Thank you dick for pointing out that neither the Internet, nor the Mudcat, is a democracy. And to Joerg, for pointing out that people can be nice and kind even if nobody is making it a rule that they be so, or policing their kindness levels. This is also an argument I have with organized religion, the idea that without a god or some gods you can't know right from wrong. I don't get that either. I post as Guest from work (we are a fairly techno firm so I don't have a cookie) but prefer to be called Mrr than Guest-Mrr, but am not offended if people who don't already know who I am (member name = Mrrzy) don't know that, people figure it out eventually. Or not. No biggie. However:

I know of at least one occasion where (I thought) I seriously offended someone, a member. I immediately sent a PM apologizing. My apology was rejected, but that's fine, it's the insulted party's perogative not to forgive anything considered unforgivable. I have no arguments with this member, and look forward to a day when they aren't upset with me anymore, but I'm not losing any sleep over it as I had not INTENDED to be offensive in the first place. I do MIND, of course, but that's life. (Of course, had I intended offense I still wouldn't be losing sleep, because then I'd be a jerk.)

On another occasion I received a PM from a member who thought they might have seriously offended ME, which they hadn't, and I told them so immediately. But I appreciated their NOT putting that apology into the thread as it would have upset its balance, and besides this was just between us. It is that kind of thing I wish we saw more of - personal apologies, rather than public, for personal transgressions, intended or imagined. [I agree with Praise's sentiment in her public apology, don't get me wrong, but that was a different kind of thing.] And I can't do that as Guest, I had to wait till I got home, leaving the offended party offended for longer than would have otherwise occurred. But that is MY choice, I'm the one too paranoid to join from work. I just hope that it wasn't that delay that made what I posted that one time so unforgivable.