[KSagal]

Bob and I seem to agree on far more than we disagree on, yet we often come to those conclusions from different angles, and surely employ differing verbal tools.

The totally egregious lie, like the Nazis did not kill anyone, is so over the top that even dense folk like me see little need to respond. It is the more subtle lie, the innuendo, the falsehood dressed up to appear believable that we have a duty to dispel...

What about the person whom is civil, but not treated well by the moderators for other reasons.

What about the person who usually offers a great deal, but sometimes has difficulty not taking the bait, and maybe goes less than civil...

So often, in our society, we allow boorish behavior to go unanswered. I believe this is a major scourge of our modern world, in that we become cowed into not getting into a situation just because it is the right thing to do. I know it is easier to look the other way. I know it is easier to let this forum and others to self correct by ignoring the members who are here not to contribute, but to take away.

I believe that there are no nonredeemable soles. I believe that some like to agitate, for the purpose of agitation, but even these can be educated, and can be lifted from this lowly pursuit. Even if they cannot be dissuaded, they need not go unchallenged.

Look at it this way. A poster makes a marginally believable post that is false, but not well known either way. It goes unchallenged, because those who know, understand it is false, and no one else cares... I believe the record needs to be set straight. If it deteriorates from there, I may give up too late, but still think the battle was worthy.

How about politics? How often have we seen unreasonable behavior addressed to one, that would not be addressed toward another, because of a political or religious stand? It is not reasonable to say that there is not a lot of hate and bigotry out there, and to feel that person 1 saying a thing gets the same reaction as person 2 is just not so. Most of us have both been on the side who prejudges situations, as well as having been prejudged. Does this mean we should not respond?

I believe that much of the problems in internet forums lies in the fact that there are lots of paper tigers out there. (We used to call them telephone tigers). So many are not whom they pretend to be on the internet, that it is hard to fight the phantoms. This is the reason that some screen names are so easy to figure out, and while I may choose anonymity, or the need to hide behind it, I do understand it. (I and my family were threatened because of my posts on this very forum.) Still, I am who I am, and am not easily convinced to allow cowards, scoundrels, or boors to own the day.

Again, I understand that my route is not that chosen by all of good character. I know many good people who would not make the same choices as I. I do not begrudge them their tools, as I hope they do not begrudge me mine... As for the troglodytes, I do not care what they think.