Original Message Date: 24 Jul 92  01:04:57
From: Josh Burke on 1:343/95
To: Tom Jennings on 1:1/1
Subj: Problems
^AFLAGS DIR
A recent article in fidonews contained the following lines:
"
Well, no scandals, flames, outings, net wars, political conspiracies
this week. Too bad. It's getting quiet around here.
 
Actually, the above reminds me of something Vince Perriello (Josh (my
boyfriend, remember him?) and I had coffee & pizza with Vince in
Seattle) brought up, and I think is so obvious (in hindsight) that I'm
completely amazed I've never heard it before --
"
 
The use of "Josh" without any other form of identification has caused¨
me  some problems within the network.  I have had a number of flaming ¨
netmails, insults, and I believe I have lost Zone Coordinator position¨
in  the network I started.  I believe that you intended no ill towards¨
me, nor  any other "Josh"'s in Seattle.  I would appreatiate some¨
clarity of what  you meant by this in a upcoming fidonews.  Please¨
note that I have nothing  aginst homosexuals...
 
I have been in Austraila for 11 days, to find my BBS crashed (Neighbor¨
did  not reset the computer, he reset the VCR!), Zone Coordinator¨
position  lost, Fido feed cut... not the kind of things you like to¨
see after 28  hours in a airplane.
(I did warn everybody I was going to Australia)


Original Message Date: 28 Jul 92  19:45:19
From: Tom Jennings on 1:125/111
To: Josh Burke on 1:343/95
Subj: re: Problems
^AINTL 1:343/95 1:125/111
> The use of "Josh" without any other form of identification 
> has caused me some problems within the network.  I have had 
> a number of flaming netmails, insults, and I believe I have 
> lost Zone Coordinator position in the network I started.  I 
> believe that you intended no ill towards me, nor any other 
> "Josh"'s in Seattle.  I would appreatiate some clarity of 
> what you meant by this in a upcoming fidonews.  Please note 
> that I have nothing aginst homosexuals...
 
I hate to be mean, but this is completely ridiculuous. "Ill will 
towards other Josh's in Seattle" -- huh?! Is this serious!?
 
The problem you have is your own projections, and mainly the people 
harrassing you. Not me. 
 
I simply cannot fathom how on earth you could seriously state that 
because my boyfriend is also called "Josh", that somehow your problems 
have anything to do with me!


(POSSIBLE DRAFT FIDONEWS EDITORIAL)

(DEPENDS ON HOW MEAN I FEEL ON SUNDAY)

I received a netmail message this week regarding something I wrote in¨
a recent FidoNews editorial. Below is a small fragment of it. The¨
context is missing, but I think you'll find it doesn't matter.)

The fragment:

[...] Vince Perriello, (Josh (my boyfriend, remember him?) and I had¨
coffee & pizza with Vince in Seattle) brought up, and I think is so¨
obvious (in hindsight) that I'm completely amazed I've never heard it¨
before...

The email response:

> The use of "Josh" without any other form of identification has
> caused me some problems within the network. I have had a number
> of flaming netmails, insults, and I believe I have lost Zone
> Coordinator position in the network I started. I believe that
> you intended no ill towards me, nor any other "Josh"'s in
> Seattle. 

> I would appreciate some clarity of what you meant by
> this in a upcoming fidonews. Please note that I have nothing
> against homosexuals...

What a sad world we live in. I don't know where to begin, to unravel¨
the half-dozen or so nonsensicals in this one paragraph. Let me try.

My boyfriends name is Josh, short for Joshua, if that was not clear.¨
Are all people named "Josh" in Seattle my boyfriend? Besides the hints¨
given by the singular vs. plural wording, sufficient data in itself,¨
no, only one Josh in Seattle is my boyfriend. And I'm fairly certain¨
not the author of the above paragraph.

I assume that the author, Josh, realizes that he is not my boyfriend. 

The author was apparently harrassed by some people because my¨
boyfriend, Josh, has the same first name (I assume first name,¨
actually I didn't give this much thought until now...), the same first¨
name as the author of the above paragraph. Or because Josh-the-author¨
has the same name as my boyfriend. This was not made clear. Obviously¨
these people are jerks (not the Josh's, one of which I know is very¨
nice, and other other seems nice) the harassers are.

I hadn't realized the awesome power I have been given, to cause¨
someone to be tossed out of a position of power simply by having a¨
boyfriend with someone with a similar name (or vice versa). Actually,¨
lots of people give out their power in this manner. I usually don't¨
take advantage of such people, and if I did in this case, I apologize.¨
You can have your job back also (heaven knows I don't want it).

Regarding "ill will" toward Joshes in Seattle. I certainly don't have¨
any ill will against my boyfriend Josh; quite the contrary. Since I¨
did not meet any other Joshes in Seattle while I was there (or before¨
or since), I was not able to generate any ill feelings towards any,¨
though I'm sure there's enough people named Josh in the Seattle area¨
that it's likely that there are at least one or two I'd find¨
unpleasant. Because the only communication I have had with 
Josh-the-author is the above paragraph, and he seems pretty much OK, I¨
think I can safely say I feel no ill will towards any Joshes in¨
Seattle. 

Regarding clarity, I hope this short piece provides enough clarity on¨
the subject to answer any possible questions anyone might have. 
Original Message Date: 30 Jul 92  08:59:42
From: Josh Burke on 1:343/95
To: Tom Jennings on 1:125/111
Subj: re: Problems
^AFLAGS DIR
>> The use of "Josh" without any other form of identification
>> has caused me some problems within the network.  I have had
>> a number of flaming netmails, insults, and I believe I have
>> lost Zone Coordinator position in the network I started.  I
>> believe that you intended no ill towards me, nor any other
>> "Josh"'s in Seattle.  I would appreatiate some clarity of
>> what you meant by this in a upcoming fidonews.  Please note
>> that I have nothing aginst homosexuals...
> I hate to be mean, but this is completely ridiculuous. "Ill will
> towards other Josh's in Seattle" -- huh?! Is this serious!?
Completely serious...
> The problem you have is your own projections, and mainly the people
> harrassing you. Not me.
I'm not blaming you, just asking for your help in stopiing it!
> I simply cannot fathom how on earth you could seriously state that
> because my boyfriend is also called "Josh", that somehow your problems
> have anything to do with me!
Because you mentioned this in the nodelist not really identifying the ¨
person, and because I'm well known in the Apple Community (not liked that ¨
much either) Just a little more information about this Josh would clear it ¨
up, such as "Non-computer user" or whatever....
 
:\


Original Message Date: 03 Aug 92  13:10:16
From: Tom Jennings on 1:125/111
To: Josh Burke on 1:343/95
Subj: re: Problems
^AINTL 1:343/95 1:125/111
I'm terribly sorry about all this. You will probably take this wrong, 
but I have to say no harm is meant. 
 
ALl of your assumptions are based on assuming that me and my boyfriend 
Josh being gay is some horrid thing. I assure you it is not. 
 
Your plight is sad, but completely not my fault, not my doing, and 
there is nothing I can do about it. "Fagbashing" happens to straight 
people, you know, since the perpetrators just attack anyone they feel 
like anbd use "FAG" as the reason.
 
Imagine if this were 1960, and I was black, and I said my 
friend/wife/girlfriend/boyfriend was white and had the same name as 
you. You would be asking me to apologize for or cover up the fact that 
I was black. My answer would be:
 
NO. You deal with it. Homophobia like racism is rrampant, and it is 
NOT UP TO THE GODDAMN VICTIMS TO DEAL WITH. OK? It is everyones 
problem, like you are finding out now!
 
Again, I'm not mad at you. Really! Please consider the above until you 
understand it from my point of view. You are still welcome to dismiss 
it as you see fit, no ill will from me. Deal?


Original Message Date: 11 Aug 92  12:45:38
From: Josh Burke on 1:343/95
To: Tom Jennings on 1:125/111
Subj: re: Problems
^AFLAGS DIR
> ALl of your assumptions are based on assuming that me and my boyfriend
> Josh being gay is some horrid thing. I assure you it is not.
I assume nothing!
 
> Your plight is sad, but completely not my fault, not my doing, and
> there is nothing I can do about it. "Fagbashing" happens to straight
> people, you know, since the perpetrators just attack anyone they feel
> like anbd use "FAG" as the reason.
Please sir, I do not have anything aginst homosexuals!  Just because I do ¨
not have the same sexual preferance that you do, does not mean that I ¨
think yours is wrong.  I support homosexuals, and stand up for them.  I ¨
only do not share their preferances. 
> Imagine if this were 1960, and I was black, and I said my
> friend/wife/girlfriend/boyfriend was white and had the same name as
> you. You would be asking me to apologize for or cover up the fact that
> I was black. My answer would be:
I am not asking for you to apologise for being gay! I ask you to clear up ¨
the identification of the "Josh" person refered to in fidonet as not being ¨
Josh Burke!  And also, I am not racist! I am a person of colour so I know ¨
what discrimination is like!
> NO. You deal with it. Homophobia like racism is rrampant, and it is
> NOT UP TO THE GODDAMN VICTIMS TO DEAL WITH. OK? It is everyones
> problem, like you are finding out now!
I know this!! I support gay rights fully!! I am not homophobic or racist!
 
> Again, I'm not mad at you. Really! Please consider the above until you
> understand it from my point of view. You are still welcome to dismiss
> it as you see fit, no ill will from me. Deal?
As long as you know that I have nothing against gays, blacks, whites, ¨
indians, and everybody different than the majority. 


