Re: Percy-L Manager Request

Jim Woods (TrlBlzrOne@AOL.COM)
Thu, 22 May 1997 07:36:15 -0400

Dear Donovan....

Your note re: requests to leave the list that have been posted to you raises
some concerns in my mind about the future viability of the list. If you have
been reading the list's posting, you will find, I believe that the requests
to leave have followed an exchange between Mr. Manier and Mr. Toth.

While I realize that my own personal past experience with Mr. Manier may
color my perception, I should like to say that I think that his continued
presence on the board will inevitably compromise its membership by driving
away those who do not share his views (which seem to me contemptuous of Percy
and of those who find Percy's work useful in a a literary or philosophical or
theological context). You said to me in one of your posts that you and Mr.
Manier had reached an agreement that he should leave the list. Shortly
afterward, he reappeared with his contest and $300 donation to the percy
project at UNU.

I have had two or three persons say to me in personal notes that they fear
that the acerbic and adversarial manner of Mr. Manier's posts to those with
whom he disagrees will serve to drive away from Percy-L some persons and mute
the participation of others.

As the owner of the list, you are free to do as you like with the issue of
membership and participation. I believe, however, that you really would like
to have the list serve as a useful venue for discussion of issues related to
Percy's work for academicians and laypersons alike....a worthy goal, given
Percy's own decision to work in the public arena for the things he believed
in. I think that unless Mr. Manier's posts better reflect the goals and
purposes of the listowner you will find his membership has suborned your
efforts.

Jim Woods