[MD] Pirsig/James connection

[Arlo Bensinger]

[John]
If they can't take the thorns, they don't deserve the rose.

[Arlo]
So let me see if I understand... when two people who are interested 
in a philosophical connection Pirsig himself made are driven off, you 
shrug you shoulders and don't care.

When *I* come down on Platt for squawking about "death panels" and 
saying such inane comments like "academics are willing executioners 
of those who disagree with them", you yell at ME to play nice???

Am I to think that "thorns" are only okay when they prick people who 
talk about James, but not okay when the prick wingnuts who squawk 
about "death panels" and academics being "willing executioners"?