@OmSigDAVID,
When JTT first came to A2K he was just frequently annoying, but either he became emboldened or more outraged and then it was all anti-American screeds, all the time.
At that point I felt certain that he was a reincarnation of that most noxious of Abuzz characters, marburg (although he never acknowledged, it I always thought marburg took the name from the deadly hemorrhagic fever virus). Not only did marburg share JTT's obsession with anti-American screeds, he would post ugly, gloating comments about the deaths and maiming of American soldiers. He was truly despicable and yet I distinctly recall a number of the liberal Abuzz members writing "I agree with a lot of what you say marburg, but...," I'm pretty sure the same sentiment was initially expressed by some A2K posters.
I confronted JTT with my theory that he was a new version of marburg, but he never unequivocally denied it. If he was marburg reborn then he at least modified his vehement hatred for America and stopped celebrating the deaths of its soldiers.
For quite a long period of time I found him repugnant and frequently responded to his posts. I also had him on Ignore for a long period of time, and I'm not happy to admit I encouraged others to ignore him, and joined in "gang bashing" him on a couple of occasions.
I engaged in discussions with him via PMs in an effort to point out how he might better make his points if he changed his approach, but he would have none of it.
I certainly can't say we developed anything even remotely like a "friendship," but we did seem to come to some loose terms that altered the manner in which we addressed one another in this forum. I actually defended him a few times, which in retrospect is difficult for even me to believe. I found myself writing "I disagree with virtually everything JTT writes but..."
Since no one was found worthy of JTT's demanding standards (except perhaps the young poster gracie and a few people with whom he might communicate with solely on the basis of language) and failing his test of morality resulted in insult and invective, it wasn't surprising that he soon lost any support he once may have had and any tolerance people may have felt he deserved. I've little doubt that his posts were frequently "reported" and when he began, as he did, infecting numerous threads with his rants, irrespective of the main topic or what was being written, his behavior may have appeared close enough to spamming to justify his banning.
I have no knowledge what-so-ever that he was banned, but his eventual posting behaviors were so disruptive that I think banning him could be justified. If he was banned, I very seriously doubt it was because of what he was writing.
You never know how different someone can be in and outside this forum, but I would never be interested in having a few beers with "JTT." I might agree to meet the real person, to see if his posting was truly consistent with his personality away from his keyboard. I think I could tell before the first beer was finished.
In any case I hope his absence is not due to any personal misfortune. Perhaps after an extended hiatus, he will return a changed man. Without change though I certainly can't say I look forward to his return.
If he never returns he certainly belongs, as a figure, in the "History of A2K."
