One More (I Hope) Venture Into the Ad Hominem Attacks and a Note on Letter Writing: It seems strange to me that a day after my article came out in the Town Talk, an article that, among other things, made the assertion that Alexandria should not be "run" by one particular race, I have read a series of personal assaults on Cenla Antics. Most people believe I should probably not respond to these remarks, and I understand why: I'm not going to change their minds. But this blog is supposed to be a case study of daily life in Alexandria. If I neglected to mention this, I would be misrepresenting the experience. The reader, if he or she wanted to, could read everything I have written on this blog, and this, I believe, would tell a story about what it is like to engage with people in Central Louisiana. In other words, if I failed to mention these remarks, no matter how ridiculous and spiteful they are, I would not be telling the entire story. There is an ugly truth to Cenla, and people warned me about it when I first started blogging. One person told me to get ready for the gang rape, and until today, I had thought this person was being hyperbolic. He wasn't. So this, I think, helps to tell the complete story: the good, the bad, and the ugly. It is obvious to me that Central Louisiana can be a hotbed of racial politics, and many white people just don't like the idea of a white guy writing about Lower Third and Downtown. Some may have a more balanced understanding, like the person who wrote on Cenla Antics earlier today: These may be important issues, but there are other issues as well. However, I find it very interesting that the only "evidence" presented about my "mistakes" was a remark I made about a former KKK member. Now, I'm not saying that the criticism of my remark was overtly racist or racially motivated, but it's hard to deny the racial component. Was I wrong in what I said about the person who was once in the KKK? Perhaps. And it's perfectly acceptable to express disagreement. But this story doesn't have anything to do with my family. Ultimately, those who refuse to accept the reality of race in Alexandria and those who attack me (and others) for speaking with and meeting with (gasp) black leaders are part of an old guard. At the same time, those black leaders who excerbate racial tension in order to attract votes are also part of an old guard. It's also obvious that there is now an attempt to paint me as an elitist, due to my family's successes. People sometimes forget that class warfare works all kinds of ways in our culture, but I promise that if these people knew my personal financial situation, they'd think differently. If we're ever going to grow and thrive as a community, we need to work with one another. I refuse to apologize for this vision, and I resist the idea that I'm just "being played." If you find a good reason to think I am being taken advantage of, please feel free to write me an e-mail or give me a phone call. That said, here's the latest ad hominem attacks: An Anonymous Person Said: Let me say this and will leave the issue and family alone. Your remarks relative to the clan membership, a foolishness of youth, rendered the person bespoiled forever. Let me once again paste a portion from your blog: "That said, yes, I believe it is perfectly reasonable to assume certain things about someone who once joined the KKK. Is it fair? Maybe not. But the KKK is serious... and if we just excuse people who joined this organization (even if they were only active for a few months) and then we allow them to assume positions of power and importance in our community, I think we're really selling ourselves short." Would it all be better if I just apologized for this comment? Because I certainly didn't expect this small bit of criticism against an individual who was once in the KKK to somehow give you the free pass to attack my family. So I'm sorry. Truly sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I was just expressing my opinion. Honestly, I couldn't care less about this guy or his attempt to sue for defamation of character. I was making two points: It's difficult to win a defamation of character suit, no matter how good the evidence, when you're a public official who has admitted to being in the KKK. And two, I think we're selling ourselves short if we think this person (who you appear to represent) is the most qualified person for the job (as evidence, look at his strange letter on Cenla Antics). Now I am going to tie this into Christianity and your family - who we all know are deeply religious. Your pasted remarks indicate, in your opinion, nobody, no matter how deeply sorry they are about their actions and their attempts to obtain forgiveness they are never to be forgiven. Again, you're putting words into my mouth. I didn't say this person will never receive forgiveness, and forgiveness is not mine to dole out. I don't know exactly how this relates to my family, but thanks for attempting to conflate the two issues. If you have the right to assume certain things about people I have the same right to assume things about you and your family based upon what I personnally know. By your logic I can safely asume your Grandmother will at anytime, once again, call in favors from Washington D.C. to do harm to the citizens of Rapides Parish. That is an incendiary statement, and you have offered no evidence to support your claim. While my grandmother does have friends in D.C., it would be ridiculous to think that she'd "call in favors" in order to do her neighbors harm. You claim to "personnally" (sic) know things, but you fail to support your claims with evidence. You, in an unchristianlike manner, judged this individual, condemed him to repeat his mistakes and, basically asserted, he was going to be burning crosses in the most immediate future. Again, this is putting words into my mouth. I judged his actions. Who wouldn't? (By the way, you just judged my actions too. You called me "unchristianlike"). But at the same time, I have said repeatedly that I am sure he has, in fact, turned his life around and that I am happy for him. You want respect for your family and yourself render respect. However, based upon your own expressed thought pattern, cannot, IMHAO, show respect and courtesy to us humble ass pissants not born to society circles. I'm not sure why you think my life is so different than yours. You don't know me (I am certain of that), and you have no idea of the struggles I have endured. I have continually shown respect to everyone who shows respect toward me. To those who have made personal attacks, taken my words out of context, and attacked my family, I have attempted to stand on my own. Summation: I believe I spent the better part of a day taking your postulate thoughts and compared them to your actions and validated the fact that you are just a penis head child. You just invalidated your entire argument with the penis head child statement. This is more evidence, I believe, to suggest that I'm not the one who needs to "grow up" here. What are you so afraid of? Why are you giving me so much grief? What did I do to you? I hate to say this, but it's gotten to this point: Stop your obsession. It's unhealthy, counterproductive, and a waste of energy. In the end, I'm not blogging to write about my family; I'm writing about the experience of living in Central Louisiana. One more Another Anonymous Person Says: People die every day, life goes on. Should we excuse Lamar's mistakes because he had a parent die? I think not. Like you, Lamar needs to grow up. What the hell are you talking about? No. Really. When did I use my father's death to excuse my "mistakes?" And what mistakes are you talking about? Be specific. Life does go on, but bringing up my father's death and a subsequent lawsuit we filed in order to prevent publication of photos (not the autopsy report) was ignorant, hateful, and completely off of the subject. We are all responsible for our own actions, but when you place yourself in a position where you spew advice to others, prepare for a very personal rebuttal. And fortunately, you spread your "advice" anonymously. Those who recall to us the follies of Lamar's family are attempting to draw a correlation between them and Lamar himself. They discount Lamar because his pedigree is faulty. A point well taken. If his family is a bunch of loonies, and Lamar himself displays a certain disconnection from reality, why should anyone take anything he says seriously? I have yet to see any evidence presented today that suggests my family is "a bunch of loonies," but thanks. Tell me how I have displayed a "certain disconnection" from reality, and I will attempt to correct my vision in order to better see things your way. Isn't that what this is all about? The idea that everyone should see things the way you do. By the way, the writer signs this letter "Baaaaaa," which, to me, displays a "certain disconnection from reality." Does the writer believe himself to be a farm animal?

This entry was posted by Blogger, on Monday, May 08, 2006.