RE: Re: Barack Obama

Adam,

I provoked your anger and for that I apologize.  My communication skills
have never been as effective as I would like.  It's a failing that has
long frustrated me.  My comment that fundamentally said a vote for Nader
is a vote for Bush was phrased so aggressively that a defensive reaction
was preordained (i.e., "Looks like your man Bush is going down, no
matter how hard you work on his behalf").  It was a cheap shot, and I'm
sorry.  Furthermore, it was not even accurate, because it is entirely
possible that Bush is not going down.  More like wishful thinking on my
part.  I truly fear what Bush will do if he wins this election or steals
it again, and I believe the former is possible and the latter is
extremely possible.

I offer the following friendly advice.   If you feel an urgent need to
scream at people, make the worst assumptions about them, and attack them
personally, it helps to capture those thoughts and try to tone it down
before saying something out loud (e.g., hitting the Send button),
because vitriol only mightily tempts people to stop listening (including
you and me, and I doubt we're unique in that way).  For my part, I will
try to be better at heeding my own advice.  I certainly failed to do so
in this instance.

Respectfully,
Vicki

P.S. I started a response to the substantive points in your most recent
email.  I hope to finish it next weekend.

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of dvanhorn
Sent: August 02, 2004 3:52 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [ballistichelmet] Re: Barack Obama


Vicki Mercer wrote:
> Ask David who?

I believe Adam meant me, thinking Vicki was speaking of Jessica (of the
heads list) when in fact she was speaking of Jesse Jackson.

I've been out of town, otherwise I would've responded much earlier.
This conversation has become personal and vicious.  Let's try to be a
bit more respectful of each other's perspectives and keep our eyes on
the prize.

Vicki has been politically active for many, many years: many more than
any other person on this list that I'm aware of.  She is the only person
on the list who has testified before Congress, for Christ's sake.  She
is not a mother, much less the mother of a soccer player.  I don't know
whether she enjoys bon-bons, but I wouldn't hold it against her if she
did.  Vicki has many insights and experiences that we all can learn
from.

Adam is a good friend and an apt observer of current affairs.  He and I
have had enumerable conversations about politics and he too is full of
insights.  I attribute much of my political development to our
interaction.

This conversation is becoming of neither.

We all want the same thing, but disagree on how to get there -- that's a
fine thing, but let's be civil about it.  Nothing quicker could ruin
this list.

Stay black,
David


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_______________________________________________
heads mailing list
[email protected]
http://ballistichelmet.org/mailman/listinfo/heads/
http://ballistichelmet.org/donate/