No, that’s false. I only quoted JMK, my comment didn’t address your comments at all.

I think everyone is responding tensely to one another, and I think such a stupid little comment can create a thread with such a response…that to me is funny.

The initial joke wasn’t vintage Monty Python, but how others are reacting to it, and to each other, is.

“The original joke from schuyler was a tongue-in-cheek (still not very funny), and not meant to elicit responses of anger.”

Show me one person who responded with anger. You can’t, because nobody did. Straw-man argument.

“The Mary Jo joke was just lame and he was clearly baiting.”

Agreed.

“Some brouhaha developed, and in my opinion, there was an overreaction.”

Brouhaha? Overreaction? I think that’s a stretch. People responded and said ‘not funny, not appropriate.’ In my mind that’s far from a brouhaha. The only people who seem to be making a big deal out of this are those (like you) that want to make jokes about Kennedy and they, as The Artist admitted, are reacting not to anything written here at RAB but to what they perceive in the MSM. The only brouhaha being raised is being raised by those who seem to want to complain, in the comments section of a baseball blog, about Kennedy and media coverage of his passing. The only reaction on the other side has been ‘inappropriate forum, please stop.’ Again, I think you’re kind of building up, and trying to bring down, a straw-man here.

“It’s just a dumb joke but because it was Kennedy, it can’t be said? Had this been some other figure, it likely wouldn’t have mattered so much.”

Disagree. Nobody around here is bringing up politics other than those who want to make jokes about Kennedy. It’s not like jokes about one guy aren’t allowed, while jokes about someone else are. Yet another straw-man.

“Perhaps my point was similar to that of the Artist – Kennedy is for some reason revered and thought to be a God-like hero, despite his serious flaws.”

You have every right to your opinion, nobody has even questioned or even addressed the substance of your opinions here… I, and others, continue to maintain that this just isn’t the appropriate forum to discuss that kind of opinion. Again – This whole conversation was started by someone making light of Kennedy’s death, not by someone defending him, and nobody has even gone so far as to even defend or speak reverently about Kennedy here. All anyone has done is say that this is an inappropriate forum for that kind of talk – an opinion you seem to agree with. All this reverence you’re talking about… None of it has appeared here. If you’re angry with the MSM reaction, go comment on a political blog. It hasn’t happened here and this isn’t the appropriate forum in which to discuss it.

“You’re completely right that this is not the appropriate forum for non-baseball related controversy and political spraying.”

Good, we agree. Given that you seem to agree with this, the only important point in this conversation, I’m not sure what your problem is with people who have said ‘this is the inappropriate forum for this kind of talk.’ (And, dude, “political spraying?” I mean, I know what you meant, but that phrase is new to me. lol)

“I will, in the future, refrain from discussing politics and other controversial things here.”

Good, I think we all agree that’s for the best.

“But a non-sports related subject? This is primarily a Yankees baseball blog, but all sorts of things are discussed here, many of which are not sports. Should we avoid them as well?”

You are twisting and misinterpreting my words, here. I didn’t say we can’t, and that people don’t, discuss non-baseball and non-sports subjects here at RAB. I said: “How about we just, like, not talk about politics or other controversial, non-baseball and non-sports related subjects.” Let’s delete that comma and make it even more clear: “controversial non-baseball and non-sports related subjects.” Actually, I guess that comma could have clouded the intent of my statement, and if that’s so then consider this my clarification. I was referring to things that are non-sports related and controversial, like religion and politics. I thought that was clear but if not, hopefully now it is.

“For the record, at no point did I say people should not speak up to defend his honor.”

I guess I was confused as to the intent of your statement that “defending his honor on a baseball message board won’t bring him back.” And, I know I’m a broken-record at this point, but nobody has stepped up to even argue with you guys about Kennedy (or “defend his honor”), all anyone has said in response is ‘inappropriate forum, please stop.’ Everyone in unison now: yet another straw-man.

Manifesto: Over.

People have a right to say whatever they want, though.

Perhaps my point was similar to that of the Artist – Kennedy is for some reason revered and thought to be a God-like hero, despite his serious flaws. You’re completely right that this is not the appropriate forum for non-baseball related controversy and political spraying. I will, in the future, refrain from discussing politics and other controversial things here. But a non-sports related subject? This is primarily a Yankees baseball blog, but all sorts of things are discussed here, many of which are not sports. Should we avoid them as well?

For the record, at no point did I say people should not speak up to defend his honor.