggiedd, galaxee, Jennifer (Rancid), Bill Merchant, darelldd, charlie graham, Jack Dodge, Frank Hudon, bookrats, hdrygas, Dave in Oly, zapranoth (sp), aa7, diesel convert, Schmika, jayman, fshagans (and other thoughtful conservatives!), salsawonder, godiva, Sunnysandiegan, tracysbeans, bianchi, andyman, all the gays and lesbians who feel comfortable being "out" at PC, all the people whose screen names I'm going blank on but whom I've had some fun (or seriousness) with (I hope you know who you are) and all who suffered together with me from 9/05 'til now waiting for our Priuses.

I do believe the Prius to be one of the finest machines ever devised (certainly the best fossil-fuel-burning car), and that, together with other hybrids, it has reignited a long-overdue reconsideration of energy resources in the US.

I'll scan PC threads occasionally and communicate with individuals by PM if something noteworthy comes up.

Until now, PC has given me a lot, for which I'm thankful.

BTW, I voted for Bill's avatar. Sorry, maggie.

Jack Kelly

 

Yes. Google "Mein Kampf". It bears re-reading.

 

Sorry I couldn't remember the "709" (a senior moment). You're one of the good ones. Thanks.

 

I wish you'd do me the courtesy of leaving this thread free of your cryptic crap.

 

"Some of my best friends are...", huh?

Do they know you consider the Holocaust on a par with what the Kosovites went through?

Do they know that you think that to say "the Jews sucked all the money out [of Germany]" is no different from saying, " the Irish sucked all the money out"?

No, not later. Never.

 

I personally think you're angling to BE banned, but I don't think PC is going to give you the satisfaction. Why else would you wear it on your sleeve below your avatar?

I think you're an egotist of the worst sort. You manipulate EVERY thread you post on so the topic (or sub-topic) becomes MS, not what the OP posted.