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Brotherly Love, Part One
Europe » Spain » Valencian Community » Valencia
February 19th 2006 by Eli Barnes
Hello Reader.
Last weekend I had an interesting encounter with a stranger that I feel is worth reporting. TravelBlog is a public webpage, which means anyone is free to read anyone's blog and look at pictures. I have gotten nothing but positive comments from everyone about my writing and my pictures... until now. Well, I'll just let you read and form your own opinion. Please keep in mind that I have never met this John person before.
I checked my e-mail last week and found a private message had been sent to me through TravelBlog about one of my entries - 'From Valencia to Alicante.'
This is what it said:
Dear life without boundaries,
You have been sent a message from John Westwood:
I've never read such utter rubbish in all my life, and I live here!
And can't ANYONE spell properly these days?
So I responded with:
what a small and petty person you are. tell me, how much pleasure does it give you to write such a negative message to someone you don't even know? and are you really so sensitive as to let my spelling skills (or lack thereof) offend you? i suggest you work out your own personal issues before ever uttering another word of distain. you are exactly the type of person that i don't waste my time with: close minded, full of hate, and probably alone.
if you don't like my writing, don't read it. i know that my friends and family enjoy it, and so do i.
Eli
...a day passed, and I got yet another email from him:
Then why bother?
By the way, it's 'disdain'... with two 'd's.
Don't call me...
I won't call you!
John - the small and petty person in Spain
PS - And why hide under 'life without boundaries' when you have such clearly-defined ones?
Hmmm... he had a point. Why bother? I guess I was more curious than anything as to why he would randomly select a person to insult, so I wrote the following:
listen, man, you don't know me. i'm a really nice guy. i am friendly to everyone i come in contact with (except, of course, those who personally offend me without provocation). i do my best to be as positive as possible and encourage people as much as i can. i consider myself reasonably smart, with the exception that my spelling sucks. i also don't put a lot of importance on stupid things and people because there is literally so much good and so many good people in this world.
i wrote you off as an idiot who doesn't deserve my time. i wouldn't let your insulting remarks touch my confidence... BUT i have to say that i am deeply confused as to your motive. why would you take the time to put someone down like that? someone you don't even know...? i reread the journal entry about which you commented and i could find nothing about it that would provoke such a rash reaction. did i accidentally say something about your mother or say that alicante and/or valencia are aweful? i have enjoyed every bit of spain. my writing is not perfect, but i wouldn't call it rubbish... and i definitely wouldn't expect a complete stranger to go out of his way to call it rubbish. so why do it, john? to what end? maybe if you explained exactly what i did to deserve such treatment? please, give me a good reason to reach into someone else's life and say something like that.
maybe you won't have one (i imagine you wouldn't), or maybe you'll try to insult me (again). either way, i truly hope that you find some sort of personal happiness... the real kind - not the kind that comes from putting other people down to make yourself feel like more of a man.
confused,
Eli - apparantly going to hell because he can't spell 'disdain.'
ps - a life without boundaries is something i aspire to have... i will probably be working towards such and idea for the rest of my life, but at least i understand the importance of being open. don't look down on me for wanting to expand myself.
I was hoping that he wrote back with some sort of explanation as to why - like his wife just left him, he just lost his job... anything that would rationalize my giving him the benefit of a doubt. He sent back a passage:
You might make some sense of this.....
________________________
Nationalism is the Sun that Shines through Any Cloud
2006
We have to stop thinking about ourselves and start thinking about others, this
is how we work.
by Francis Playfair
Through all that happens in life's sometimes more challenging passages, I have
seen a light that has shone constant and been guiding and that light is
Nationalism, the sun that can shine through any clouds.
One of the most important factors of Nationalism is that it is community based,
nearly all other political doctrines are based upon the self, Nationalism doesn't
take this path.
Whilst a conservative, or a liberal, or even a modern socialist might ask,
concerning any given policy, "what matters the most to me?" the Nationalist will
ask "What matters the most to the community/country/ world?"
We have to stop thinking about ourselves and start thinking about others, this
is how we work.
We are not an individual, we are a collection of individuals that make up
communities and countries.
The most important part of that community is the baby, that child is the
center of the community, that child has parents who raise it, who nurture it,
who care for it.
That is family, that is a core element of Nationalism.
Those parents have their own parents, their brothers and sisters, cousins, aunts
and uncles who they can call upon to help them with their task.
That is the extended family, that is the next level of Nationalism.
Not knowing what that passage had to do with anything, and because I wasn't satisfied with that as a response, I persisted:
john,
When Francis said, "We have to stop thinking about ourselves and start thinking about others," I'm pretty sure he didn't mean that we should insult strangers for no reason and discourage our "brothers and sisters" when they try to expand and express themselves.
Don't hide behind this passage... it doesn't explain why you were a prick to me.
Eli
And he responded with:
You are now using language that I will not tolerate.
Do NOT contact me again
And I, respecting his decision not to contact him, wrote him some final words:
john,
some advice to leave you with:
1. treat people like you want to be treated... this is assuming that you wouldn't want strangers insulting and criticizing you.
2. stand behind the things you do and say. that means, be able to back up your actions, otherwise you are simply acting and living without reason.
3. know that when i called you a prick, you completely deserved it. what would your mother or your kids say if they knew you talked to people like that? you should be ashamed of yourself.
i hope that our little interaction has served as a stepping stone for you to start bettering yourself as a person.
all the best to you in the future,
Eli
He hasn't responded, and I don't expect him to.
What is going here? Why do people act like this? Does anyone else see that this is plain wrong?
If you liked this story (and I applaud you for actually reading all of it) you should read the next one...
PS - If you feel the urge to write my new friend John, I will gladly give you his email address so that you may do so.
12 Comments - Add Public Comment or Send Private Message
February 21st 2006 - Kyle from Oklahoma: Right on Brother!!
Eli, I enjoy your blog.....that guy can go to hell. Hope all is well in Spain. --- kt
February 21st 2006 - Britt: I got your back!!!
where is that asshole? Don't worry Eli I got your back!! I'll kick his sorry insulting ass!!! There is nothing more that I hate then ignorant people like that.Especially those that have no clue or idea about who you are. Anyways I enjoy every misspelled word you write. Call on me if you need me. like i said " I got this!". Miss ya babe and I look forward to your next adventure.
February 21st 2006 - SP: with her on that
john can go suck his big fat toe...
i like your shit
and i want to hear more of your warble
February 21st 2006 - David: Eli's Old Roomie
Hey Eli,
This guy doesn't like you because he is a "commie" - which, for those who don't know, is a derogatory term for communist. The whole "Nationalist" attitude is a Chinese way of life. This guy doesn't like you, because you dare to be different. you defy the Norm and do not conform to society. To normal people, that believe in individualism, you rock! May Henry David Thoreau (and Ralph Waldo Emerson) guide you through your life without boundaries.
Your Friend,
David
February 21st 2006 - Jake:
Actually, I'd like his information. I can write him something along the lines of 'Prick! Prick! Prick! Prick! Prick! Prick! Prick! Prick! Prick! Prick!' and see what his response to that is. And maybe, for effect, I can misspell it a few times, see if he catches it. Though, I could probably also record it in a singing voice and email that to him as well. Oh, the ideas you give me. :)
February 22nd 2006 - mariposa: My lovely Eli
My love, don't you let this person bring you down. We, all your friends, know what a kind and sweet soul you are. There are several reasons why one should act like this, but this is not your problem. Just ignore him, as if he doesn't even exist. People like that worth only your pity and nothing more. So let him sink in his problems and insecurities and you continue to be the happy person you are ;-) By the way, i love you!!! You are the best.
February 22nd 2006 - CPL: Eli...
Fuck John.
Love you.
Me
February 22nd 2006 - Gustavo: Cowardice
As soon as you asked him to explain himself, crazy guy showed up and then ran away...nuff said...Keep living, keep writing!!! Ba Zing!
February 23rd 2006 - AnthIZZLE: well..
I can completely agree with the sucking @ spelling...afterall..how do you think I beat your ass in Boggle all the time 8) mmmhmmm. ;)
Tiffany found this story funny so I figured i'd check my mail and see what it was about....I like how he said NOT to contact him ever again when he started the whole thing. lol.
February 23rd 2006 - BB: Ass kicking!
Hello love-
Ignorance is bliss and people suck! So take my new NYC acquired attitude and go kick his ass. And when your done, follow through with a "how about them apples" comment. And please tell your friend Jake that I like his response and think that he should email the singing "prick" to our 'friend' john. And john if your reading this, then I hate to say that Eli's blog is enjoyed by hundreds. So beat that!
Waves of love- Briana
February 23rd 2006 - kathy: eli's chinese friend = nationalist?
David:that is quite a generalization, don't you think? Perhaps using the country instead of the people would of made it better or just perhaps another example would of been extremely fine. you know all Chinese people are not from China, some were from Hong Kong, the island that was ran by the British for a while. Back then and now Hong Kong was not a "commie". Using the term "Chinese" not too excited as well as not to proud that China is communist country. FYI for the next time you are trying to define the term for "Nationalist" try using the country and not the people. Good day! Eli, I am so sorry that this John character insulted your spelling, no one is perfect, but other then that, I really think you are PERFECT! John is obviously ignorant to many extremes as well as probably having nothing better to do then to make a comment about a misspelled word. We can't always meet nice people, then they wouldn't be consider nice if we don't have any jerks to compare them with. Heehee! I love you, be strong and take care, I know you always do!! k.f.kathy = chinese = communist
February 24th 2006 - pimmsgirl: what the heck
Speaking of ignorant; I grew up in a communistic country and can't say that I agree with many things that communist believe in. But I certainly agree even less with people that generalize all people that might be a little 'off' as 'they probably are communists'. Buddy, that puts you right next to them in the same category. By the way, this whole story seems like bad TV comercials. Eli, when was the last time you got 11 comments to a blog in just about 24 hours. Everyone thinks they guy is a nutcase but we are all talking about him (and probably will for quite some time). I like your all your responses, just the way we know you and love you. Keep it coming. (Disclaimer; I apologize for possible spelling errors and crushed toes I might have stepped on)
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