False rumours about the death of my wife

[John Simkin]

It has been brought to my attention that an email has been circulating amongst the group of members I have been in dispute with about the postings on the forum. This email claims that I have been behaving in an irrational way “bitching about the abuse received by moderators & administrators on forums generally” because of the “recent death of his wife."

It is true that my wife is terminally ill but she is still very much alive. My posts on the forum about the campaign against Len Colby and Evan Burton are based on logic and not on any distress I am feeling as the result of the death of a loved one.

I think this rumour is an example of the thinking of what I would call the “extreme conspiracy theorist”. They cannot grasp the idea of someone supporting people in public who they disagree with about “conspiracy theories” As I appeared in the past to be a conspiracy theorist, their must have been a cause for my “irrationality”. What better reason than the death of my wife.

One part of the email made me smile. It said: “I checked out his user account, and he seems to have retreated into penning (largely unread) arcane histories of the football team he's supported as a boy: West Ham.” In other words, my distress had resulted into a retreat into childhood.

[Guest Gary Loughran]

It has been brought to my attention that an email has been circulating amongst the group of members I have been in dispute with about the postings on the forum. This email claims that I have been behaving in an irrational way “bitching about the abuse received by moderators & administrators on forums generally” because of the “recent death of his wife."

It is true that my wife is terminally ill but she is still very much alive. My posts on the forum about the campaign against Len Colby and Evan Burton are based on logic and not on any distress I am feeling as the result of the death of a loved one.

I think this rumour is an example of the thinking of what I would call the “extreme conspiracy theorist”. They cannot grasp the idea of someone supporting people in public who they disagree with about “conspiracy theories” As I appeared in the past to be a conspiracy theorist, their must have been a cause for my “irrationality”. What better reason than the death of my wife.

One part of the email made me smile. It said: “I checked out his user account, and he seems to have retreated into penning (largely unread) arcane histories of the football team he's supported as a boy: West Ham.” In other words, my distress had resulted into a retreat into childhood.

The sad thing is the rumour does not seem to have been well intentioned had it been true. I can't imagine how you felt having to read about this. I have PM'd you.

on a lighter note

I really did laugh out loud when I read about your cult history fetish. Your writings on West Ham are something I truly enjoy (yes I'm the one who reads them ) - as I share an interest in the club I too have supported since boyhood. I notice the biggest West Ham fan site picked up your article on the sacking of managers. A great piece.

[Dawn Meredith]

It has been brought to my attention that an email has been circulating amongst the group of members I have been in dispute with about the postings on the forum. This email claims that I have been behaving in an irrational way “bitching about the abuse received by moderators & administrators on forums generally” because of the “recent death of his wife."

It is true that my wife is terminally ill but she is still very much alive. My posts on the forum about the campaign against Len Colby and Evan Burton are based on logic and not on any distress I am feeling as the result of the death of a loved one.

I think this rumour is an example of the thinking of what I would call the “extreme conspiracy theorist”. They cannot grasp the idea of someone supporting people in public who they disagree with about “conspiracy theories” As I appeared in the past to be a conspiracy theorist, their must have been a cause for my “irrationality”. What better reason than the death of my wife.

One part of the email made me smile. It said: “I checked out his user account, and he seems to have retreated into penning (largely unread) arcane histories of the football team he's supported as a boy: West Ham.” In other words, my distress had resulted into a retreat into childhood.

John:

I am so sorry that someone has started this rumor. I do believe however whomever the person was who passed it onto another did so with very good intentions. I know that someone who emailed you did have the very best intentions. Then it was learned that this rumor had not been established by you, only surmised by the initial person expressing it. (And I do not know who this initial person was). I nearly emailed you to tell you how sorry I was but then I decided to wait to see if you announced this. Because you had posted on Judith's illness sometime back several people here were feeling much compassion at the pain you had to be in.

I have no idea how this rumor begun but I offer my condolances that you were privvy to something unfounded. However well-intentioned that person was.

I do hope that Judith is doing much better.

Dawn

[Mike Williams]

It has been brought to my attention that an email has been circulating amongst the group of members I have been in dispute with about the postings on the forum. This email claims that I have been behaving in an irrational way “bitching about the abuse received by moderators & administrators on forums generally” because of the “recent death of his wife."

It is true that my wife is terminally ill but she is still very much alive. My posts on the forum about the campaign against Len Colby and Evan Burton are based on logic and not on any distress I am feeling as the result of the death of a loved one.

I think this rumour is an example of the thinking of what I would call the “extreme conspiracy theorist”. They cannot grasp the idea of someone supporting people in public who they disagree with about “conspiracy theories” As I appeared in the past to be a conspiracy theorist, their must have been a cause for my “irrationality”. What better reason than the death of my wife.

One part of the email made me smile. It said: “I checked out his user account, and he seems to have retreated into penning (largely unread) arcane histories of the football team he's supported as a boy: West Ham.” In other words, my distress had resulted into a retreat into childhood.

John,

I will not comment on the rumor, and its intent.

I will say that I am sorry to hear of the health issues of your wife. My thoughts are with you.

Mike

[Len Colby]

Most members of this forum are far more inclined to believe conspiracies than I am - and most of them are rational people. There is however a small fringe of “extreme conspiracy theorists” who seem to suffer from extreme paranoia; they don’t accept the premise that “reasonable people can disagree” those who don’t hold their views must either suffer from some sort of psychological problem or hang up, be feeble minded or are disinfo agents only pretending to disagree. So “Tink” Thompson doesn’t think Wellstone was murdered, the Z-film was altered or WTC 7 was demolished - he must have either sold his soul to “the dark side” be going senile or both, Chomsky accepts the LNT- he must be a deep cover Mossad agent, John disagrees with harassment of members and insists that every one follow the same rules - he must loosing it. And of course most of the “debunkers” here have been accused of being disinformation agents.

The spreading of the rumor about the death of John’s wife is not that different from how rumors get spread in the truth movement - all too often anything that seems to support their POV is accepted uncritically; even such truther scholars as Fetzer, Griffin and Scott have accepted false claims of other researchers without verifying them.

[Josiah Thompson]

I am so sorry, John, to learn of your wife's illsness. My wife, Nancy, and my daughter, Lis, are both survivors of breast cancer so I have some very small idea what you may be feeling. I think this stinks to high heaven!

Tink

It has been brought to my attention that an email has been circulating amongst the group of members I have been in dispute with about the postings on the forum. This email claims that I have been behaving in an irrational way “bitching about the abuse received by moderators & administrators on forums generally” because of the “recent death of his wife."

It is true that my wife is terminally ill but she is still very much alive. My posts on the forum about the campaign against Len Colby and Evan Burton are based on logic and not on any distress I am feeling as the result of the death of a loved one.

I think this rumour is an example of the thinking of what I would call the “extreme conspiracy theorist”. They cannot grasp the idea of someone supporting people in public who they disagree with about “conspiracy theories” As I appeared in the past to be a conspiracy theorist, their must have been a cause for my “irrationality”. What better reason than the death of my wife.

One part of the email made me smile. It said: “I checked out his user account, and he seems to have retreated into penning (largely unread) arcane histories of the football team he's supported as a boy: West Ham.” In other words, my distress had resulted into a retreat into childhood.

[John Simkin]

Message from Charles Drago:

It is of paramount importance to me that the record be clear regarding the "rumor" of the passing of Judith Simkin.

Earlier this week I received an e-mail from an EF member whose identity I shall not reveal. In it he/she referenced the "death" of Ms. Simkin within the broader context of a discussion of John's positions on certain recently raised, controversial issues.

Within minutes of reading such sad news, I penned and sent an e-mail message of condolence to John. For the record, he and I have exchanged private correspondence on personal matters, and my respect for John is such that I could not hesitate in offering humble words of consolation.

Not long after I dispatched my message, I received yet another communication from the person who originally noted what we now know is the blessedly untrue story herein being discussed. I previously had informed him/her that I intended to write to John.

He/she asked me to hold off and acknowledged that the story could not be confirmed.

My response: "Too late."

Since then I have made every effort to determine the motives behind my unnamed correspondent's actions. To the degree that understandings of human nature in general, and the nature of the subjects we regularly examine on the EF in particular, allow, I am confident that there is no malice whatsoever to be discerned in any of this.

I have apologized to John privately. He will either accept or reject that apology.

Readers of this message will accept it as an authentic representation of events and feelings, or choose to understand it as part of a larger and hideous provocation.

I publicly thank John for posting these words on my behalf.

Sincerely,

Charles Drago

[Terry Mauro]

It has been brought to my attention that an email has been circulating amongst the group of members I have been in dispute with about the postings on the forum. This email claims that I have been behaving in an irrational way “bitching about the abuse received by moderators & administrators on forums generally” because of the “recent death of his wife."

It is true that my wife is terminally ill but she is still very much alive. My posts on the forum about the campaign against Len Colby and Evan Burton are based on logic and not on any distress I am feeling as the result of the death of a loved one.

I think this rumour is an example of the thinking of what I would call the “extreme conspiracy theorist”. They cannot grasp the idea of someone supporting people in public who they disagree with about “conspiracy theories” As I appeared in the past to be a conspiracy theorist, their must have been a cause for my “irrationality”. What better reason than the death of my wife.

One part of the email made me smile. It said: “I checked out his user account, and he seems to have retreated into penning (largely unread) arcane histories of the football team he's supported as a boy: West Ham.” In other words, my distress had resulted into a retreat into childhood.

****************************************************

"This email claims that I have been behaving in an irrational way “bitching about the abuse received by moderators & administrators on forums generally” because of the “recent death of his wife."

It is true that my wife is terminally ill but she is still very much alive. My posts on the forum about the campaign against Len Colby and Evan Burton are based on logic and not on any distress I am feeling as the result of the death of a loved one."

Whomever had the sheer audacity to assume such an egregious and erroneous error in judgment should be banned for this dishonest and despicable assertion of which they had no business in relating to other forum members.

I, for one, had not received such an e-mail, and rightly so. For, whomever this person is, they most assuredly must know that I would have read the riot act to them with regard to HIPAA Regulations, here in the States, which hold patient privacy above and beyond dispensation for public knowledge. I also would look to John Simkin, himself, as the bearer of any news concerning his wife's health matters, or the well-being of any of his family members.

I find the news of this to be reprehensible.

This was a callous act. I don't care who this person is, or even if I know them personally. And, I would most assuredly hope they were NOT a health care provider or professional, since one of the oldest, tried and true rules of this profession is, "Never assume anything, with regard to the health and well-being of your patient, or anyone else's patient. Assume nothing."

I wish Judith only the best, John. I hope you realize this. I am shocked and dismayed at this very act being committed against you and Judith.

Sincerely,

Terry

Edited August 23, 2008 by Terry Mauro