NP Press delete now

[jbor]

davemarc at panix.com wrote:

> Looking back on this incident, I guess the best thing would have been to
> send an apology, even while pleading innocence.  From my recollection, I'm
> not sure why Rob would think that Derek was being disingenuous,
> exploitative, dishonest, etc.

Perhaps because there was no legitimate reason I could see for him to assume
that I was making an anti-Semitic slur.

> Perhaps an apology from Rob would have made
> Derek more confident of Rob's innocence. Or, if not an apology, a kind
> assurance that there had been a misunderstanding.

I didn't think he cared whether I was "innocent" or not. I still don't. And
I'm not sure that he was interested in a resolution of any sort. He didn't
even acknowledge the fact that "Maus" is his surname, for one. And his post
ended with something like "hit me with all your onanistic vigor, sweetie",
or somesuch, which sounded to me like he merely wanted to escalate the
nastiness he was accusing me of.

As soon as he made the allegation that I meant his name as a racial epithet,
which I still think is quite obviously spurious, and for the reasons I've
already outlined, I decided to let the whole thing drop without further
comment. (There was no "persisting", as Doug has falsely claimed.) My call,
I'd say.

There is a stream of particularly nasty and offensive "big one at slothrop666"
emails directed to me right after the exchange, however, which you will no
doubt have noted if you've revisited the incident in the archives. "Looking
back", as you are, perhaps you might like to take to task the person who
sent those messages as well.

> Maybe it's not too late.

If you're in touch with Derek Maus you might be able to put his mind at
rest. I doubt that he's still cut about it, however, or ever was.

best