{original post had no questions}

Thanks....we try.

jms

{original post unavailable}

"FWIW, that was your most courageous episode yet, IMHO."

I appreciate the sentiment, so don't take this as lack of
gratitude on my part; I'm happy you perceive it that way.

But courageous? No.

Courageous as an apellation belongs to the South American
writers who insist on telling the truth about their governments, who
risk death on a daily basis for doing so...and to other writers doing
similar work in other countries.

Yeah, it was kind of a shot to the midsection for some groups,
with a certain element of biting the hand that feeds you, but the truth
is, ain't nobody gonna come to my door in the middle of the night with
death squads, take me away, and torture me. If you want to hear about
real courage, join PEN International, or Amnesty International. They
can always use the help.

jms

Douglas Piligian <70760.2440@compuserve.com> asks:
> Just how painful was this for you as a writer to write about?
> Have you or someone you cared about been treated this way?

It was most definitely difficult and painful for me to write.
I am as much involved with these characters as anyone else, and doing
this kind of thing to them is hard. And you have to put yourself in
the minds of those doing this, and that's a dark place to be.

And yeah, I know people who were harmed in the blacklist, and
I've seen others, and myself, sometimes harmed by those who like to
twist things around to their own benefit.

jms