>Kirt, Your comments are pretty much on the mark but unfortunately do
>not further much dialogue.

I'm sorry if it hinders dialogue betwwn others and Stephen, but my point is
that _I'm_ through with Stephen. I don't want any further dialogue.

>You blanket condemnation of Stephen does not
>give him any space to maneuver in or to explain himself, and I think
>his response to you very predictably will be that of a cornered animal.
>Indeed, this is no war and even though I think Stephen had it coming to
>him when he chose to continue with the old NFL chest-beating style of
>rhetoric, when the dialogue stops we all loose.

All probably very true...

>Kirt, now that have discharged some of your inner distress maybe you
>can explain how come you were so offended by Stephen's choice of words
>and explain a bit about what was driving your sense of outrage? I do
>not think he has much concept of how his words can hurt & anger other
>people and is probably by now so used to people flying off the handle
>when it comes to discussing NFL's social values that he does not give
>it a second thought. It probably only confirms his beliefs that this
>planet is a pretty crazy place to be on and that it is way overdue for
>the thinning out the herd of the likes of RAF - and cooked food eaters
>who refuse to grasp the simple truth that fruits are the mainstay of
>man's natural diet. Now instead of feeding into this and furthering a
>frenzy of polarization and marginalization of the issues, the challenge
>to us all is in spite of our individual feelings of righteousness to
>back up our posts with more content and less shouting and name-calling.
>If that still does not help at least then we will know that our
>opponents, whoever they may be, backed down not out of intimidation but
>out of a lack of words. In the silence that follows, who knows, maybe
>an inner voice of reason & reconciliation will be heard.

Again, probably all very true...

I appreciate the fine post, Peter. But I have my "line" here and that will
have to be respected or not. You're mature enough and patient enough to
continue debate with such reasoning as found in Stephen's recent post (and
mine as well!), and I think you're doing a much better service in keeping
the dialogue open...But it's just beyond me. I throw the towel in as
regards NFL-style "reasoning".

In looking over my post I find there _is_ content, alongside the outrage,
and concession as well. Perhaps the only thing left unstated was my
complete bewilderment that there are subscribers who find the NFL tack not
only acceptable, but actually defend it actively. There may be some things
worth polarizing about. For me, after efforts to the contrary, I have come
to that conclusion about the "reasoning" of Stephen (who is perhaps the
most reasonable of the NFL trio!). Life's too short and precious.

Sorry to disappoint you, Peter.

Kirt