"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote in message
...
"BAC" wrote in message
"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote in message
"BAC" wrote in message
"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote in message
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Some people have a fear/loathing of confrontation (perhaps that's one
reason why we have secret ballots), they just can't handle it - what more
natural than that they should empathise, privately, with someone they
perceive as being bullied, yet draw the line short of backing their
'friend' in public? That's not being 'sneaky' if you ask me. Sending
private e-mails supporting one person whilst posting stuff designed to
keep 'in' with the 'other side', now that would be sneaky.

I'm afraid I simply cannot bring myself to agree with that. I see it as
being amtter of principle. I can understand how someone would not like
confrontation but if they are so moved by something that they feel is so
wrong that they need to take some action then that action should reflect
their principles. The expression "All that is necessary for evil to
triumph is for good men to do nothing" comes to mind. If they think that
something is genuinely beyond the Pale then they should be prepared to
stand up and be counted.

You are of course entitled to your opinion, but there are those who prefer
to do good by stealth, and who do not see any contradiction in expressing
private support and encouragement, from the sidelines, to an individual
involved in a dispute, without themselves becoming embroiled in the dispute.


I see it as totally unprincipled to do something in private that they are
not prepared to do in public. That falls into the sneaky category in my
personal lexicon.

The mind boggles! I can think of many things I would be very reluctant to
say or do in public, which I have said and done without turning a hair in
private. I bet you can too.


Hence it is possible IMO that Helene may well have 'supporters' who
choose to remain anonymous. It takes all sorts, you know, and the
fact you clearly can't stand her doesn't mean everybody else does, too.

It's true, I do loathe her. I can't stand stalkers or liars in real
life and I like them just as little on Usenet. It could be just possible
that she has the odd supporter. Clearly they could not be very fussy
about the company they keep and it is probably just the same strange
ones we see here.


Now I understand better why Burns said, " Oh what a gift, a gift to gie
us, to see ourselves as others see us".

I've always preferred Betjeman myself. Much less censorious of human
frailty.


Burns also said 'a man's a man for a that' which was pretty understanding.