Re: Thanks for all the replies folks, a few more questions...

["Roland Moore" <roland@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I don't doubt that Bass has been a person that you wish wasn't around. I
don't respond to Bass or his posts. A Liberal Democrat Yankee is hard for me
to take in general and Bass is no exception. Bass has his views and I have
mine. If he weren't trying to recover from his illness I might engage him.
Things being the way they are I thinks it best that I wish him all the best
and leave it at that. It is not just a matter of good taste or bad to make
some of the comments made. Even if Bass made comments you view as
comparable, if Bass told someone to drop dead he didn't say it while he knew
that person was having a heart attack. Get some perspective, destroying a
newsgroup doesn't equate in anyone's book to suffering an agonizing death.
Everyone comes from someplace. My reality now is watching a co worker just
34 years old waste away. I was there at his hospital bed tonight watching
his parents being so exhausted from being there almost 24/7 they were barely
able to bounce a hopeless blank stare back and forth to each other. Between
their tears and frustration they are glad to see anyone from work come by. I
am not a big prize for someone to have around, but I try to be there as one
human to another. I try and bring him special  meals and such so as I was
leaving tonight I asked my friend  "Can I do or get anything for you?" I
thought he would ask me for another lobster dinner, DVD or something like
that. Instead he said "Sure, I need a new spine because the cancer has eaten
through it, I need new legs because I can't feel or move them, and a new eye
because the cancer has taken the nerve as it has grown through it." "You can
take the pain away too and that's about all I need," he says. "I guess I'll
be here 'till I kick it." As I leave he says sincerely "Thanks for coming",
but there is a new strange inflection in his voice as if he suspects this
might be the last time we see each other in this world.
Isn't there at least a part of you that would give anything to turn that
around for him or anyone suffering like him? There is in me. That inability
to change anything leaves me paralyzed with sadness. I have seen too many
friends and family menbers pass this hideous way. Can you really hope that
for anyone else? If you do I feel profoundly sorry for you.

"Frank Olson" <Use_the_email_links@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:IgZ3h.277598$R63.133372@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> Roland Moore wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
>> If you're any sort of a real man I hope your thoughts go toward asking
>> Bass, and everyone else here that had the misfortune of reading your
>> post, to forgive you.
>
>
> I don't share all of your sentiments.  In the last five or so years, I've
> seen Bass drive off more good people with his endless libels and outright
> lies.  I haven't seen you post anything here in that time so I can only
> assume you are a relative newcomer to the Group.  If you've "lurked" here
> for any length of time I'm sure you would have tempered your response
> somewhat.  I, for one, don't bear Bass any particular ill will, even
> though I've borne a fair share of his attacks in these last few years (and
> still do from time to time).  I've posted a few things in anger but I've
> never attacked his family or wished him ill.  Besides, when you really
> consider the source, there's really no point.  Bass frequently authors his
> own misfortune.
>
> I exchanged a number of emails with Jim shortly after I started posting
> here.  He very patiently gave me a "rundown" of the Group's dynamics with
> a particular focus on Bass.  Everything he said about the man has turned
> out to be true.  At first, I couldn't believe someone could be that evil
> and yet still call himself a "Christian".  He's viciously libeled a number
> of individuals here and does not hesitate to employ lies, deceit, and
> innuendo in some of his more malicious and cowardly attacks.  I can
> honestly say that nothing is beneath him.
>
> I respect Jim for his honesty, but I can't condemn him for his feelings
> and, without knowing all the facts, you shouldn't either.  I know what he
> said "crossed the line" in most "polite society", but it's really no worse
> than what Robert's done in the not-so-distant past.  He has even told a
> number of us to "drop dead" and included the phrase "and on the way down
> hit your head".
>
> It's really a great pity that Bass brings so much turmoil to this Group.
> When he's absent for extended periods, the place starts to take on a whole
> new aura.  Over one particularly long absence, it was actually pretty cool
> to see Steve Ryckman (the Group's founder) start posting again.  When Bass
> re-appeared, his first order of business was to "prod" Jim and a number of
> his other "former detractors".  This is "classic Bass".  He "pokes and
> prods", then sits back to enjoy what develops.
>
> Jim was the one that told me long ago to ignore all the manure in the
> Group and look for the diamonds.  Believe it or not, there are plenty of
> them here.
>
> Oh, yeah, and spend a few minutes with "Google".