A New Game for the GS!

[tombo@mail.on-line.co.uk (Richard King)]

I am reliably informed that I have been accused of violating netiquette,
and that is the reason for the multitude of flames that have been
directed against me, though I have seen none of them since my Usenet feed
is not working.
 
I shall reply - once. After this I shall make no further comment or
response to this exchange.
 
You accuse me, and in my absence try and convict me, of violating
netiquette. If you look at the posting I made, it was *my* accusation
that netiquette had been violated, and that *I* was the offended party.
*I* was the one who was insulted, and treated with disrespect. I
responded, making it clear that I was extremely angry, and why I felt so.
That is my privilege. I have every right to demand that I am addressed
with courtesy, and if I am *not* so addressed, then I have an equal right
to retaliate. I did so, and yet *I* am the one accused of
netiquette-violation.
 
This isn't justice, and could never be described as such. It's a
kangaroo-court, set up to protect a nasty little clique of mannerless
oiks against justified criticism from someone who does have manners, and
what's worse is that you're using the most transparent of tricks, which
is to accuse the accuser. 
 
Stalin used it, so did Hitler, and they do it every day in China,
Indonesia, Burma, and a dozen other unspeakable regimes. Aren't you proud
to be in such illustrious company? You, who inherit the noble ideals of
Ben Franklin, Tom Paine, Thomas Jefferson, and the Founding Fathers?
 
Do you wonder that I care little for your opinions? I know where justice
lies, and it's on my side - or do you not believe in such an antiquated
concept? Or perhaps you wouldn't even recognise it? 
 
Free speech doesn't just mean being willing to listen to people with whom
you agree - it also means being willing to allow those with whom you
disagree to be heard, no matter how much you may dislike what they say.
'I disagree with what you say, but I shall defend to the death your right
to say it' - to quote Voltiare. 
 
And before you accuse me of wishing to deny free speech to others, let me
point out that I was not telling jlee that he should not speak in a
certain way - simply that if he did, I reserved the right to respond in
kind. As you do, my little chums. But with that goes a warning - speak
softly, or you may not get what you want. Flame someome, be ill-mannered
to them, show enmity to them, and you cannot expect their friendship,
support, or assistance when *you* need it. 
 
This is a truth of life, and you'd better learn it quickly ... if you
don't, you'll get spread all over the road, out in the real world. There
are some big, bad, hairy monsters out there, and they'll smash you flat
without even thinking if you don't approach them with due caution. Good
manners can save your life, when you're looking down the wrong end of a
gun, or the point of a knife. It can be just as valuable in the
boardroom, and just as costly to get it wrong, as well.
 
On the other hand, decent manners can make you some very powerful allies.
Isn't the choice of which is the more sensible behaviour self-evident?
Happily, there are several people who can see the manifest injustice in
the flames directed at me, and their words of support mean far more to me
than gigabytes of insults could ever hurt me.
 
This is the end of my contribution to this stupidity.