> >Am I being too sensitive?
Bob said.......
> Yes.
>
> When one of your admired "guys" (above) was mugged and assaulted in
> public, for no other reason than the mugger was a THUG, in one of
> those discussions you "loved", and the assaulted guy CHOSE to
> fight back, does that make them BOTH "Neanderthal thugs"?

All of you guys are allowing your testosterone to get the better of you.

> Do you think one of YOUR "Neanderthal thugs" should have turn the
> other cheek to encourage the REAL thug to diepense more verbal clubbing?
> Do you think bystanders should just ignore what's at issue and call
> BOTH of them thugs indiscriminantly?

Bystanders do not ignore what's at issue!
Points can be made and argued but when the protagonists start to call each
other names then they exhibit an immaturity which is unjustified.
Sorry Bob.
But much as I admire your ability to argue and your clarity of mind (and
your phenomenal memory) , I'm afraid _I_ think that it is too often _you_
who causes the problems.

> >It may be that if I have not the stomach for all this I should just
leave.
>
> That's always ONE of the free choices.  But a better one would be to
> NOT READ posts by what you consider to be the "Neanderthal thugs".

WHAT? and miss some of the gems you (not necessarily you,Bob) can produce
when you are in good form?

> That's way of life in ALL unmoderated LISTS that are Open Forum for
> expression by anyone.  In the long run, the REAL thugs will not
> survive or will lose all credibility or support, and THEY are the
> ones who should or choose to leave, and most of them do.

You all have points of view.
You all wish to adhere, for reasons of loyalty or whatever, to your own
point of view and others should respect that wish -its like arguing over who
has the *best* religion or the *best* school or the *best* fins or the
*best* Daddy.........
There is NO right answer!
We have no right to try to force our own opinions on others.
Point out errors - reasonable (wo)men will appreciate the error being
pointed out but you cannot tell someone their OPINION is wrong.   They have
that opinion based on their own ideas.
Now please, Bob, dont tear me to ribbons for this.
I'm only trying to pour some oil over these troubled waters.
I'm no Philadelphia lawyer and you (in fact ALL you guys) would lose me in a
minute in the argument game.
I can hear you saying
"Carol, you ARE the Weakest Link - good-bye"
Carol