mangoe@mimsy.UUCP (04/23/87)
People who are not readers of talk.religion.misc may well be wondering (or worse, not wondering at all) whether this sort of mud-slinging is characteristic of the group. Unfortunately, it seems to inevitably arise from time to time. It would not be a problem, however, if people were not so deadset on return volleys. Over the years, I've used my kill files to relieve me of any articles by particular persons, exercising my God-given right to Hang Up The Phone. Foothead continues to be one of these people, and so does Ken Arndt-- which is why I didn't even realize what was happening until the articles started showing up in the groups you are reading this in. Frankly, I would almost assert that the actions of both parties makes slander an impossibility. Be that as it may, however, I have to say that the referenced article leads me to the conclusion that (a) Gene Smith is obnoxious and (b) Foothead is both obnoxious and probably a liar. We've already seen an article from the MIT admin type who killed off the account, and she essentially ratified that things were as Smith said she would find them. Foothead supplies a long list of largely irrelevant points and counteraccusations. Having read Smith's investigation results, I find no call in them for action. It was the MIT admin person who took them as cause for action. I have no way of verifying Foothead's claims to net ignorance, and in any case, they are irrelevant, since he could simply find other people to help him. At this point I will summon up Mangoe the Municipal and prognosticate what Foothead's reply is going to be. He is going to accuse me of being a supporter of the Smith-Weiner "plot", if not an active party in it. He is going to bring u run-ins we've had in the past. Well, we did have these run-ins, and that is why I no longer even see his articles: so I will not even be tempted to reply. Frankly, I will be glad to see him go. Gene Spafford has already talked about this incident as cause for killing the group off at his site, and given the recent actions in the backbone, I do not doubt that there is plenty of sympathy for similar action throughout the backbone. The religion groups cannot afford this sort of accusation trading. To the backbone people, I would only say that I hope that this will end the firefights, and that talk.religion.misc can return to discussion of religion instead of the participants. C. Wingate
jane@tolerant.UUCP (Jane Medefesser) (04/27/87)
Anyone know if I can set up a kill-file that vnews recognizes, or
am I stuck with rn???
--
* Not me baby, I'm too precious *
Jane Medefesser uucp: {bene,mordor,oliveb}!tolerant!jane
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