Writing that you're "setting aside a bottle of expensive champagne to be opened and consumed at the moment of the vegetable's expiry." in response to a reader's email seems a little over the top - particularly if you've just declared the "utter obnoxiousness of Terri Schiavo's 'defenders'" . As for obnoxious responses, I'm not sure what he expected, after his descriptions of "AHHHHH! WAAAAAAA!" Terri and her "dessicated cakehole".
Ordinarily I enjoy Colby's writing, and generally agree with him on substance in most issues. In this case I think he might have been wiser to begin and end the religious aspect of this debate with the "I'm not a Catholic" disclaimer and leave it at that.
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That's malicious cruelty, and a window into his heart.Someone like that is a defiant misanthrope, and proud to be so.
Posted by: howie meeker at March 31, 2005 5:55 PMYep...he needs to take a long walk in the snow
Posted by: Darcey at March 31, 2005 9:39 PMI like Colby and his writing, but I have to admit when I read this entry ... well the best I can say is that it wasn't a nice thing to say.
Posted by: Mississauga Matt at March 31, 2005 10:54 PMIf you can't concede the obnoxiousness of some of Terri's "supporters," you're beyond help. Obviously Cosh's statements are outrageous — his, unlike those of the shrieking hordes in Pinellas Park, are deliberately so.
Posted by: Chris Selley at April 1, 2005 12:49 AMColby can do better than this. You were right - he should have stuck with "I'm not a Catholic."
He's slipped in my esteem.
But then, so what? I'm just another of those Papists in thrall to a fantasy ideology.
Posted by: JJM at April 1, 2005 5:56 AMKate, obnoxiousness aside, you and JJM both avoid addressing Cosh's point - if Catholic doctrine is entirely pliable depending on political goals (i.e. whatever Catholics say it is that day), then why should we give it the respect of something ancient or permanent (or holy)?
Maybe there is fault with his interpretation of Catholic doctrine. But to imply that there must be because he's not a Catholic himself begs the question again.
Posted by: Matt at April 1, 2005 1:03 PMActually, Matt, as I'm not a Catholic either, it really doesn't matter to me what they choose to do, so engaging in the debate wasn't my intent - not that I believe Colby engaged, either - his arguments are virtually unreadable.
It was his callousness towards Terri Schiavo - who asked for NONE of this, that rankled.
Posted by: Kate at April 1, 2005 1:52 PM