Retraction

I have taken down one of my recent posts after it was brought to my attention that parts of it would likely be considered offensive. I don't like to do that sort of thing--many pieces on here are regrettable for one reason or another, usually for the poor quality of the thinking or writing, and I have tended to think that the reminders which their embarrassing presence offer will better serve to steer me in the direction of improvement than if they were all vanished or hidden from sight, though it is true that at this point there is no reason to believe that will be the case. As to offensiveness, while of course in many instances it is more than appropriate in writing to provoke offense--indeed, that is held by many writers to be the medium's most sacred purpose--my sense of which times and subject matters are appropriate for this however, and which are the most proper methods and tones to employ in thrusting one's points home, remain with me a work in progress. Criticism and judgement are not areas of the intellect where I am strong even limiting the comparison within the realm of my own mind (anticipating any allegations that no part of my brain could be designated as functioning, let alone strong, by any regular standards of intelligent humanity). If I must write at all, I should at least resist the temptation to write in those modes at which I am especially poor, in order that these sorts of embarrassing situations do not recur.

This all said, I consider that what really objectionable offense there was in this little article was in the crudity and poor execution of the writing to express certain of my positions and emotional responses rather than in those positions and responses themselves. I do think there is a lot of phony sanctimoniousness and outrage on certain senstive issues that are at the very least legitimate subjects for debate. I do think there are points where even the noblest causes can begin to develop a wearisome aspect, or succeed too much, where the equilibrium of a healthy, flourishing society and body politic may begin to be disturbed, and I often find myself wondering if such a point has not been broached in this one. But seeing as I suffer too much from the symptoms I diagnose, and cannot present my positions either gracefully or forcefully, it will not do any good to try to press them at this time, so I will drop all references to the subject for the foreseeable future. Besides, having had to work through some of the issues, or non-issues as many see them, that were bothering me, I feel a little bit better, or at least more comfortably resigned, about them than I did when I allowed my agitation to get the better of me before.