Bronwyn,

Glad to know that we both reject the idiotic dogma of 'turn the other cheek' which, in my experience, is more often used as an excuse to further persecute people attempting to stand up to bullying.

However, could you tell me what you see as "calm, measured, cutting and witty" in Christopher's following responses to me in the forum disccussion "Scrutinising our counter-terrorism laws" of 6 November 2008 at http://forum.olineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=8120&page=0

"Get help, James. You seem to be seriously unhinged."

"... I infer from your comment that you're in communication with other mentally ill people. Did you meet in a support group or something? ..."

"James, your condition seems to be deteriorating. Indeed, you're raving."

"Get help."

"Get help, James."

"... on the basis of what you've been posting on OLO lately there's little doubt that you need professional help.

"Get some."

?

Perhaps I am mentally unbalanced, but, if so, the above would seem to constitute the deliberate taunting of a mentally ill person. As I pointed out in that thread Christopher did do on one occasion when he called someone with a bi-polar condition 'mentally ill'.

However, if I am not (and this would seem to be born out by the fact that Christopher has long since desisted in exhorting me to 'get help'), then, it would seem to me that the above was no more than yet another ploy on Christopher's part to avoid discussing the evidence.

Whatever the explanation, it hardly seems to me to be "calm, measured, cutting and witty", so if Christopher ever is calm, measured, cutting and witty" it would seem that he is not consistently so.

Get help, James. Please.

Daggett, you wrote;

“Of course, intended victims of trolls should learn to restrain themselves.”

and

“Of course it is better that, if this happens, the intended victim does so in a calm and measured way…”

Yes. There is no excuse for anyone responding in the same hateful fashion as someone who is deliberately trying to insult you. You DO become just as bad if they do that. You become totally hypocritical.

There is no reason at all as to why, on a professional forum like this, all posters shouldn’t be required to keep it civil at all times.

Yes it is human nature to lash back at those who offend you. So in the interests of peace and professionalism and of keeping discussions on-topic, we need a regulatory system that prevents or minimises this sort of stuff. Either ignore the insults or respond in a calm and inoffensive fashion.

I’m being heckled by an apparent troll at the moment on the ‘population pressures’ thread. But insults from this silly person – fungochumley - are like water off a duck’s back, and I just them slide on by. It’s too easy. It doesn’t take a truckload of self-discipline or restraint!

“Most of us can recognise it [trolling] when we see it”

Yes. So if we recognise a poster as being a troll, then why would we bother with them?

Aaar poo! That should have read; ‘You DO become just as bad if you do that’.

Yeah, sure, Christopher.

I somehow don't think someone who finds it necessary to insult his own late mother and his own late mother-in-law in order to be able insult me is in a position to tell me to "get help".

It seems that you have (again) avoided confronting the substance of my previous posts about you.

When do you intend to do so?

Idealistically we apparently shouldn't react... but in reality it gets to us all.... so maybe looking at different approaches:

like how much we reasonably allow etc or zero tolerance, like timed posting bans...

Separate strings or some such thing to take it personal, like stepping outside the pub for fisty-cuffs rather than inside at the dinner party.

Do we allow censorship and if any... who decides what is censored.

I dunno, there are many other ways/modes etc than just the one or 2 in discussion...