General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Why we must resist the bullying of Will Pitt and others here. [View all]NanceGreggs
(27,814 posts)
and the comparison is laughingly ridiculous.
What Will Pitt is is an extremely talented writer, with a keenly observant eye and an ability to communicate his opinions with insight, as well as style. And they are just that, his opinions. They are agreed with or not, argued with, debated and often criticized. But as a professional writer, he is no stranger to harsh criticism and the fact that he often evokes that harsh criticism is not an insult to his ability as a journalist; quite the opposite, it is a testament to its worth.
We all know that Will can dish it out and we also know (well, some of us anyway) that he can take it. Hes proven that time and again. He can be sarcastic, rude, downright nasty he can also be empathetic in the extreme, and as funny as hell. But he is not a victim of bullying, nor would he walk away from DU or anywhere else with his tail between his legs. And to even hint at putting him in that light is an insult to his character.
Will and I have had many vitriolic exchanges on this board. We have also exchanged PMs during the same period. Our last PM discussion was about how we absolutely hated what each other posted here but how our political views had nothing to do with how we viewed each other as people. Will had my back here at times when we vehemently disagreed with each other. We never lost sight of the fact that disagreement on political positions and mutual respect were feelings that could easily co-exist.
I dont know why Will chose to leave DU but I am certain that being bullied had nothing to do with that decision. I suspect it had more to do with the childishness being displayed here on a daily basis, and the attendant lack of serious political discussion. I would think it had more to do with the fact that some posters think it more productive to engage in meaningless personal barbs than to engage in honest debate about issues that matter to us all. I would venture a guess that he grew tired of the mindless game of DU gotcha, and prefers to spend his time doing something constructive about his political views rather than being destructive of those who disagree with those views.
Lets be really honest here, shall we? Will is being put on a pedestal and mourned like a dead hero because hes an outspoken Sanders supporter. Were he an HRC supporter, the same people on this thread who are praising him now would be posting about his departure along the lines of good riddance to bad rubbish. The same people now posting about how he was bullied would be calling him the biggest bully in the DU schoolyard. And thats the truth a truth more obvious and transparent than any of you would ever have the courage to own up to.
Will Pitt is NOT a martyr to your cause. He is NOT a victim. He is NOT and never will be a mewling kid who got bullied off a website. And to pretend he is any of those things in order to prop-up some ridiculous theory of your own making is nothing less than insulting to the man himself.