Treading a fine line

[Leslie Miller]

Pug, I just want to commend you for treading a very difficult and 
fine line lately.  I think you've done a good job given the 
circumstances, but then, I haven't been flamed by anyone (yet), and I 
find the idea of censorship pretty abhorent.  My guessis that you've 
got a pretty thankless job, and I just wanted you to know that at 
least one person appreciates what you have (and haven't) done.

I'd also like to put in my 2 cents' worth on the flaming/courtesy 
issue.  It has always been disconcerting to me that it is so much 
easier to "express one's true feelings" over e-mail.  Maybe it 
has to do with the fact that you're not saying the words to the 
individual face-to-face, and therefore it is easy to distance 
yourself from their reaction.  I myselfhave fallen into this trap.  
When you're not dealing with an immediate emotional reaction, 
it's easy to call somebody a dumb-ass or rake them over the 
coals, and then go your merry way, leaving your victim to suffer in 
silence, or wait for their reply which is easily dissected by those 
comfortable with the language and their skills at manipulating 
it.  It's all very neat and simple and clean and distant.  Words on a 
screen.

It's easy to forget that there's a living, breathing, thinking, 
emotional idividual on the other end who may be hurt or upset by our 
words.  And that forgetfulness... or even the blatant disregard for 
it... is, to my mind, inexcusable.  Common courtesy for our fellow 
human beings is something which we should practice *all* the time, 
irregardless of whether we are on the net, on the phone, at an SCA 
event or not.  It is simply a "good" thing, which is, afterall, why 
it is such an important aspect of "The Dream".  Anybody who thinks 
it's OK to be viscious over e-mail, but strves to be courteous at an 
SCA event is, IMHO, at best, a hypocrite.

Gunhilda
Shire of Mooneschadowe
Stillwater, OK



Leslie Miller                    
Environmental Health and Safety
(405) 744-7241
miller at pp.okstate.edu     

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"Not what the stars have done, but what they are to do, is what 
detains the sky."  - Emily Dickinson
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