The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 13.0207  Sunday, 27 January 2002

[1]     From:   Karen Peterson <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
        Date:   Friday, 25 Jan 2002 07:46:52 -0800 (PST)
        Subj:   Re: SHK 13.0170 Re: Postmodern Shakespearean Performance

[2]     From:   Charles Weinstein <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
        Date:   Friday, 25 Jan 2002 20:00:26 -0500
        Subj:   Postmodern Shakespearean Performance


[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Karen Peterson <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date:           Friday, 25 Jan 2002 07:46:52 -0800 (PST)
Subject: 13.0170 Re: Postmodern Shakespearean Performance
Comment:        Re: SHK 13.0170 Re: Postmodern Shakespearean Performance

> 2. A listmember who sends a death-wish to another
> listmember
> ("Weinstein, I hope you die of brain cancer damn
> soon") is in a dubious
> position to claim the moral high-ground.  A
> listmember who "apologizes"
> for such behavior by blaming it on the recipient of
> the death-wish ("I
> descended to your level") is, if anything, in an
> even more dubious
> position.  Would Mr.  Evett defend such behavior as
> "disinterested
> indignation"?  Would Ms.  Kranz?

I may have missed something in the numerous threads generated by this
debate.  I don't recall reading any public, on-the-list death-wishes.
So I am assuming this is something that occurred in a private, off-list
communication.  If this is the case, off-list is where it should remain,
in my opinion.  If the sender apologized, then that is probably the best
you can expect, even if the apology did not meet your standards for
gracious behavior.

This debate is, as several have commented, currently generating more
heat than light.  Perhaps those of us who have been participating should
take some time, take a deep breath, count to ten (or 100 or 1000), and
then try to return to some semblance of civil discourse -- perhaps even
civil discourse that has something to do with Shakespeare.

Karen E. Peterson

[2]-------------------------------------------------------------
From:           Charles Weinstein <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date:           Friday, 25 Jan 2002 20:00:26 -0500
Subject:        Postmodern Shakespearean Performance

"A listmember who sends a death-wish to another listmember ('Weinstein,
I hope you die of brain cancer damn soon') is in a dubious position to
claim the moral high-ground."

"Good point," says Mr. Jensen.

"A listmember who 'apologizes' for such behavior by blaming it on the
recipient of the death-wish ('I descended to your level') is, if
anything, in an even more dubious position."

"Not a good point," says Mr. Jensen.

Actually it is, since the listmember was attempting to equate my
behavior with his own.  I have never sent death-wishes to anyone; nor
would I.  Need I point out that there's a huge difference between
panning an actor's performance and sending him a message urging him to
die of brain cancer?

In an earlier on-line post to me, the listmember named several "friends"
of his and said:  "They would like to meet you in the alley."   I
decided to take that as a bad joke, but I was troubled by the
implications.  Subsequent events proved that my reaction was valid.  I
don't like being threatened, I don't like receiving death-wishes, and I
will not tolerate any further behavior of the kind.

Nor will I be intimidated, either physically or morally.  Those who wish
to change my mind will have to go the route of reasoned argument.  They
may succeed or they may fail; but short of sending me anthrax, nothing
else will work.

--Charles Weinstein

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