Mike, I can't help but sense a head trip from you, perhaps not intentional - maybe just a difference in styles of communication. Others have privately noted to me that they have interpreted your posts just exactly as I have. If you go back and read your posts, many of your comments have been that you can't believe me that Irish Americans would not know about NORAID or that it supports the IRA. I haven't seen that you've really agreed or disagreed with the issues being discussed, just disagreed with my perceptions. Your post today is the first I've seen that actually states where you stand on the IRA/Irish and many other issues.
Here is something you said that may shed light on my point: > I want to hear other people's opinions and if I have to >drag this out of people by 'provocative' postings, then I >will do so, always without viciousness or insults. Why would you feel you have to "provoke" me or anyone else? I find that a bit condescending. A serious charge had been made here that Americans support the IRA and that then that it couldn't be believed that Irish Americans did not all know about NORAID and that it was a front for the IRA. I attempted to respond to that in order to broaden understanding or debunk misunderstandings. Do you think that responding to a serious charge is to be met with playing "devil's advocate" or "provocation" which to some people can seem to be like "baiting." Anyway, Mike, I am not going to drone on and on here answering all of your points. I didn't think I'd been critical of your viewpoints - I never really knew exactly your viewpoints until today and I would agree with all of them, now that they have been set out. I tried to give my perspective as an American of Irish background in order to have a hopefully helpful exchange on the subject. I guess I have failed at bringing more understanding to the issue so it is pointless to go on. I will try to avoid discussions in the future where my voice really does not want to be heard, except perhaps to play around with me. I'm not all hurt, like some suggest. There are much more important matters going on in the world and my life at the moment to get bent over this stuff. Kakki
