Was I just rude?

[WillParkinson]

I am on a stationery mailing list. It's usually a lot of fun. Today someone posted one of those tired old urban legends about how athiests want to take religion off the airwaves. I went to Snopes and, in about 30 seconds, found the repudiation of the message. So I went back to the original message and typed this:

It amazes me that people get taken in so easily by scams. This is a VERY old Urban Legend. There is NO such bill pending. Before spreading misinformation such as this please take a few minutes to verify it. Things like this do nothing more than to propagate hate and mistrust between people of differing views.

To find out more about this hoax please visit the following link:

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/petition/fcc.htm

Was I rude to the person sending this?

[WilliamPitt]

1. Nope

Crush 'em before they breed.

[boxster]

2. Not at all

If these people are too damn lazy to research crap that they blindly post/forward/spam, then they need to be pointed to reality once-in-a-while.

[scarlet_owl]

3. No.

Squash ignorance whenever you can.

[Melsky]

4. Rude? Not even.

You deserve to be commended for your actions in the service of truth.

[newyawker99]

16. Congrats Melsky!! 800 posts

:toast:

[SOteric]

5. I don't think you were rude, no.

Perhaps a bit more tired and terse than your usual style. Sometimes unusually sensitive people and even slightly abrupt people can cause a spark where otherwise there might not be one.

I believe there was nothing rude or unwarranted in your post, but if you're concerned, send a private memo to whomever was hurt telling them you meant no offense.

[WillParkinson]

10. Well, I've heard no complaints yet...

It's just that I usually feel bad after telling someone that they're being (pardon the expression) ignorant of the facts. Or, worse still, not bothering to confirm the facts. I think people have the right to believe whatever it is they want. However, what the person did, basically, is to make people think that ALL athiests want nothing more than to wipe out religion in general.

And, the strangest thing, it was signed by over 900 people. NO ONE wanted to bother to check it out. It's enough to make me scream.

[roughsatori]

6. No, you were honest , polite, clear and firm NT

[VOX]

7. No. It is rude, however, to forward junk, chain letters and such...

Just my opinion, of course.

[populistmom]

13. Amen!

I hate when people send me this crap.

[TrogL]

8. Adult to adult

transactions aren't rude. You stated facts. Some people need to be told that they're idiots.

[RushIsRot]

9. I don't usually let 'em down as softly as you did.

I simply post to "Reply All" the proper URL to the rebuttal. In my early years in computer-dom I was unsure of where to go to get verifications. Once I learned, I just tried to share the information with all who didn't have a clue. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Oh well...

[BigMcLargehuge]

11. I can't believe that thing is still going around...

My sis-in-law (Loves Limbaugh, Posts at freepland, Sells Amway) sent that to me when the authorities were just digging up the bodies of the missing O'Hare's.

I guess some of these things really have legs.

At the time it caused no end of argument between Mrs. McLargehuge's family and me.

[amazona]

12. no you were just honest

Seems like a pretty good way to handle it.


i would have said the next time you email me with this junk i'm going to nibble you to death with my big red toothless bill but that's why they call me tactless

[Rabrrrrrr]

14. The truth is never rude

and almost always necessary. You did it tactfully and succinctly.

Kudos to you!

[Gman]

15. Not at all. The truth may hurt

but some people need to be slammed up side the head with the truth.

[TXlib]

17. Abso-fucking-lutey not!

I am sick of people being lazy and not checking up on the story before sending it to everybody I know.

I have a few acquaintances who, despite my debunking every stupid story they email out, refuse all suggestions to go to snopes to check it out themselves.

Not only do I send the debunking back to them; I send it to EVERYBODY they sent it to. I try to be polite, but I do want them to feel foolish.

[ScreamingMeemie]

18. No way. I use snopes all the time. That particular hoax ranks up there

with the one with Al Gore being in charge of the Iran-Contra hearings, and not heeding Oliver North's warnings on terrorism. Sheesh! If only everybody would check these things out. But, then I guess some don't want to know the truth as we have evidenced. Good Job Will!

[WillParkinson]

19. Thank you...

I wrote to the owner of the list this morning and explained to her my reasons for writing and she wrote back saying she understood completely and that there were no problems. Then she told me of an e-mail SHE got from an online friend:

"I'm Jewish (by ethnicity) and I got an e-mail yesterday from an online friend who had sent this thing to me and quite a few others asking "all Christians to pray for our troops". Well, that ticked ME off and I wrote back - "Hey, I'm not a Christian ... so, since I'm Jewish, I guess my prayers don't count?". I was just ticked at the whole concept of the e-mail in general...and he didn't respond back!"

[Atlant]

20. Nope. (NT)

[RebelOne]

21. Nope, I do it all the time

Usually the person will thank me. Then they have to e-mail the other 100 people that they sent the urban legend to and inform them that it was a hoax.