This rambles all over the place, Frank, and I wish it didn’t.  What it does do well is explain my positions and feelings about all this.

This is difficult for both of us, Frank.  Let’s dispose of the trashed post first.  Who has the means, motive and opportunity to trash my posts?  Who monitors all my posts for PC by his standards?  Who might know it could be done anonymously?  Who would lie about doing it?  Why would the only time it happened it would be me?  And who would accuse me of doing it myself?

Yep, it was you.  But we can’t prove it, so it’s a moot matter.  Just one more in a sordid series of events.

You advocate no tolerance for slights to the US.  You’re view is that in the face of any real or imagined offense the US go into full attack mode, and not quit until the “enemy” is reduced to a shambles.  You might notice, I learned that, too.  And as the recipient you don’t like it.

Frank, I know you have not been appointed to oversee my activity on behalf of others.  I’m sorry you take words out of context to justify a point which had no validity to start.  For instance, do I think some people on these boards are not very bright?  That is true, AND I did not say that in that thread.  A half-bright person would not read that into that post.

I don’t know exactly what to do, Frank.  I’m feeling foolish, to be honest.  I suspect you are a normally honest person, with an extreme reticence for admitting you are wrong.  Under enough pressure every single person here is capable of doing anything.  Anything at all.  Every one of us.  I know you drink a little, maybe a lot on occasion.  That will sometimes free people from limits they usually observe.

The post on Community attempting to somehow justify your treatment of our truce was what tipped me off.  A sad, desperate attempt to salvage something, as if anything anyone said could change the reality of what you did.  Humiliating, degrading.

I’m not going to pretend I like you, nor that I have any great regard for your ability to deal in concepts, to stay with a subject and I know you are intellectually dishonest.  And I’m aware the sense is mutual, if not stronger.

I also know you don’t deserve the beating you’ve gotten right here in public.  I have kicked the living hell out of you and you escalate.  This cannot be pleasant for anyone, and I don’t think the real Frank is showing up.

I’m an old man with a hard-won insight to people, a facility with the language, and a world of experience.  Harmless, I’m a great friend, and I have difficulty of this sort with only you.   I’m not proud of myself for the last several days, I’m only following the policy you advocate.  I’d like to stop.

Sigh.  I’ll just do the best I can.