I have a different perspective on this, and it's going to take time to put it all down, at which point I'll also cross-post it to other thread(s).
But for now I'll say this: It's a bit late in the day for RD to get sanctimonious about this sort of insult. On his own forum, the same sort of insult (or worse) directed at any outsider would have been well within the established rules, which restrained what could be said to and about fellow users, but clearly marked down any individual outside that group as fair game. We all remember the sorts of insults that were hurled at politicians, church leaders and suchlike. Of course, as I would have pointed out on more than one occasion, being able to say what you like won't win you an argument, as you still need to do that on the facts.
So the forum rules (which evolved over a long period of time) allowed this very wide latitude. The Front Page has had no such framework, and indeed it was and still is possible to vilify not only outsiders, not only forum regulars (as I found out to my cost), but also other Front Page regulars. And the Front Page would seem to be the template for the future discussion environment at RD.net.
But there's more. Remember the British Airways Cross controversy?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Ai ... ontroversy
At one point during an interview, RD remarked that the woman at the centre of the case had " ... a stupid face", or words to that effect. Not surprisingly, he later had to apologize. When the matter later came up in passing on the RD.net forum, I remarked (knowing full well that RD himself was on-line) that this was not exactly his finest moment. RD graciously conceded this, but offered in mitigation the fact that he was angered at what the woman was demanding. Does that sound like double standards to you? To me, there can never be any excuse for that sort of deeply personal remark. Of the the two insults - RD's, and the one direct against Josh Timonen - I know which one I would be far more offended (indeed
mortified) to be in receipt of.
God has no place within these walls, just like facts have no place within organized religion. - Superintendent Chalmers
It's not up to us to choose which laws we want to obey. If it were, I'd kill everyone who looked at me cock-eyed! - Rex Banner
The Bluebird of Happiness long absent from his life, Ned is visited by the Chicken of Depression. - Gary Larson
