A clarification and an apology.
Yes, NooNoo was right, the thread was closed and here is a little threadlet it is adopting.
However, I am going to try not to be offensive here and hopefully this thread will never reach maturity of its own.
Adept asked me a question and Ya_Know answered on my behalf and I want to just clarify the truth without attacking anybody.
Quote:
Originally posted by a d e p t
I've never seen you react this illogically and would tend to think something else is bothering you. Your vitriolic stance against those who disagree that homosexuality is natural or normal is downright strange and borders on fanaticism. What's wrong?
Quote:
Originally posted by Ya_Know
I know what is wrong. Clam has been after me for months, a thread here a thread there. I must have pissed him off somewhere, and he has yet to let it go. I just wish I could remember what it was. I wonder if he even knows. I left this thread when I felt that he was personally attacking me, and not my belief or my discussion. It was at the request of others that I came back in to refresh my opinion.
Clam, truce brother. What ever it was, I am sorry that I did it.
Adept, you are right that I reacted very vitriolically to this. I do not consider my response illogical, strange, or fanatical at all. I have a reason, and it is not, as Ya_Know suspects, that I hate Ya_Know.
I have a problem with intolerance. I think that intolerance in human beings is the single biggest reason that our society is so screwed up today. So when I see someone posting something that I consider intolerant, I tend to fly off the deep end and attack them.
The ironic thing is, that logically, this proves ME intolerant--intolerant towards intolerant people. I admit freely that this is part of my character and I don't intend to change my basic attitudes, but I also recognize that my behaviour has caused a polite discussion to degenerate into chaos and personal attacks, much of which was my fault.
Therefore, I apologize to the Scott, the mods, and the forum at large for allowing my own intolerant views to overcome my desire to politely discuss these things.
As for Ya_Know, yes, I am sure we have argued over many things. I don't remember the exact details but they probably included the Bill of No Rights, Bush's election, Curt Sowulo, whether or not the US should invade Iraq, and many others. In none of these cases was I ever attacking you because you are you. In all of these cases, I argued against you because I found your opinion offensive. I don't know why you are who you are or why you espouse so many positions that are offensive to me. I am sure, unfortunately, that if we talked this stuff out in a bar it would end in a fistfight. But in the end I guess it doesn't matter. We must coexist here under the eyes of the mods so I will attempt to behave.
The one thing I will give you, Ya_Know, is that you demonstrated patience and manners greater than my own. While that doesn't make your arguments better than mine, it certainly makes you a more legitimate part of the Windrivers community. I can't honestly say I like you or want to be your friend, but you have inspired me by example to try to not to be a jerk about these things when they come up.
That's all. If people need to respond to this, please follow Ya_Know's example and be professional and polite about it.
Re: A clarification and an apology.
Quote:
Originally posted by Wayward Clam
...Adept, you are right that I reacted very vitriolically to this. I do not consider my response illogical, strange, or fanatical at all. I have a reason, and it is not, as Ya_Know suspects, that I hate Ya_Know.
I have a problem with intolerance. I think that intolerance in human beings is the single biggest reason that our society is so screwed up today. So when I see someone posting something that I consider intolerant, I tend to fly off the deep end and attack them.
The ironic thing is, that logically, this proves ME intolerant--intolerant towards intolerant people. I admit freely that this is part of my character and I don't intend to change my basic attitudes, but I also recognize that my behaviour has caused a polite discussion to degenerate into chaos and personal attacks, much of which was my fault...
This is the Clam I know! ;)
I commend you on posting this - it takes courage to admit one's personal opinions tend to make one intolerant at times. There's a difference between not agreeing with ideas and concepts and being intolerant of others, and I think although man tries to differentiate the two, sometimes the line gets blurred.
Personally, and I'll state it again, even though I disagree with the opinions at times, I will forever respect the individual - and you've just validated the respect I still had for you, Paul.
That doesn't mean I'll go easy on you in our next game of chess, though. :cool:
