This is the last bit. At this point I discovered that I’d been volleying with a husband/wife team. The wife tended more towards the “kindness” viewpoint where the husband was more antagonistic.
ANTAGONIST (only to me):
I must set the record straight. I did speak up about the racist email that was sent to us. If you will reread my email below it states: We find it ALSO offensive at the constant attacks on Bush. I find it ALL offensive including the demeaning sexist comments in the media and elsewhere about Hillary Clinton. It has nothing to do with political affiliation, it’s about human kindness, respect, & dignity! Everyone may have the right to express themselves as you say (including emails from the Obama person & Bush person), but I don’t want to hear/read that negativity. Keep it to yourself and leave me out of it! And, I did not send the last email, my husband was quite disturbed in seeing your attacks on my character that he sent the comment. You don’t even know me, and you’re judging me. Lets be kind & considerate to everyone and the world will be a better place.
Contrarian (I BCC’d Partner):
Your repudiation of the Obama email was limited to one word which gave barely a nod to the topic. Your true anger and ire was raised by the jest at the president’s expense and no retroactive posturing will change that. Partner made a joke that you found tasteless, and you chose to publicly reply-all and engage him. By doing that you open yourself up to dissent. Human kindness, respect, and dignity are well and good, but that does not mean valid criticism is off the table. I criticized you, and rather than directly addressing my criticism or further developing your argument, you chose to cry foul, and counter-attack me for being a meanie. I am not cruel, I simply state what I observe, and rather than presenting your own case, you got your feelings hurt.
In the future, if you want to avoid negativity, you might want to consider ignoring it. You lack a thick enough skin to engage in political commentary.
This will be the last you hear from me.
ANTAGONIST:
Up Yours and Your Superior than Thou Attitude. I think you have a severe mental problem!
And here it ends. I learned quite a bit about these kinds of people, primarily that it’s fruitless to engage in debate with someone who feels before they think. They can’t get past their own ire long enough to let someone else’s point sink in. They have a kneejerk reaction, and any criticism is perceived as a personal attack.
I admit I personally attacked them with my jabs at her character. However, I was clear to point out that her behavior speaks to her character, and that my judgment was based upon that. I know I could have handled the whole exchange better, and in re-reading it I come off as rather sanctimonious.
But damn it was fun!
