Dear Brother Joe Hoyle:
 
I find it curious that you viewed your posts that were directed
to me as "calling me out", as if the Five Doves forum were some
sort of saloon, and I was being challenged to a duel. I thought
the purpose of this forum was an open exchange of views, ideas,
and opinions, made with the universal sentiment that we are all
Brothers and Sisters in the Lord Jesus, do you not agree?
 
>JOHN RUSSELL
 
>A friend of mine asked me if I expected you to show up here Monday,
>with some kind of rebuttal.I replied that yes I did expect you;
>simply because I called you out, and that you had to show up to
>save face.And you were true to form as expected; but I've got
>some bad news for you Mr. Russell.
 
Brother Joe, I didn't need to 'show up' to save face. I stated
what I felt led to say. What I said was sincere and I do not at
all regret anything that I have written. I have tried very hard
to address you politely, and to show the respect any Brother of
mine in the Lord is entitled to. I haven't called you names, I've
made every attempt to keep the discussion focused on the issues
and the opinions, not upon the personality of the writers (that
is to say, you and me).
 
>I opened up both of your posts, and took a general scroll down to
>the bottom.I noticed right way that they were dissector type posts.
>You know, tit for tat; point by counter point; almost looking like
>a chat room deal.I don't mess with chat rooms Mr. Russell; and
>neither do I originate tit for tat, and point by counter point
>posts based on a whole post, and replying going point by point,
>or line by line, or paragraph by paragraph, or whatever the case
>may be.And neither do I read them ever; whether they are to me
>or somebody else; I don't mess with them and I don't read them.
>I just have no time or interest to write one, and no kind of
>interest to read one; and that's been my policy for years.So
>all that work for nothing Mr. Russell; because I didn't read
>them, I don't intend to; and most of all I just don't care period.
 
Well that is unfortunate Brother Joe, but I hasten to say that
it is unfortunate for YOU - because the number of private emails
I have received in encouragement and support tells me that
whatever the 'work' involved was not for 'nothing'. I also gently
point out to you that regardless of how you may view my 'style'
of writing, the Five Doves Forum is NOT a 'chat room', and my
response to your post in what you call 'point by counter point'
was intended as a courtesy to you, to enable you to follow the
discussion with ease, and to provide the other posters of Five
Doves a clear, concise way of following our discussion as well.
 
I regret that it turns out that you "just don't care period." It
would not be unreasonable for someone to come to the conclusion
that you are only interested in promoting your own views and have
no interest in the views of others. That too, is regretable.
 
>I now know what you basically are all about anyway from last
>week.You make a post directed at me in the subject title, and I
>assume that it is to me personally.Then I open it up, and it is
>some guy I have never heard of talking right past me, or around
>me whatever the case may be.And I see that the post is full of
>gossip, innuendo, and insinuation about me to others, but not
>to me; except for one silly question at the end; I guess for
>the purpose of finally acknowledging my possible presence or
>something.I thought the whole thing tacky and absurd; and thinking
>back; I had never seen another person make a post quite like that
>on this board before; so you "brother", scored a first that I can
>remember--so I guess you should be proud huh?
 
You appear to be stuck on the insignificant point of whether my
post was directed 'personally' to you, or to the entire Forum. I
submit that you are missing the point here. I make every effort to
ensure that my posts are based on reliable, irrefutable facts. I
cannot help but note that your own post in which you stated that
most of the Swift Boat Vets had been investigated and that many
of them never served in Vietnam, is a charge you have been unable
to substantiate, and it remains an unverified, baseless accusation.

>And then I noticed that you told Soyara that you are or were some
>kind of news guy or something.Too bad you news career couldn't
>help you with proper Internet forum etiquette, which you seem
>not to possess at all.
 
Well this is very interesting Brother Joe. Could you explain to me
how my former career in radio news should have 'helped' me with
what you call "proper Internet forum etiquette"? If you wish to
speak of etiquette Joe, you have shown little to me, and yet I am
still endeavoring to address you as politely and respectful as I
can. I leave the determination of 'who' is better versed as to
matters of etiquette to the other posters here at Five Doves.
 
>Which made me wonder at the time whether you are a classic shyster,
>smart alecty type or whatever?That was a question then; but you
>know what? I don't even care about that now either.
 
It is unfortunate that you feel it necessary to abandon what
seemed to be your very devout opinions about my character. I
would have liked to have heard exactly what it was that led you
to think that I was a 'classic shyster'. As for 'smart alecky',
I think my posts speak for themselves and I have tried to make
them as respectful as I can. Sorry you didn't see it that way.
 
>So I guess you now go on the list of people I don't read at all;
>and that list is fairly short for the benefit of everyone here.
>The great majority of Five Doves posters has something beneficial
>to read; just so you contributors all know that.
 
Well Brother Joe, I intend to keep reading your posts because I
find them interesting and thought provoking, and I may even choose
to respond to them from time to time, and I wish you well.
 
John Russell
<jr9163@hotmail.com>
 
PS - Is it still OK to refer to you as 'Brother Joe'?
 
PPS - To the many Five Doves posters who have written to me, I
say "thank you and God Bless you!"