[Buddha-l] A ltter concerning toleration

[George Thompson]

Dear List,

I have no interest whatsoever in Steven Lane, his religion, his country, or
anything that he holds dear.  But I find his attempt at discrediting and
intimidating Richard Hayes by sending this atrocious letter to Richard's
dept. chair utterly appalling.  We should ignore this intellectual and moral
thug.

I suggest that we write up and sign a petition in Richard's defense.

Best wishes,

George Thompson

-----Original Message-----
From: buddha-l-bounces at mailman.swcp.com
[mailto:buddha-l-bounces at mailman.swcp.com]On Behalf Of Steven Lane
Sent: Wednesday, June 01, 2005 9:04 AM
To: 'Buddhist discussion forum'
Subject: RE: [Buddha-l] A ltter concerning toleration



Denizens of buddha-l,

  The following letter has been sent to the chair of the hopefully
ex-professor Hayes' department at his invitation. Where do you think I got
the name. Since I have every e-mail in which ex-prof Hayes says these things
it would be interesting to see if any of you would like to refute any points
in the letter. This letter came because Hayes feels free to attack my
country my religion and most other things I hold dear and in classic Marxist
style refuse to post my answers. So please if you think you can refute
things please go ahead.

-----Original Message-----
From: buddha-l-bounces at mailman.swcp.com
[mailto:buddha-l-bounces at mailman.swcp.com] On Behalf Of Richard Hayes
Sent: Wednesday, June 01, 2005 7:28 AM
To: buddha-l at mailman.swcp.com
Subject: [Buddha-l] A ltter concerning toleration

Denizens of buddha-l,

The following letter has been sent to the chair of my department. Perhaps
others of you would like to join our friend in discussing my qualifications.
Otherwise, enjoy the letter as an interesting sign of our times.

Cordinally (and moderately) yours,
Richard Hayes

\begin{letter}
Mr../Prof Goodman,

    My name is Mr. Lane and I am a member of of list called Buddha-L. I am
writing about the outrageous behavior of Richard Hayes. He constantly posts
rabidly anti-American posts, anti-Christian and if you believe Dan Lusthaus
anti-Jewish. He has called Dan Lusthaus a war mongering pinhead. His
anti-Americanism is not loyal opposition but outright treason. He blamed the
U.S. for Sept 11 justifying the attacks as the result justifiable anger. He
has said it is the U.S. that is the cause of all the trouble in the world
"as we are the oppressors". He seemed to anticipate happily the fall of the
U.S. yet we never hear a peep out of him about the evils that occur in the
P.R.C or the Islamic counties.

    Mr.. Hayes constantly belittles Buddhist sutras he does not agree with
(the Lotus Sutra) and feels it is O.K.
He has ridiculed the Hua-Yen and T'ien T'ai which many people feel are the
highest level of Buddhist thought. Mr.
Hayes feels it is totally appropriate to slander any religious doctrine he
does not agree with or understand but when somebody posts something contrary
to his beliefs he either blocks it or responds with a personal attack.

    Mr. Hayes is a translator but fancies himself a Buddhist scholar. From
what I have seen he has yet to understand one Mahayana doctrine which in and
of itself is no crime, however given the Mahayana and its non-dualist
doctrines are religious beliefs of millions I do not not see any difference
between his mocking non-dualism and anybody slandering Christianity. Judaism
or Islam. Mr.
Hayes has no clue of the difference between monism and non-dualism but I
understand that you will be letting him teach a course on Hui-Neng and the
Platform Sutra, is that true? If so you might as well let him teach a course
in quantum mechanics as his understanding of the two is about the same.
(Incidentally Hayes went through a whole tirade about relating quantum
mechanics and Buddhism only later to admit he knows nothing about QM at
all). This of course is classic Hayes M.O. try and ridicule anything he is
incapable of understanding. Yes I have personally attacked him on Buddha-L
as he has attacked me. Apparently he thinks the latter is fine but not the
former.

   Mr. Hayes is a self professed former Communist (I have grave doubts about
the former part - I believe in one of his recent e-mails he described
himself as a Marxist Quaker). I don't believe Communists or former
Communists should be teaching young people in this country any more than I
would accept a Nazi or former Nazi teaching teaching them. After all we are
talking about a party that has slaughtered over 100 million people in the
twentieth century. I wonder who his role model is Stalin, Mao or Pol Pot.

     Despite all of this I still would not be writing about Hayes if he
believed in free speech but of course what (former) Communist does. To that
end I am asking for the names of all of your superiors in the university,
the state government and any persons important in private funding of the
university so that I may forward them his outrageous e-mails. I think we
should see if these people agree with my opinion that (former) Communists
should not be teaching young people. Mr. Hayes will of course deny all of
the above but remind him that I have all Buddha-L e-mails going back to 1998
backed up in three different places.

  Sincerely yours,
  Mr. Lane
\end{letter}
_______________________________________________
buddha-l mailing list
buddha-l at mailman.swcp.com
http://mailman.swcp.com/mailman/listinfo/buddha-l

_______________________________________________
buddha-l mailing list
buddha-l at mailman.swcp.com
http://mailman.swcp.com/mailman/listinfo/buddha-l