8204: Corbett responds to Slavin on David X. Young

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

Patrick writes:

I've been touched by the postings from Fritz, Cherie, and Tequila, among 
others, and especially you Bob -- as David kept me posted on his rather
fiery 
feuds with you. The things we don't know about the politics of running
this 
list!

-----------

Patrick, I learned lots about and from David in those very fiery
posts, but the fire was one sided.  In voice talk even though our
exchanges were strictly e-mail, I never raised my voice.  Never once.
I was very careful about that, hoping he'd notice and wonder about
it.  He never did.

David was, as many know, a very passionate man and sure of himself.  Often
those who didn't see the world his was were seen as simply fools and they
shoud be treated as such.  

He said so in his posts loudly and clearly, and I didn't post them.
Then he'd tell me what a fool I was and a wimp and things I won't
print.  I would at times be doubled over in laughter at his rages
at me.  He'd get so angry at me that he'd quit writing in for long 
periods.

However, he never understood that I had great respect for his passion
and often for his views themselves.  It was the way he expressed it
by attacking the person not the idea that separated us.  He wanted to not
only to say this and that is the case, in a loud voice, but needed to say,
and you who said that are a dunce, fool, scoundrel and much stronger
terms.  

I often rewrote passages saving the whole of his ideas and softening
the personal rhetoric.  I'd write saying: what about saying this? That's
when he'd whip out his favorite:  Corbett you're a ........ whimp!  When
he said that (a dozen times or so) he was GONE for a month or more,
punishing me by not communicating.

If I had saved all the David X. Young rejected posts and now cleaned
them up and posted them it would be a treasure trove of challenging
ideas.  He was from an old school to which I am deeply attracted
which scizzled in disgust at political correct talk.  I tend to
bow more to custom, but I doubt David hated politically correct
talk any more than I.

Thus, despite the fire on his side, I loved the man.  He challenged
me, informed me, exasperated me and utterly delighted me.

Bob Corbett