🚀 go-pugleaf

----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Dear Jon,

I am rather disappointed by your analysis of the abusive and insulting
mails that have been posted lately in this mailing-list. Firstly,
I must clarify that there has been no `exchange' of messages of any
sort between myself and this person, so-called Toto, because as a matter
of principle I don't address people of his sort.

I had long observed his abusive messages to other users of this
mailing-list, and in fact, except for a number of childish welcome
mails, I cannot think of any message of him that has contributed in
a constructive manner to the discussion of an issue of relevance.
His language is constantly deprecative, and he criticizes the views
of quite a few people here with his very characteristic junk broken
English without putting forward alternative arguments that might
interest us. Only when he referred to me in an unnecessary way
I posted a mail mocking the ways of this atrocious philistine.

However, let me remind you, that by indication of Michelle Fring,
it was pointed out that he ought not to be taken seriously considering
his age. I thought this was a reasonable consideration, and I addressed
Michelle to say that I agreed with her views and that I apologized
for being so fuzzy with a child. In fact, I must say that your understanding
that  I made up an `excuse' is not correct. I still disapproved of
the ways of this person as much as I did when I posted my former message,
and I only smoothed it out for the sake of cordiality because I have
no time for people who are below any standard of rational discourse.
But as you may have noticed in subsequent mails, cordiality has fallen
on deaf ears. Of course, I have no intention to reply to the garbage
that has followed nor quote the delights of the low-life lexicon
so generously represented in his messages.

I still agree with Michelle that the content of this person's arguments
(or the lack of that is) should not be taken seriously, but I don't
think that his age can be an excuse for him to go on and on without
a confrontation. I couldn't agree more with you that the content of this
row is of no interest to a mailing-list about Basque culture, and neither
are any of his mails in fact. Therefore, I would propose that if there is
such a thing as a moderator in this mailing-list, of someone responsible
for it at CUNY, he/she should consider taking off the mailing-list
subscribers that reincide in offensive language (or, as it is the case
with this particular person, do not contribute in other way other than
that).

Finally, I would like to say that your biographical account of your
Basque experience and your bucolic recollection of Basque society etc..
bringing you to make general conclusions about the benevolence and
whatnot of Basque nature are over-simplistic. As far as this person is
concerned, I don't know how Basque he is -- all one can tell is that
he adorns his genial missives with Basque little bits and pieces
such as `gaupasa', `txikito' and other mementoes that he must have
picked in a Parte Zaharra hangover. I hope that this doesn't make one
a Basque within your own freelance criteria.

As to myself, I'm Basque and I will always be. I'm good-natured but,
I am pleased to tell you that I'm not good at bending to irrational idiots.
Thus, I can report to you with ample experience that Basques also
do argue, insult, etc just like Australians do. However, in this
case, I am afraid that I'm interested in none of this.

Regards,


Mikel Susperregi.