Bokovoy: "Tornado Victims Deserved It!"

Post by **_Enuma Elish** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:20 am

Hello Friends,

To clarify, I was in playful mood the other night on the board, writing posts about everything from the song "Nantucket Sleigh Ride," to the legalized status of peyote in Canada.

Though inappropriate, my comments were not intended to be taken seriously. In response to Rhinomelon's statement, "God sent the tornadoes to punish the states that supported Huckabee? Absolutely ridiculous, and worse than bigotry," I jokingly stated "So are you saying that he didn't?"

This was solely because I found the assertion so ridiculous. Then when Rhino questioned the intended meaning of my sarcasm, I pushed him with the statement, "Well, seeing as I went down to shake Mitt's hand and cheer for him when he cast his vote and my wife sat on the stage of his final rally (with me cheering from the crowd), given my current emotional attachment, better for right now to plea the fifth."

I did not believe then, nor have I ever believed that the South had been punished for voting for Mike Huckabee over Mitt Romney. Admittedly not realizing the details of the calamities, my sarcasm was inappropriate.

In my next post, I corrected my mistake with the comment, "Though I am a bit emotional and upset over the fact that Romney dropped out of the race today and though I do believe that this is in part due to Anti-Mormon bigotry that runs throughout the South, I do not believe that the tragedy was a divine punishment sent against the Bible belt for casting a vote for the Anti-Christ."

I then immediately apologized to Hagoth who stated that he has family in Alabama with the comment "And I sincerely hope that they are well and apologize if my comments have hurt your feelings."

Kevin is incorrect, I am not a Democrat. I am politically independent. I consider myself somewhat of a socialist and I hold a variety of leftist political views.

Notwithstanding my own political perspectives which run counter to many conservative principles, I freely admit that I was quite emotionally tied to the Romney campaign. I've lived in the same town with Mitt on and off since 1998. I've home-taught with Matt Romney and had Tagg in my Bishopric.

They're truly wonderful people.

Knowing the family as I do, I felt confident in Mitt's ability to make some helpful changes in Washington and admired his integrity.

So while I admit that given this connection I have been a bit emotional over the campaign, I have never felt that the South was punished for rejecting Mitt Romney and was wrong to employ the use of sarcasm with such a serious subject.

Sincerely,

David Bokovoy

Post by **_Mister Scratch** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:25 am

Enuma Elish wrote:Hello Friends,

Hi, there, Dave. I have to say, I admire your gumption in coming over here in the hopes of smoothing over this fracas. Something still troubles me, though. Rather than simply stating, "What I said was wrong, and I'm sorry," you have repeatedly tried to gloss over the issue via some pretty tenuous qualifications; namely, that you were "joking," or that your comments were somehow "justifiable" due to the "anti-Mormon bigotry" you've observed, and your emotional connection to the Romney campaign... So, is it fair to say that you feel your "sarcasm" was justified, given all the "anti-Mormon bigotry" that goes in in the South, and/or your personal connection to Romney?

Post by **_Enuma Elish** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:30 am

So, is it fair to say that you feel your "sarcasm" was justified, given all the "anti-Mormon bigotry" that goes in in the South, and/or your personal connection to Romney?

No, I don't. I offered my comments as an explanation, not as justification. I was wrong to employ sarcasm with the topic.

Best.

Post by **_Mister Scratch** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:34 am

Enuma Elish wrote:
So, is it fair to say that you feel your "sarcasm" was justified, given all the "anti-Mormon bigotry" that goes in in the South, and/or your personal connection to Romney?

No, I don't. I offered my comments as an explanation, not as justification. I was wrong to employ sarcasm with the topic.

Best.

Do you in any way wish for vengeance against anti-Mormon bigots?

Post by **_Gadianton** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:38 am

Is it safe to say that Dr. Peterson "deflected" precisely because he thought Bokovoy was serious?

Post by **_Enuma Elish** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:38 am

Mister Scratch wrote:
Enuma Elish wrote:
So, is it fair to say that you feel your "sarcasm" was justified, given all the "anti-Mormon bigotry" that goes in in the South, and/or your personal connection to Romney?

No, I don't. I offered my comments as an explanation, not as justification. I was wrong to employ sarcasm with the topic.

Best.

Do you in any way wish for vengeance against anti-Mormon bigots?

No. In fact, I'm not only a Latter-day Saint and a socialist, but I'm also a universalist. I believe in a loving God who will eventually exalt rather than punish all of his children, even if they are anti-Mormon bigots.

Post by **_Enuma Elish** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:40 am

Gadianton wrote:Is it safe to say that Dr. Peterson "deflected" precisely because he thought Bokovoy was serious?

I didn't talk to Dan about it, but I don't think so.

Post by **_harmony** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:43 am

Enuma Elish wrote:
Gadianton wrote:Is it safe to say that Dr. Peterson "deflected" precisely because he thought Bokovoy was serious?

I didn't talk to Dan about it, but I don't think so.

*I* thought you were serious. But we all know that means nothing. The Least among us are simply "noise".

Post by **_Mister Scratch** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:44 am

Gadianton wrote:Is it safe to say that Dr. Peterson "deflected" precisely because he thought Bokovoy was serious?

It doesn't really matter one way or the other whether or not DCP---or anyone else---thought Bokovoy was "serious." This was just simply one of those foot-in-mouth moments, rather like Michael Richards's use of the 'N-word,' or Mel Gibson's Jew-related comments. I.e., were they just joking, or trying to make a point? In the end, it doesn't matter. The stuff had already been said.

Post by **_Mister Scratch** » Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:47 am

Enuma Elish wrote:
Gadianton wrote:Is it safe to say that Dr. Peterson "deflected" precisely because he thought Bokovoy was serious?

I didn't talk to Dan about it, but I don't think so.

You don't think what? That he was "deflecting," or that he thought you were serious?