On Tuesday 17 November 2015 02:41:29 Steven D'Aprano wrote:
As for Michael, who wrote in another email to complain about people contacting him off-list, I think Michael's demand that people keep off-topic discussions about politics on this mailing list is *completely* wrong and harmful.
Two or three messages in the heat of the moment may be understandable and forgivable, but there comes a time where we as a community should bite our lips (or sit on our typing hands) and stop. There are plenty of other forums to debate and argue the political situation (Facebook, Reddit, Twitter, etc.), please take it there.
If Michael wishes to *request* that people don't contact him off-list, that is one thing. (Of course, people are free to ignore his wishes, just as he is free to delete their emails.) But to insist that people take *private* and *off-topic* messages public, well, I consider that far more rude and harmful to this community than the things that Michael was complaining about. After all, he is free to just ignore any aggressive or disagreeable private messages, but (unless he is the list owner) I think that he is out of line in encouraging others to pollute this list with off-topic messages. Especially disruptive and angry messages about politics.
Michael has had a good go at me before when I have eventually taken his more vituperative attacks on me off line.
Look what I have just received; persecution or what!!!! And why?? I have blacklisted him, but I haven't told him that: ---------- Forwarded Message ----------
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