On Mon, 7 Apr 2003, Henry Gould wrote...
>Mark Weiss wrote:
>"Sorry you feel that way. But I can't imagine that this is of any interest
>to anyone else, so if you wish to continue trying to convince me of my
>perfidy maybe you should take it backchannel."
>
>Mark, I'm sorry you feel that personal insults directed at a person's mental
>health by a psychiatric professional on a poetry discussion list are of no
>consequence. I'm sorry to see one of the list managers, & others, actually
>defend this behavior. As the parent of a young adult under psychiatric care, I
>understand very well how a person can be victimized by just such public
>insinuation; this sort of bullying, coming from a professional, is simply
>outrageous.
>
>Henry
Mark is wrong about this issue not being of interest to anyone else.
I agree broadly with Henry, though I suspect it's more a matter of how
people see the issue rather than deliberate bullying. I find it
difficult to believe that anyone here is being malicious.
However, if as a result of a posting I made, my mental health were
questioned, apparently seriously, by someone qualified to have an
informed opinion on the matter, I would be extremely upset. At the time
Mark made his comment, I thought he was being flippant, and that
although it was clearly an ad hominem attack, it wasn't a particularly
serious one. However, subsequent comments from Randolph and Mark himself
suggest that the remark was intended seriously. It may be that Mark was
being ironic; he mentioned at one point that he had his tongue in his
cheek. If so, it would be reassuring to know what was, and what was not
intended as ironic. I must admit I found Randolph's justification of
Mark's right to make the comment an astonishing one.
I would prefer that subsequent discussion is *not* taken backchannel.
Regards,
--
Peter
http://www.hphoward.demon.co.uk/poetry/
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