Doug & Barb-L

[Terrance]

Henry Mu wrote:
> 
> When I was a little boy, I learned that it is incumbent on those that desire
> quiet to set a good example.


Oh come on Henry, you must be kidding. And if we sit quietly do you
promise to read 
some of M&D to us? Are there really several conversations going on here?
Can one 
seriously expect a list devoted to Pynchon's works to survive this
onslaught of political rants? No way! It won't work. It doesn't work. We
are all interested in the current events unfolding around us. We all
have opinions and ideas about them. That's fine. But Doug has taken this
opportunity to peddle his politics shamelessly. People feel compelled to
reply to Doug because he is screaming from the corner of the room, his
dunce cap over his eyes, insulting people both with his insults (calling
me a drunk, jbor a he-she nazi, Allan a Bush supporting fascist) and his
militant Leftist propaganda. Please, it is not incumbent on any of us to
set a good example for Doug. He knows that this is the Pynchon list and
he knows that in order for it to be the Pynchon list he needs to
practice a little self control. Unfortunately, he can't and  there are
always people who give him encouragement. JBframe says, "he's right, you
guys." Yeah, he may be right occasionally, but what's wrong with Doug's
posts far outweighs what's right with them. Dave Moroe defends him
against the gang-bang Doug bring upon himself. You ask me to sit quite
and set a good example. 

At first it seemed possible to have an MDMD discussion and talk about
what was on everybody's mind--the war, but the NP posts now dominate the
Pynchon list. Doug has always done this and to a certain extent so have
we all. Although we all know that postings to the Pynchon list must be
related to Pynchon, we also know that this rule 
has never been enforced here. But it's now out of control. We can't keep
a Pynchon dialogue here or and MDMD reading if people are going to be
fighting and insulting one another because the politicizing the list by
Doug to satisfy his own selfish needs. 

Where is the fun, where is the interesting dialogue, where is the MDMD
discussion, where are the new members? All gone. The Pynchon list is not
the Pynchon list at all. Why don't we change the name? It's a sham to
call this the Pynchon list. 
Doug & Barb News-L is an honest name for it. 

Later, 

T