[MD] Decision

[KAYE PALM-LEIS]

Horse,

I have been lurking for sometime, needless to say your post has nudged
me out to write this.

For starters I would like to thank you for your managing of MD for
long as I can remember.  Your work has been rarely recognized in the
thankless task you do.  Thank you!

Next, I believe you and others know that I have long time supporter of
Bodvar's ideas in conjunction with Pirsig work in light of
overwhelming criticisms.  Both men in my life have provided me a
perspective that provides a greater meaning and depth to life. We
don't find at everyday.  MD has been part making that happen so again
thanks, Horse.

I make it a point never to assume to understand what motivates people,
simply because you will be wrong more times than you will be right.
I don't know why you decided that this was the time to draw line in
the sand with Bodvar.  Though you and I briefly met in 2005 and this
decree seems a bit out of character. My motivation for bringing this
up is that after being involved in administration and leadership for
15 years, I know that when people have been critical of my various
decisions and it was extremely hard not to take it personally, that is
because we do the job because it is our passion and it is personal.
Your passion with MD over the years is very real.  However after
reading your decision, I couldn't help but hear a few bars of Alice's
Restaurant Massacre in the back ground of my mind playing.  So I too
feel the need to be a little critical of our new found MD policy and I
want to make sure that this isn't anything personal with you or your
abilities to manage MD.

1.  Bodvar makes for a funny looking "brujo".

2.  I known Bodvar for many years through this forum and in private
correspondence and I do feel ok to assume to say that his motivation
and loyality to both Pirsig and SOL are well founded and established.
He cares deeply about Pirsig and his work as much of any of us.

3.  One thing I have learned from this forum is that there is few if
not any absolute truths, and at best we are dealing with relative
truth.  I think it is fair that the relative truth is that Pirsig
hasn't come out and publicly support Bo position or ever will.  I
think it is also fair to say that Pirsig has very little to say
publicly on any specific issue related to anything currently said on
MD, including where the discussion on Bo's SOL idea has evolved.
Frankly Pirsig has earned a quite retirement, and doesn't need to
publicly do anything.

To say, "By this I do not mean that it is good enough to say that
Pirsig implies it or that it can be inferred that Pirsig supports it
etc. I want actual quotes from Pirsig to say that he supports SOM/SOL
= Intellectual level." this might be asking a bit much.  However it is
the journey that Pirsig has lead us in understanding SOM and MOQ can
imply a lot of different things.  I think the forum, including the
newbies, can draw their own conclusions about the inferences and
claims Bo or anybody else makes.

4.  "Anyone else who maliciously, mischievously or otherwise does the
same will be similarly removed. As far as I'm concerned this is an
issue of honesty and integrity and if this isn't understood by those
purporting to understand an issue that is at the heart of moral
behaviour then some time may be needed to contemplate their reasons
for being here in the first place. I think it is very unfortunate that
it has come to this."

Yikes!  Bodvar malicious, never, mischievously, no more than any one
of us.  Honest and Integrity, Hmmm.... the relative truth as I see is
Bodvar is as honest to his and Pirsig beliefs as any of us.  It is has
been the honesty and integrity of MD  that has for as long as I can
remember that has been it's backbone and strength in which we listen,
learn and grow. I think Bo has done as much as anybody else in
promoting a large array of discussions and depth of exploration about
the implications.  His potential banishment would be, from my humble
perspective, certainly be overkill to any perceived or realized
transgression.

In the end I trust relative justice will be done and that is a pretty
cool thing.

Take care,
Mati

Arlo Guthrie's / Alice's Restaurant -
(Officer) Obie looked at the seeing eye dog, and then at the
twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy pictures with circles and arrows
and a paragraph on the back of each one, and looked at the seeing eye dog.
And then at twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy pictures with circles
and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one and began to cry,
'cause Obie came to the realization that it was a typical case of American
blind justice, and there wasn't nothing he could do about it, and the
judge wasn't going to look at the twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy
pictures with the circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each
one explaining what each one was to be used as evidence against us.  And
we was fined $50 and had to pick up the garbage in the snow, but thats not
what I came to tell you about.