Kiz, this is not meant to keep this going, but I feel I'd just like to explain to Alun that she's just slightly off in understanding my reasons.
Alunissage wrote:
Just a question: does it only count as flaming and insulting if the object of it is around to defend himself?
>snip<
Roas is very strongly objecting to being called insensitive. I mean, it seems odd that the latter, not nearly as insulting as the former, is getting the much stronger reaction. <
I know you are basically just asking me a question, Alun, so I am simply going to respond and try to explain this.
I think you are misinterpreting what I'm and why I've said these things. First, it's not that I was called insensitive. I can take as much as I dish when it's justified. It's that Werefrog decided to take a shot at me, for no real reason outside of disagreeing with what I said, when I didn't make any sort of remark directly at or towards him. I just found it uncalled for, and responded in kind.
Alunissage wrote:
>snip<
You: What mentally deficient mole man...?
Him: I think you're overreacting.
You: No, I'm not, I just think it's stupid.
Him: Oh. Well, if you're not overreacting (and thus presumably really do think the people over there are subhuman retards), then you're being insensitive.
You: Can the attitude. How dare you accuse me and not others. I was just having fun, but I'll be ready to flame if you give me an excuse.
Some free interpretation there, but don't you see it?
Yes and no. I was never going to do anything close to flaming. I simply don't think it's fair to single me out for no reason and take a shot at me with no justification outside of disagreement. People can say what they want about me/to me, but as long as it's relavant and not simply to be a smartass.
And for the record, the phrase using mole man was not meant as any sort of derogatory term for the Japanese. Those of you who've known me for enough years know I am far from that kind of person. I came with that based on a mental image of some poor shlump locked up in a dark room thinking up absurd ideas without any contact to the outside world, which would tell him how nutz he was.
Alunissage wrote:
I know you were exaggerating for humorous effect, but after a whole day of seeing tons of comments like that I don't blame Werefrog for his reaction one bit. Honestly, I winced as soon as I saw the topic title and author, because I knew what was coming. Not the reaction I want to have to your posts, because you frequently have thoughtful and worthwhile things to say, but almost inevitable in this case.
Hey say what you want, but I didn't find out about it until late into the night, and since no one had broached the topic I decided to. And yeah, I just wanted to have a little fun with it, but when I get plunked at for no reason, I'm gonna react in some fashion, not sit back and be quiet. I never openly attacked werefrog, even asked him to let it go.
Yeah, I have a "take me on" side, which opens and closes doors, both good and bad. And I have shown a lot of restraint over the past few months, but I'm not going to ignore someone picking at me for no reason.
Again, this was not mean to continue this, I just felt Alun needed to understand this before making such a decision about this and that.[/quote]