Why say it then?

I jest, of course.

I’ve been on the wrong end of such myself. Someone took exception to the suicide-bomber costume I was wearing a few years ago. The fancy-dress theme of the party was “heroes and villains” — I thought the outfit was quite clever, as which I was supposed to be could have been the subject of many an argument. Some people didn’t quite get it. And the one person who thought I was supposed to be a shepherd was just confused — probably still is, in fact.

And my former student newspaper was crawling with campus security and its editor both threatened and suspended after accidentally printing a certain cartoon.

To be completely fair Martin, I think most of the loudmouthed calls for violence were directed specifically at Clark — as opposed to people sharing his view generally — because of the particular tone of his article, which suggested that, like George Galloway, he’s not strictly anti-war, just not on our side. Not that that excuses it by any means.

As for the prosecution business, even if Conor Foley were actually serious when he wrote that, he’s plainly not actually going to do it. And I only left in that paragraph of his comment because I didn’t want to edit the quote.

I couldn’t care less if you’re shocked or not. I’ve seen sores that were funnier.

Your apology is accepted.

“Your frankly confusing self-justification list of things you have achieved are suitably impressive, and i commend you on your efforts thus far.”

Thanks. Maybe one day you’ll do just as well.

“I hope you have many more victories over the mysterious Peter Galbraith (I don’t know who he is, sorry, i am a fool).”

Well, I didn’t want to say it. He is the former US Ambassador to Croatia, who published his recantation of neoconservatism in the ‘New York Review of Books’ the day after mine appeared on the ‘Washington Dispatch’.

And he’s the son of JK Galbraith. You might have heard of him…economist…tall guy…used to be a TV intellectual…

Never mind, Jon, keep smiling - it keeps you going when, as has recently happened to me, people publicly express a desire to see violence done to you and that you be prosecuted for war crimes for doing nothing more than expressing what, to some, is an unpalatable opinion. Once that’s happened to you, then I will suffer your lectures on the virtues of tolerance and fortitude.

Do you want to add “i’ll get you next time gadget” or shall I?

Bit of a shocking reaction to what amounts to opinion expressed in a hyperbolic way for comedic affect. If you had said that about me, i would have laughed, because it is funny. I certainly wouldn’t be threatening you. I am a student by the way, and it’s not a good idea to talk about students like that (mainly because we are sensitive souls). But if you took offence, apologies.

Your frankly confusing self-justification list of things you have achieved are suitably impressive, and i commend you on your efforts thus far. I respect your right to criticise my point of view. Because I believe in your right to do that. I hope you have many more victories over the mysterious Peter Galbraith (I don’t know who he is, sorry, i am a fool).

One piece of advice: Have more fun. A smile is worth a thousand words.

No, Jon, not quite.

Apart from the fact that my happy (and not single) home life and proctological status are none of your business, that I was the first person ever, anywhere, to recant neoconservatism (I beat Peter Galbraith into print by one day), that I was streets ahead of the government on the acute problems being caused to the nation by foreigner-perpetrated crime and have been published extensively on ‘The Washington Dispatch’ (RIP), ‘Antiwar’ and ‘VDare’, I would venture to suggest that it’s not a good idea to talk about solicitors like that…not a good idea at all…