Every so often I'll receive a petulant email demanding: "whose side are you on?" (Or more often, "who's side are you on?") The latest trend in this venerable tradition (if venerable is the word I want) is to include the admonition that I ought not to "pile on" this or that public figure or policy; or that "piling on" x without also "piling on" y reflects a contemptible hypocrisy that ill-disguises my true sinister motives.
These people have clearly misunderstood my motivation in maintaining this little weblog. I have no interest in supporting any particular person, group, party, or position. I'm not interested in "piling on" particular people and refraining from "piling on" others in order to support any particular theory as to whom people ought to vote for or blame or impeach or attack or applaud worshipfully; nor do I imagine, nor even hope, that my admittedly inconsistent piling on will win me brownie points from others who have "piled on" and refrained from "piling on" the same people I have "piled on" and "on" whom I have refrained from "piling." Any "piling on" I do stems purely from a self-gratifying mean-spiritedness. It is "piling on" for the pure sake of "piling on," and (usually) for no other reason. I reserve the right to "pile on" anyone I feel like. If I haven't "piled on" someone you think ought to be "piled on," that's tough. "Pile on" 'em yourself if it means that much to you.
That's my pile on policy. Please make a note of it for future reference.
Posted by Dr. Frank at December 18, 2002 03:06 PM | TrackBack