The elephant in the room.... was Re: [at-l] ... yet another

>--- "James P. Lynch, III" <jplynch@crosslink.net> wrote:
>> There have lately been a plethora of attacks...
>
>Jim --
>Sometime last winter, during yet another spate of WF posts, yet another
round
>of anti-WF "me toos", and yet more "Can't we all just get along?" rebukes,
I
>opined that there was an elephant in the room, a big ol' thing, which
nobody
>wanted to have discussed. I opined further that ignoring the elephant does
>NOT make it go away. To be clear, my own opinion is that:
>
>Wingfoot is popularly sought as a authoritative spokesman for Appalachian
>Trail hikers. Like it or not.
>Wingfoot's prominance attaches all things Wingfoot to an image of the
typical
>AT hiker. (And then the elephant:)
>Wingfoot's sociopathologies HURT the AT community more than Wingfoot's
>accomplishments, knowledge, desired persona, etc. HELP the AT community.
>
>I know that designating WF as a net "cost" to the AT community was not
>particularly popular then, and I know that there are many on this list who
>(either) support him whole-heartedly (or just wish the whole sorry subject
>would go away...) and who are silently supporting you but, when a veritable
>*flood* of atml "refugees" (!) pours into the at-l saying EXACTLY the same
>things as have been said on this list for YEARS, recommending EXACTLY the
>same things for WF's health, etc. as has been said here FOR YEARS, then
it's
>time for ALL in the AT community to take notice -- including you.
>
>Still my opinion, but I stand by it as more verified than before:
>Wingfoot is a net PROBLEM for the AT community, and to not acknowledge that
>is to not acknowledge the elephant in your sitting room. And we HURT the AT
>community by not at least DISCUSSING him and his effect on the Trail
>community.
>
>Lastly, I throw the "elephant in the room" thing out there only with the
>thought of causing listers to THINK about the issue for a second. I DON'T
>want anyone (and especially you, Jim) to feel obligated to respond.
>
>Sloetoe MaGee
>
>
>
>=====
>"A man who is not a liberal in his youth has no heart.
>     And  a man who is not a conservative in his maturity
>   has no brain."         W.Churchill
>
>
>Call me 'middle-aged.'    T.McGinnis
>
>__________________________________________________
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