Everyone:

I think things have come to a sad pass when a member of this list feels he
has to withdraw for a time for the sake of the general good.

I  think I agree with Richard when he says that things have become
"overheated", but I also feel that it goes beyond this.

For some time, and recently it seems more frequently and at greater length,
there's been a casual and gratuitous sniping at Richard Dillon that was
often independent of anything he posted.

There's been a tendency, not admittedly universal and in some ways
reciprocated, to refer to Richard Dillon as "Dillon", a discourtesy
seemingly not extended to anyone else on the list.

Richard's posts have often been personalised and intemperate, but this could
equally be said with regard to responses to +his+ posts.  Equally, his
intemperate language has frequently been in response to an intemperance
initially directed +at+ him.  There seems to be an assumption that because
Richard is a supporter of George Bush, and an ultra-patriotic American, his
comments can be dismissed out-of-hand, whereas "left" opinions go by on the
nod.  Richard has been accused (frequently with a degree of personalised
venom) of not 'arguing' his case.  He does (not always) argue it, and
equally, certain of his opponents seem to feel that their own cases don't
need to be argued +against+ Richard.

I say all this in the context of disagreeing, politically, with Richard
about as much as anyone else on this list.  But if I wanted to belong to a
club of mutually-supportive back-slapping left-liberal intellectuals, I
wouldn't be on Petc.  There have been a number of predominantly political
posts lodged on Petc.  Richard, from his stance quite justifiably, has
challenged those he sees as "anti-American".  That, I think, is his perfect
right.  Posts lodged as political statements are open to political
challenge.

Frankly, I'd be quite happy if +no+ political posts, either from the
Conservative American Right or the Radical British Left were lodged, unless
they could be shown to have to do, in at least +some+ way, with poetry.

When I began this post, it was simply going to be a short statement that I
was myself taking a two week sabbatical from Petc.  Frankly, the way I'm
feeling at the moment over this whole business, it's going to take me two
weeks to regain my temper, so I'm leaving off my own bat.

Randolph and Alison have behaved admirably in what must be, for them, a
distressing and difficult situation, and I'm sorry if this post makes things
worse.  (I sincerely hope not.)

Richard's post withdrawing certain of his statements about Lawrence Utpon,
and his gesture towards helping to restore harmony on the list, was
temperate and dignified.  I'm sorry, but at the moment I feel neither
temperate nor dignified.

I look forward to rejoining you all in two weeks time.

Robin Hamilton

> Dear Lawrence,
>
> I think things have become overheated in this exchange, on both sides.
>
> For my part, and without prejudice to my sincerely held feelings towards
> President Bush, and my strongly held and articulated stance towards the
> implications of certain poetic and political positions, I'd like to state
> unequivocally that I recognise that you are neither a terrorist nor a
> supporter of bin Laden.
>
> That said, I intend to withdraw from poetryetc for two weeks.  In the
> present climate, a period of quiet would seem absolutely necessary.  As I
am
> the captain of my own actions, this is my personal contribution towards a
> restoration of harmony.
>
> I hope that when I return, discussion can be resumed on a civil footing.
>
> Richard Dillon
> --