(Ali's letter deleted for brevity)


Roger,
Your responses might just exclude you from sharing your opinions,
then.  You see, the same rights Ali has to mail her letter to the NHL
are the same ones that let you post replies that mow her down like
wheat at harvest-time.  She never said she represented the entire
internet or the entire group rec.sport.hockey.  She has every right to
state her opinion along with those of the fifty or sixty or
hundred-odd folk who've agreed to allow her to list their names on the
bottom of it.  You may not agree with it.  Fine.  I really don't care
enough about the name change to care.  Your name isn't attached to it,
so why moan and complain?  If you felt her words were leading, well,
you're free to feel that way and take exception, but manners never
hurt.  I personally disagree and feel her generalizations were fine
(I have the right to think and say that, too).  Ali's under no
compunction to change a single word.  Now, while you're free to
disagree with every word she wrote, to tear apart her character is
uncalled for.  I'm posting this as a form of public reprimand.  If you
tear down Ali's integrity and character publicly, you'll get chastised
publicly in return.  Would it have been so hard to say, "Ali, please
be a bit more specific in your description, the way I've read it
indicates you're stating my view also, and that's simply not true.
I'd really like to see a disclaimer noting that you don't mean the
entire internet or the entire r.s.h. group attached to it, despite
your intent to list names at the bottom.  Thanks.  Cordially as
always," &c.  Calling her a moron and an asshole just reduces the
weight of your words and the opinions of their author in the eyes of
myself, and possibly others.  

Oh, and Ali, nice to see someone standing up for something, even if
it's not something I personally advocate.  :-)






