Eccentric emails

I just got a cc copy of an email from an academic dean at a certain university – let’s call him “Professor X” – responding to a former professor from a British university (“Professor Y”) who has been chased out of the academy for “purveying conspiracy theories.”  Below is professor X’s email, followed by my response.

Dear Professor Y,

Please take me off your distribution list for your eccentric emails. I do not agree with your world view and do not wish to be troubled with your rantings.

Thank you

Professor X

* * *

Dear Professor X,

Please take me off your distribution list for your eccentric emails responding to eccentric emails. I do not agree with your world view’s dismissal of other world views and do not wish to be troubled with your rantings about others’ rantings.  Please note that anyone who would email a crazy person to tell him he’s crazy is even crazier than the crazy person he emailed to tell him he’s crazy. And anyone who would cc that crazy email telling the crazy person he’s crazy to hundreds of others is crazier than the craziest crazy person in the whole history of craziness.

I trust you will quickly commit yourself to the closest (non-academic) institution.

Thank you

Kevin Barrett