Dear All:

For what it's worth, I think there *is* a place for the "block posting"
option, but it's reserved for people who make statements that are
"actionable" in the broad legal sense -- e.g., threats, use of invective
that anyone would acknowledge as bigoted, etc., rather than posts that
simply have a high annoyance value. Like many, I just use the delete
strategy for the latter category. 

I have to admit that at some level, when I have a problem with annoyance
posts it's because I read them. I *know* I don't have to read them, and
so if I find them tiresome, I have only myself to blame, really. I want
to blame the poster, because that's so much easier than acknowledging my
own compulsive reading habits, but that's a bit unfair. I also know that
my own posts tend to wander off into self-absorbed linguistic
navel-gazing, and that some readers would find that legitimately
annoying -- and I'd feel rather put out if they kvetched at me about it
instead of simply tossing the post in the junk folder. So...I can't get
on Brad's case too strongly here (and besides, how many of us have, at
some point, lamented the fact that most of our students think grammar is
meaningless? Brad is at the other end of the spectrum).

As a last point: I agree that posting someone's personal info as part of
this kind of exchange is akin to violating the Geneva Conventions of
internet groups -- and it verges on an ad hominem attack in this
instance. After all, what matters about someone's views on grammar is
the position's logic and internal consistency, not the person's age or
background. After all, neither Plato nor Aristotle had degrees in
linguistics, and their work has had some influence <cough> on modern
linguistics. If Brad carefully dissected Jespersen's position in a
logical way and offered intriguing refutations, it would be relevant
regardless of anything else. I'm not holding my breath on that, but
still....

Sincerely,

Bill Spruiell

-----Original Message-----
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Craig Hancock
Sent: Monday, April 13, 2009 12:43 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Feeding the "Brad" troll: Just don't do it!

Hey, Jeff.
   Sorry to hear you are thinking of unsubscribing. I have always valued
your perspectives and your contributions from back when you posted and
presented at our conferences. I was happy to see you at 4C's, glad to
hear you're still fighting the good fight down in Louisiana.
   Reviving the other list is still a live possibility. I appreciate the
vote for it. ATEG, by its very nature, has to be a big tent. I worry,
though, that the best people are too frustrated to continue.

Craig
Well this is a new low, isn't it?
>
> I've been following this list for, what, 10 years now? I even used to
> contribute once in while. I've seen lots of bullies come and
go--enough to
> make me decide I didn't want to be an active contributor anymore. Brad
> isn't the biggest bully I've seen, just the most obnoxious.
>
> Still, posting this guy's personal information (correct or not) steps
way
> beyond any line I've seen crossed before. Not even Brad deserves that.
It
> just isn't done. Ever.
>
> So now I actually feel ashamed to be a list member at all, like some
idle
> voyeur who's snuck a peak at one too many domestic fights in the house
> next door. Now I know where it all ends.
>
> Enough then. I'll send in my unsuscribe request. Craig, if you ever
want
> to get the other old list going again (I worry about publicizing the
name
> here), then please let me know. I do miss that smaller but far more
> respectful, professional, productive list.
>
> Jeff
>
> Dr. Jeff Wiemelt
> Director of Freshman English
> Editor, Journal of College Writing
> English, Box 10861
> Southeastern Louisiana University
> Hammond, LA 70402
> 985-549-5761
>   ----- Original Message -----
>   From: Richard Wallis
>   To: [log in to unmask]
>   Sent: Sunday, April 12, 2009 12:07 PM
>   Subject: Feeding the "Brad" troll: Just don't do it!
>
>
>   Surely you all recognize by now the actions of an Internet troll.
Why do
> you continue to engage it in discussion?
>
>
>
>   Internet trolls thrive on calling attention to themselves and to
their
> own peculiar ideas. They will never change their tactics, and they
will
> never concede anything. Every mailing list seems to have one or two of
> these sociopaths. They enjoy the frustration and infuriation that
their
> endlessly repeated postings cause.
>
>
>
>   Brad Johnston, who lives in Warrenton, Virginia, is 78 years old
(born
> on December 18). He is not a linguist; in fact, he was probably never
an
> English teacher. He apparently doesn't have a graduate degree. He was
in
> the class of 1952 at Wabash College (Indiana) and a member of
something
> called the Sphinx Club there. He attended Shortridge High School in
> Indianapolis.
>
>
>
>   I cannot begin to understand why respected teachers and linguists
> continue to respond at all to him. You are giving him the attention
and
> "respect" that he so desperately craves -- and that he apparently
lacks
> elsewhere in his sad little life.
>
>
>
>   Don't feed the troll!!
>
>
>
>
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