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Date: | Thu, 20 Mar 2008 23:43:08 -0700 |
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Dear Mr. Dawidziak:
I write to thank you for your eloquent post about the recent
unpleasantness and many of its ramifications. Your pointing out the
immense value of civil discourse is for me a refreshing reminder of
what I need to do more of, namely restrain my own sense of self out
of respect for the possibility I might cause harm to others. This is
especially cogent for me when I'm fortunate enough to be paying
proper attention to the world beyond my own nose to notice that first
there are others and second that they may for some strange and
incomprehensible reason not see something in the same light that I do.
Like you I am not an academic (although I do possess graduate
degrees) but unlike you I'm not a Mugwump on account that anything
patently political upsets my digestion. However like the Mugwumps of
old I am all for reform on the simple principle that the present is
always a disaster and even small children, those oft ignored fonts of
unadulterated observations, can imagine a better world than the one
we're in now.
You conclude your thoughtful post by saying "You want to fight? How
about we fight for [the Forum]?" I generally refuse to fight on the
principle that such a thing cannot happen without doing harm to
another. Be that as it may, I shall certainly stand with you to work
for the good of this Forum, serve to be as good a citizen here as I
am able, and to aid in any way that I may so that this Forum does
indeed see another ten years and really good ones at that.
In closing I sincerely hope that the fearful danger has passed and
that everyone will continue to enjoy the good fellowship and company
that Mark Twain would surely be happy to have come into existence
because of him (although I'm sure we'd be all be paying a substantial
royalty for the privilege if he could figure out a way to collect!)
Cordially,
Benjamin A. van der Wel
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