h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi, Edward.
I saw this today on the 'hate Della' thread (something that I have long found intensely annoying is that I changed from name from Della to Adelaide 14 months ago!) Then along (today) comes the new Della (I suspect 'her' of being someone else's alter ego, but let's leave that for a mon' on account of the confusion caused by New Della, which is highly amusing!)

"But she has been behaving within reasonable community standards (well - at least to the same degree as others. you're all slipping!). She is very far from being another Della. But...the very fact that she has been defending Della has led to her being held responsible for all the communities ills."

In late 2003, I ran up against Hoo/Member/Number on a thread about abortion. In 2004, there was a misunderstanding (and that's all it ever was!) with Blicky. I wasn't a fundamentalist, and I didn't believe that Christians were persecuted in the 20th and 21st centuries. But my experience since, with what were called (and not my me!) the Axis of Weasels, has made me realise that the latter (persecution of Christians!) may well have some truth to it. The behaviour you refer to as "Della's conduct" - presumably meaning me, U179697 - puzzles me, as I have seen a "straw man" called "Della" be attacked to the point of the (removed) Dellaese, and the whole 'hate Della' thread - all 648+ posts of it, and I don't recognise myself in any of it!
I first came across you on MV's thread about bi-polar disorder, and then later on the linguistics thread... We got on, as far as I could see, fine! Then, I made the mistake of opposing the consensus again, regarding abortion, and the hatred was on again!
It's all quite mad, beyond my ability to understand, and if anyone could point to anything I actually *do* to piss people off so bad (flaming and trolling I don't do!) maybe I could 'change' my behaviour. But as far as I can see, my only crime is to have a different opinion from the majority! There is, whether you want to call it a clique, or a mob, a kind of hive mentality here. I disagreed wildly with redpeckham in 2002, on the issue of the invasion of Iraq - and now, I am supposed to be her relative or her puppetmaster because she took exception to the way she and I were both being double-teamed for disagreement with the mob!
It seems to me that there is someone here who is a catalyst for all the trouble. Hoo/Member/Number throws the rocks, but the catalyst tells him where to throw them! (I think you can guess who I might mean...)

No. The new Della is news to me. I saw 'Her' first today and realised immediately that 'she' wasn't you.

There is some disgraceful conduct from the other side at the moment. And I WILL call them on it. Hoo - for example - I've not seen him apologise for the mental health thing yet. I'm not taking it personnally. I would have found it disgraceful irrespective of my own arguments.

As for yourself - I hope that by now that you respect my sincerity in saying that honest arguments from a religionist perspective are more than welcome. Much as I disagree with them. You sometimes make the mistake, though, of being angered by rebuttal of faith-based arguments. Of late, you had been behaving well - and I'd said so. More lately I'm afraid that you have - admittedly under much provocation - done your part in reducing the quality of argument.

Do look back and see if there is any 'hatred' in my arguments. I *think* I'm just trying to advance debate - but apologies for any lapses due to frustration.

<>

I want to apologise as well, totally, for any and all insults to anyone, regarding mental health! It's just completely unacceptable, and I am sorry. Frustration is no excuse for me, and I apologise if I have given you any impression that I do not respect you, because I do.

May we get on now, and perhaps be friends? (See you on the Linguistics and other threads...)