[Rhodes22-list] Apology

[Bill Effros]

As anyone who has been on this list for a while knows, I have been a consistent voice for "No Politics, No Religion." Good sailing people have been leaving this list for years because other good sailing people have systematically violated this simple rule.

Lately, all the violations have been coming from the same side of the political spectrum. Most of these comments, quotes, jokes, pictures, drawings, composites, fables, social histories, legal interpretations, questionnaires, tests, etc. have gone unanswered by people with opposing points of view, out of respect for the "No Politics, No Religion" rule.

"The Ant & the Grasshopper" was the next to the last straw. When people with opposing points of view sought to reply, the list administrator opined that "No Politics, No Religion" was merely a suggestion, and not a rule.

When I posted "Bushmaster" all hell broke loose.  Despite the fact that the piece was properly attributed to the writer, and accurately reflected his views, people who have been conversing with each other on a daily basis for years started screaming at each other, and calling each other names, without, it seems, even bothering to read what was said, or who said it.

I find it simple to delete email I don't want to read when it is properly labeled in the subject line. This approach has worked very well with jokes, which were once a problem of the same magnitude; and with all the spam I get daily. In addition to politics, and religion, I would suggest labeling for sports, local weather, chit chat, party planning, and every other off-topic discussion. Sometimes I want to read it all, and other times I simply don't have the time for it. I know I'm not alone. It's fine with me if everything is fair game, provided that's fine with everyone else, it's properly labeled, and we are all using the same set of rules.

However, in this case, I violated what I considered to be rule, without first clearly labeling the fact that I no longer felt bound by it. That was wrong. And for that I apologize, specifically to Alex, who has scrupulously adhered to the rule for years; to Rummy who has always been a gentle voice for mutual respect; to Michael and Stan who have carefully built this list; and to anyone else who I offended by leveling a broadside without first posting notice that I would no longer honor a rule most of us had adhered to, and with which I had become personally identified. 

Pamela, please convey my apology to Alex, along with the hope he will rejoin the list.

Michael, if you can send my apology to list members who have left the list recently, I would appreciate it.

Bill Effros